Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

Aspiring entrepreneurs often ask me what to do first when starting a business. The date of incorporation is the official start date for your business, so progress from this point will be scrutinized by investors. Start with the simplest legal entity, to minimize liability and taxes.

Entrepreneur 59

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Ideas 59

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2013

The biggest complaint I hear from investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. Start with the problem and your solution.

Angel 102

Angel Funding Slides Technical Review 102

socalTECH

DECEMBER 7, 2016

Orange County startup Beatshare --backed by the Tech Coast Angels, Pasadena Angels, Harvard Business School Angels, and Archangels, among others�thinks it's figured out the formula to make music the message in its mobile app. Barry was a lead mentor there at Chapman University's Launch Labs, and we paired up. What is Beatshare?

Tech Coast Angels 100

Tech Coast Angels CTO Coach Startup Pasadena Angels 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 22, 2012

The biggest complaint I hear from investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. Start with the problem and your solution.

Tips 97

Tips Slides Technical Review Startup 97

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2011

The biggest complaint I hear from investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. Start with the problem and your solution.

Slides 95

Slides Technical Review Startup Research 95

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2015

Smart investors, competitors and smart customers, will listen and watch carefully as you position your new offering. Taking action to file even a provisional patent shows you have the conviction and skill to execute while others have no barrier to entry. Use real case studies and customer feedback.

Capital 63

Capital Competition Case Study Patents 63

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2011

Gartner says our market will be $50 billion in 2015.” That’s probably the soft way of saying, we don’t have a patent or any “secret sauce” for a competitive advantage. Unfortunately, a startup with no brand name and no intellectual property is a sitting duck for the big slow company, as soon as they see you gaining a bit of traction.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Funding Innocal Competition 108

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2010

I was recently a judge at a local event where the time limit for each startup was two minutes. Yet a big complaint I hear from investors is that startup founders often waste their time and forget to get to the point. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Don’t forget to ask for the order.

Tips 56

Tips Slides Startup Research 56

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 13, 2012

New entrepreneurs who want to survive, and optimize the growth of their startups, need to think globally, and act locally, from day one. The middle and above-middle class population of China will grow from 172 million in 2010 to 314 million in 2015. An international brand will command higher prices and additional customer demand.

Marketing 104

Marketing Startup Patents Offshore 104

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 21, 2013

New entrepreneurs who want to survive, and optimize the growth of their startups, need to think globally, and act locally, from day one. The middle and above-middle class population of China will grow from 172 million in 2010 to 314 million by 2015. An international brand will command higher prices and additional customer demand.

Entrepreneur 97

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Offshore 97

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2011

New entrepreneurs who want to survive, and optimize the growth of their startups, need to think globally, and act locally, from day one. The middle and above-middle class population of China will grow from 172 million in 2010 to 314 million in 2015. An international brand will command higher prices and additional customer demand.

Entrepreneur 103

Entrepreneur Patents Offshore Startup 103

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

Too many entrepreneurs look for that one magic bullet -- an exciting new technology, perhaps, or their own determination to make the world a better place -- to override any shortcomings in their startup model. Such failures ignore the essential business elements investors look for before committing to a startup.

Pricing 100

Pricing Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup 100

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2015

Sometimes great new businesses, such as Starbucks, are built on the oldest of base products, but with better customer service, distribution, marketing or a new pricing model, by a smart, determined entrepreneur such as Howard Schultz. The passion of a good entrepreneur is contagious to the team, investors and customers.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Pricing Customer Custom 106