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A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. Someone on Quora recently asked me to answer the following question: Why Do Digital Entrepreneurs Hate MBAs? Techentrepreneurs' consternation with MBAs does not rise to the level of loathing. As I stated in my Quora answer, "hate" is the wrong word.
For the elite startups and entrepreneurs who manage to attract the investor they dream of, and survive the term sheet negotiation, there is still one more hurdle before the money is in the bank. This is the mysterious and dreaded duediligence process, which can kill the whole deal.
Some aspiring entrepreneurs are so desperate for funding, or naïve, that they ignore the obvious signs of scams and rip-offs on the Internet, praying for a windfall. But people are still begging for more technology or laws, often to protect them from themselves. Use the common sense suggestions to avoid the pain: Decoy investor scam.
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. Because of the rapid pace with which Venture Capitalists review investment opportunities, they must employ pattern matching techniques which include identifying common fundraising deal breakers. Breaking The Deal Breakers. Frictionless Fundraising.
Last week a company we enthusiastically backed, uBeam , led by a very special entrepreneur, 25-year-old Meredith Perry , announced a $10 million round of financing. uBeam’s tech does work and I have safely seen it demo’d in the real life many times. Entrepreneurs. ” **.
If your startup is great enough to get a term sheet from angel investors or a venture capitalist, the next step for the investor is to complete the dreaded duediligence process. Some startups do nothing to prepare for the duediligence process, assuming the people and business plan documents will speak for themselves.
Part I of this series describes the 360-review that I conducted at a growing, dynamic SaaS business which has recently graduated from the startup stage and entered the early-growth phase. One of the most compelling conclusions I drew from the reviews is that both Founders need delegate more of their day-to-day tasks.
If your startup is great enough to get a term sheet from angel investors or a venture capitalist, the next step for the investor is to complete the dreaded duediligence process. Some startups do nothing to prepare for the duediligence process, assuming the people and business plan documents will speak for themselves.
For the elite startups and entrepreneurs who manage to attract the investor they dream of, and survive the term sheet negotiation, there is still one more hurdle before the money is in the bank. This is the mysterious and dreaded duediligence process, which can kill the whole deal.
This article originally appeared on TechCrunch. To be a great entrepreneur you really do need talent. You need to be great at something: technology back-end, front-end design, usability, sales, marketing, quantitative analysis, leadership –> whatever. I know what you’re thinking – link bait title, right?
Otherwise, grab a cup ‘o coffee … Clicking on any graph below will take you to that article. My advice to entrepreneurs was and is “ when the hors d’oeuvres tray is being passed take two ” (e.g. raise money now to weather any storms). Such is the case with advanced batteries.
If your startup is great enough to get a term sheet from angel investors or a venture capitalist, the next step for the investor is to complete the dreaded duediligence process. Some startups do nothing to prepare for the duediligence process, assuming the people and business plan documents will speak for themselves.
As an entrepreneur, I helped create companies which achieved two IPOs and two trade sales totaling $385 million. Hopefully this article and the accompanying six-minute video will help you avoid learning these mission-critical lessons the hard way. Value is created through diligent hard work. Attempt To License An Idea.
There’s an article making the rounds in tech circles titled “ Growth Hacking is Bull ” written by Muhammad Saleem. I’d like to make the case that the article is wrong. And if there is a term for that which helps entrepreneurs stay focused on these good and true objectives then I’m all for it.
Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse duediligence on the investors. Reverse duediligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.
A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. Entrepreneurs typically embrace celebrity investments, while most sophisticated investors prefer to avoid famous entertainment or sports personalities on the cap table. What’s the cause of this incongruence?
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Want to be an entrepreneur? In addition, Entrepreneur Magazine recently included UCSB in its Top 50 Schools For VC Backed Entrepreneurs at number 37. If you haven''t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly JohnGreathouse.com articles!
I often hear the qualms of business-smart but non-technicalentrepreneurs, wondering if they really have a chance in this high-technology marketplace. I tell them that if their idea or solution is technology intensive, they clearly need technology strength on the team. Outsource your technical requirements.
For the elite startups and entrepreneurs who manage to attract the investor they dream of, and survive the term sheet negotiation, there is still one more hurdle before the money is in the bank. This is the mysterious and dreaded duediligence process, which can kill the whole deal.
Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse duediligence on the investors. Reverse duediligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.
For the last week of the year, we're featuring the thoughts and reflections of some of the movers and shakers of Southern California's high tech community. We asked the same four questions of a variety of top technologyentrepreneurs, investors, and others, to hear what they're thinking about, and are sharing it here over the next week.
If your startup is great enough to get a term sheet from angel investors or a venture capitalist, the next step for the investor is to complete the dreaded duediligence process. Some startups do nothing to prepare for the duediligence process, assuming the people and business plan documents will speak for themselves.
Because entrepreneurs often went to lawyers at their earliest stages to get their company registration done. Entrepreneurial lawyers like Don Lee , Dave Young or Ted Wang are good at sussing out which entrepreneurs are high potential. I tapped my friends at big tech companies (Salesforce, Google, Oracle). I attended events.
Guy’s latest book, Enchantment , was released in March of 2011, to overwhelmingly upbeat reviews. Of the 225 customer reviews currently posted on Amazon, over 90% are highly positive. I enjoyed the book as well, as evidenced by the review I wrote at the time of its release, which you can read HERE. It wasn’t the Guy fan base.
Although many are entertaining, most fail to provide entrepreneurs with a sufficient return on their time investment. Unfortunately, most business books do not offer entrepreneurs an adequate payoff. The short version of my review is: “Enchanting? Fan, Not A Fan Boy. Pithy – Guy is the Steven King of business books.
Because entrepreneurs often went to lawyers at their earliest stages to get their company registration done. Entrepreneurial lawyers like Don Lee , Dave Young or Ted Wang are good at sussing out which entrepreneurs are high potential. I tapped my friends at big tech companies (Salesforce, Google, Oracle). I attended events.
Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse duediligence on the investors. Reverse duediligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.
You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. Yet I see many technologyentrepreneurs that focus on the basics of marketing too little and too late. Marketing is everything these days. Marty Zwilling.
I pointed to several Economist articles I had read that mapped historical prices of real estate for 400 years and how on average property values grow at no more 1.5% I believe that huge financial, productivity and technical gains come from new innovation rather than derivative thinking. Tags: Tech Market Analysis.
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. If you haven't already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly Infochachkie articles! There are a variety of factors entrepreneurs should consider when evaluating a potential early-stage investor. Painfully Diligent Investors. Four Common Angel Archetypes.
This article was originally published on TechCrunch. I thought about things I never had to as an entrepreneur: check size, ownership percentage, deal stage, portfolio construction and risk. Let’s review all of our existing investments. The full articles are linked below. Not just tech companies but industrials, too.
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. According to Tige Young, Founder and CEO of Tui Tai Expeditions , entrepreneurs should de-emphasize ROI and focus on a more accurate measure of wealth, Return On Life. If you haven''t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly Infochachkie articles!
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. One the most frequent questions asked of me by entrepreneurs is, "How can I become a Venture Capitalist?" The inquiry is common because being a VC is (to an entrepreneur, at least) a sexy job. In contrast, an Angel Investor is someone who invests their own capital.
This article originally ran on TechCrunch. I’m an entrepreneur at heart so I’m always inspired when I hear stories about innovation. Seattle should be the envy of any non Silicon Valley tech community in the country. It really wouldn’t take much to turn a great technology ecosystem into a truly electric one.
If you haven’t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly Infochachkie articles! This concentration is partly due to natural causes – successful startups spawn other successful startups. However, a review of historical data confirms that this trend remains consistent, even in boom times.
This article originally appeared on TechCrunch. 2 preamble issues having read the comments on TC today: 1: I know that the prices of startup companies is much great in Silicon Valley than in smaller towns / less tech focused areas in the US and the US prices higher than many foreign markets. I acknowledged this in the article.
Many of the entrepreneurs I advise or invest with spend considerable time on the Internet, keeping up with technology, customers, and competitors, but very few feel the need for an early personal presence. Consistently review and respond to relevant online feedback. Every future entrepreneur should start by networking.
I often hear the qualms of business-smart but non-technicalentrepreneurs, wondering if they really have a chance in this high-technology marketplace. I tell them that if their idea or solution is technology intensive, they clearly need technology strength on the team. Outsource your technical requirements.
AngelList 101 : As you know, AngelList is a platform where angels can invest in semi-screened tech deals. It should help some entrepreneurs to better access early-stage capital and should allow some angel investors better access to deal flow. I have a slightly different take on why I find it valuable. So What’s the Big Deal?
I recommend you first review Dharmesh’s article and then listen to Naval’s thoughts. free weekly Infochachkie articles! Venture Hacks is educating entrepreneurs on the game theory of how to raise venture capital. You can watch my interview with Naval below or on YouTube here: [link].
Article first published as Eleven Startup Tips From Mark Cuban on Technorati. Mark Cuban is a lifelong serial entrepreneur, launching his startup career with a variety of teenage schemes, including buying and selling collectable stamps to pay for college. free weekly Infochachkie articles! Mark’s Startup Tips. What Risk? "Because
If you haven''t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly JohnGreathouse.com articles! Jason Nazar, Co-Founder and CEO of Docstoc , and a self-professed "Mentee Whore," discusses his secrets to finding and keeping a mentor in this compelling article. Mentee Whoring. In a few instances, I have even become their mentor.
According to a January 2012 Forbes article, nearly 16% of the 400 most affluent Americans do not have a college degree. For many entrepreneurs, college has little appeal. Academia’s arbitrary, bureaucratic structure, combined with its predominant focus on theoretical issues, causes many entrepreneurs to depart college early.
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. The entrepreneur cannot wait to show me their product via a demo. Most entrepreneurs seem confused by my reaction and often say something like: “VCs love demos. If you haven't already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly JohnGreathouse.com articles!
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