Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2022

Almost instantly, via the Internet or on their smartphone in the store, they can find the lowest price alternative or their favorite features, without waiting for push marketing or listening to your best sales person. Capitalize on the multiplier moment. Bloom’s classic book, “ The New Experts: Win Today's Newly Empowered Customers.”

Customer 146

Customer Custom Startup Course 146

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 31, 2012

I got an email recently from my friend & fellow VC, Jeff Bussgang from Flybridge Capital Partners in Boston. Jeff (also an HBS alum) co-teaches the LTV course with Professor Eisenmann about a student of theirs who had written a blog post about sales taking on some of my previous assertions. Specifically, 1.

Startup 319

Startup Sales Course Competition 319

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

When you first start your company and raise initial venture capital your board probably consists of 1-3 founders and 1-2 VCs. If you work at a company that has raised $20 million in capital or more this is the likely situation unless you had overnight and meteoric growth that gave you the power to hold on to a board majority.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 6, 2023

If ten percent of these numbers, multiplied by your average product price, will get you the revenue you need to scale your business, you will get the love you need from angel and venture capital investors. The wealth of data available online is already much larger than the entire Library of Congress, and much more current.

Statistics 120

Statistics Research Report Newsletter 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 17, 2020

Here is my edited summary of their ten principles, which I like and may convince you that you don’t need a business plan at all, or at the very least will help you write a better one later: A new venture is a means, not an end. Build and use social capital. Social capital is people and connections. Acquire the relevant skills.

Startup 143

Startup Capital Resource Research 143

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2014

On sales I often talk about “ Why Buy Anything, Why Buy Now, Why Buy Me ” as a tool to think about a sales process. On teams I have a framework for tech teams “ CTO vs. VP Eng ” or on sales I have “ Journeymen, Mavericks & Superstars ” 5. I had coffee with a friend on Friday.

Startup 407

Startup Framework CTO Coach Sales 407

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 24, 2018

controlling your psychology ) you no doubt have heard me say that raising capital is a sales & marketing process. This is critical to build a cohesive venture capital firm. This is Sales 101. If you’ve read any of my ongoing series on fund raising from venture capitalist (episode 1?— ?controlling

Venture Capital 314

Venture Capital Technical Review Invest Slides 314

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

Most public shells ready for sale are not listed on a national securities exchange, but are instead traded in a less glamorous setting, such as the OTC Bulletin Board. The reverse merger process itself doesn’t raise any capital. These looming constraints can turn your startup dream into a nightmare, all to increase funding.

Funding 104

Funding Summary Entrepreneur Acquisition 104

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

The most important advice I could give you before you set out in fund raising mode is to understand that fund-raising a sales & marketing process and needs to be managed. Somehow many first-time founders equate “sales” with something that is beneath them. In sales there are also three rules: Qualify, qualify, qualify.

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2020

If ten percent of these numbers, multiplied by your average product price, will get you the revenue you need to scale your business, you will get the love you need from angel and venture capital investors. The wealth of data available online is already much larger than the entire Library of Congress, and much more current.

Marketing 157

Marketing Statistics Research Report 157

socalTECH

JANUARY 21, 2010

For today's Insights and Opinions piece, we have an article from Dave Berkus , an angel investor and blogger at Berkonomics , who gives a good summary and rundown of the various different places you can raise money for your business. For you who fit that description, nice work.

Southern California 145

Southern California High Tech Summary Capital 145

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

The most obvious way to explain this is with sales people. If you hire 6 sales reps in January at $120,000 / year salary then you’ve taken on an extra $60,000 per month in costs yet these sales people might not close new business for 4-6 months. “COGS” represents the amount that each sale costs you.

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Almost instantly, via the Internet or on their smartphone in the store, they can find the lowest price alternative or their favorite features, without waiting for push marketing or listening to your best sales person. Capitalize on the multiplier moment. Bloom’s classic book, “ The New Experts: Win Today's Newly Empowered Customers.”

Customer 124

Customer Custom Startup Course 124

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 17, 2019

Just as I was getting the swing of things the world shifted beneath my feet and the stock market went into a free fall and venture capital all but shut down for nearly a year. In the case of Invoca we led both the seed round and the A round and didn’t wait for somebody else to come and provide more capital. Over the past 2.5

Venture Capital 223

Venture Capital IP Startup Google 223

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2021

I like the summary of the competitive reality in a new book, “ Rethinking Competitive Advantage: New Rules for the Digital Age ,” by Ram Charan, who relates a wealth of current experience from global clients: Customers expect a personalized experience. These tolerate negative cash flows for growth.

Competition 142

Competition Software Review Social Media Customer 142

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2019

Examples include the Conscious Capitalism® movement, founded by John Mackey of Whole Foods, the B Team , founded by serial entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, and the Benefit Corporation (B Corp) form of business now available in 33 states. This is not just sales traction, but a proper balance between resources, product, and customers.

Startup 97

Startup Education Customer Custom 97

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 16, 2011

After college Joanne worked for 4 years in retail apparel at Macy’s where she initially managed sales reps on the floor and then worked as a buyer of clothing. This is where she first developed sales skills. She doubled her salary by going into sales. to $12m in sales. “A lot of sales is innate.

Startup 311

Startup Sales Venture Capital Entrepreneur 311

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2015

. “the ecommerce company gained fauxmentum by raising artificially high amounts of venture capital and spent lavishly on customer acquisition despite long payback periods and questionable LTV” __. I’m not saying don’t hire sales staff or market your products aggressively. We live in heady times.

Startup 150

Startup Marketing Customer Custom 150

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2019

Most public shells ready for sale are not listed on a national securities exchange, but are instead traded in a less glamorous setting, such as the OTC Bulletin Board. The reverse merger process itself doesn’t raise any capital. These looming constraints can turn your startup dream into a nightmare, all to increase funding.

Summary 121

Summary Startup Entrepreneur Funding 121

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2013

Just as with sales, if you have a strong champion as a partner you will likely be OK. In summary, VC partnerships are like any organization. Raising Venture Capital Startup Advice' You would never sell to one department and then trust them to manage all of the relationships with other departments who have to use your software.

Venture Capital 309

Venture Capital Summary Organization Entrepreneur 309

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 2, 2015

For a well-funded A or B round company I have recommended “ leveling up ,” which entails many things but in summary I tell people to “act your stage.” It freed up Ophir to grow out our sales organization, to work more closely with agencies, to innovate on product and to raise capital.

Outsource Development 150

Outsource Development Metrics Startup Sales 150

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2018

Here is my edited summary of their ten principles, which I like and may convince you that you don’t need a business plan at all, or at the very least will help you write a better one later: A new venture is a means, not an end. Build and use social capital. Social capital is people and connections. Acquire the relevant skills.

Startup 94

Startup Capital Resource Research 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2013

Examples include the Conscious Capitalism® movement, led by John Mackey of Whole Foods, The B Team , led by serial entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, and the Benefit Corporation (B Corp) form of business now available in 14 states. This is not just sales traction, but a proper balance between resources, product, and customers.

Startup 117

Startup Education Customer Custom 117

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

Of course it is super helpful if a VC can drop you in to important people for business development, recruiting, PR, sales and eventually M&A. And so is venture capital. Summary: Team Leadership skills, operating knowhow and industry knowledge are all tremendously important. Connections? Commitment. Startups are hard.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

In the article it talks about Sequoia’s $19 billion sale of WhatsApp to Facebook that generated apparently $3 billion for Sequoia and its shareholders. But I do know that nobody I know in the industry (Ok, maybe 1 or 2 people) doubts that A16Z is building a great venture capital firm that will have enviable returns. Nobody knows.

Venture Capital 264

Venture Capital Invest Funding Competition 264

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

Or read the quick, informative summary below the image! What better than to have capital from somebody who has actually done it in the trenches? Matt’s commitment to re-investing in tech startups is reminiscent to this great Fred Wilson post of “recycling capital. &#. Here’s a summary of our interview.

Acquisition 304

Acquisition Startup Customer Custom 304

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 25, 2011

This thinking is largely driven by the venture capital industry (and subsequently Wall Street) who are in search of high margin, highly scalable businesses. I gave them advice I don’t think they were expecting from a VC, “Don’t raise venture capital for this business. This team is talented. They wanted advice.

Services 332

Services Venture Capital IP Startup 332

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2019

I like his summary of five kinds of questions that can help you change your leadership effectiveness, and your organization’s view of reality when faced with complex new issues: Questions that highlight key roadblocks to a solution. His life proves that leadership is learned, not a birthright.

Help 91

Help Examples Summary Design 91

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2018

If ten percent of these numbers, multiplied by your average product price, will get you the revenue you need to scale your business, you will get the love you need from angel and venture capital investors. The wealth of data available online is already much larger than the entire Library of Congress, and much more current.

Research 87

Research Marketing Statistics Report 87

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 13, 2011

I recently filmed a show for This Week in Venture Capital in which I talked about how to prepare for a VC meeting: whom you’ll meet, who should attend from your side, what materials you should bring and how you should run the meeting. I wrote the summary notes in this blog post. That notes only told part of the story.

Venture Capital 299

Venture Capital Slides Technical Advisors Startup 299

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2015

Almost instantly, via the Internet or on their smartphone in the store, they can find the lowest price alternative or their favorite features, without waiting for push marketing or listening to your best sales person. Capitalize on the multiplier moment. Bloom’s classic book, “ The New Experts: Win Today's Newly Empowered Customers.”

Customer 101

Customer Custom Startup Course 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2016

Here is my edited summary of their ten principles, which I like and may convince you that you don’t need a business plan at all, or at the very least will help you write a better one later: A new venture is a means, not an end. Build and use social capital. Social capital is people and connections. Acquire the relevant skills.

Startup 68

Startup Capital Resource Entrepreneur 68

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 15, 2013

Here is my edited summary of their ten principles, which I like and may convince you that you don’t need a business plan at all, or at the very least will help you write a better one later: A new venture is a means, not an end. Build and use social capital. Social capital is people and connections. Acquire the relevant skills.

Writing 102

Writing Startup Entrepreneur Capital 102

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2013

If you are not computer literate in Microsoft Excel, your first task is to find someone who has the time and expertise to convert your base set of costs and revenues into projection formulas, cash flow summaries, and a profit and loss statement. Do your own, if you can, because you know the numbers. In fact, this is the easy part.

Startup 101

Startup Sample Summary Pricing 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2018

Most public shells ready for sale are not listed on a national securities exchange, but are instead traded in a less glamorous setting, such as the OTC Bulletin Board. The reverse merger process itself doesn’t raise any capital. These looming constraints can turn your startup dream into a nightmare, all to increase funding.

Summary 79

Summary Startup Entrepreneur Funding 79

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 13, 2011

Let’s say it’s for biz dev purposes, or you’re pitching investors, recruiting, or it’s a sales meeting – whatever. It’s great for sales meetings where you can show your prospects what kind of organization you have. In summary: By all means “lunch.”

Venture Capital 397

Venture Capital Startup Email Networking 397

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 19, 2014

Almost instantly, via the Internet or on their smartphone in the store, they can find the lowest price alternative or their favorite features, without waiting for push marketing or listening to your best sales person. Capitalize on the multiplier moment. Bloom’s recent book, “ The New Experts: Win Today''s Newly Empowered Customers.”

Customer 98

Customer Custom Entrepreneur Startup 98