Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2015

As an advisor to entrepreneurs and active angel investor, I often get questions about the realism of the Shark Tank TV series, compared to professional investor negotiations. Yet the process is eerily realistic, and every entrepreneur can glean some important lessons. Investors invest in people, more than ideas.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Sample Ideas Customer 106

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2022

In reality, a simple Excel spreadsheet model customized around your assumptions can save you hours and avoid a wasted expense in validating alternative vendor and marketing decisions. Vendor costs are subject to change, customers are fickle, competitors come out of the woodwork and the economy can take a downturn. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 147

Startup Pricing Sample Customer 147

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2023

Most entrepreneurs I meet are reluctant to disclose anything about their idea to investors before getting a signed confidential disclosure agreement (CDA). Yet I can assure you that people who are paranoid, or want to avoid all risks, won’t be happy as entrepreneurs, so it’s all about balancing the risk-reward scale. Marty Zwilling

Technical Review 101

Technical Review Patents Ideas Sample 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 14, 2020

As an advisor to entrepreneurs and active angel investor, I often get questions about the realism of the Shark Tank TV series, compared to professional investor negotiations. Yet the process is eerily realistic, and every entrepreneur can glean some important lessons. Investors invest in people, more than ideas.

Entrepreneur 127

Entrepreneur Sample Ideas Customer 127

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 7, 2020

As a startup advisor and investor, I’ve met many aspiring entrepreneurs, and I often get asked the question, “I have a great idea for a startup – do you agree that it real potential?” If you are dreaming of an opportunity to get rich quick, the entrepreneur route is not for you. You enjoy building relationships as well as products.

Startup 127

Startup Entrepreneur Ideas Sample 127

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2016

For too many small businesses, customer service is still seen as a “burden.” Entrepreneurs don’t realize that this burden is actually costing them over $200 billion in repeat sales, according to a recent study by the W. These days, relationships and online reviews are key drivers for over 80 percent of new customers.

Customer 56

Customer Custom Startup Satisfaction 56

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2016

As a startup advisor and investor, I’ve met many aspiring entrepreneurs, and I often get asked the question, “I have a great idea for a startup – do you agree that it real potential?” If you are dreaming of an opportunity to get rich quick, the entrepreneur route is not for you. You enjoy building relationships as well as products.

Entrepreneur 67

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Sample 67

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2013

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Need to spread the risk.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Technical Review Equity 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2020

As an aspiring entrepreneur, one of the most important things you need is a memorable “ elevator pitch ,” to communicate your startup value proposition and leave a great first impression on friends, investors, employees, and future customers. Customers think about alternatives, and investors worry about competitors.

Sample 127

Sample Summary Startup Slides 127

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

Most entrepreneurs I meet are reluctant to disclose anything about their idea to investors before getting a signed confidential disclosure agreement (CDA). Yet I can assure you that people who are paranoid, or want to avoid all risks, won’t be happy as entrepreneurs, so it’s all about balancing the risk-reward scale. Marty Zwilling.

Ideas 159

Ideas Tips Technical Review Patents 159

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2014

These steps are not aimed specifically at entrepreneurs, but I see how they can be applied there as follows: Do what you know and enjoy. Figure out what’s really important to you as an entrepreneur. For most, it’s following a passion to show customers your better solution. Reuse things rather than re-inventing them.

Help 100

Help Entrepreneur Sample Organization 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2013

Entrepreneurs are a notoriously stubborn (some say confident) group of people, so I see many of them making the same mistakes that predecessors have made. All the quotes come from entrepreneurs who have built and sold at least one $100 million company. You learn more from bad times than from good. Ship early and iterate.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Zag Startup Sample 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2012

Many entrepreneurs work hard on the proof of concept (technical), but skip any proof of the business model (revenue flow). In other words, once they are convinced that the product works, they assume their price, sales channel, and marketing will bring in the customers. Get a reference customer. Sample trade show or user group.

Entrepreneur 99

Entrepreneur Pricing Customer Custom 99

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2020

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Funding Innocal Offshore 124

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 31, 2012

Most of the time, I’m all about providing encouragement and inspiration to entrepreneurs. They need it and they deserve it, because entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of our economy. Here is a sampling of ten themes from the book that I think are just as relevant today as they were then: The reality of starting.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Sample Guide Ideas 107

Tech.Co

NOVEMBER 1, 2016

Floravere , the first direct-to-consumer luxury bridal brand, is putting convenience back into the bride’s hands by delivering sample wedding gowns directly to their doorstep. Brides are able to select three samples from their collection to be shipped to their doorstep and mailed back with a pre-paid label within three days.

Sample 70

Sample Training Sales Email 70

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Need to spread the risk.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup Equity 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2020

In reality, a simple Excel spreadsheet model customized around your assumptions can save you hours and avoid a wasted expense in validating alternative vendor and marketing decisions. Vendor costs are subject to change, customers are fickle, competitors come out of the woodwork and the economy can take a downturn. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 123

Startup Pricing Sample Customer 123

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 21, 2011

Entrepreneurs are a notoriously stubborn (some say confident) group of people, so I see many of them making the same mistakes that predecessors have made. All the quotes come from entrepreneurs who have built and sold at least one $100 million company. You learn more from bad times than from good. Ship early and iterate.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Zag Startup Sample 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2012

The hard part for entrepreneurs is figuring out what it takes to play. Here is just a sampling of the latest terminology and lingo that I gleaned from Dave, and from some additional research on the Internet, that I think every entrepreneur should know, who may be looking for funding now, or down the road: Micro-VCs.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Seed Funding Incubator 101

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2023

Every business owner and entrepreneur like you I work with wishes they could better predict product demand and sales, for managing inventory and long-term business planning. Gather feedback regularly from your team and customers to check for market and perception changes. Assess your measurements for trustworthiness.

Metrics 81

Metrics Demand Statistics Sample 81

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2012

These are not aimed specifically at entrepreneurs, but I see how they can be applied there as follows: Living on purpose. Figure out what’s really important to you as an entrepreneur. For most, it’s following a passion to show customers your better solution. Reuse things rather than re-inventing them.

Entrepreneur 94

Entrepreneur Sample Organization Summary 94

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2010

Back when he was writing to entrepreneurs, he published the book “ Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition.” Here is a sampling of ten themes from the book that I think are particularly relevant today: The reality of starting. Or your customers tell you what they need.

Entrepreneur 92

Entrepreneur Startup Writing Sample 92

InfoChachkie

MAY 9, 2011

This series describes how entrepreneurs can craft company-changing agreements with BDCs, while avoiding Kiss of Death contract provisions. Entrepreneurs should never agree to the following provisions when negotiating with a BDC, no matter how lucrative the potential relationship. Kiss of Death ConTraps.

Outsource Development 170

Outsource Development Entrepreneur Press Technical Review 170

TechCrunch LA

JUNE 3, 2022

We understood the irony of the message as we sampled their sheer, almost-not-there lipgloss, then looked into a mirror decorated with white vinyl letters in the bustling pop-up shop: you look good , our reflection told us. Even Chrissy Teigen and Reese Witherspoon wore Glossier’s signature Cloud Paint blush to the Oscars. . And who cares?

Startup 280

Startup Netflix Los Angeles Innocal 280

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 28, 2015

In reality, a simple Excel spreadsheet model customized around your assumptions can save you hours and avoid a wasted expense in validating alternative vendor and marketing decisions. The way to start is with a sample financial model, freely available from many sources on the Internet, such as this one from Entrepreneur.

Startup 103

Startup Pricing Sample Customer 103

InfoChachkie

MAY 9, 2011

This series describes how entrepreneurs can craft company-changing agreements with BDCs, while avoiding Kiss of Death contract provisions. Entrepreneurs should never agree to the following provisions when negotiating with a BDC, no matter how lucrative the potential relationship. Kiss of Death ConTraps.

Outsource Development 124

Outsource Development Entrepreneur Press Technical Review 124

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2013

Too many entrepreneurs still believe the urban myth that you can sketch your idea on a napkin, and investors will throw money at you. I’ll even send you a free sample of my own business plan via email, if you drop me a note. entrepreneur startup business plan business' Marty Zwilling.

Sample 92

Sample Writing Startup Summary 92

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2013

Most entrepreneurs tend to avoid this area of the business, and as a result are badly surprised by cost realities, and investor expectations. Start with a “sample” business model, available in generic form or customized for specific industries, from many sources on the Internet. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 101

Startup Sample Summary Pricing 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2016

As an advisor to entrepreneurs and active angel investor, I often get questions about the realism of the Shark Tank TV series, compared to professional investor negotiations. Yet the process is eerily realistic, and every entrepreneur can glean some important lessons. Investors invest in people, more than ideas.

Startup 57

Startup Entrepreneur Sample Ideas 57

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2013

Many entrepreneurs work hard on the proof of concept (technical), but skip any proof of the business model (revenue flow). In other words, once they are convinced that the product works, they assume their price, sales channel, and marketing will bring in the customers. Get a reference customer. Sample trade show or user group.

Product 94

Product Pricing Customer Custom 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2015

Most entrepreneurs I meet are reluctant to disclose anything about their idea to investors before getting a signed confidential disclosure agreement (CDA). Yet I can assure you that people who are paranoid, or want to avoid all risks, won’t be happy as entrepreneurs, so it’s all about balancing the risk-reward scale.

Ideas 106

Ideas Technical Review Patents Entrepreneur 106

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 21, 2012

Too many entrepreneurs still believe the urban myth that you can sketch your idea on a napkin, and investors will throw money at you. I’ll even send you a free sample of my own business plan via email, if you drop me a note. Every investor I know is frustrated with the poor quality of the business plans they get.

Sample 96

Sample Writing Summary Startup 96

socalTECH

MARCH 12, 2018

We're a little different from the sample size products out there. Justine Lassoff: I have a background in e-commerce, and we're both experienced entrepreneurs. That's really the key to what we do, and I think our customers and audience sees that. The value is always tremendous. What's your background?

Startup 157

Startup Commerce Los Angeles Product 157

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2014

The name of your business has a tremendous impact on how customers and investors view you, and in today’s small world, it’s a world-wide decision. When creating a name, stay with words that can easily be spelled by customers. Make your business name one that customers can pronounce and remember easily. Avoid unusual spellings.

Google 117

Google Customer Custom Sample 117

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2013

These are not aimed specifically at entrepreneurs, but I see how they can be applied there as follows: Living on purpose. Figure out what’s really important to you as an entrepreneur. For most, it’s following a passion to show customers your better solution. entrepreneur get-it-done startup Stever Robbins business'

Startup 133

Startup Sample Organization Summary 133