Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2016

If you have ten minutes, that means no more than ten slides. I’ve seen several presentations that never moved past the first slide before running out of time. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. I outlined what investors expect to see in an old article “ Adding Slides Does Not Enhance Your Investor Pitch.

Startup 64

Startup Slides Technical Review Research 64

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. Building models to evaluate the deal and/or reviewing customer files, company financials, business plans, etc. 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

JUNE 22, 2012

If you have ten minutes, that means no more than ten slides. I’ve seen several presentations that never moved past the first slide before running out of time. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. Have at least one backup plan, such as copies of your slides to hand out and discuss, in case all else fails.

Tips 97

Tips Slides Technical Review Startup 97

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2012

Most of these investors are members of Angel groups that have a rigorous filtering and screening process, to select the top 3% and most fundable proposals. That’s why this item is so important, and is probably the biggest stumbling block I see in getting through the initial Angel screening. Close at least one initial customer.

Angel 104

Angel Screening Summary Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2011

If you have ten minutes, that means no more than ten slides. I’ve seen several presentations that never moved past the first slide before running out of time. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. I outlined what investors expect to see in an earlier article “ Ten Slides Make a Killer Investor Presentation.”

Slides 95

Slides Technical Review Startup Research 95

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 16, 2009

.&# They know instinctually how customers buy and how to excite them. Because they’re street smart, most great entrepreneurs tend to prefer getting out and talking with real customers rather than sitting in a cubicle all day doing beautiful PowerPoint slides. They have a sixth sense for the competitors’ weaknesses.

Entrepreneur 306

Entrepreneur Startup Outsource Development Customer 306

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2011

.&# It was my investment philosophy that observing teams’ performance over time was far more insightful than reacting to how good of a product demo they do, how good they present Powerpoint slides or how great tech blogs say they are. Market Opportunity. But what about markets? But your exact long-term “market?&#

Entrepreneur 330

Entrepreneur Marketing Venture Capital Hulu 330

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

The Gust Deal Funnel from the last 12 months indicates is that 70% of the interested companies never make it past the initial screening process. That’s why this item is so important, and is probably the biggest stumbling block I see in getting through the initial angel screening. Close at least one initial customer.

Invest 99

Invest Angel Technical Review Summary 99

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 19, 2011

The money slide is the graphic below. It isn’t open in either its standards or in the way that applications are marketed and distributed. Social media will be pervasive in the enterprise and is primarily driving by customer interactions. The chart shows three scarce resources and their improvements over time.

Web 355

Web HTML Mobile Social Network 355

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

The AngelSoft Deal Funnel from the last 12 months indicates is that 70% of the interested companies never make it past the initial screening process. That’s why this item is so important, and is probably the biggest stumbling block I see in getting through the initial angel screening. Close at least one initial customer.

Angel 89

Angel Funding Technical Review Startup 89

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2010

If you have ten minutes, that means no more than ten slides. I’ve seen several presentations that never moved past the first slide before running out of time. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. I outlined what investors expect to see in an earlier article “ Investor Presentation – 10 Slides is Just Right.”

Tips 56

Tips Slides Startup Research 56

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 17, 2011

When I need to give a speech and I’m writing a slide for my deck, I think up the story in my mind that I’m going to tell for this slide. As a VC it’s how I think through which markets will be attractive in the future, which ones I want to be in now and how the technology & business world will likely evolve.

Writing 356

Writing Startup Ideas Summary 356

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 25, 2010

No cookies for guessing which reason they use to market to us. Anything requiring lead generation and/or customer acquisition I call Matt Coffin. But even so, I find it immensely useful to see what companies are getting traction in the angel market. We all want authorities who are smarter on specific topics than we are.

Guide 293

Guide Funding Venture Capital Technical Review 293