Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2015

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” The obvious answer is that you need an idea first, but I’ve come to realize that the process is really much more complex than that. Few entrepreneurs can assimilate and hone a complete plan in their head.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2020

In their passion to succeed, too many entrepreneurs treat friends and family investments as “low-hanging” fruit, only to find out later, after a stumble, that the pain of lost relationships is greater than the loss of their beloved startup. Loans are a safer option than equity. Be professional about it.

Funding 123

Funding Startup Equity Venture Capital 123

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2020

As an advisor to many entrepreneurs, I still hear frequently the irrational exuberance that crowdfunding is the quick alternative for startups that are passed over by overly demanding angels or venture capital investors. You need a polished, tested concept, not just an idea. We still have no experience on how well this will work.

Startup 151

Startup Equity Funding Demand 151

InfoChachkie

JUNE 4, 2012

As an entrepreneur, I helped create companies which achieved two IPOs and two trade sales totaling $385 million. Attempt To License An Idea. Rationale: My idea is so mind-blowingly fantastic, I can sit back and collect licensing fees while someone else does all the work required to turn my idea into a successful business.

Entrepreneur 272

Entrepreneur Outsource Ideas Technical Review 272

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2020

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million dollar investment before they even have a business plan. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Resource 171

Resource Startup Organization Incubator 171

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 27, 2020

That’s why angel and equity investors are so sought after by entrepreneurs. Here are some tips and rules of thumb to improve your odds and help you understand when a bank loan or line of credit is possible, and how to get it: Write a good business plan first. Bankers, like investors, fund people rather than ideas.

Startup 172

Startup Equity Sites Tips 172

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 26, 2014

Most entrepreneurs think first of bank loans as the primary source of money, only to find out that banks are really the least likely benefactors for startups. She plumbs the range of possibilities she has gained through personal experience as an entrepreneur, and as the “queen of business financing” in the financial industry.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Capital Startup Funding 101

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 23, 2012

One of the first tough decisions that startup founders have to make is how to allocate or split the equity among co-founders. Another common “failure to start” situation I see is one where the “idea person” insists that the idea is 90% of the value (and 90% of the equity). Pre-existing intellectual property.

Startup 101

Startup Entrepreneur Equity CTO Hire 101

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2010

One of the first tough decisions that startup founders have to make is how to allocate or split the equity among co-founders. Another common “failure to start” situation I see is one where the “idea person” insists that the idea is 90% of the value (and 90% of the equity). Pre-existing intellectual property.

Equity 91

Equity Startup CTO Hire CTO Coach 91

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2013

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million dollar investment before they even have a business plan. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Funding Incubator Startup 102

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

Greathouse: Your collective experiences have clearly made bootstrapping a viable option for you, more so than might be the case for a typical, younger entrepreneur who needs more direction, doesn’t have cash discipline, etc. Greathouse: How did you come up with the idea for ProductPlan? Semick: It wasn’t our first idea.

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2013

Consider the non-cash alternatives, like offering team members equity instead of cash and bartering for services. Fundraising is stressful and difficult, which is why 90% of successful entrepreneurs do bootstrapping. Do you have passion for this idea and this business opportunity? business entrepreneur focus funding startup'

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Funding Training Startup 101

InfoChachkie

JUNE 27, 2011

I recently answered the question “ What are good ways to raise your children to be entrepreneurs? ” My response was brief and straightforward, which is common of popular Quora answers (as discussed in How To Write An Effective Quora Answer ). Every entrepreneur is faced with making something out of nothing.

Entrepreneur 270

Entrepreneur Startup Venture Capital Resource 270

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2013

That’s why Angel investors are so sought after by entrepreneurs. Here are some tips and rules of thumb to improve your odds and help you understand when a bank loan or line of credit is possible, and how to get it: Write a good business plan first. Bankers, like investors, fund people rather than ideas. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Funding Startup Sites 100

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

This time by the efforts of Adeo Ressi to introduce a new kind of structure called “ convertible equity.” My initial reaction to Adeo when we spoke was that while it may have solved some issues (debt versus equity) it didn’t solve the ones that I’ve been warning entrepreneurs about most loudly.

Startup 354

Startup Pricing Equity Venture Capital 354

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

I hear a lot of entrepreneurs contemplating their great “idea” for several years with little discernable progress, and looking for money to start. Forcing yourself to write down a plan is actually the only way to make sure you actually have a plan. milestones entrepreneur startup funding business' Marty Zwilling.

Funding 112

Funding Entrepreneur Startup CTO Hire 112

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

Here are the right questions to ask yourself, in the right order, before asking others about money: Do you understand and aspire to entrepreneur lifestyle? Do you have a passion for your idea and business opportunity? Consider the non-cash alternatives, like offering equity instead of cash and bartering for services.

Entrepreneur 103

Entrepreneur Invest Training Ideas 103

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2015

In their passion to succeed, too many entrepreneurs treat friends and family investments as “low-hanging” fruit, only to find out later, after a stumble, that the pain of lost relationships is greater than the loss of their beloved startup. Loans are a safer option than equity. Be professional about it.

Startup 97

Startup Equity Entrepreneur Venture Capital 97

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2014

In their passion to succeed, too many entrepreneurs treat friends and family investments as “low-hanging” fruit, only to find out later, after a stumble, that the pain of lost relationships is greater than the loss of their beloved startup. Loans are a safer option than equity. Be professional about it.

Funding 101

Funding Startup Equity Entrepreneur 101

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 9, 2018

In their passion to succeed, too many entrepreneurs treat friends and family investments as “low-hanging” fruit, only to find out later, after a stumble, that the pain of lost relationships is greater than the loss of their beloved startup. Loans are a safer option than equity. Be professional about it.

Funding 59

Funding Startup Equity Entrepreneur 59

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 28, 2018

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million dollar investment before they even have a business plan. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Funding 94

Funding Startup Organization Incubator 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 12, 2015

Every investor in your startup, even friends and family, normally expects a share of your company (equity), which means your return for all your effort goes down quickly. Your visionary one-page idea description won’t work here. Otherwise find an inexpensive class on grant writing. This requires heavy research and lots of time.

Pricing 100

Pricing Equity Technical Review Research 100

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

It can start 2–1 founders to investors and then sometimes moves to 3–2 but sometime around the A, B or C round the idea of “independent” directors comes up. When an entrepreneur takes on investors who take equity (i.e. The board is where large equity investors get their representation. obviously make an exception.

Startup 187

Startup Writing Venture Capital Oracle 187

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

It should help some entrepreneurs to better access early-stage capital and should allow some angel investors better access to deal flow. If you know, VCs end up writing sizable checks into their own funds, which is important in better aligning interests. million round I might write $1.8 – 2.2 So What’s the Big Deal?

Venture Capital 356

Venture Capital Invest Course Technical Review 356

InfoChachkie

JUNE 11, 2012

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. Even if an established leader in your industry does not see the wisdom in your ideas, do not waiver.

Tips 279

Tips Startup Education Entrepreneur 279

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

As an entrepreneur and startup investor, I have helped create companies which achieved two IPOs which collectively raised over $100 million, as well as two acquisitions which totaled $385 million. 3) Attempt To License An Idea. Fallacy: As discussed in Spilling The Beans , ideas are worthless, while skillful execution is priceless.

Startup 242

Startup Outsource Development Outsource Sales 242

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Unless you are a serial entrepreneur with a string of successes behind you, you need a business plan to convince investors that you can build a business out of the dream that has been driving your passion to change the world. An entrepreneur who can’t manage a plan, probably won’t be able to manage the new business.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2013

In their passion to succeed, too many entrepreneurs treat friends and family investments as “low-hanging” fruit, only to find out later, after a stumble, that the pain of lost relationships is greater than the loss of their beloved startup. Loans are easier than equity. If you are not sure on this matter, then don’t take their money.

Startup 92

Startup Equity Entrepreneur Venture Capital 92

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2018

That’s why angel and equity investors are so sought after by entrepreneurs. Here are some tips and rules of thumb to improve your odds and help you understand when a bank loan or line of credit is possible, and how to get it: Write a good business plan first. Bankers, like investors, fund people rather than ideas.

Funding 84

Funding Startup Equity Sites 84

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2016

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million dollar investment before they even have a business plan. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Organization 93

Organization Startup Incubator Ideas 93

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 29, 2011

.&# Surprisinly, this strategy works well with many entrepreneurs. It’s as though we forgot the management mantra of the 90′s about “core competencies&# or the most common VC advice to entrepreneurs: Focus. I doubt this will end well for those VCs or for the entrepreneurs they backed. Funny, that.

Venture Capital 296

Venture Capital Capital Software Startup 296

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2010

I get paid (well) for interesting people to come in and tell me how they want to change the world – Being an entrepreneur is like having blinders on. At least for the best entrepreneurs. Some people do the conference circuit too much, get involved in lots of side projects and attend every entrepreneur dinner. I love it.

Venture Capital 312

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Entrepreneur 312

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 6, 2013

Most entrepreneurs think first of bank loans as the primary source of money, only to find out that banks are really the least likely benefactors for startups. She plumbs the range of possibilities she has gained through personal experience as an entrepreneur, and as the “queen of business financing” in the financial industry.

Startup 97

Startup Entrepreneur Equity Examples 97

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2012

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million dollar investment before they even have a business plan. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Resource 94

Resource Startup Organization Incubator 94

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 3, 2013

In many ways I think general purpose writing & thinking skills are as valuable as math skills. We talked about how business school historically hasn’t positioned entrepreneurs well for success. I wrote about that before in a post about “ whether MBAs are necessary for entrepreneurs. Then there is a royalty rate.

Venture Capital 403

Venture Capital Education Offshore Outsource Development 403

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 21, 2010

I recently read a post over on VentureHacks titled, “ Top Ten Reasons Entrepreneurs Hate Lawyers &# written by Scott Walker (who blogs on legal issues for entrepreneurs ). I write about some of the lessons in my post on Startup Mistakes. Shame about not getting it in legal writing that you owned the original IP.

Startup 318

Startup IP Southern California Entrepreneur 318

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 31, 2016

That’s why Angel investors are so sought after by entrepreneurs. Here are some tips and rules of thumb to improve your odds and help you understand when a bank loan or line of credit is possible, and how to get it: Write a good business plan first. Bankers, like investors, fund people rather than ideas. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 92

Startup Funding Sites Tips 92