Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Based on my experience as an angel investor and a mentor to dozens of entrepreneurs, having no business plan is the quickest way to define yourself as just a dreamer, or at best a hobbyist. For example, “I just patented a new cell-phone technology that will double battery life for half the cost.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2014

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cashflow personally every day. That should equate to an adequate valuation for a $2 million follow-on Series-A round, without giving away all the equity.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 105

Xconomy

MAY 30, 2016

I don’t know if it was their first investment, but they invested $75,000 in a researcher named Ken Olsen, at MIT. X: I read an article from 1998 that you were quoted in—it sounded like Stanford’s Niels Reimers helped MIT reorganize its patenting and licensing office in 1986 to make it more like Stanford’s model.

Startup 67

Startup Compton Research Technology 67

Jason Nazar

MAY 2, 2016

If you are inventing or creating a product, understand patents and register for one at the USPTO. Find sources of capital— friends & family, business bank loans , angel investment , venture capital or even crowdfunding ( Crowdfunder , Fundable ). Business Mentors. Clarify who gets equity , and how much.

Outsource Development 40

Outsource Development Startup Google Mentor 40

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2013

It’s always painful when a startup fails, but as a mentor to founders, I would hope that you can learn from these failings and not stumble on the same issues. That’s probably the soft way of saying, we don’t have a patent or any “secret sauce” for a competitive advantage. Entrepreneurs who utter this line are kidding themselves.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Startup Social Network IBM 111

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2012

It’s always painful when a startup fails, but as a mentor to founders I would hope that you can learn from these failings and not stumble on the same issues: “Business plans are for dummies.” That’s probably the soft way of saying, we don’t have a patent or any “secret sauce” for a competitive advantage. No need to risk my own funds.

Startup 95

Startup Social Network IBM IBM 95

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2011

It’s always painful when a startup fails, but as a mentor to founders, I would hope that you can learn from these failings and not stumble on the same issues. That’s probably the soft way of saying, we don’t have a patent or any “secret sauce” for a competitive advantage. Entrepreneurs who utter this line are kidding themselves.

Startup 98

Startup Social Network IBM IBM 98

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2010

It’s always painful when a startup fails, but as a mentor to founders I would hope that you can learn from these failings and not stumble on the same issues: “Business plans are for dummies.” That’s probably the soft way of saying, we don’t have a patent or any “secret sauce” for a competitive advantage. No need to risk my own funds.”

Startup 52

Startup Social Network IBM IBM 52