Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Deferred payments start with stretching the payables period but, more importantly, include giving employee equity in lieu of a higher salaries and negotiating vendor deferred payments out of future revenues. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young.

Search Engine Optimization 103

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 103

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021

As you may have seen on the Shark Tank TV show, offering a tiny equity amount for a large investment will not endear you to investors. They need to believe your valuation, based on current revenue and intellectual property, and feel the equity offered gives them a real return for the risk. Emphasize the value and skills of your team.

Ideas 140

Ideas Entrepreneur Equity Resource 140

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2020

He speaks from a wealth of personal experience in private equity, as well as top executive positions at American Express, Sears, and Citigroup. Focus on two or three pertinent metrics in any situation. Unbundle projects into smaller elements, and personalize the top couple of metrics for each team. by Steven D.

Social Media 128

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 128

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 12, 2017

But very few are talking about how to measure your results and return on investment (ROI), and the right metrics for optimizing your marketing environment. Measuring message delivery in social media is a lot like measuring it in classic advertising, so classic metrics apply. Get attention and reach your audience.

Social Media 69

Social Media Media Metrics Satisfaction 69

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2023

These advisors need a stake in your success, like a monthly stipend, or an equity share of the business. Put operational systems and metrics in place early. Most new businesses need three to five advisors or board members to regularly evaluate progress and resource needs, as well as your own leadership.

Marketing 116

Marketing Resource Training Startup 116

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 30, 2023

Most equity investors tend to avoid truly disruptive technology startups, since they take longer and more money to scale. The auto industry and others have used this model for generations, so business processes and metrics for innovation are well documented. Imitation with continuous innovation predictably drives progress.

Social Media 92

Social Media Study Research Satisfaction 92

socalTECH

JUNE 25, 2013

Media Design Group and Convertro haven''t discussed the financial details behind their relationship, but the two said they have been using Convertro''s platform to analyze traffic, behavior, and conversion metrics associated with individual TV spots. READ MORE>>.

Dollar Shave Club 171

Dollar Shave Club Advertising Media Design 171

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 5, 2013

But very few are talking about how to measure your results, and the right metrics for optimizing your marketing environment. Jim Sterne, who has written many books on Internet advertising, marketing, and customer service, tackled this complex world of social media metrics in his book titled " Social Media Metrics."

Social Media 102

Social Media Media Entrepreneur Metrics 102

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2021

Of course, that means a mindset willing to give up much more equity, and taking on a whole new level of risk. Explosive growth to an enterprise normally requires a scalable sales model, a well-documented process with incentives, training, and metrics for tracking and management. Switch your focus from product development to sales.

Startup 151

Startup Course Sales Entrepreneur 151

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2020

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Deferred payments start with stretching the payables period but, more importantly, include giving employee equity in lieu of a higher salaries and negotiating vendor deferred payments out of future revenues. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young.

Search Engine Optimization 124

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 124

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2020

Most equity investors tend to avoid truly disruptive technology startups, since they take longer and more money to scale. The auto industry and others have used this model for generations, so business processes and metrics for innovation are well documented. Imitation with continuous innovation predictably drives progress.

Startup 157

Startup Social Media Study Research 157

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

There were no metrics. Him: On metrics. If we priced it based on any metrics your company would likely be worth less than 7 figures at your A round. “But lawyers will charge much more for equity.” Try doing THAT with equity. It’s like we need a finance 101 course for entrepreneurs. Your A round?

Venture Capital 417

Venture Capital Capital Pricing Doc 417

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2021

To keep you on a positive track with potential investors, I recommend the following logic principles, to balance your passion in presenting your vision of a new business: Make sure your plan includes some business metrics. Equity investors realize that they won’t see any real return until an exit occurs, such as a sale, merger, or IPO.

Entrepreneur 162

Entrepreneur Social Media Examples Metrics 162

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2021

Simple metrics and your personal knowledge of the industry can’t keep up with all the relevant competitive forces. That means that many companies are now forgoing the rush to go public (IPO), in favor of major equity investments from specialized venture capital funds, such as Japan’s SoftBank. You need to be part of a larger ecosystem.

Competition 142

Competition Software Review Social Media Customer 142

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2018

He speaks from a wealth of personal experience in private equity, as well as top executive positions at American Express, Sears, and Citigroup. Focus on two or three pertinent metrics in any situation. Unbundle projects into smaller elements, and personalize the top couple of metrics for each team. by Steven D.

Social Media 96

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 96

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2019

They need a large infusion from venture capitalists, private equity, bank loans, or mezzanine financing. Managing business growth is more than metrics. You can hire the best salespeople, have great products and define good metrics, but without decisive and innovative managers, the sales organization will not reach its full potential.

Startup 97

Startup Sales Metrics Guide 97

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

He speaks from a wealth of personal experience in private equity, as well as top executive positions at American Express, Sears, and Citigroup. Focus on two or three pertinent metrics in any situation. Unbundle projects into smaller elements, and personalize the top couple of metrics for each team. by Steven D.

Social Media 99

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 8, 2019

For a successful launch and scalable growth, they need to establish many checkpoints, with metrics to assess their progress and alignment with the vision. Build your brand equity and relationships with customers. These days, brand equity means relationships with more customers, and a more memorable overall experience.

Startup 88

Startup Demand Training Customer 88

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Deferred payments start with stretching the payables period but, more importantly, include giving employee equity in lieu of a higher salaries and negotiating vendor deferred payments out of future revenues. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young.

Startup 89

Startup Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 89

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

that broadly covers decentralized applications and possibly even decentralized autonomous organizations (which could imply that in the future VCs need to be more focused on token value and monetization than equity ownership models?—?we’ll Investments in the intersection of data, technology and biology.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

socalTECH

DECEMBER 11, 2017

We sold that to a very large private equity company. You have to make sure your cost of acquisition, retention rates, and conversion metrics are all in place. Scott Cannon: I had to go back, and really get operating metrics in place to know how to look at the business. Scott Cannon: I ran an international logistics company, MNX.

Startup 174

Startup Metrics Customer Custom 174

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Deferred payments start with stretching the payables period but, more importantly, include giving employee equity in lieu of a higher salaries and negotiating vendor deferred payments out of future revenues. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young.

Startup 108

Startup Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 108

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2015

They need a large infusion from venture capitalists, private equity, bank loans, or mezzanine financing. Managing business growth is more than metrics. You can hire the best salespeople, have great products and define good metrics, but without decisive and innovative managers, the sales organization will not reach its full potential.

Startup 108

Startup Sales Metrics Entrepreneur 108

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2014

Cashflow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Deferred payments start with stretching the payables period but, more importantly, include giving employee equity in lieu of a higher salaries and negotiating vendor deferred payments out of future revenues. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 105

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

They need a large infusion from venture capitalists, private equity, bank loans, or mezzanine financing. Managing business growth is more than metrics. You can hire the best salespeople, have great products and define good metrics, but without decisive and innovative managers, the sales organization will not reach its full potential.

Startup 56

Startup Sales Metrics Guide 56

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

The buyer is shopping for equity in startups and the seller is looking for cash in exchange for equity and shared governing control of his or her company. Kai taught me that the key metric to whether a sales process is going well is “engagement.” For starters you have to realize that fund-raising is a sales process.

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Mithril is struggling to compete against ferocious competition in the growth-stage equity market. Startups either get three dozen term sheets or none at all, since every firm is walking around with the same frameworks and metrics in their head. Some more on metrics design and quantification. Alas, no $100 catered lunches.

Venture Capital 202

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Invest 202

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2018

Most equity investors tend to avoid truly disruptive technology startups, since they take longer and more money to scale. The auto industry and others have used this model for generations, so business processes and metrics for innovation are well documented. Imitation with continuous innovation predictably drives progress.

Startup 65

Startup Social Media Study Research 65

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2013

They need a large infusion from venture capitalists, private equity, bank loans, or mezzanine financing. Managing business growth is more than metrics. You can hire the best salespeople, have great products and define good metrics, but without decisive and innovative managers, the sales organization will not reach its full potential.

Sales 96

Sales Metrics Startup Entrepreneur 96

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 21, 2010

I’ve heard the following so many times that it still makes me scratch my head, “if those guys are going to get rich off of our backs then we’re going to look like fools if we don’t have equity.&#. I’ve already made clear that I think raising equity from “strategic money&# is an oxymoron.

Startup 298

Startup Sales Slides Metrics 298

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2014

Most equity investors tend to avoid truly disruptive technology startups, since they take longer and more money to scale. The auto industry and others have used this model for generations, so business processes and metrics for innovation are well documented. Imitation with continuous innovation predictably drives progress.

Technology 103

Technology Entrepreneur Study Research 103

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2015

Of course, these should never be in a customer pitch, but investors expect an overall strategy with specific budgets, milestones and metrics. No investor pitch should end without asking for a specific amount of money, providing some details on how that money will be used and what equity in the company you are offering in return.

Product 103

Product Slides Customer Custom 103

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 16, 2015

Expect to be diluted by 20-25% with each equity round. They’re typically issued at a 10-20% discount to equity depending on the timeframe; higher range is for longer timeframes. Examples of milestones: traction as measured by user numbers and user engagement; financial metrics such as cash flow and revenue. Venture debt.

Startup 40

Startup Venture Capital Equity Funding 40

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2016

Most equity investors tend to avoid truly disruptive technology startups, since they take longer and more money to scale. The auto industry and others have used this model for generations, so business processes and metrics for innovation are well documented. Imitation with continuous innovation predictably drives progress.

Technology 57

Technology Startup Study Research 57

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

We focus very much on finding employees who are a cultural fit and we share equity when appropriate. Semick: We’re a very metrics driven company, and we have been from the beginning. Metrics related to customer acquisition, lifetime value and churn.

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

Tech Coast Venture Network

FEBRUARY 22, 2010

Design the Job – Include reporting relationships, authority, responsibilities, and performance metrics. Two Basic Colors – Debt (borrow) and Equity (buy). Hire the Right Team – Not just on qualifications, but personality and team chemistry.

Design 100

Design Resource Metrics Patents 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Quantify existing skin-in-the-game, by insiders and outsiders, including sweat equity and capital. Financial forecast and metrics. Include a current valuation estimate.

Competition 113

Competition Metrics Startup Invest 113