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6 Lessons Most Entrepreneurs Only Learn On The Street

Startup Professionals Musings

In my role as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that most have the technical challenges well understood, but many are a bit short on some basic street smarts , or basic business realities. Although Elon Musk doesn’t talk about it very much, he owns over 350 patents through Tesla, just one of his many companies.

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6 Drivers For Aspiring Entrepreneurs To Finish School

Startup Professionals Musings

Take advantage of free startup programs and mentors. They provide peer group organizations, usually called incubators, with free resources, practice environments, and outside mentoring that can help you learn and pivot with minimal cost. School mentors, professors, and peers will give you the critical feedback without passing judgment.

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8 Potential Entrepreneur Assists From Your Alma Mater

Startup Professionals Musings

Most universities have a file of patents from project work that they are willing to license to any entrepreneur for business commercialization, with little or no cost up front. These often lead to angel investors and venture capital investments later, or connections to local company venture funds for selected focus and technology areas.

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Reflections on 2020: Brian Mac Mahon, Expert Dojo

socalTECH

    We became the largest accelerator in Southern California with 80 investments in over 30 countries globally. We now invest in more companies, include better trainers and involve 3 times more investors in the demo days. it's hard to describe just how good our investment, growth, operations and outreach team is.

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7 Ways Investors Assess Your Focus As An Entrepreneur

Startup Professionals Musings

In my experience as a business mentor, one of the biggest challenges I see is a failure to focus. Here are the key elements that I look for as an entrepreneur mentor, as indications of a top level of focus: Willing to share your personal story to build credibility.

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6 Success Stages Every Entrepreneur Idea Has To Pass

Startup Professionals Musings

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. File at least a provisional patent and one or more trademarks. Look hard at the technology for feasibility and risk.

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8 Ways Your Old School Can Energize Your New Venture

Startup Professionals Musings

Most universities have a file of patents from project work that they are willing to license to any entrepreneur for business commercialization, with little or no cost up front. These often lead to angel investors and venture capital investments later, or connections to local company venture funds for selected focus and technology areas.

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