Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans take too much time, are inaccurate, and rarely add value. The size of the document should be based on your style, but 10-20 pages or slides are usually more than adequate to outline even a complex business.

Technical Review 126

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 126

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 20, 2019

Dini, tied together several threads I have often seen in my own experience of mentoring and helping aspiring entrepreneurs. Only a few of these slide into farming, as the company grows in employees and products. Dini makes the case that entrepreneurs are hunters, while the rest of us (large majority) are farmers.

Entrepreneur 95

Entrepreneur News Slides Startup 95

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 10, 2014

What if that time could go into thinking through the companies most important strategic issues, talking early with investors about their views and adjusting the strategic discussion slides rather than the update deck? You hired a head of product for a reason. You’re the coach, mentor, cheerleader. Act your stage.

Startup 381

Startup Resource Venture Capital Activity 381

Jason Nazar

JUNE 1, 2016

The most surefire way to raise money is to have a great team, build a great product and get meaningful traction. Forget Your Slides. Have your slides there, reference the key points as needed, but keep the focus on each other — not a slideshow. Read what other startup mentors have to say about attracting investor attention.

Slides 49

Slides Startup Entrepreneur Metrics 49

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 28, 2015

Dini, tied together several threads I have often seen in my own experience of mentoring and helping aspiring entrepreneurs. Only a few of these slide into farming, as the company grows in employees and products. Dini makes the case that entrepreneurs are hunters, while the rest of us (large majority) are farmers.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Slides News Startup 106

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. Providing your product or service free to customers may sound attractive in marketing materials, but you need revenue sources to survive.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 12, 2014

Dini, tied together several threads I have often seen in my own experience of mentoring and helping aspiring entrepreneurs. Only a few of these slide into farming, as the company grows in employees and products. Dini makes the case that entrepreneurs are hunters, while the rest of us (large majority) are farmers.

Entrepreneur 109

Entrepreneur Startup News Slides 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2015

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. A perfect size is ten slides, with the right content, that can be covered in ten minutes. Pitch your company, not your product. Written business plan.

Startup 104

Startup Writing Entrepreneur Slides 104

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 31, 2017

Dini, tied together several threads I have often seen in my own experience of mentoring and helping aspiring entrepreneurs. Only a few of these slide into farming, as the company grows in employees and products. Dini makes the case that entrepreneurs are hunters, while the rest of us (large majority) are farmers.

Entrepreneur 54

Entrepreneur News Slides Startup 54

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2018

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. A perfect size is ten slides, with the right content, that can be covered in ten minutes. Pitch your company, not your product. Written business plan.

Startup 65

Startup Entrepreneur Slides Content 65

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2014

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. A perfect size is ten slides, with the right content, that can be covered in ten minutes. Pitch your company, not your product. Written business plan.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Startup Writing Slides 108

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2014

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans are a waste of time. The size of the document should be based on your style, but 10-20 pages or slides are usually more than adequate to outline even a complex business.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 109

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2009

Time to start thinking about how to make it more productive. But I would argue that you can develop relationships with many advisers, mentors and VCs that will help with introductions for no equity. It’s OK to have the advisor slide where you glance quickly over the names. Too bad it was a bit superficial, though.

Startup 306

Startup Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 306

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

YOU Selling – My wise old friend & mentor, Ameet Shah, once told me after a meeting we had with clients (when I worked at Accenture), “there are two ways to run a meeting: asking or telling. They are seldom productive. You have target customers, you have competitors and you have a product to sell.

Sales 314

Sales Startup Venture Capital Customer 314

CEO Flow

JUNE 8, 2009

We can develop and deploy products faster – far beyond our clients’ ability to absorb them. * I’ve worked with, mentored and observed dozens of companies over the past couple of years. Note that companies are not pull OR push…there would be a sliding scale (such as 70/30 push/pull). Push System. *

Metrics 66

Metrics Slides Competition Activity 66

CEO Flow

JUNE 8, 2009

We can develop and deploy products faster – far beyond our clients’ ability to absorb them. * I’ve worked with, mentored and observed dozens of companies over the past couple of years. Note that companies are not pull OR push…there would be a sliding scale (such as 70/30 push/pull). Push System. *

Metrics 66

Metrics Slides Competition Activity 66

CEO Flow

JUNE 8, 2009

We can develop and deploy products faster – far beyond our clients’ ability to absorb them. * I’ve worked with, mentored and observed dozens of companies over the past couple of years. Note that companies are not pull OR push…there would be a sliding scale (such as 70/30 push/pull). Push System. *

Metrics 66

Metrics Startup Slides Activity 66

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 28, 2012

Because we are still in idea stage, it is in the best interest of the company to keep only a few key people to work on executing the product. When I was creating the slide to introduce the team, he asked to be listed as an iOS developer instead of a designer as he was registered. But a wise mentor of mine said, “Go with your gut!

Startup 100

Startup Ideas San Diego Mentor 100

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 9, 2014

This was a chance to blow open the story on their companies, to address a room full of potential investors, mentors, partners, customers, and press. Harnessing more energy from our grid by emphasizing efficiency, not increased factory and power production. In turn, Ohmconnect incentivizes its users with direct payments.

Startup 111

Startup Mobile Commerce Education 111

CEO Flow

JUNE 8, 2009

We can develop and deploy products faster – far beyond our clients’ ability to absorb them. * I’ve worked with, mentored and observed dozens of companies over the past couple of years. Note that companies are not pull OR push…there would be a sliding scale (such as 70/30 push/pull). Push System. *

Metrics 40

Metrics Slides Competition Activity 40

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

If I see tons of “update slides” and know that we don’t have an important board decision I might just bite my tongue. I promise you that electronics are the single biggest drag on board productivity. If we’re debating product features, it’s an invitation to opine on your views and also bring experiences you’ve had elsewhere.

Startup 251

Startup Help Technical Review Writing 251