Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2023

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Solo entrepreneurs, with a team of helpers, will be assumed to be a hobby rather than a business. Solution development and delivery.

Exit Strategy 288

Exit Strategy Metrics Operations Cost 288

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 7, 2022

Angel investors will perk up if you have a prototype or a few real customers, while venture capitalists will likely choose to wait until you have achieved several million in revenue or customer count. Be prepared to explain your business model. How much do you really need for the next 12 to 18 months?

Preferred Stock 304

Preferred Stock Exit Strategy Equity Angel Investor 304

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

If the elements of your business aren't expertly developed and aligned, even the best dream will be in jeopardy. Such failures ignore the essential business elements investors look for before committing to a startup. Validated pricing and a sufficient revenue stream. Smart startups have these in place early.

Exit Strategy 120

Exit Strategy Technical Review Distribution Viral 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2021

Make sure these cover your business model and exit strategy, so the angels see how both of you will make a reasonable return. To be fundable, fifth year revenue projections need to be in the $20-$100 million range. Above all, remember that angels are really business people, just like you and me.

Search 317

Search Accredited Investor Angel Investor Venture Capital 317

Up and Running

MAY 15, 2018

Innovative products and business models are the foundations of a promising startup. Funding is crucial for improving technology, hiring the right people, and launching a comprehensive marketing strategy to get a foothold in the market. Creating a scalable business model. Determining how much money to ask for.

SBA 84

SBA Angel Investor Technical Review Startup 84

ReadWriteStart

JUNE 1, 2020

Funding might be a need in some cases — but it’s not an absolute necessity. ? The business should be self-sustainable. The primary source of your funds should be your paying customers, i.e., your business should generate enough revenues and profits to fund the growth and expansion. Incubators and Accelerators.

Startup 150

Startup Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Seed Stage 150

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

It should answer every question an investor or associate might ask, including current valuation, funding needed, and exit strategy. Finalize your financial model. Like the business plan, a financial model is required as much for your own use as to impress angel investors. Free trials don’t count.

Intellectual Property 249

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Technical Review Elevator Pitch 249

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2020

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Solo entrepreneurs, with a team of helpers, will be assumed to be a hobby rather than a business. Solution development and delivery.

Entrepreneur 328

Entrepreneur Exit Strategy Metrics Operations 328

Up and Running

AUGUST 28, 2018

Financial summary: Explain your business model, startup costs, revenues, and liabilities to the company. Now is the time to lay out what you’ll do to attract patients and set up a viable business model with healthy financials. Your funding ask and exit strategy, if applicable. Be specific.

Business Plan 72

Business Plan Technical Review Exit Strategy Oregon 72

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 4, 2020

Angel investors will perk up if you have a prototype or a few real customers, while venture capitalists will likely choose to wait until you have achieved several million in revenue or customer count. Be prepared to explain your business model. How much do you really need for the next 12 to 18 months?

Startup 337

Startup Preferred Stock Exit Strategy Equity 337

Reid Hoffman

JULY 23, 2020

This week, I’d like to turn to the question of how current market conditions affect the approach entrepreneurs should take towards their exit strategy. Those traditional investors ask, “What’s your business model?” That effort failed, and more than a year into Google’s history, there wasn’t a viable business model.

IPO 36

IPO Exit Strategy Acquisition Technical Review 36

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 18, 2016

While these acquisitions have teams of great researchers, they rarely contribute actual revenue generating products (because most never reached that stage when they were acquired.) Each of our teams in this class followed the canonical Lean model: Articulate your hypotheses using the business model canvas. Exit Strategy.

Artificial Inteligence 325

Artificial Inteligence Lean Exit Strategy Startup 325

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

It should answer every question an investor or associate might ask, including current valuation, funding needed, and exit strategy. Finalize your financial model. Like the business plan, a financial model is required as much for your own use as to impress angel investors. Free trials don’t count.

Angel Investor 224

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Technical Review Elevator Pitch 224

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 12, 2018

The subscription box industry is growing rapidly thanks to a steady revenue model and tapping into people’s love for surprises. But with so many people trying to get their share of the growth, many subscription box businesses fold within a year or two. Team : Who are your coworkers and what’s their business experience?

Business Plan 63

Business Plan Curation Balance Sheet Intellectual Property 63

Up and Running

MAY 17, 2017

Plus, you’ll always be prepared in case an opportunity or desire to sell arises in the future—it’s a smart idea to have an exit strategy. The sad reality is that many business acquisitions do not work out as hoped. I spoke to a business owner recently who was bringing in $1.7 million in sales revenue.

Acquisition 92

Acquisition Technical Review Revenue Exit Strategy 92

Duct Tape Marketing

APRIL 18, 2024

With her expertise, she’s boosted hundreds of agencies to millions in revenue, attracting premium clients willing to pay 50-600% fees. As a former business exit advisor, she crafts exit strategies, adding up to five figures to clients’ net profit monthly so they can focus on growth.

Framework 76

Framework Sales Cycle Sales Hiring 76

Up and Running

OCTOBER 3, 2018

Financial Summary: Explain your business model, startup costs, revenues, and liabilities to the company. Your funding ask and exit strategy, if applicable. People in the business predict technology will develop to generate more data-driven insights about which spaces give the best value to residents.

El Paso 61

El Paso Business Plan Technical Review Forecast 61

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2012

Business model. In this section, you need to be passionate about recurring revenue, profit margin, and volume growth. Implicit in this is the go-to-market strategy. Project both revenues and expense totals for next five years, and past three years. Exit strategy. What is the timeframe for the exit?

Elevator Pitch 247

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 247

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

Five Quarters of Profitability During the 1980’s and through the mid 1990’s startups going public had to do something that most companies today never heard of – they had to show a track record of increasing revenue and consistent profitability. There was now a public market for companies with no revenue, no profit and big claims.

Silicon Valley 236

Silicon Valley IPO Technical Review Venture Capital 236

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

Clearly define the customer, channel, and revenue model associated with this solution. Explain the business model. In this section, you need to be passionate about revenue, profit, and volume growth. Project both revenues and expense totals for next five years, and past three years, if relevant.

Business Plan 283

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 283

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2018

This implies high odds of a scalable business, simply needing an investment to lead to success. Business model showing costs, pricing, and margins. Potential investors love to see gross margins in the fifty percent range or greater, with recurring revenue through subscriptions, follow-on sales, or services.

Product 145

Product Intellectual Property Liquidity Event Valuation 145

Women Entrepreneurs Can

JUNE 3, 2021

Having shared values & vision also means you have thought about an exit strategy for your business. New businesses are meant to take risks and often things don’t pan out. Many businesses go through tough times including now iconic names such as SpaceX. ” (Source: Harvard Business Review ).

Partner 52

Partner Technical Review Cofounder Georgia 52

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2011

Business model. In this section, you need to be passionate about recurring revenue, profit margin, and volume growth. Implicit in this is the go-to-market strategy. Project both revenues and expense totals for next five years, and past three years. Exit strategy. What is the timeframe for the exit?

Elevator Pitch 234

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 234

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 18, 2016

While these acquisitions have teams of great researchers, they rarely contribute actual revenue generating products (because most never reached that stage when they were acquired.) Each of our teams in this class followed the canonical Lean model: Articulate your hypotheses using the business model canvas. Exit Strategy.

Artificial Inteligence 120

Artificial Inteligence Lean Exit Strategy Startup 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

Clearly define the customer, channel, and revenue model associated with this solution. Explain the business model. In this section, you need to be passionate about revenue, profit, and volume growth. Project both revenues and expense totals for next five years, and past three years, if relevant.

Business Plan 290

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 290

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2016

Remember you can’t sustain a business or social cause with no revenue or profit. Validate your business model on real customers. Giving free beta copies of your solution to customers to elicit testimonials does not validate a business model. Be able to differentiate your offering from competitors.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2015

How the solution and business model work to fund the business. Every customer understands that your solution has to generate more revenue than cost, but you should not put that data in a customer pitch. Investors will impatiently expect a winning business model, customer segment definitions and volume projections.

Product 120

Product Intellectual Property Liquidity Event Burn Rate 120

Up and Running

MAY 4, 2015

Describe your revenue model. State your exit strategy. You could include a brief product demo that shows off your technology, or more details about your smart and efficient business model that you might not otherwise have had time for. Describe your successes. Define your target market. Introduce your team.

Technical Review 60

Technical Review Entrepreneur Software Review Houston 60

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 19, 2010

Business model. In this section, you need to be passionate about recurring revenue, profit margin, and volume growth. Implicit in this is the go-to-market strategy. Project both revenues and expense totals for next five years, and past three years. Exit strategy. What is the timeframe for the exit?

Elevator Pitch 235

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 235

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2016

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Solo entrepreneurs, with a team of helpers, will be assumed to be a hobby rather than a business. Solution development and delivery.

Exit Strategy 155

Exit Strategy Metrics Operations Cost 155

Gust

AUGUST 19, 2012

Business model. In this section, you need to be passionate about recurring revenue, profit margin, and volume growth. Implicit in this is the go-to-market strategy. Project both revenues and expense totals for next five years, and past three years. Exit strategy. What is the timeframe for the exit?

Elevator Pitch 146

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 146

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

How does your business model make money? Good causes such as feeding the world’s hungry may help your marketing but may not sustain a business. The business model has to clearly define who is your customer, market penetration expected, how much customers pay versus total costs and the investment required to sustain cash flow.

Sweat Equity 120

Sweat Equity Advisory Board Liquidity Event Startup 120

Gust

AUGUST 5, 2012

Clearly define the customer, channel, and revenue model associated with this solution. Explain the business model. In this section, you need to be passionate about revenue, profit, and volume growth. Project both revenues and expense totals for next five years, and past three years, if relevant.

Business Plan 182

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 182

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2010

Clearly define the customer, channel, and revenue model associated with this solution. Explain the business model. In this section, you need to be passionate about revenue, profit, and volume growth. Project both revenues and expense totals for next five years, and past three years, if relevant.

Business Plan 186

Business Plan Exit Strategy Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 186

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2016

Don’t quit your day job until the revenue is flowing. Investors expect nothing less than a full-time commitment, even in the early stages when the business model has not yet been proven. Keep your exit strategy options open as you learn.

Bootstrapping 120

Bootstrapping Entrepreneur Startup Exit Strategy 120

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2015

Make sure these cover your business model and exit strategy, so the angels see how both of you will make a reasonable return. To be fundable, fifth year revenue projections need to be in the $20-$100 million range. Above all, remember that angels are really business people, just like you and me.

Angel Investor 120

Angel Investor Accredited Investor Venture Capital Startup 120

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2012

It should answer every question an investor or associate might ask, including current valuation, funding needed, and exit strategy. Finalize your financial model. Like the business plan, a financial model is required as much for your own use as to impress Angel investors. Free trials don’t count.

Angel Investor 260

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch Angel Groups 260