Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2020

In my view, starting a new business has never been easier, and according to reports from the Kauffman Foundation , the numbers are here to show it. The rate of new entrepreneurs increased between 2013 and 2019, from 280 out of 100,000 to 310 out of 100,000 of the adult population. The cost of social media done well is low.

Intellectual Property 404

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Groups Social Media 404

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2023

In my view, starting a new business has never been easier, and according to reports from the Kauffman Foundation , the numbers are here to show it. The rate of new entrepreneurs increased between 2013 and 2021, from 280 to 360 out of 100,000 of the adult population. The cost of social media done well is low.

Intellectual Property 261

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Angel Groups Social Media 261

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

by Bob Adams, serial entrepreneur and founder of BusinessTown.com. You might be thinking that a business plan doesn’t make any sense for your small new enterprise. After all you are not planning on trying to get even a bank loan, let alone venture capital. Then project your income and costs after the business gets going.

Business Plan 173

Business Plan Startup Venture Capital Differentiation 173

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2014

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. As with most business and personal interactions, first impressions tend to become lasting ones. Others send investors email and business plans in all uppercase or no punctuation.

Angel Investor 268

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Early Stage 268

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2020

Every entrepreneur I know finds it a challenge to balance the joys of entrepreneurship against a set of frustrations they never anticipated. The norm for entrepreneurs is to be optimistic on revenue projections, and miserly on funding needs. Cheaper in the beginning can be more costly in the long run.

Entrepreneur 306

Entrepreneur Due Diligence Startup Acquisition 306

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2021

For the elite startups and entrepreneurs who manage to attract the investor they dream of, and survive the term sheet negotiation, there is still one more hurdle before the money is in the bank. In reality, it is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of the business and the team.

Technical Review 379

Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Bankruptcy 379

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2021

Most technical entrepreneurs focus hard on building an innovative product, but forget that an elegant solution doesn’t automatically translate into a successful business. Defining the right business model requires the same diligence as designing the right product, but the approach and skills required are different.

Technical Review 399

Technical Review Product Advisory Board Business Model 399

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2021

Great entrepreneurs, like Bill Gates, are great at both. I can think of several related aspects of starting and running a business where follow-up, or lack of it, can make or break your startup. Here are a few: Business networking. For entrepreneurs, effective networking is required to find investors, partners, and customers.

Technical Review 333

Technical Review Startup Software Review Retention 333

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 9, 2020

I always tell entrepreneurs that two heads are better than one, so the first task in many startups is finding a co-founder or two. You need to find the skills or experience you don’t have in business, technology, or money. Experience and connections in your business area. Textbook knowledge and academic degrees don’t count here.

Cofounder 435

Cofounder Technical Cofounder Equity Intellectual Property 435

Hearpreneur

OCTOBER 10, 2023

In the realm of great business ideas, a well-crafted business plan takes center stage. Beyond that, it acts as your business's guiding roadmap, ensuring you stay aligned with your goals as your operations adapt to evolving circumstances. This document provides essential clarity on your business vision and mission.

Business Plan 136

Business Plan Jordan Entrepreneur Florida 136

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 6, 2021

I’m sure all you accountants will agree that fixing the mistakes listed here does not require rocket science, but I’ve seen them so often that to be forewarned is to be forearmed: Failing to factor in fixed costs when pricing. Always use a break-even analysis to measure what volume and price are required to offset total costs.

Technical Review 379

Technical Review Finance Startup Salary 379

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 11, 2020

Many passionate entrepreneurs fight to add more features into their new products and services, assuming that more function will make the solution more appealing to more customers. In many business domains today, the market seems to change about every ninety days. The initial larger cost in time and dollars is only the beginning.

Startup 424

Startup Bandwidth Distribution Agile 424

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2021

In fact, I often have to tell aspiring entrepreneurs that their inventions have zero value, at least not until they are put in the context of a business plan, with qualified people committed to executing the plan. You need a viable business model and customers. Early-stage ideas fall in the same category.

Technical Review 391

Technical Review Intellectual Property Early Stage Global 391

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2021

In my experience as an angel investor for new startups, I’m always surprised by how many entrepreneurs are looking for funding without outside advisors. Especially if you are a first-time business owner, the payback for this initiative is well worth the effort and cost. Bandwidth is a constraint we all feel.

Advisory Board 356

Advisory Board Bandwidth Cofounder Technical Review 356

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Don’t forget a viable financial model of costs, margins, customer acquisition, and break-even. It’s time for a new startup model.

Angel Investor 359

Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator Business Model 359

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2023

Every entrepreneur I know has their favorite excuse for a previous failure – an investor backed out, the economy took a downturn, or a supplier delivered bad quality. I certainly agree that starting a business is fraught with risk, and none of us get it all right the first time. A business plan is for you first, not investors.

Intellectual Property 312

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Investor Viral 312

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 30, 2012

Our goal– to inspire, educate and empower hundred’s of thousands of entrepreneurs and help create 10,000 startups. The class teaches founders how to dramatically reduce their failure rate through the combination of business model design, customer development and agile development using the Startup Owners Manual. How it Works.

Startup 335

Startup Lean Incubator Business Model 335

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2020

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. As with most business and personal interactions, first impressions tend to become lasting ones. Others send investors email and business plans in all uppercase or no punctuation.

Intellectual Property 316

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Early Stage Venture Capital 316

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

For the elite startups and entrepreneurs who manage to attract the investor they dream of, and survive the term sheet negotiation, there is still one more hurdle before the money is in the bank. In reality, it is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of the business and the team.

Technical Review 296

Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Bankruptcy 296

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2020

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Others will work hard on a business plan, and then mail it indiscriminately to every potential investor they can find on the Internet.

Technical Review 310

Technical Review Angel Investor Business Plan Social Media 310

ReadWriteStart

JUNE 1, 2020

I have often been asked about Startup Funding by entrepreneurs. Here is Startup Funding, a Comprehensive Guide for Entrepreneurs. To secure your funding, you must establish the feasibility of your idea through proper planning and implementation. You can get a personal loan without a business plan.

Startup 150

Startup Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Seed Stage 150

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

This creates a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to start an Airbnb. Before you jump into starting your own vacation rental business, you’ll need a business plan. This article will cover the steps to create your Airbnb business plan, along with some tips to run it successfully. Need more guidance?

Business Plan 110

Business Plan Software Review Technical Review Forecast 110

The Startup Magazine

APRIL 12, 2021

There are several profitable tech startup ideas for entrepreneurs in 2021. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, an increasing number of companies have been relying on technology to conduct business in remote settings. As an entrepreneur with a tech background, you need to know which startups are projected to be the most profitable this year.

Technical Review 127

Technical Review Software Review Application Development Entrepreneur 127

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 11, 2016

When they found out, they questioned my decision-making and me as an entrepreneur. And not keep investors informed about changes to your business model can have serious consequences. He was also on the team that wrote the business plan for BlackGirlsCode. They questioned my decision-making and me as an entrepreneur.

Columbus 249

Columbus Entrepreneur Cofounder Ohio 249

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2022

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. As with most business and personal interactions, first impressions tend to become lasting ones. Others send investors email and business plans in all uppercase or no punctuation.

Intellectual Property 278

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Early Stage Venture Capital 278

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2023

Many passionate entrepreneurs fight to add more features into their new products and services, assuming that more function will make the solution more appealing to more customers. In many business domains today, the market seems to change about every ninety days. The initial larger cost in time and dollars is only the beginning.

Startup 287

Startup Bandwidth Distribution Agile 287

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 3, 2021

The biggest challenge for every entrepreneur and every startup today is to get noticed and remembered in today’s information overload. The number of entrepreneurs worldwide is huge, starting an estimated 50 million new businesses per year, or 137,000 per day. The obstacle or the painful need.

Elevator Pitch 313

Elevator Pitch Technical Review Boston Sales 313

Up and Running

OCTOBER 28, 2022

Securing investment dollars is often the number one priority for entrepreneurs when starting a business. However, each “type” of investor brings a different level of risk — and, let’s be honest, not all businesses are attractive to investors. Pros and cons of using your own money for startup costs.

Cost 138

Cost Startup Early Stage Vesting 138

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2014

Building a new business is quite different from an executive role in a mature company, so people from these backgrounds are often a liability. Value is embodied in previous success with investors, proven problem-solving ability, and having built and executed a business plan with minimal resources. But don’t get greedy.

Cofounder 261

Cofounder Stock Founder Technical Cofounder 261

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2014

Many passionate entrepreneurs fight to add more features into their new products and services, assuming that more function will make the solution more appealing to more customers. In many business domains today, the market seems to change about every ninety days. The initial larger cost in time and dollars is only the beginning.

Bandwidth 262

Bandwidth Distribution Agile Social Media 262

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2020

If you aren’t willing to take some risk as an entrepreneur, then don’t expect any gain. Yet everyone has limits, and every investor implicitly has similar limits on what makes a startup investable, or one to avoid at all costs. A strong team has one or more executives who have run a startup before in the current business domain.

New York City 315

New York City Silicon Valley Startup Bootstrapping 315

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 7, 2024

From identifying your audience to understanding the market and mapping out your finances, entrepreneurs have found they have a lot to do before building a successful venture. But luckily, gone are the days when entrepreneurs have to spend countless hours on these beginning steps.

Artificial Inteligence 152

Artificial Inteligence Entrepreneur Algorithm Cofounder 152

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2019

Steve Blank via Flickr by jdlasica I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Don’t forget a viable financial model of costs, margins, customer acquisition, and break-even.

Startup 245

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 245

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2014

In fact, I often have to tell aspiring entrepreneurs that their inventions have zero value, at least not until they are put in the context of a business plan, with qualified people committed to executing the plan. You need a viable business model and customers. business entrepreneur idea invention startup value'

Technical Review 266

Technical Review Intellectual Property Early Stage Global 266

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2023

I always tell entrepreneurs that two heads are better than one, so the first task in many startups is finding a cofounder or two. You need to find the skills or experience you don’t have in business, technology, or money. Experience and connections in your business area. Textbook knowledge and academic degrees don’t count here.

Technical Cofounder 247

Technical Cofounder Equity Distribution Cofounder 247

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2023

Most technical entrepreneurs focus hard on building an innovative product, but forget that an elegant solution doesn’t automatically translate into a successful business. Defining the right business model requires the same diligence as designing the right product, but the approach and skills required are different.

Technical Review 220

Technical Review Advisory Board Software Review Business Model 220

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2014

If you aren’t willing to take some risk as an entrepreneur, then don’t expect any gain. Yet everyone has limits, and every investor implicitly has similar limits on what makes a startup investable, or one to avoid at all costs. A strong team has one or more executives who have run a startup before in the current business domain.

New York City 254

New York City Silicon Valley Bootstrapping Technical Review 254