Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 17, 2020

In that spirit, I offer my perspective on ten common startup failure sources that rarely get admitted by entrepreneurs: Choose to skip the written business plan. A business plan is for you first, not investors. Offer free solutions to bring in more customers. Building a successful business is all about execution.

Intellectual Property 436

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Viral Distribution 436

Up and Running

JULY 6, 2016

Often, a business plan introduces a new technology that requires some explaining. On one hand, as a reader of business plans for investors, I see way too many business plans that ask a reader to wade neck-deep through technology to get to the business. It’s a business plan, not a term paper or thesis.

Technical Review 72

Technical Review Software Review Business Plan Development Team Review 72

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 5, 2009

Chasing funding versus chasing customers and a repeatable and scalable business model, is one reason startups fail. Chasing funding versus chasing customers and a repeatable and scalable business model, is one reason startups fail. Are there customers for what you are building? Is there a profitable business model?

Customer Development 270

Customer Development Developer Customer Silicon Valley 270

YoungUpstarts

MAY 21, 2020

You envision your business as the next Uber or Spotify, yourself as the next Steve Jobs or Elon Musk, reaching that prestigious ‘unicorn’ startup status in record time. Like most entrepreneurs, you’ve probably mapped out the business plan, dreamed up the layout and you’re already snapping up domains and emailing developers with your plan.

Product 264

Product Cofounder Audience Product Development 264

Steve Blank

MAY 7, 2009

I hate business plan competitions. I Love Business Plan Competitions I had a breakfast with a friend who has founded a few companies in Thailand and started the New Ventures Program at one of their universities. For all the reasons why business plan competitions are wonderful for students from outside the U.S.,

Business Plan 158

Business Plan Silicon Valley RSS Venture Capital 158

Up and Running

MARCH 17, 2022

Many business owners know and understand the value of a business plan. The business plan is a key component of the startup and fundraising process and serves as a foundation for your organization. What is a business plan? It lays out who is running the business and what the business does.

Business Plan 145

Business Plan Operations Lean Forecast 145

Up and Running

FEBRUARY 10, 2021

A key to making this entire process much easier is to invest a little time and write a business plan. It’s true — not all investors will ask to see your business plan. Why do investors want to see a business plan? The business plan document itself isn’t what’s important to investors.

Business Plan 138

Business Plan Forecast Balance Sheet Exit Strategy 138

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 1, 2010

With an out-of-this-world business plan. When it was spun out as a a separate company, Iridium’s 1990 business plan had assumptions about potential customers, their problems and the product needed to solve that problem. A Business Plan Frozen in Time. It is death in a rapidly changing business.

Business Plan 335

Business Plan Customer Business Model Customer Development 335

Up and Running

MAY 2, 2011

Tweet Your business plan is the foundation of your business. It’s also an invaluable tool when it comes time to apply for a business loan. When lenders ask for a business plan, they are looking specifically for the following items: History of the business. How revenues are generated. Management.

Business Plan 92

Business Plan SBA Revenue Finance 92

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 13, 2015

Angel investors and venture capitalists are looking for startups with real products and a proven business model, ready to scale. Yet I still get too many business plans that clearly are looking for money to do research and development (R&D) on a new and unproven technology. Business commercialization.

Product Development 120

Product Development Developer Product Angel Investor 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2013

For entrepreneurs, effective networking is required to find investors, partners, and customers. Serious investors expect founders to have their homework done before the first interaction – documented executive summary, business plan, and financial model. Product development. Customer retention.

Entrepreneur 275

Entrepreneur Technical Review Software Review Retention 275

Up and Running

FEBRUARY 12, 2022

Learn why the traditional way of writing a five-year business plan is often a waste of time and how to use a Lean Plan instead for smarter, easier strategic planning to establish your long-term vision. But, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t plan for the long term. What is a long-term plan?

Business Plan 83

Business Plan Lean Forecast Exit Strategy 83

ReadWriteStart

NOVEMBER 12, 2022

Investors can also be skittish, and winning new customers is not easy. However, a crisis can also be a golden opportunity to launch a new product or service, as long as the startup at the origin applies specific methods. As a startup, you probably don’t have much money to spend on marketing or product development.

Startup 198

Startup Technical Review Ghana Guerilla 198

Up and Running

JANUARY 3, 2019

This article is part of our Business Startup Guide , a curated list of our articles that will get you up and running in no time! Here’s the simple truth of business: Without customers to buy your products, you’re not going to make any money. But, what if your business is solving a problem that you don’t have?

Software Review 130

Software Review Product Development Portland Software 130

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

A version of this article first appeared in the Harvard Business Review. Given the stock market was buying “the story and vision” of anything internet, inflated expectations were more important than traditional metrics like customers, growth, revenue, or heaven forbid, profits. ” Fire, Ready, Aim.

Lean 335

Lean Burn Rate Startup IPO 335

Startup Lessons Learned

NOVEMBER 8, 2008

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Saturday, November 8, 2008 What is customer development? When we build products, we use a methodology. But too often when its time to think about customers, marketing, positioning, or PR, we delegate it to "marketroids" or "suits." a roadmap for how to get to Product/Market Fit."

Customer Development 168

Customer Development Developer San Francisco Customer 168

Steve Blank

MAY 6, 2015

Build a product, get it into the real world, measure customers’ reactions and behaviors, learn from this, and use what you’ve learned to build something better. Repeat, learning whether to iterate, pivot or restart until you have something that customers love. Waterfall Development. Microsoft Windows 3.0).

Lean 120

Lean Agile Business Model Customer Development 120

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2023

Angel investors and venture capitalists are looking for startups with real products and a proven business model, ready to scale. Yet I still get too many business plans that clearly are looking for money to do research and development (R&D) on a new and unproven technology. Business commercialization.

Angel Investor 256

Angel Investor Early Stage Incubator Government 256

Up and Running

MARCH 24, 2021

So, what exactly is a market penetration strategy and how do you develop one? Market penetration is the amount that your business is able to sell a product or service to customers compared to the estimated total available market (TAM). Market penetration definition. How to calculate market penetration.

Software Review 146

Software Review Marketing Campaign Forecast 146

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2013

Product development is stuck at that 90% mark, a key person leaves, and customers are talking but not buying. Invariably we were in crisis mode by delivery time, and the common complaint was that “management” always forced unrealistic schedules on developers. But all too soon, reality sets in.

Founder 250

Founder Startup Software Developers Software Development 250

The Startup Magazine

JUNE 17, 2021

Big data is a prominent subject for many businesses around the world, and for those of you who operate entirely online enterprises, studying statistics and numbers is perhaps even more important, and, can be convenient using online business education.

Analytics 174

Analytics Technical Review Social Media Software Review 174

The Startup Magazine

OCTOBER 19, 2020

Today, there are many internal and external challenges that typical business faces. Similarly, customers are more knowledgeable, aware, and conscious to choose from the variety out there, which slows down the company’s revenue and growth. you can align your products’ improvements.

Technical Review 152

Technical Review Forecast Analytics Social Media 152

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2021

Angel investors and venture capitalists are looking for startups with real products and a proven business model, ready to scale. Yet I still get too many business plans that clearly are looking for money to do research and development (R&D) on a new and unproven technology. Business commercialization.

Early Stage 412

Early Stage Angel Investor Incubator Government 412

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 15, 2010

For entrepreneurs, effective networking is required to find investors, partners, and customers. Serious investors expect founders to have their homework done before the first interaction – documented executive summary, business plan, and financial model. Product development. Customer retention.

Entrepreneur 237

Entrepreneur Technical Review Software Review Retention 237

YoungUpstarts

MAY 6, 2019

Product development. Now that you have a refined product idea and a team that can turn this idea into reality, the product development stage will start. Initial product development usually consists of prototyping and MVP. Prototyping usually means the initial working draft of the product idea.

Startup 113

Startup Technical Cofounder Merger Early Stage 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2012

Product development is stuck at that 90% mark, a key person leaves, and customers are talking but not buying. Invariably we were in crisis mode by delivery time, and the common complaint was that “management” always forced unrealistic schedules on developers. But all too soon, reality sets in.

Software Developers 229

Software Developers Software Development Business Model Product Development 229

The Startup Magazine

AUGUST 11, 2023

It is necessary to cover the early stages of product development, thorough market research, and other processes during the initial step. Seed capital is a component of the initial investments made in young businesses. During the pre-seed fundraising stage, investors need a viable business plan to base their investments on.

Seed Stage 125

Seed Stage Technical Review Early Stage Due Diligence 125

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 6, 2011

Product development is stuck at that 90% mark, a key person leaves, and customers are talking but not buying. Invariably we were in crisis mode by delivery time, and the common complaint was that “management” always forced unrealistic schedules on developers. But all too soon, reality sets in.

Startup 245

Startup Software Developers Software Development Business Model 245

Gust

APRIL 27, 2014

Develop your business plan. Write down the key elements of your business plan very early, and keep it current as things evolve. Product development process. Customer service and support. Here you will likely need to train others to help you, so more detail may be required in this process.

Startup 187

Startup Institutional Investors Angel Investor Bootstrapping 187

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2016

He nails the current key startup parameters, including the following: Crafting a lean business plan as your road map. The days of lengthy, text-heavy, business plan documents prepared by expensive experts are behind us. Building a minimum viable product, with customer validation.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Groups Social Media 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 3, 2016

In that spirit, I offer my perspective on ten common startup failure sources that rarely get admitted by entrepreneurs: Choose to skip the written business plan. A business plan is for you first, not investors. Offer free solutions to bring in more customers. Building a successful business is all about execution.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Investor Viral 120

Startup Lessons Learned

DECEMBER 14, 2009

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Monday, December 14, 2009 Business ecology and the four customer currencies Lately, I’ve been rethinking the concept of “business model&# for startups, in favor of something I call “business ecology.&# Let’s begin with the four customer currencies.

Customer 156

Customer San Francisco Viral Lean 156

YoungUpstarts

MAY 3, 2017

From product development to market research, many startups are one-person operations in their early days. Even as their teams grow, entrepreneurs often feel that they must tend to every aspect of the business, including low-level tasks that distract from revenue-generating activity. Wearing Your Many Hats With Style.

Technical Review 113

Technical Review Management Arizona Software Review 113

YoungUpstarts

MAY 23, 2018

This can get them in trouble with their team, their creditors, their investors, and possibly even their customers if a sudden lack of finances starts impacting the ability to provide goods and services to the expected level of quality. Sometimes, it’s the lack of a proper business plan that really hurts the startup.

Due Diligence 133

Due Diligence Startup Finance Leadership 133

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2022

Of course, that means a new level of risk, giving up some control, and a new business plan. Most entrepreneurs are mavericks, and their passion drove their new business. Switch your attention from product development to sales. Managing business growth is more than metrics. There is no free lunch.

Mezzanine 368

Mezzanine Private Equity Bandwidth Metrics 368

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2015

In that spirit, I offer my perspective on ten common startup failure sources that rarely get admitted by entrepreneurs: Choose to skip the written business plan. A business plan is for you first, not investors. Offer free solutions to bring in more customers. Building a successful business is all about execution.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Viral Distribution 120

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

Today, with the Internet and social media, if you aren’t visible in a positive way to everyone, including customers, your leadership efforts will be lost. You need to be visible in marketing efforts, viral videos, and interactions with key customer segments. Build relationships with known business leaders.

Stealth 362

Stealth Leadership Viral Social Media 362