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. For example, when you think about distribution channels, revenue streams, or the relationship with the customer, ask customers what they expect.

Angel Investor 359

Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator Business Model 359

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2020

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. Incorporating a business entity early through online services.

Intellectual Property 404

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Groups Social Media 404

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

Others will work hard on a business plan, and then mail it indiscriminately to every potential investor they can find on the Internet. Attached is a copy of my full business plan for your review.” I don’t have a business plan, but the technology is disruptive.” Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 299

Entrepreneur Technical Review Business Plan Angel Investor 299

Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 23, 2013

Finding a viable business model is not a linear, analytical process that can be guided by a business plan. As such, discovering a new business model is inherently risky, and is far more likely to fail than to succeed.

Business Model 334

Business Model Technical Review Business Plan Search 334

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

Here are some tips which will signal traction and fundability to investors, as well as to your team: Document your business plan. It’s hard to build a business without a plan, just like it’s hard to build a house without a blueprint. A great business often starts with one person, but it doesn’t end there.

Intellectual Property 281

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Sweat Equity CTO Hire 281

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

MARCH 21, 2017

Revenue multiples, profit multiples, premium over the previous financing — these are metrics used by sellers to help determine a minimum acceptable price. Even for startups, it takes years for a new product to become good enough to demand many millions of dollars in revenue.). Yet mobile advertising revenues were paltry.

Balance Sheet 242

Balance Sheet Vertical Acquisition Revenue 242

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2021

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. In a business plan these are only one of the many marketing campaigns which continue to rise in cost. That’s a double death wish.

Viral 348

Viral Marketing SEM Campaign 348

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2020

Others will work hard on a business plan, and then mail it indiscriminately to every potential investor they can find on the Internet. Attached is a copy of my full business plan for your review.” I don’t have a business plan, but the technology is disruptive.”

Technical Review 310

Technical Review Angel Investor Business Plan Social Media 310

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 20, 2012

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. For example, when you think about distribution channels, revenue streams, or the relationship with the customer, ask customers what they expect.

Startup 296

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 296

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 17, 2018

One thing that comes with being a venture capitalist is you see hundreds and hundreds of businesses. You get to have interesting conversations with founders and review business plans and then see how these businesses evolve over the years. Some even grow "bad" revenue just to show growth.

Founder 242

Founder Dilution Software Review Later Stage 242

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2014

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. For example, when you think about distribution channels, revenue streams, or the relationship with the customer, ask customers what they expect.

Entrepreneur 283

Entrepreneur Startup Angel Investor Technical Review 283

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 6, 2021

Many startups see initial revenue from customers, and love the fast growth, but fail to anticipate the cost of early vendor payments, monthly overhead costs, and later taxes. A budget is the financial plan and road map to get you from your business plan to profitability. Not having a budget.

Technical Review 379

Technical Review Finance Startup Salary 379

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2020

Some analysts argue that revenue drives growth, while others say user growth drives revenue. Google reached $1B in revenue within five years of incorporation, and now has a market capitalization of over $1 trillion. A business only achieved critical mass by becoming cash-flow positive. Both have worked.

Revenue 434

Revenue Valuation Viral Retention 434

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 attempt to scale it until you have a proven repeatable business model that predictably generates revenue.

Startup 245

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 245

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

Tech IPO prices exploded and subsequent trading prices rose to dizzying heights as the stock prices became disconnected from the traditional metrics of revenue and profits. Startups wrote business plans, generated expansive 5-year forecasts and executed (hired, spent and built) to the plan.

Lean 335

Lean Burn Rate Startup IPO 335

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 21, 2019

He offers some practical entrepreneurship lessons I most often see talking about Silicon Valley: You still need a good business plan to start. As an advisor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m still surprised at how many people believe the myth that business plans are only required to appease big investors.

Silicon Valley 269

Silicon Valley Missouri Technical Review Boston 269

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. In a business plan these are only one of the many marketing campaigns which continue to rise in cost. That’s a double death wish.

Viral 268

Viral Marketing SEM Campaign 268

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 24, 2017

— Unremarked and unheralded, the balance of power between startup CEOs and their investors has radically changed: IPOs/M&A without a profit (or at times revenue) have become the norm. Typically, this caliber of bankers wouldn’t talk to you unless your company had five profitable quarters of increasing revenue.

Founder 281

Founder Technical Review CTO Hire IPO 281

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 16, 2020

Business valuation is defined as a way to determine the overall economic value of a company , and is a necessary component of a sound business plan and strategy. An Earnings Based approach to valuation is predicated on the concept that a business is only as valuable as its potential to produce value in the future.

Valuation 162

Valuation CPA Software Review .Net 162

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2023

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. Incorporating a business entity early through online services.

Intellectual Property 261

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Angel Groups Social Media 261

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2020

The norm for entrepreneurs is to be optimistic on revenue projections, and miserly on funding needs. The key here is to plan ahead, nurture a relationship with your favorite venture capitalists, and leverage the growth and assets you already have with other lending and funding organizations.

Entrepreneur 306

Entrepreneur Due Diligence Startup Acquisition 306

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2020

They don’t realize that business projections with no third-party validation have no credibility with investors, and smart potential investors will walk away. Every good business plan needs an early section which sizes the total market opportunity, and then breaks down that total into the most relevant segments for your focus.

Business Plan 393

Business Plan Marketing SBA Venture Capital 393

Up and Running

APRIL 22, 2020

For the COVID-19 Disaster Loans specifically, your business had to be up and running long enough to display financials that could prove that you were negatively affected by the coronavirus. Many startups are small, local businesses with hopes of eventually rapidly scaling—but they’re still establishing a track record.

SBA 139

SBA Forecast Software Review Business Plan 139

VC Cafe

JULY 26, 2020

In a capital scarce environment following the Dot Com crash, startups needed to do more with less and survive long enough to generate revenue. Most principles of Lean Startup remain true, as described by Steve Blank in The Lean Startup Changes Everything : Business Plans are dead: Startups a series of hypothesis that need to be tested.

Lean 214

Lean Seed Capital Startup Burn Rate 214

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 28, 2018

There are many things a VC is looking for in reviewing your business plan but beyond things the like the quality of revenue, margins, OPEX and CAPEX there’s a really simple rule I call, “Cash In, Cash Out, Milestones Achieved.” So it’s incumbent on you to know what a smart business plan and use of cash looks like.

Burn Rate 247

Burn Rate Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Dilution 247

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 30, 2022

A good business plan and positive projections should provide confidence. Investing in startups doesn’t have to be as much of a gamble as you might think; it’s all about ignoring the hype and instead letting the underpinnings of the organization, and any performance figures and projections for future revenues, do the talking.

Technical Review 166

Technical Review Due Diligence Angel Investor Startup 166

Women Entrepreneurs Can

FEBRUARY 18, 2025

Developing a Solid Business Plan A well-crafted business plan serves as a roadmap for your digital venture. Begin by outlining your business model, including your revenue streams, pricing strategy, and growth projections.

Intellectual Property 52

Intellectual Property Social Media Software Review Audience 52

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2022

Plan in great detail and avoid things not in the budget. Business plans should be loose frameworks to be used as guidelines rather than detailed route maps. Typical incentives give percentages of quarterly revenues and contribution as rewards for success. Make sure people take time to look for new opportunities.

Stock Options 277

Stock Options Incubator Framework Stock 277

The Startup Magazine

JULY 6, 2024

Developing Your Business Plan Creating a solid business plan for your property management business is crucial. It requires thorough market research, understanding your target market, defining your services, and planning your daily operations. Define your revenue streams. Outline your pricing model.

Management 145

Management Software Review Technical Review Social Media 145

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. Government programs.

Startup 150

Startup Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Seed Stage 150

The Startup Magazine

OCTOBER 4, 2023

Developing a Business Plan The findings from your market research should form the backbone of your comprehensive business plan. A well-thought-out business plan helps keep your business on track, acting like a roadmap to your intended destination.

Balance Sheet 144

Balance Sheet Technical Review Business Model Business Plan 144

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2022

MySpace, for example, boomed after launch for five years without a revenue model. When their deep pockets went empty, Facebook stepped in, but demanded revenue from ads. Build a business plan for profitability in your lifetime. Yet it took almost six years to become profitable, with revenue only from advertising.

Revenue 297

Revenue Widget Angel Investor Early Stage 297

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 17, 2020

When the business is up and running, they should tightly manage its financial performance by creating a budgeting process and reviewing the business plan regularly for performance. Precise planning makes a difference in that it allows the entrepreneur to improve profits, reduce costs and increase ROIs.

Finance 217

Finance Forecast Balance Sheet Angel Investor 217

ReadWriteStart

AUGUST 20, 2020

You will realize that everyone gives a different yet unique point of views if you allow your employees to be part of your business plan. Define the design, features, functionality, and support that your web application needs to achieve your business goals and drive success. Will the web app help accomplish your business goals?

Web 194

Web Technical Review Startup Audience 194

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 21, 2016

After listening to hundreds of startup pitches, and reading even more business plans, most new venture investors develop their own favorite list of “red flags” that signal the beginning of the end of their interest. Declare a $10 million valuation with no revenue or customers. Higher numbers cause investors to walk away.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Valuation Technical Review Equity 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2023

Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan. Just for clarification, I characterize a product plan as a formal description of your product or service, with a quick business description at the end for effect.

Business Plan 280

Business Plan Product Architecture Business Model 280

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2018

These days you can create a C-corp or LLC online quickly at a low cost, to serve you well in signing partners, intellectual property, investors, and revenue. Prepare a pitch deck to document and share your plan. A full business plan and financial modelling can come later to add details.

Technical Cofounder 184

Technical Cofounder Intellectual Property Silicon Valley LLC 184