Growthink Blog

DECEMBER 27, 2017

You need a good idea – and an excellent business plan. Business planning and raising venture capital go hand-in-hand. A business plan is required for attracting venture capital. But how exactly will your business plan persuade investors to sign a check? Hook them on the first page.

Venture Capital 129

Venture Capital Business Plan Technical Review Private Placement 129

Steve Blank

JUNE 26, 2014

We’re changing the order in which we teach the business model canvas and customer development to better-fit therapeutics, diagnostics and medical devices. — Over the last three years the Lean LaunchPad class has started to replace the last century’s “how to write a business plan” classes as the foundation for entrepreneurial education.

Intellectual Property 290

Intellectual Property Lean IP Open Source 290

YoungUpstarts

MAY 12, 2020

Additionally, you’re not expected to excel at every single vertical of successfully managing the business. But it’s a lot harder to prepare a proper business plan unless you’re planning ahead of time and considering the additional resources, you will need help you with this endeavor. Or maybe with sales?

Distribution 264

Distribution Vertical Business Plan Software Development 264

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

Up and Running

OCTOBER 3, 2017

This article is part of our “Business Planning Guide” —a curated list of our articles that will help you with the planning process! Start from the very beginning understanding that your business plan ought to be specific to your business needs and objectives. Build your plan, then organize it.

Business Plan 134

Business Plan Balance Sheet Forecast Lean 134

Up and Running

JULY 1, 2020

You may grow to tap new markets or increase sales in your current markets. A good business plan is critical to starting a successful business. Creating a plan for business expansions is no less essential. How to use your business plan as a checklist. As the saying goes, haste makes waste.

Business Plan 152

Business Plan Forecast Operations Dilution 152

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

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. How to write an Airbnb business plan. Why are you starting your Airbnb business?

Business Plan 110

Business Plan Software Review Technical Review Forecast 110

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.”

Entrepreneur 299

Entrepreneur Technical Review Business Plan Angel Investor 299

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

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

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. Marty Zwilling.

Technical Review 379

Technical Review Finance Startup Salary 379

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

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 8, 2016

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 120

Business Plan Product Architecture Startup 120

Up and Running

FEBRUARY 16, 2022

When starting an online fitness business, one of the first key elements you must prepare is a business plan. For starters, it can set your business up for success from the start rather than down the line. How to write an online fitness business plan. Industry analysis.

Business Plan 81

Business Plan Software Review Demand Hiring 81

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2013

For starters, here is my selection of some key metrics that every six-sigma joint like GE tracks without thinking, but that too many small businesses haven’t yet formalized: Sales revenue. Sales data needs to be correlated to advertising campaigns, price changes, seasonal forces, competitive actions, and other costs of sales.

Metrics 252

Metrics Technical Review Retention Acquisition 252

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 9, 2012

In reality, you need to set these projections as goals for your own use, to convince employees as well as investors that you have a business which is challenging, but achievable. Otherwise, sales, marketing, and operational costs will kill you. Next comes sales volume by channel. This forecast is really their commitment.

Forecast 238

Forecast Burn Rate .Net Business Model 238

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

OCTOBER 11, 2010

He published revenue figures even when they were still pathetic , he pledged loudly and eagerly to give away lots of free copies to non-profits, and he revealed all his (remarkably effective) marketing strategies (updated here ) even though it meant competitors would learn them too. But one story beats a pile of AdWords A/B tests.

Software Review 261

Software Review Technical Review Viral Software Development 261

Up and Running

OCTOBER 16, 2019

Do you really need a business plan? Can’t you just wing it and skip the whole planning process? If you’re asking a bank, angel investor, or venture capitalist for funding, they’re going to want to know that you have a good handle on your small business’s trajectory. . The process of writing your plan is what’s important.

Business Plan 108

Business Plan Small Business Forecast Balance Sheet 108

Up and Running

OCTOBER 16, 2019

Do you really need a business plan? Can’t you just wing it and skip the whole planning process? If you’re asking a bank, angel investor, or venture capitalist for funding, they’re going to want to know that you have a good handle on your small business’s trajectory. . The process of writing your plan is what’s important.

Business Plan 108

Business Plan Small Business Forecast Balance Sheet 108

Gust

APRIL 27, 2014

Use a simple accounting tool like QuickBooks, get away from co-mingled funds, and you have the first business process you need. Develop your business plan. Write down the key elements of your business plan very early, and keep it current as things evolve. Billing and revenue collection.

Startup 187

Startup Institutional Investors Angel Investor Bootstrapping 187

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2012

Just don’t quit your day job before your new company is producing revenue. Exchanging equity for services is worth negotiating with legal counsel, accountants, engineers, and even sales people. Your funding strategy is a key part of every business plan, so don’t hesitate to check out the real alternatives.

Technical Review 257

Technical Review Bootstrapping Venture Capital Incubator 257

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 6, 2020

Writing a business plan is an important step for any entrepreneur. But, if you’re starting a SaaS busines s, the business plan plays an outsized role because the money required to fuel growth can be much more than you would guess. marketing) and the financial plan. . Customer acquisition plan.

Business Plan 87

Business Plan Forecast Churn Rate Acquisition 87

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2012

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. Marty Zwilling.

Technical Review 273

Technical Review Startup Finance Cost 273

Up and Running

APRIL 22, 2020

Maintaining your business through the coronavirus crisis has likely led you to cut costs, revise your sales projections, and potentially seek out a loan to help you stay afloat. 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

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2013

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. business entrepreneur mistakes profits startup'

Technical Review 251

Technical Review Entrepreneur Salary Finance 251

Steve Blank

APRIL 4, 2011

Longer-term work/planning: what other experiments should we be constructing. Sales process: buyer/ user/ influencer etc.? The Business Model Canvas is a great way to diagram it out. Each side of a market has it’s own Value Proposition, Customer Segment and Revenue Model.) Demand generation?

Customer 241

Customer Business Model Nebraska Cloud 241

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

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

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 15, 2017

All of our SWOT analysis examples are based on real businesses that we’ve featured in our gallery of free example business plans. See Also: The Complete Sedibeng Breweries Business Plan. See Also: The Complete Botanical Bounty Business Plan. Sales channel relationships. Customer testimonials.

Botswana 148

Botswana Business Plan Oregon Distribution 148

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 9, 2020

Ask that same CEO if they want “sales” and the answer will be far simpler… and more enthusiastic. But often smaller, less mature businesses will have a junior resource in the marketing role and one of their most senior resources in the sales role. Keep the Sales and Marketing Teams Aligned. Develop a Map to New Customers.

Developer 214

Developer San Francisco Technical Review Sales 214

Up and Running

MARCH 14, 2018

Have a well-thought-out business plan on-hand to share, so investors can read more if they’d like to. The intention, after all, is that you deliver a powerful pitch, and by the end, their hands are out asking for either your executive summary or your complete business plan. Your revenue or business model.

Hockey Stick 164

Hockey Stick Exit Strategy Technical Review Angel Investor 164

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 18, 2009

The deal terms were agreed, the combined business plans were prepared and both sets of investors had verbally agreed to do the deal. That was our first year of sales. million in recurring revenue of which $600k came from Germany. This was soon after the bursting of the dot com bubble – in early 2001. But we did $2.1

Germany 298

Germany Entrepreneur Merger Los Angeles 298

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

People ask me if they really need ANY business plan, unless they are looking for an outside investor. In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Explain the business model. Marketing, sales, and partners.

Business Plan 290

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 290

Steve Blank

APRIL 8, 2010

He said, “After we graduated we took our great idea, holed up in my apartment and spent months researching and writing a business plan. We even entered it in the business plan competition. It was an exquisitely crafted plan. Why a business plan is different than a business model.

Business Model 332

Business Model Business Plan Customer Cap Table 332

The Startup Magazine

OCTOBER 19, 2020

Similarly, customers are more knowledgeable, aware, and conscious to choose from the variety out there, which slows down the company’s revenue and growth. In a conventional business perspective, there are significantly lesser areas to differentiate yourself from the competition.

Technical Review 158

Technical Review Forecast Analytics Social Media 158

ConversionXL

JUNE 16, 2022

Stacked Marketer turned a free newsletter into a six-figure revenue generator by staying actionable, convenient, and entertaining. In this article, we’ll explain how to create a marketing playbook to align your teams and boost your sales opportunities. top-of-the-funnel for raising awareness or button-of-the-funnel for driving sales).

Campaign 149

Campaign CTO Marketing Social Media 149

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 6, 2012

Students will even receive a minor in entrepreneurship as they develop their own business plans. The Sandbox is designed to accelerate the process of business creation through a 12-week experiential-based program, producing either investment-ready firms or ready-to-go, revenue-generating entities.

Incubator 202

Incubator New York City Boston Intellectual Property 202