Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 22, 2021

If you set around quietly waiting for someone you know to offer you money to fund a startup, you will probably have a long wait. Practice your “elevator pitch,” and end it by asking for the order. Be honest with naïve family members and friends about the inherent risks of a startup – at least 70% fail in the first five years.

Technical Review 338

Technical Review Elevator Pitch Due Diligence Angel Investor 338

crowdSPRING Blog

MARCH 17, 2024

Craft your elevator pitch to catch attention, spark interest, and invite engagement. Dozens of examples to make your pitch unforgettable.

Elevator Pitch 62

Elevator Pitch Small Business Marketing Startup 62

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2013

Additionally, you need to be able to communicate the essence that story and value to investors in a couple of sentences – your elevator pitch. After a good elevator pitch or initial presentation, investors will ask for your formal business plan and financial projections. angels entrepreneur funding gaps process startup'

Software Review 265

Software Review Due Diligence Elevator Pitch Startup 265

The Startup Magazine

DECEMBER 24, 2018

Enter the elevator pitch, a tried-and-true networking tool that is crucial for any successful business leader to master. What Is an Elevator Pitch? Forbes suggests that the speech should be around 30 seconds — the same amount of time it takes to ride up an elevator. Sales pitches. Networking events.

Elevator Pitch 104

Elevator Pitch Differentiation Campaign Design 104

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2023

I still hear too many excuses for not working early on the elevator pitch, like wanting to fly under the radar, don’t have the team together yet, or can’t afford an agency. There is real value in doing the key things yourself, before your startup is even started: Demonstrate thought leadership before selling a product.

Elevator Pitch 315

Elevator Pitch Public Relations Social Media Startup 315

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 29, 2019

I recommend the elevator pitch -approach instead, which you probably learned in dealing with busy investors, where the person calling the meeting is asked to summarize the purpose, value and recommended solution in the first minute or two. For one-on-one coaching from the startup founder, I call this approach five-minute mentoring.

Elevator Pitch 312

Elevator Pitch Technical Review Dividend Leadership 312

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2016

Building a startup business is not the same as corporate executive experience, so prior titles in a big business may actually be seen as a negative. On the other hand, having failed in an earlier startup may be an advantage, if positioned properly, and some learning is evident. Focus on prior results, not titles.

Sweat Equity 152

Sweat Equity Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Startup 152

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

This message, usually called your elevator pitch, should be a short and compelling description of your your startup, that can be delivered with conviction in the time it takes to ride up an elevator with a potential investor or partner. Develop and practice your business vision and story.

Entrepreneur 261

Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Angel Investor Incubator 261

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

An "elevator pitch" is a concise, well-practiced description of your startup and your plan, delivered with conviction and enthusiasm, that your mother should be able to understand in the time it would take to ride up an elevator. A good elevator pitch is not just for an elevator discussion.

Elevator Pitch 233

Elevator Pitch Startup Distribution Channel 233

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 6, 2017

That, in essence, is what the startup pitch deck is all about. But even a powerful Infographic and presentation tool like Visme won’t be able to help you if your startup pitch deck is lacking in these basic, core elements. by Payman Taei, founder of Visme. Escalation. Narrative Flow. Identification of the Problem.

Elevator Pitch 113

Elevator Pitch Technical Review Startup Due Diligence 113

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 19, 2014

If you set around quietly waiting for someone you know to offer you money to fund a startup, you will probably have a long wait. Practice your “elevator pitch,” and end it by asking for the order. Be honest with naïve family members and friends about the inherent risks of a startup – at least 70% fail in the first five years.

Technical Review 266

Technical Review Elevator Pitch Due Diligence Startup 266

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

Be sure to include this in your “elevator pitch,” which you must always deliver as a prelude to your technology features. The most common business entity used for startups is a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), which is the cheapest and simplest to manage. Description of the business entity you plan to form.

Business Plan 423

Business Plan Product Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch 423

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2015

Every entrepreneur needs a value proposition statement for his or her startup that can hook potential investors and partners in less than a minute -- the short time you might join them in an elevator on the way to their offices. Limit your elevator pitch message to about 150 to 225 words in 30 to 60 seconds.

Elevator Pitch 120

Elevator Pitch Angel Investor Differentiation Business Plan 120

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

Many first-time entrepreneurs find themselves unable to bootstrap their startups, and also unable to find early funding at the venture capital level or even with angel investors. The average amount per startup has been $23,000, usually in the form of a convertible loan, rather than an equity investment.

Sweat Equity 274

Sweat Equity Elevator Pitch Startup Equity 274

SoCal CTO

MARCH 12, 2012

I've recently received several emails from people looking for a technical cofounder for their startup. Make sure you go through the 32 Questions Developers May Have Forgot to Ask a Startup Founder. You should definitely hit up the Startup Weekend events as well. And look at StartupDigest.com for lots of startup oriented events.

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Technical Cofounder Cofounder CTO Hire Los Angeles 211

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2013

Based on the final report for 2012 from Thomson Reuters and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), it may appear that IPOs are back as a viable startup exit strategy. Angels are also moving up-stage, leaving a bigger and bigger black hole for new startups. Remember you only have one chance for a good first impression.

Venture Capital 252

Venture Capital IPO Elevator Pitch Initial Public Offering 252

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2020

As an aspiring entrepreneur, one of the most important things you need is a memorable “ elevator pitch ,” to communicate your startup value proposition and leave a great first impression on friends, investors, employees, and future customers. If you don’t yet have a team, it may be necessary to build one first.

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Elevator Pitch Intellectual Property Cost Technology 317

Up and Running

MARCH 31, 2021

In fact, right now there are three crucial areas of business that are capable of withstanding that first elevator pitch: healthcare, technology, and education. The standard Seed round was once around $75,000 to $150,000 startup. This is because Angels make their money by investing in startups. It is now up to $300,000.

Small Business 116

Small Business Angel Investor Technical Review Elevator Pitch 116

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Based on my experience and data from the field, over seventy-five percent of new startups fail, even with venture backing. Unfortunately, I see good startups fail simply because they don’t have the resources or intellectual property to stay ahead of copycats or big players who see the potential as soon as you step into the marketplace.

Intellectual Property 235

Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch Harvest Technical Review 235

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2010

Additionally, you need to be able to communicate the essence that story and value to investors in a couple of sentences – your elevator pitch. After a good elevator pitch or initial presentation, investors will ask for your formal business plan and financial projections. Lack of clear objectives/goals. Use them and win.

Software Review 239

Software Review Due Diligence Elevator Pitch Startup 239

Austin Startup

MARCH 26, 2018

During the ATX Startup Crawl, we did a (literal) elevator pitch contest for entrepreneurial guests at the Sputnik ATX stop. Are any of these startups worthy of funding? That’s for you to decide! Watch and vote here. The winner will receive an invitation to the twice annual Sputnik ATX VC / Entrepreneur BBQ.

Elevator Pitch 48

Elevator Pitch Austin Conversion Startup 48

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

JULY 11, 2010

I just reviewed several hundred startup pitches for Capital Factory. Most were on paper and video; 20 were invited to pitch in person. We've all heard of the elevator pitch, but when asked to produce it almost no one succeeded. Interesting patterns emerged: Everyone makes the same classes of error.

Elevator Pitch 325

Elevator Pitch RSS Startup Software Review 325

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2018

The biggest challenge for every entrepreneur and every startup today is to get noticed and remembered in today’s information overload. Every one of these probably has a unique story, but in my years as a startup advisor I only remember hearing a few who capitalized on their story. Every story needs a main character.

Elevator Pitch 211

Elevator Pitch Technical Review Boston Sales 211

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 20, 2011

If you set around quietly waiting for someone you know to offer you money to fund a startup, you will probably have a long wait. Practice your “elevator pitch,” and end it by asking for the order. Be honest with naïve family members and friends about the inherent risks of a startup – at least 70% fail in the first five years.

Early Stage 247

Early Stage Technical Review Elevator Pitch Due Diligence 247

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2020

Every startup and every new business needs a unique selling proposition (USP) to get people’s attention these days, and make it stand out in the information overload we all see. Startups that try to do many things end up confusing customers, and doing all things poorly, since they have highly constrained resources.

Intellectual Property 416

Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch Startup Algorithm 416

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2015

I recommend the elevator pitch -approach instead, which you probably learned in dealing with busy investors, where the person calling the meeting is asked to summarize the purpose, value and recommended solution in the first minute or two. For one-on-one coaching from the startup founder, I call this approach five-minute mentoring.

Founder 120

Founder Product Elevator Pitch Startup 120

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2016

The average length of a funding pitch to Angel investors is ten minutes. The biggest complaint I hear from investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Start with the problem and your solution.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Elevator Pitch Startup Angel Investor 120

Austin Startup

JANUARY 2, 2018

Whether it’s a thirty-page business plan, a ten-page pitch deck, a five-minute presentation, a one-page executive summary or a twenty-second elevator pitch, your primary goal is to answer the question, “What does your company do?” If you liked this, please consider recommending it so that others can find it by clicking the ??

Elevator Pitch 54

Elevator Pitch Startup Technical Review Cofounder 54

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2021

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. For aspiring entrepreneurs, or if your last startup failed, it’s all about standing out above the crowd of others like you, and demonstrating your readiness.

Elevator Pitch 390

Elevator Pitch Entrepreneur Due Diligence Angel Investor 390

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

The two of you strike up a conversation and he asks what you do, and you just happen to be seeking funding for your startup. You’ve got exactly three minutes (it’s a really tall building) to tell this angel about your brilliant idea before the elevator reaches the top floor where, being an angel, he must certainly perch. A great deal.

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Elevator Pitch Audience Angel Investor Restful 98

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 6, 2013

Investors tell me that startup success is all about execution, all while facing determined competitors and overcoming customers’ resistance to change. So here is my interpretation of the fundamentals he outlines, adapted to the language of a startup: Define the win for your business. A startup is not a parlor game.

Elevator Pitch 303

Elevator Pitch Entrepreneur Matching Leadership 303

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2012

Additionally, you need to be able to communicate the essence that story and value to investors in a couple of sentences – your elevator pitch. After a good elevator pitch or initial presentation, investors will ask for your formal business plan and financial projections. Lack of clear objectives/goals.

Software Review 250

Software Review Due Diligence Elevator Pitch Entrepreneur 250

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2013

Can concisely explain the unique, compelling value of the proposed venture in written terms and in oral presentations (elevator pitch), recognizing that some investors rely more on one than the other. entrepreneurs intestors startups characteristics business' Here are some key ones they look for: Talks and writes well.

Technical Review 273

Technical Review Intellectual Property Angel Investor Elevator Pitch 273

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 17, 2018

As a startup co-founder with a growing team, here are the recruiting tips I’ve learnt over the last couple of years. You need to sell them on why your startup is the best. Think of it as an elevator pitch for recruiting. For example, if you run a tech startup , you will know how hard it is to find good software engineers.

Cofounder 164

Cofounder Elevator Pitch Hiring Dividend 164

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 8, 2020

I still hear too many excuses for not working early on the elevator pitch, like wanting to fly under the radar, don’t have the team together yet, or can’t afford an agency. There is real value in doing the key things yourself, before your startup is even started: Demonstrate thought leadership before selling a product.

Elevator Pitch 312

Elevator Pitch Public Relations Marketing Social Media 312

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 9, 2011

Additionally, you need to be able to communicate the essence that story and value to investors in a couple of sentences – your elevator pitch. After a good elevator pitch or initial presentation, investors will ask for your formal business plan and financial projections. Lack of clear objectives/goals.

Software Review 246

Software Review Due Diligence Elevator Pitch Early Stage 246

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 26, 2012

An "elevator pitch" is a concise, well-practiced description of your startup and your plan, delivered with conviction and enthusiasm, that your mother should be able to understand in the time it would take to ride up an elevator. A good elevator pitch is not just for an elevator discussion.

Elevator Pitch 283

Elevator Pitch Startup Differentiation Distribution 283