Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2022

In his classic book, “ The Leadership Capital Index ,” Dave Ulrich, a best-selling author, business consultant, and business school professor, provides some real insights and metrics on what makes up the elements of goodwill in the minds of top valuation experts. I have paraphrased his key points here as follows: Leader personal impact.

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Technical Review Due Diligence Valuation Leadership 323

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

2: As expected at least one person accused me of writing this post because I want to see lower valuations. I have conversations with entrepreneurs and other VCs on a daily basis about fund raising, the prices of deals, how much companies should raise, etc. You can be pissed off, but I don’t set prices. That’s stupid.

Pre-Money Valuation 336

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Silicon Valley Stock 336

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2013

is already well above the dot.com bubble of 15 years ago, although we have slipped a bit this year from the high point of 320 new entrepreneurs out of 100,000 adults in 2011. Thus a record number of entrepreneurs (and employees) are getting rich. Social media is a boon for entrepreneurs and startups. percent to 23.4

IPO 273

IPO Entrepreneur Social Media Startup 273

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2023

The rate of new entrepreneurs increased between 2013 and 2021, from 280 to 360 out of 100,000 of the adult population. Of course, that’s both the good news and the bad news for aspiring entrepreneurs, since it means more competition, and the business landscape is changing faster than ever.

Intellectual Property 261

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Angel Groups Social Media 261

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2014

I always advise software startups to file patents to protect their “secret sauce” from competitors, and to increase their valuation. The good news is that a patent can scare off or at least delay competitors, and as a “rule of thumb” patents can add up to $1M to your startup valuation for investors or M&A exits (merger and acquisition).

Software Review 250

Software Review Software Technical Review Intellectual Property 250

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 20, 2019

According to current Kauffman Indicators of Entrepreneurship , the share of new entrepreneurs who started businesses to pursue opportunity rather than from necessity now exceeds 86%, more than 12 percentage points higher than ten years ago at the height of the last recession. Social media is a boon for entrepreneurs and startups.

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North America Incubator Initial Public Offering Valuation 320

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2020

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. Of course, that’s both the good news and the bad news for aspiring entrepreneurs, since it means more competition, and the business landscape is changing faster than ever.

Intellectual Property 404

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Groups Social Media 404

ReadWriteStart

JUNE 1, 2020

I have often been asked about Startup Funding by entrepreneurs. Here is Startup Funding, a Comprehensive Guide for Entrepreneurs. The bridge or exit stage is generally of very large transactions and for companies with substantial valuation. Often entrepreneurs pitch from the viewpoint of market shares. Process-of-Funding.

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Startup Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Seed Stage 150

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

My initial reaction to Adeo when we spoke was that while it may have solved some issues (debt versus equity) it didn’t solve the ones that I’ve been warning entrepreneurs about most loudly. A standard entrepreneur retort I heard back then (2008-09) was “I don’t know what my company is worth now.

Ratchet 354

Ratchet Liquidation Preference Equity Stock 354

YoungUpstarts

MAY 2, 2018

shows recommended by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. Shark Tank is a reality TV programme where budding entrepreneurs seek funding from a panel of six business moguls to start or grow a business or to save their existing business from failure. Shark Tank. Small Business Revolution. Silicon Valley.

Entrepreneur 176

Entrepreneur Silicon Valley New York City Incubator 176

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 21, 2018

According to the 2017 Kauffman Startup Activity Index , the share of new entrepreneurs who started businesses to pursue opportunity rather than from necessity reached 86 percent, more than 12 percentage points higher than in 2009 at the height of the Great Recession. Thus a record number of entrepreneurs (and team members) are getting rich.

Entrepreneur 166

Entrepreneur Valuation Incubator Initial Public Offering 166

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 28, 2018

My friend Michael Broukhim, founder & co-CEO of FabFitFun and I recently had a catch-up meeting for 3-miles on the Santa Monica “Bird Trail” No company has ever elicited so many questions by friends, colleagues, entrepreneurs, fellow VCs and journalists as has Bird, the company that pioneered the electronic scooter as a service market.

San Francisco 256

San Francisco Valuation Los Angeles Technical Review 256

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

Because entrepreneurs often went to lawyers at their earliest stages to get their company registration done. Entrepreneurial lawyers like Don Lee , Dave Young or Ted Wang are good at sussing out which entrepreneurs are high potential. I asked for intro’s from entrepreneur friends. I spent time on college campuses.

Deal Flow 347

Deal Flow Early Stage Investment Bankers Technical Review 347

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2022

Some nonprofit entrepreneurs think they can skip the whole plan, rather than just the sections on valuation, equity offered, and exit strategy. A nonprofit is still a business, maybe even tougher than for-profit to run successfully, so the best angel is a great entrepreneur at the helm for fund-raising, as well as operations.

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Angel Investor Equity Technical Review Exit Strategy 327

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2014

Investors may not be called co-founders, but they always get equity, commensurate with their share of the total costs anticipated, or share of the current valuation. business entrepreneurs startups' Amount of venture funding provided. Obviously it should be amended later, as roles are more clearly defined, and execution proceeds.

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Cofounder Stock Founder Technical Cofounder 261

VC Cafe

APRIL 26, 2021

enabling anyone to be an entrepreneur, run a business to earn a living and, at the same time, fulfil one’s passions. billion valuation just one year from funding, or Israeli founded Deel, that recently raised $156M series C at a $1.25 billion valuation and is one of the fastest growing Israeli founded startups to reach unicorn status.

Israel 215

Israel Technical Review Artificial Inteligence Startup 215

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 9, 2014

I often talk about what I’m looking for when I meet with an entrepreneur. Above all else I’m looking for a genuine passion for what the entrepreneur is doing. You can sense when it is a “mission” for this entrepreneur to succeed and she will continue the journey even if success isn’t easy or immediate.

Video 373

Video Valuation Differentiation Distribution 373

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 5, 2011

November 23, 2010 Entrepreneurs, Using Outsourcing to Obtain Capital Efficiency Needs to be Thought Through to be Effective - Robert Ochtel , June 7, 2010 Teen Entrepreneur, Brian Wong, Youngest Founder to Receive Angel Funding - teenentrepreneurblog.com , October 28, 2010 Build Your Own Silicon Valley?

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Silicon Valley Startup Term Sheet Venture Capital 378

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2021

A while back I received a discouraging note from an entrepreneur with a patent and a medical software application who couldn’t find a dime of investment, and was grousing that seed funding just wasn’t available anymore. Lack of clear objectives/goals. Then you have to have evidence to support your request.

Software Review 307

Software Review Due Diligence Elevator Pitch Early Stage 307

View from Seed

FEBRUARY 16, 2016

Perhaps most famously, Guy Kawasaki quipped that the value of an MBA to an entrepreneur is “probably about a negative $250,000.”. The question is, can MBA entrepreneurs really think big? Unicorns have been over-hyped during the past few years, and nowadays frequently attacked by skeptics. Key Insights. Red Ventures (HBS, Wharton).

Programming 120

Programming St. Louis Cofounder India 120

Steve Blank

MARCH 12, 2014

. — Teaching students to think like entrepreneurs not accountants. We wanted to teach our students how to think like entrepreneurs not accountants. Sharks, in turn, argued with one another and even attempted to form syndication in one instance.

Lean 335

Lean Customer Development Startup Silicon Valley 335

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. Investors may not be called cofounders, but they always get equity, commensurate with their share of the total costs anticipated, or share of the current valuation. Amount of venture funding provided.

Technical Cofounder 247

Technical Cofounder Equity Distribution Cofounder 247

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2013

A while back I received a discouraging note from an entrepreneur with a patent and a medical software application who couldn’t find a dime of investment, and was grousing that seed funding just wasn’t available anymore. angels entrepreneur funding gaps process startup' Lack of clear objectives/goals. Use them and win. Marty Zwilling.

Software Review 265

Software Review Due Diligence Elevator Pitch Startup 265

Steve Blank

MAY 29, 2011

A big piece of the solution lies in the scalable impact of entrepreneurship and an increase of successful entrepreneurs. Max continued, “That’s why I’m really interested in ways of optimizing the entrepreneurship ecosystem to allow more entrepreneurs to go from idea to reality. I was feeling pretty old.

Technical Cofounder 335

Technical Cofounder Early Stage Startup Silicon Valley 335

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2014

” If you invested at $8m pre-money and put $2m in (thus you own 20% of a company at a $10m post-money valuation) and if you put another $2m into a round at a $40m valuation raising $10m ($50m post) you end up with half your money at $8m pre and half at $40m pre thus your average price goes up dramatically.

Technical Review 336

Technical Review Later Stage Early Stage LP 336

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2018

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. Investors may not be called co-founders, but they always get equity, commensurate with their share of the total costs anticipated, or share of the current valuation. Amount of venture funding provided.

Equity 238

Equity Cofounder Technical Cofounder Intellectual Property 238

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2022

Every business owner and entrepreneur I meet in my consulting rounds dreams of finding that “ disruptive ” innovation that will supercharge their business and move it into the ranks of business unicorns (billion-dollar valuations), such as SpaceX and Apple.

Technical Review 252

Technical Review Silicon Valley Software Review Metrics 252

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

Because entrepreneurs often went to lawyers at their earliest stages to get their company registration done. Entrepreneurial lawyers like Don Lee , Dave Young or Ted Wang are good at sussing out which entrepreneurs are high potential. I asked for intro’s from entrepreneur friends. Real life entrepreneurs are messier.

Early Stage 361

Early Stage Deal Flow Investment Bankers Technical Review 361

The Startup Magazine

JANUARY 14, 2020

Higher asset valuation – growing awareness about the environment; the social impact of buildings and the need to meet sustainability credentials is increasingly making real estate investors and occupiers turn to green buildings. Distinguished entrepreneur, Rusty Tweed is a strong proponent of renewable energy.

Green 176

Green California Government Valuation 176

View from Seed

OCTOBER 21, 2014

In short, more and more entrepreneurs are signaling their price expectations earlier in their seed fundraise process. Or, in the case of a convertible note, they’ll explicitly state a valuation cap. In theory, there are three levels of pricing for an entrepreneur to potentially signal to a prospective investor: 1.

Valuation 336

Valuation Founder Seed Stage Angel Investor 336

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

by Alejandro Cremades , cofounder of Panthera Advisors and author of “ The Art of Startup Fundraising: Pitching Investors, Negotiating the Deal, and Everything Else Entrepreneurs Need to Know “ Why should entrepreneurs intentionally be generous when negotiating with investors? Generosity is nowhere on their radar.

Technical Cofounder 127

Technical Cofounder Entrepreneur Cofounder Post-Money Valuation 127

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2019

Some nonprofit entrepreneurs think they can skip the whole plan, rather than just the sections on valuation, equity offered, and exit strategy. A nonprofit is still a business, maybe even tougher than for-profit to run successfully, so the best angel is a great entrepreneur at the helm for fund-raising, as well as operations.

Equity 235

Equity Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy 235

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 30, 2018

One of the hardest things about the fund-raising process for entrepreneurs is that you’re trying to raise money from people who have “asymmetric information.” As an entrepreneur it can feel as intimidating as going to buy a car where the dealer knows the price of every make & model of a car and you’re guessing at how much to pay.

Valuation 324

Valuation Post-Money Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Cofounder 324

Hearpreneur

JANUARY 22, 2023

We asked entrepreneurs and business owners about the 2023 trends they see in their industry and here are the responses. #1- 29- Continued use of online market valuation tools Photo Credit: DJ Parker I have seen the use of apps and online market valuation tools intensify over the last few years and I think that will continue in 2023.

Artificial Inteligence 127

Artificial Inteligence Technical Review Entrepreneur Social Media 127

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2015

In a new book, “ The Leadership Capital Index ,” Dave Ulrich, a best-selling author, business consultant, and business school professor, provides some real insights and metrics on what makes up the elements of goodwill in the minds of top valuation experts. For startups, the entrepreneur and founder is almost always the face of the company.

Leadership 120

Leadership Technical Review Due Diligence Valuation 120

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2021

When someone says Intellectual Property (IP), most entrepreneurs think only of patents. Later, good intellectual property can be worth millions when your company valuation is set for investment purposes, or when the company is acquired or sold. You need all these before you start looking for funding. Marty Zwilling.

Intellectual Property 363

Intellectual Property Portfolio Valuation Non-disclosure Agreement 363

VC Cafe

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

billion in earn out targets) and Wiz, Israel’s fast growing cybersecurity startup is talks on raising funding at $20 billion valuation, after turning down a Google acquisition offer for $23 billion. With attractive valuations and immense growth potential, the Israeli tech ecosystem remains resilient—no matter the circumstances.

Israel 183

Israel Technical Review Startup Generative AI 183