Some “rules of thumb” for establishing at least an advisory board well before you sign up investors or ship your first product.
9 Different Approaches for Motivating a Startup Team
Very few people know their own leadership style, or strengths and weaknesses, despite their many years of living and working in the real world. To assess where you are, and to unlock your full potential, there are many courses available, as well as seminars and gurus, but a good place to start is a book on the subject, like the classic one from John Mattone, “Intelligent Leadership.”
5 Ways To Validate Your Technology As Market Driven
Smart entrepreneurs build market-driven solutions. Most people are wary of change, and know that new technologies take time to learn and stabilize, so customers prefer solutions based on tried and tested proven technologies.
7 Startup Leadership Keys to Ramp Up Team Commitment
Checklist for developing team connections and building engaged team members as a key step in becoming an effective team leader, even if your team is spread all over the country.
5 Strategies For Balancing Revenue Versus User Growth
In the last decade or two, companies have achieved market valuations in billions of dollars, while clearly sacrificing revenue to gain users. The pendulum is swinging back, with investors looking more for the traditional indications of business integrity, stability, and growth.
7 Questions Entrepreneurs Need to Ask Before Raising Funding
The color of any investor’s money may look the same, but it won’t help you if the price you pay is higher than the value it brings.
Why Smart Entrepreneurs Build Plans for Their Startups
Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first and hardly ever look at the product plan. Is it any wonder why so […]
7 Reasons to Avoid Stealth Mode for Your Startup
The common reason given for operating a startup in stealth mode is that this prevents any competitor from stealing their idea and beating them to market. This paranoid approach costs them much more than the risk of being open.
9 Subscription Model Variations To JumpStart Growth
Now may be the time to start or transform your business into a recurring revenue engine with subscriptions, or just add an option to get some extra sales growth. But be aware, these models bring with them a whole new psychology of selling, supporting, and measuring your success with customers. Do your homework before jumping in with both feet.
6 Startup Exit Strategies That Investors Will Accept
The last thing a new entrepreneur wants to think about for a new startup is how it will end. Yet one of the first things a potential equity investor asks about is your exit strategy. The answer you give can make or break your ability to get an investment, so you need to have the […]
10 Popular Business Strategies That Most Often Fail
Every entrepreneur I know has their favorite excuse for a previous failure – an investor backed out, the economy took a downturn, or a supplier delivered bad quality. These things outside your control do happen, but based on my years of experience as a startup advisor and angel investor, I still see too many strategies […]