Posts Tagged ‘Investors’
How Well Versed Are You in Startup Investor Jargon?
Whether you are talking to peers, competitors or investors, you as an active entrepreneur will be judged on your familiarity with today’s startup and funding jargon. I’m not recommending that you saturate your discussions with lingo, but responding with a blank stare once-too-often won’t convince anyone that you can build the next world-changing business or…
Read More8 Ways to Get Off the Ground with Angel Investors
Angel investors are still the lifeblood of early-stage startups, despite the surge of activity in crowdfunding and an increasing early interest from venture capitalists. According to the Angel Capital Association, at least 300,000 people have made angel investments in the last two years, totaling $24 billion in the U.S. alone. These are all accredited investors who…
Read MoreHow to Do Due Diligence on Investors
This is my Quora answer to “How do I perform due diligence on investors?” Choose an Investor Like You Would a Spouse I’m so glad you asked this question, because it’s really important and vastly underemphasized. You should choose an investor like you choose a spouse. Due diligence is essential. First, tell this person you…
Read MoreConsider the Corporate Gatekeeper
Looking for an entrance into a VC, an angel group, a bank, a CxO for a sales opportunity, or any other entity? There are always gate keepers whose job it is to filter out the inconsequential or inappropriate, and allow through those with most promise. That said, gatekeepers can and do block some great opportunities…
Read MoreSelf-Assessment: Will Your Startup Get Angel Investment?
Is your startup a good candidate for angel investment? If you can’t answer “yes” to the four questions here, then it probably isn’t. Angel investors are as hard to predict as any other group of individuals, all operating in their own self-interest. There are about a quarter of a million angel investors in the U.S.,…
Read More5 Ways Unknown Founders Can Draw Interest from Investors
There’s no better time to be an entrepreneur than right now. Not only is there a low barrier to entry for the business world, startups now have access to what is estimated as a trillion dollar pool of capital. But apart from crowdfunding portals that make money more accessible, fundraising can still be a painful and time-consuming process. In fact,…
Read MoreLessons from Inside a Shark Tank
In a few days, I get the opportunity to swim with the sharks—sort of. I will be sharing the stage with three of the stars who have helped make the TV show Shark Tank—where entrepreneur-contestants pitch their business to a panel, the sharks, who may or may not invest—such a success. I will be giving the…
Read More8 Types of Investors That Entrepreneurs Need to Avoid
Don’t assume that all investors are the same, just because their money is always the same color. Every entrepreneur should do the same due diligence on a potential investor that smart investors do on their startups. Check on their track records, values and management style. Taking on an investor is a long-term relationship, like getting…
Read More5 Points to Weigh Before Converting Your Business into a Corporation
We help launch dozens and dozens of startups each year. In the vast majority of cases, we form a Delaware C-Corp. However, lately we have seen many startups that formed their own LLC and now need to convert. Related Article: Taking Care of Business: 3 Steps for Incorporation Here are the top five reasons you…
Read MoreFeasibility Empowers Business Plans
Having a business plan and sufficient capital are some of the first steps in being a fruitful entrepreneur; however, these things alone do not justify nor solidify success. Many aspiring immigrant investors first think that a significant investment in conjunction with properly completed forms should alone equal a stamp of approval. Unfortunately, that is not…
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