Posts Tagged ‘Startups’
6 Steps to Get Your Business Startup on Track for Long-Term Success
It’s easy to think about startup businesses and consider the success or horror stories, but what about the average startups? The hard and bleak reality is that the majority of small business startups fail. So, to avoid being like the average startup, you need to create a plan for success. Choose the Right Entity One of…
Read More8 Practices to Promote Urgency within Your Startup
The business world is changing ever more rapidly these days. If you see a need or a big opportunity but don’t act fast enough, the opportunity will pass or a competitor will get there before you do. Customers and opportunities don’t wait. If your startup culture doesn’t include a sense of urgency, your probabilities of…
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 More7 Seed-Stage Funding Sources to Finance Your Startup
Even if you work every day in the world of new-venture funding, as I do, the options are confusing, and their meanings seem to change on a regular basis. I challenge any entrepreneur, for example, to define the difference between “seed-stage” and “early-stage” financing. Yet, knowing this distinction is important. Remember, you have only one…
Read MoreBig Companies That Started on $1,000 or Less
Elvis Presley did not originally have a plan to become the huge star that he was. He simply wanted to make a record for his mother. One thing led to another, and he became one of the biggest stars ever. That is the part of the American dream—everybody can make it, even if they do…
Read MoreWhat Matters Most to Venture Capitalists
Make no mistake—pitching your startup to investors is tough. You may think your company is the next big thing, but so do a lot of other founders. And just like you, they’re keen to get their hands on venture capital. How do you stand out? Having a unique product is a no-brainer, but a successful…
Read MoreThe Best Advice Startups Will Never Follow
Let me tell you a few short hair-raising stories of entrepreneurs who have raised money and regretted it later. Here are some rules that entrepreneurs almost always ignore to their future peril. Don’t take money from relatives who can’t afford to walk away without remorse. Do take money from experienced family members only after you…
Read More7 Investor Term Sheet Demands Startups Need Not Fear
Most entrepreneurs looking for an investor can tell you how much money they need, but few have given much thought to what they are willing to give up for it. Perhaps they’re way off in their valuation (usually far too high), or paralyzed by fear at seeing the other terms, because they have no idea…
Read More6 Ideal Team Members for Any Entrepreneurial Venture
In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. That’s why investors say they invest in people (bet on the jockey, not the horse), rather than the idea. Yet every entrepreneur…
Read MoreHow to Avoid Burnout as a Startup Founder
Owning a business is both a demanding task and taxing endeavor. It doesn’t matter if you’re a one-person show or a C-Suite executive: stress levels can become overwhelming and debilitating. During my first two years of running a startup, there were times I felt like burying my head in the sand and second guessing my judgment…
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