Posts Tagged ‘Startups’
A Checklist to Find the Startup Partner of Your Dreams
As an advisor to startups, I often get asked what to look for in an ideal co-founder or business partner. My first response is that it’s much like finding that ideal spouse, where chemistry, common interests and complementary communication skills are key. After some reflection, I now realize these attributes are necessary but not sufficient…
Read MoreFrom Small Business Beginnings to Big Brand Success
When you think about multi-million dollar companies like Dell, Apple and Google, you probably don’t also consider the commonalities they have to your small business—a business you grew and nurtured from your basement until it could sustain an office space and additional employees. However, these giants didn’t slide down a bean stalk and arrive as…
Read MoreContrarian Advice on Investment Pitch from a Pitch Veteran
“We coach entrepreneurs ‘think big.’ ‘Think change the world.’ That doesn’t mean use adjectives that are not credible. Everybody’s revolutionary and everybody’s disruptive now.” That’s Bill Reichert, managing director Garage Technology Ventures, veteran investor, a board member on multiple startups, and someone who has heard and reacted to hundreds of investment pitches. In this talk…
Read More10 Ways for Entrepreneurs to Meet Cash Flow Peaks
The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. I often get asked about the real alternatives to bridge this valley, and…
Read MoreWhat Startups Need to Know Before Hiring More Employees
Growing a startup company is exciting, but it can also be challenging. The most challenging aspect of growing a startup is expanding your workforce. Hiring new people is a process that must be done with caution. Like a piece of real estate, machinery, and technology, employees affect the productivity of a company. It is important…
Read More6 Reasons Smart Entrepreneurs Think Twice Before IPO
The visibility of Google, Facebook and a few others continues to propagate the myth that the ultimate objective of every entrepreneur should be to take their startups public via an initial public offering at the earliest opportunity. Everyone thinks this is the route to become the next billionaire like Mark Zuckerberg. In reality, this option…
Read MoreThe Peter Principle Can Paralyze Your Startup Team
The good news is that recent big company financial woes and layoffs have generated a flood of candidates with real experience seeking positions at startups. The bad news is that many of these frustrated employees may have already reached their level of incompetence (The Peter Principle). They are not the ones you need in the…
Read MoreIs Timing the Key to Business Success?
How Entrepreneurs Attract Friends, Family and Fools
5 of the Most Exciting Startup Cities in Europe to Get Funding
