Latest Episodes

A CEO once said, I don’t mind people making mistakes. I mind people not learning from them. It’s important to learn from mistakes. There are several ways to do this. Learn from your own mistakes. Writing down the mistakes and what you learned helps reinforce your knowledge. Learn from the...

Technology adoption goes through several stages over the life of that technology. Here are the steps of adoption: Unknown — no one knows the technology. Awareness — some hear about it but don’t know what it is. Understanding — those who know it understand how it works but don’t know...

Valuation is a key negotiating factor in startup investing. There are many valuation models available. The most common is the use of comps or comparables to see if the valuation is at market rate. Consider using the acid test for startup valuation. The acid test for startup valuation compares the...

In the early days of a startup, innovation can look trivial. Innovation is often applied to the lower end of the market. New technologies often start as simple devices or applications. These devices have minimal functionality and lack robust features. In vetting startups, look past the minimal functionality to the...

Startup founders take the CEO position because they bring the vision and passion to launch the company.   They know the domain and are building the core product and go-to-market strategy. They are the ultimate authority at the company. As the company grows and then scales, there comes a time for...

Forecasting is a key skill founders need for raising funding. Investors want to know the founders’ expectations for the business with the funds raised. Here are some key steps to make better forecasts: Start with a baseline. If the startup has revenue, then use that as the starting point. If...

The elevator pitch is the short form of your startup pitch. It introduces the deal to an investor and gives the key highlights. The goal is not to tell them everything but rather to intrigue them to learn more about it. Here’s how to build an elevator pitch: State in...

In pitching investors, there are key nuances that can make or break the pitch. Here is a list of nuances to consider when pitching: Use the pitch to build a collaboration. Funding is a part of it, but not the only thing. Start your pitch with your core value proposition....

Successful startup founders share several key skills. Here are the key skills for a startup founder to have: They have access to the networks that are vital to their startup success. This includes investor networks for funding and customer networks for buying the product. They are flexible. They can pivot...

Markets shift and change, creating new startup opportunities. Founders seek new markets in which to launch a startup. For those launching a startup in a new domain, here are some key steps: Read several books describing the domain and how it works. Talk to domain experts in the space to...