Founders and Fundraising
How Do You Really Feel As A Startup CEO?
I’d love to sit here telling you that being a CEO was great, and it was great. Truly, truly great. However, I’d be lying if I told you there was only one feeling I had being CEO. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] There were times I felt…
Read MoreThe Simple Strategy For Reducing Your Founder Problems
One of the really sad things I’ve seen as a founder, and now working with other founders, is how often founders don’t take their responsibilities as founders seriously. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] You are literally putting your career and life in the hands of your fellow…
Read MoreWhat Are The 11 Biggest Myths About Being A CEO?
Blossom, Avery, and I were at dinner at Nobu in Palo Alto. I looked over at the table next to us and who’s there but Marc Andreessen and his wife. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] No one was paying attention to them, and no one asked Marc for…
Read MoreHow Do You Extend Your Runway Before Raising Money?
I was talking with one of my 1:1 coaching clients today. Two weeks ago, “Sam’s” company was ramping demand and preparing to raise their next round of funding. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] Sam told me today that every customer meeting he had was canceled because of…
Read MoreCan You Ever Lie To Your Investors?
“Brett, I want to share with you what the CEO of ‘Company X’ (a well known public company) said at the investor conference I went to,” Jack Gifford, Maxim Integrated Products CEO, said to me. Then he barked at me, “Take some notes.” [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.]…
Read MoreWhat Are The 5 Rules You Need To Divide Founder Equity?
“How much equity do you think I should give “Frank?”” That was the question “Sam”, the co-founder of a company that I’m working with asked me last week. He was considering bringing Frank on as a late co-founder to the company. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] “I’ve…
Read MoreWhat Are Five Decisions You Need To Make Before Raising Money?
“I don’t think we should raise $11 million,” my co-founder, “John”, said to me. “We will give up control of the company! We should only raise $6 million.” “John, we’re going to have to raise the $11 million and probably more. Getting the $11 million gives us more runway,” I said. “Let’s get the money…
Read More7 Tips For Pitching Your Company To Anyone
I’ll never forget how nervous I was before my presenting to a VC for the first time. I was an EIR (Entrepreneur in Residence) at a VC fund based in San Francisco, and we were going to give a dry-run presentation to Dave and Alain, the two VC partners I was working with. [Do you…
Read MoreFive Reasons Why You Should Avoid Raising Venture Capital
Many entrepreneurs don’t understand the cruel reality of fundraising. Just because you want to raise venture capital doesn’t mean you will raise venture capital. Consider this ratio: 100:1. That’s one investment for every one hundred face to face meetings a typical VC will take. Raising money is unbelievably hard. [Do you want to grow your…
Read MoreWhat Are The Five Signs It’s Time To Sell Your Company?
A couple of years ago I was advising a CEO. “Mark” had bootstrapped his company to profitability. Mark’s company began by providing consulting services. Then Mark’s company provided IP to its customers along with consulting services. Mark’s company had grown to become a multi-million dollar revenue company. But Mark had become increasingly worried lately. [Do…
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