Founders and Fundraising
How Much Is Your Company Worth?
You’ll hear about a lot of ways to value your startup. Discounted cash flow. ,ROI, and 409A valuations are some of the methodologies you’ll find with some simple research. However, there’s one and only one way to determine the value of your startup. And if you guessed none of the above, then, you’re right. I’ll…
Read MoreWhy Your Revenue Doesn’t Impact Your Valuation
A couple of years ago I was advising an entrepreneur, “Jacques,” who had, what we call, a “roll up strategy.” In other words, he wanted to consolidate an industry by buying several small companies, reducing their overhead, and combining them with his company. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click…
Read MoreHow Should You Start Your Company As A Solo Founder?
“Do you remember when we first met?” I said to “Ray,” the solo founder and CEO of a startup that I’ve been advising for over three years. “Yes,” Ray said. It was in that park where we went for a walk where we saw all those deer.” [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe…
Read MoreWhen Should Your Startup Emerge From Stealth Mode?
“That seems like a real waste of money,” I said to Adolfo. We had just closed our initial funding of $12 million, and my co-founder and VP Marketing had just suggested that we publicize it. In other words, Adolfo was suggesting we come out of stealth mode. “Why?” Adolfo asked. “It seems to me that…
Read MoreWhat Skills Are You Lacking As A Startup CEO?
“I know more about building a company than you do,” “John,” my co-founder and VP Engineering said to me. Those were the last words John ever said to me. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] John was, and probably still is, a brilliant engineer. When I successfully recruited…
Read MoreHow Hard Is It To Find Your Investors?
“Congratulations,” I said to “Ray,” I CEO I have been working with. “Getting funding in three weeks is quite an accomplishment.” “Thank you,” Ray responded. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] “Especially, after what you’d been through in your first two rounds of funding, you deserve a little bit…
Read MoreHow Do You Instantly Get Your Audience’s Attention?
You’re about to present to your audience, and there’s a lot riding on the success of your presentation. Maybe you’re trying to raise money, or maybe you’re trying to present to a potential new customer. Whatever the situation may be, the challenge is the same. You have an incredibly short time, maybe seven seconds, to…
Read MoreThe Easiest Presentation Hack You Can Learn From Steve Jobs
Watch any Steve Jobs presentation, and you’ll likely come away impressed. You’ll wonder, “Can I make my presentations half as good as Jobs’?” In this short video, I’m going to teach a simple Steve Jobs presentation hack that anybody can implement. The good news is this hack will significantly improve your presentations too. I hope…
Read MoreHow Should You Prepare For Entrepreneurship?
“How did you survive here?” I asked my friend Steve. We were having lunch about one month after I joined Micrel as general manager of the communications division of the company. Steve and I had known each other for years, and Steve was now my employee. He was the only competent direct report I had.…
Read MoreYou Need A Better Reason Than Money To Start A Company
“Most startups fail,” I said to the interviewer, Dave. “If I wanted the surest path to wealth, then I would have never left my corporate job.” “It’s a mug’s game then?” Dave, said to me. Then I started laughing. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] “Why are you…
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