Founders and Fundraising
How Do You Tell Investors Why You Will Beat Your Competitors?
“They brought up companies we didn’t even know existed,” Mike, the managing partner of the venture capital firm where I was an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR), said in our debrief after a startup pitched us. Everyone was impressed with the CEO, the company, and we decided to continue forward with the investment. Do you want…
Read MoreWhy Trying To Limit Your Investors Ownership Doesn’t Matter
One of the greatest lines in movie history was said in the classic, All The President’s Men. The line is, “Follow the money.” Do you want to scale your business? Watch this video to how ready you are.(opens in new tab) The idea was that if you traced the trail of money, you would find out who…
Read MoreHow Do You Gain Leverage When You’re Raising Money?
“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…
Read MoreShould You Set Up A Fast Exit Strategy For Your Startup?
“So, how long do think it will be before we can exit?” The engineer said to me during his job interview. “Two years? three years?” [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] As politely as I could, I said, “I hate to burst your bubble, but it’s going to…
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 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 MoreHow 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 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 MoreWhy You Need Fanatical Cofounders
I’m in the middle of reading Phil Knight’s (the founder of Nike) great autobiography “Shoe Dog.” Actually I’m listening to the book on Audible, and I’m transfixed. [Do you want to grow your? business Maybe I can help. Click here.] I just can’t stop reading/listening. In fact, I’m going to go for a run once I’m done…
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…
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