Startups, if you want to build a great product, launch before it’s ready
Startups, here’s how to go from good to great, if you launch your product with the right amount of minimum and the right amount of viable.
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teaching startup
Teaching Startup: How new ventures create their own markets
One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is trying to be a competitor in an existing market instead of creating their own market. In this post, I’ll give you some case studies and strategies to get you thinking bigger.
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Teaching Startup: How your startup can negotiate with giants and win
In business, your leverage in negotiations is directly proportional to your size. When you’re a startup, you’re freaking tiny. So how do you get a big deal done without giving away the company? Check out this advice.
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Teaching Startup: Here’s how to get a venture capital investor’s attention
Let’s talk about how startup founders get funded—and why they don’t. I get about a dozen questions each week via my website from first-time entrepreneurs asking for help getting their company funded. I do know a ton of venture capitalist (VC) and angel investors, so I asked a bunch of them what works, what hurts, and what they look for from the very first contact with an entrepreneur.
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Teaching Startup: Six mistakes to avoid in building a new venture
When we’re in the middle of the startup run, it’s pretty easy to fall into a trap of wasting time on feel-good tasks that feel like progress but don’t bring in any money. Here are six big mistakes to avoid.
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Teaching Startup: Here’s why you need $250,000 to start a company
The harsh economics of startup are often easily overlooked. So let’s talk about what it really costs an entrepreneur to get a startup off the ground. It’s about 250 grand. Check out my reasoning.
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Teaching Startup: Why venture capital investors are usually wrong about startups
The reasons investors pass on new ventures are not always clear. And sometimes, they’re making a mistake. Let’s take a look at where venture capital investors sometimes get it wrong.
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Teaching Startup: Don’t waste your time mastering an elevator pitch
I recently asked some of my peers for their opinion of the traditional elevator pitch — these are successful serial entrepreneurs with exits. The responses that came back were peppered with words like “stupid,” “waste of time,” and “is that still a thing?” So why should you or should you not invest in an elevator pitch?
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Teaching Startup: How startups write actionable investor update emails
Every startup is different, and there is no single template for an investor update email. But I’ve learned that there are a few rules that you have to follow to get them to read it.
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