In the Company of Venture Capital
Wednesday, 17 February 2021
People have different definitions of “startup” and “venture capital,” and it’s that foundation that causes frustrations and misplaced expectations. What Frustrations in Venture Capital? The real reason founders are not funded VCs don’t say in a pitch process Why Venture Capitalists Aren’t Funding The Businesses We Need VCs like to take their time with their
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Why a Competitive Analysis is a First Step as a Founder
Thursday, 17 September 2020
There is a trick to entrepreneurship, to starting a venture, that no one really ever talks about. Not sure why they don’t talk about it… perhaps because they don’t understand how to do it… perhaps because everyone is selling something… perhaps because they’ve hired help and it sucked… regardless, I’m going to let you in
- Published in Advertising, Featured, Insights / Research, Startups
Startups: Avoid Competition (don’t neglect it)
Sunday, 03 May 2020
Years ago, Peter Thiel provocatively proclaimed in the Wall Street Journal that “Competition Is for Losers” and I recall loving the headline not for the negative connotation implied, but for the play on words that you’re going to lose if you set out to compete. “The airlines compete with each other, but Google stands alone.
“A VC is asking 6% for acting as an advisor…”
Friday, 27 September 2019
As a startup mentor, that’s the start of the all too common question from founders trying to figure out if they should part with equity to get someone involved. As a venture partner, that’s a reflection of what too many startups are offered and it’s a turn of the phrase that ranks right up there
The 5 Reasons Investors Pass on Startups
Monday, 10 June 2019
Is it that simple? Let’s try… I’ve explored before HOW startups fail and article after article after article ponders why they fail. I hope we can agree on a simple fact that IF a startup is going to fail, investors would rather not be involved. Yes? So might it be as simple? Investors consider countless
How do you compete with a startup doing the same thing as you?
Tuesday, 19 March 2019
Also known as Cheaper / Better / Faster, you get to pick two. How do you compete with a startup doing the same thing as you? You study them. It’s called Marketing. That’s what Marketing actually is, too many think it means promotion or advertising. see: Is Advertising Marketing? The Best Marketing Advice to Give a Startup
- Published in Advertising, Featured, PR, Search, Startups