Category: Featured

In the Company of Venture Capital

Wednesday, 17 February 2021 by SEO'Brien

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

entrepreneurship funding startups vc venture capital venture capitalists

Published in Featured, Startups

37 Comments

Why a Competitive Analysis is a First Step as a Founder

Thursday, 17 September 2020 by SEO'Brien

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

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Published in Advertising, Featured, Insights / Research, Startups

43 Comments

The 2 Slide Startup Pitch Deck

Monday, 29 June 2020 by SEO'Brien

Can we connect with investors in 2 slides? It’s said that at the earliest stage, investors are looking for the right people, validation, and a market opportunity but as pitch coaches, advisors, and incubators focus on the merit of the elevator pitch or the perfect email, does it not make sense that the pitch deck

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Published in Featured, Startups

53 Comments

Startups: Avoid Competition (don’t neglect it)

Sunday, 03 May 2020 by SEO'Brien

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.

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Published in Featured, Startups

32 Comments

“A VC is asking 6% for acting as an advisor…”

Friday, 27 September 2019 by SEO'Brien

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

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Published in Featured, Startups

104 Comments

The 5 Reasons Investors Pass on Startups

Monday, 10 June 2019 by SEO'Brien

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

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Published in Featured, Startups

26 Comments

How do you compete with a startup doing the same thing as you?

Tuesday, 19 March 2019 by SEO'Brien

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

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Published in Advertising, Featured, PR, Search, Startups

23 Comments

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