funding Archives - Page 5 of 11

Introducing Venture Capital to Kids

Wednesday, 13 November 2019 by Paul O'Brien

With three kids of my own (10, 12, and 14), and a lot of time spent in incubators and corporate innovation programs, I’m frequently wondering if and how we can’t better introduce our kids to entrepreneurship and prepare them for what’s involved in raising capital. Begging this question, How would you explain venture capital to

Published in Startups

16 Comments

What Startup Founders Might Consider Before Seeking VC

Tuesday, 05 November 2019 by Paul O'Brien

Venture Capital seeks opportunity, not a sales pitch. The mindset to have is that you don’t want to have to seek VC, you want investors to seek you. Of course, that doesn’t mean you won’t have to do the work and start the conversation; it’s a mindset – what are you doing to build the

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Published in Startups

32 Comments

Do Startups Not Need to Be Profitable?

Wednesday, 14 August 2019 by Paul O'Brien

We’re in this really weird era as Silicon Valley creeps out to the rest of the world, in which investors elsewhere, traditional business owners, and the like, keep advising everyone to, “focus on customers,” “it’s all about revenue,” and questions such as this. Startups never needed to become profitable. Venture Capital investors fund EXITS Grants fund

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Published in Insights / Research, Search

28 Comments

The 5 Reasons Investors Pass on Startups

Monday, 10 June 2019 by Paul O'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

The Rookie Mistake Investors Make Getting into Venture Capital

Tuesday, 02 April 2019 by Paul O'Brien

Venture capital investing is the riskier version of gambling in Las Vegas. Truly. 90% of startups fail. FEW are experienced with discerning any difference between those likely to fail and those not. What’s the rookie mistake in venture capital investing? Being a rookie. Without experience in startups, your odds are against you as much as

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Published in Insights / Research, Startups

1 Comment

Before You Start, Define the Outcome

Sunday, 10 March 2019 by Paul O'Brien

How do you determine when your business is going to be successful? When it meets your definition of success. Many, I’ve found, start businesses thinking forward; the test and validate, customer feedback oriented development. I have a hypothesis or a business I want to start, what do I do first? That’s generally actually bad idea because every

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Published in Startups

3 Comments

How Startups and Small Businesses Differ When it Comes to Funding

Monday, 04 March 2019 by Paul O'Brien

Funding doesn’t determine a startup from a small business; the nature of the business determines the funding. Twist of logic perhaps, so let’s explore it. Very frequently, I find small businesses looking to raise venture capital; let me cut to the chase that such efforts are almost always wasting their time. The distinctions between small

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Published in Startups

8 Comments