Tag: startups | SEO'Brien

Startups: What Exactly is Execution?

Sunday, 03 December 2023 by SEO'Brien

I want to put your head on a specific focus as we explore this question. In the last few weeks, I’ve tackled the question of an ideal team for a startup, sharing new research about personalities, been critical of expectations, and proposed that understanding and avoiding how startups fail is more important than attention directed

Published in Insights / Research, Startups

7 Comments

Founders, VCs Might Not Like My Sharing This, But They Should

Thursday, 21 September 2023 by SEO'Brien

One of the more challenging skills to help develop in a founder, is being able to discern b.s. from experienced and valid advice. As you might imagine (and I hope you can relate from the all too prolific frequency with which this happens), it’s particularly difficult to know how to put questions back on a

advice advisors angel investors entrepreneurship investors startups vc venture capital

Published in Insights / Research, Startups

12 Comments

Startup Founders, a Good Idea Solves a Problem, A Great Idea Creates Value

Thursday, 29 June 2023 by SEO'Brien

We have a huge problem in the startup ecosystem; that’s that most founders have been misled by a lot of people to think in terms of Problem / Solution. That a solution to a problem is what matters foremost in a startup. And that has led to the notion that validation is a simple matter

advice entrepreneurship innovation marketing startups success venture capital

Published in Insights / Research, Search, Uncategorized

27 Comments

Startup Founders, Focus! (Yeah, but on what?)

Thursday, 25 May 2023 by SEO'Brien

Focus. We hear that word and advice bantered about A LOT in the startup community but rarely is that mentorship capably followed up with WHAT to focus on and why. This is what contributes to founders to wasting time and failing. You think the advice is helpful; it’s not, it’s distracting. Focus? Yes. But on what?? Most

entrepreneurship focus founders problem solution startups

Published in Startups

16 Comments

Developing Austin’s Startup Ecosystem

Tuesday, 28 February 2023 by SEO'Brien

Regional culture, history, and infrastructure are the qualities of a region of the world that drives innovation, jobs, and economic development because technology is ultimately about people and their potential. A really a wonderful article about Austin in The New Yorker sparked a series of wonderful discussions of the past and present of the Austin

austin economic development economy ecosystem entrepreneurship startups texas venture capital venture development

Published in Austin, Industry, Startups

19 Comments

I’m Afraid VCs Will Take Over

Tuesday, 17 January 2023 by SEO'Brien

How do startup founders protect their company from investors in the shareholders’ agreement? Should they? Protect from what?? Seriously, think about it for a moment. The startup community is flooded with people who ‘don’t want VC,’ think, ‘investors will take over,’ and fear the influence or control of investors. This paranoia is a problem in

entrepreneurship funding investors startups venture capital

Published in Startups

18 Comments

Startup Valuations May Vary, Here’s Why and What You Need to Know

Monday, 05 December 2022 by SEO'Brien

Businesses are valued based a multiple of earnings and profit. The variation stems from a few things associated with what that multiple might be (since earnings and profit are evident) Investor opinion about the capabilities of the executive team Investor awareness of competition, threats, and opportunities Investor knowledge about the market, trends, and potential regulation

entrepreneurship funding fundraising startups term sheets terms valuation value venture capital

Published in Startups

9 Comments

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