-
Search this blog
Archives
-
Recent Posts
- Stock options or more cash?
- Would you pay a high achiever more than yourself?
- Be careful about equity and options!
- Why we should fire fast, not last!
- Hire as if your survival depends upon it.
- Your fork in the road? Depending upon others.
- Are you or your business “time bankrupt?”
- A personal story about quality control
Categories
Category Archives: Raising money
A heartbreaking story about time and money.
First, think about your time as money! We’ll get to my heartbreak in a minute. But first… There is a relationship between timeand money that is more complex than most managers think. Fixed overhead for salaries, rent, equipment leases and … Continue reading
Take only “smart money” investments
This statement could be considered controversial. We have previously made the case that professional investors demand more in the form of restrictive covenants and lower valuations. Now we explore the other side of that coin. Professional investors usually bring “smart … Continue reading
Posted in Raising money
Leave a comment
Need investment capital?
Preparing for the game… If you have been following our recent insights, you’ll be up to speed knowing that professional investors negotiate tough terms, from provisions of control over asset acquisition, eventual sale of the company, future investments, forced co-sale … Continue reading
Posted in Ignition! Starting up, Raising money
1 Comment
What do you give up when you take outside investors?
Setting your expectations Taking in angel or venture money requires a setting of an entrepreneur’s expectations that may come as a shock at least at first. From the moment such an investor looks seriously at your company, the investor or … Continue reading
Posted in Raising money
Leave a comment
Need money? Read this!
How important is this issue for your business? The subject of raising money is critical to many businesses and a passing option to others, depending upon the capital efficiency of the enterprise. Some businesses require very little capital and the … Continue reading
Posted in Ignition! Starting up, Raising money
1 Comment
What’s the difference between your budget and forecast?
Hold it! These are confusing terms. When does a budget become obsolete? Do we rely upon constant changes and call it a forecast? So, let’s spend a few moments defining this sometimes-confusing set of terms. This is a budget: A … Continue reading
Is it YOU or your great plan?
So, what do you think is more important? There may be more choices here. But the most important ones for any size business, including start-ups, is: Do you believe it should be the quality of your management team, or the … Continue reading
What are the odds of your startup’s success?
Well, the numbers don’t lie, even if there are several sources of these statistics. Starting a company is HARD – in so many ways. And risky too. Let’s start with a restaurant -not our thing. But… I read several years … Continue reading
Posted in Growth!, Protecting the business, Raising money
Leave a comment
Finding a strategic partner, investor or buyer
Get organized. Finding your strategic partner, investor or business buyer is not something you do haphazardly. There are many steps to take, each closer to assuring a success. Research is paramount, and sources are everywhere, especially for public companies and … Continue reading
Sometimes your gut is the best you’ve got.
How I didn’t follow my own advice Years ago, I led a deal and invested in a company that looked like it had lots of promise to disrupt the women’s clothing industry with special algorithms and an online store. But … Continue reading
Posted in Depending upon others, Raising money
Leave a comment