Tag Archives: venture capital

Venture Tips Update….Make Your Business About Your Customers, Not Your Technology

Posted on June 26, 2013 by

I originally published the majority of this post back in January, 2012, but I was reminded of the issue again today…twice.  So I updated the post on why you should think of your business in their terms. A founder came … Continue reading →

Posted in Business Planning, Entrepreneurial Advice, Seed/Venture Capital | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How Much Money Should I Raise…$29,542?

Posted on February 11, 2013 by

Hopefully, you remember the classic TV show Taxi and its despicably lovable character, Louie DePalma.  In one memorable episode, the unforgettable Jim Ignatowski accidentally burns down Louie’s apartment. Jim’s wealthy father sends Louie a signed blank check to cover the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business Planning, Entrepreneurial Advice, Seed/Venture Capital | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Let Us Begin with the Beginning

Posted on June 19, 2012 by

And so, in conclusion, we project that our exit will occur on July 30, 2019. Perhaps the only aspect of your business’s future that is less certain than your 3rd year EBITDA, is the financial exit that you and your … Continue reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurial Advice, Tech Based Economic Development, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Ohhhhh. I Get It Now. You Said Valuation…I Thought You Said Value.

Posted on May 21, 2012 by

I am obviously slower than I thought I was.  And I’m certainly slower than the capital aggregators known as Silicon Valley venture capital.  They understood long before I did that early stage company investing is NOT about the value of … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary/Editorial, Innovation and the World, Seed/Venture Capital | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

We Better Define Success Before Declaring It

Posted on October 26, 2011 by

Ten years ago, in my office, I was fortunate to have observed an “A-HA!” moment that pops back into my head more than once in a while.  In my office was a very well known and successful venture capitalist and … Continue reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurial Advice, Seed/Venture Capital, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What Erich Brenn Can Teach Us About Funding of Start-Ups

Posted on September 28, 2011 by

Who remembers Erich Brenn?  In these blog posts, I’ve occasionally tried to understand, and explain, the business world I see by comparing it to famous people you’ve probably never heard of.  We’ve previously talked about Don Ho and Jim Riggleman.  And … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Development Policy, Just Kidding, Seed/Venture Capital, Tech Based Economic Development | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Should VC’s Be More Like Lumberjacks?

Posted on August 26, 2011 by

According to this Small Business Trends post, only 10% of all VC investment goes into seed and early stage companies.  That is up from only about 5% in the mid-2000’s, but well below the 15-25% range that existed between 1980 … Continue reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurial Advice, Seed/Venture Capital, Tech Based Economic Development | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment