Take the Mystery Out of Investor Due Diligence
You've made dozens of presentations, and an angel or venture investor finally hands you a term sheet, offering to kick in the capital you need to grow your business. As…
Every Startup Needs the Right Social Media Presence
If your startup can’t be bothered with social media or has no plan to take advantage of it, then you are at risk. But simply jumping in is not enough…
Simon Sinek: How Great Leaders Inspire Action
Do you want your product or service to resonate with customers? Then start by expressing the "why" behind your business rather than the "what." Using Apple and the Wright Brothers…
How to Succeed in a Business that Doesn’t Scale
Many writers have outlined the critical success factors for product companies, like sell every unit at a profit, patent the design, and continuous product improvement. But recently I was asked…
Tips for Effective Business Writing
In the world of business, you only get one chance for a great first impression. The stakes are high – you are asking an investor for money, a customer for…
How to Be a Great Boss
Everyone can recognize a great manager a mile away, so why is it so hard to find one? We all remember a few that are “legends in their own mind”,…
Boomers are Back, This Time as Entrepreneurs
The buzz from startup executives, especially high-tech ones, has long been that startups are no place for Baby-Boomers (1946-1964) – you must have the high energy and crazy determination to…
How to Tell if You’re Ready to Take the Leap
Many budding entrepreneurs struggle mightily with that first step – out of their comfort zone and into the unknown. They keep asking people like me whether the time is right,…
Entrepreneurs Need Business Leadership AND Thought Leadership
By definition, most entrepreneurs are thought leaders. They have the ability to recognize a market need, the skills to design and implement a solution, and the drive to start a…
10 Tips for Landing an Angel Investor
Every new startup I know dreams of being funded by an angel investor. Yet according to the latest data from Gust (formerly AngelSoft), only about 3 out of 100 companies…