Like this article? PLEASE +1 it! Evan Signature
Evan Carmichael Top Header about About Home Profiles articles Tools forums inspirational quotes About facebook Twitter YouTube Blog

early stage companies Tagged Articles



Four Types of Highly Effective Business Plans
Business plans are not just for start-ups raising capital. Writing a business plan-- or more accurately, the process of strategic planning, using the business plan as a framework-- has many applications for both early stage companies just starting out, as well as for mature firms who are seeking to grow, improve, or diversify their businesses. In this article, we talk about four powerful types of business plans: the Feasibility Plan, Operating Plan, Expansion Plan, and Joint Venture Plan, and we delve into the key characteristics and uses of each.
A Mental Model For VC Investments
A reader asked me the other day if – in the words of Charlie Munger – I have a “mental model” for investing in early stage companies. I do, but I’d rather give examples of the two best approaches I’ve heard of from other people.
Board Meeting Rules
Following are some board meeting rules that were recently presented to me and my fellow board members by a CEO at one of his first board meetings at a newly funded early stage company. I thought they were brilliant. Feel free to pass them out at your next board meeting.
Whats The Best Corporate Structure For An Early Stage Company
I got the following question from a reader a week ago.
Venture Capital & Recessions
Lots of talk in the venture business, as everywhere else, about the impact of recessions on the business. In general, recession vintage venture funds have been among the better-performing funds. Here are some related points:

Hey, What if the Founder Gets Hit By a Bus? Nada
One of the questions investors in early-stage companies -- both private and public -- often ask is this: What if the founder gets hit by a bus? It is, of course, an investor's way of saying, "How much of this company's continuing success requires this man/women at the helm?"
Brokers, Dealers, Private Lenders, and Venture Capital
A broker is defined as anyone who makes securities transactions for others. (The exception to this is a bank.) A dealer is defined as someone who buys and sells securities for their own account, through a broker or otherwise. Most entrepreneurs are looking for start-up capital and for someone else to raise capital for them on a straight commission, with no up-front fees. Only registered broker dealers, and Bona Fide employees, can legally solicit/sell securities for a company on straight commission, with no up-front fees. They always charge an up-front retainer, sometimes called due-diligence fees, before commencing. This fluctuates depending on the complexity of the transactions. Most brokers/dealers avoid startup and early stage companies. A Bona Fide employee cannot be paid commission from the sale of securities.
Who Are Angel Investors
Entrepreneurs often talk about needing angel investor money to launch their companies. When asked about their financing plan, they are heard to say, "I am going to raise $500K from angels." When asked what their strategy for approaching angels is and who they are going to approach, they often go silent and have a blank look on their faces.

What is it like to start your own business?
Working for a company in management is hard work, but starting your own business is hardwork PLUS!

Other early stage companies Related Articles

Prospecting for Customers and Opportunities
The prospecting process focuses into individual suspects; starting to engage with specific companies and within them named individuals. It establishes the foundation for later stages of the selling cycle, identifying at an early stage where you might be wasting your time, and hence will dramatically increase your chance of success.
A Mental Model For VC Investments
A reader asked me the other day if – in the words of Charlie Munger – I have a “mental model” for investing in early stage companies. I do, but I’d rather give examples of the two best approaches I’ve heard of from other people.
Giving Up Salary for Equity After VC Funding
I got a great question the other day which highlights the tension that can emerge in an early stage company between VCs and entrepreneurs.
The "Oh Shit" Board Meeting
Peter Rip has a funny (and painfully familiar) comment about the near-inevitable "Oh shit" moment that comes at the first board meeting of a newly-financed early-stage company:
The New Matrix
Second Life and the virtual world offer new marketing and communications opportunities for new and early stage firms that know how to take advantage of tomorrow.
Hey, What if the Founder Gets Hit By a Bus? Nada
One of the questions investors in early-stage companies -- both private and public -- often ask is this: What if the founder gets hit by a bus? It is, of course, an investor's way of saying, "How much of this company's continuing success requires this man/women at the helm?"
MARKETING YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW FOR BUSINESSES DEVELOPMENT.
Marketing concept has evolved over the years. It has gone through some sort of evolution to where we are today. There have been marked stages and these stages are the following: Industrial revolution: at this stage specialization took place, with the industrial revolution, wages were introduced. At this stage the farmers could produce and sell to the industrial workers. The marketing and the business concept was simple at this stage but later become more complicated eventually. In marketing this stage is called the production stage, it took a while and Henry Ford perfected it. He came up with the car assembly and mass market was born. At this stage there was limited choice for the customer.

Early Stage Startup Finance: What You Need Is Dumb Money
Many startups seeking angel capital aren't actually far enough along from a development perspective to be attractive to early stage investors. In essence, there is an entrepreneurial myth that angels invest in concepts or ideas. This is rarely the case- angels typically want to see some level of progress being made with the business before getting seriously interested. So what does a cash-strapped entrepreneur do to get off the ground? They raise what is called a "friends and family" round. This article discusses the attributes of this type of seed stage investing, and provides some tips for putting together a viable deal.
Startup Valuation: 3 Tips For Putting A Price On Your Company
When raising angel or venture capital, startup founders are often concerned with questions about the valuation of their company. Putting a value on an early stage company-- especially one with very little or no revenue and negative cash flow-- is difficult to do, since most traditional valuation methods do not work well for startups. In this article, we discuss how startup companies are valued by investors and how you should set a valuation range when dealing with seed, angel, or VC investors.

Entrepreneurs Raising Early Stage Venture Capital are in a Beauty Contest
Startup and Early Stage entrepreneurs must compete for the attention and limited capital available from angel investors and early stage venture capitalists. In many ways it can be compared to a Beauty Contest. The business fundamentals of a successful business are in place, but to be "picked" from the other companies also pitching those investors, that company must be the most attractive to that investor, that judge who will decide if the company qualifies to go to the next stage in the process.

Featured Article

Bottom Footer



Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Popular Articles

Igniting Your Unstoppable Business Destiny

How to Ask for a Flexible Work Arrangement

Coaching Tip: Identify Your Core Values
Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.