Straight Talk for Startups

Straight Talk for Startups PDF Author: Randy Komisar
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062869078
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 277

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Book Description
"Straight Talk for Startups memorializes age-old best practices and empowers both experienced and new investment professionals to beat the odds."—David Krane, CEO, Google Ventures "Straight Talk for Startups is filled with real, raw, and fact-based ‘rules of the road’ that you need to know when diving into our ultra-competitive startup world. A must read and a re-read!"—Tony Fadell, Coinventor of the iPod/iPhone & Founder of Nest Labs Veteran venture capitalist Randy Komisar and finance executive Jantoon Reigersman share no-nonsense, counterintuitive guidelines to help anyone build a successful startup. Over the course of their careers, Randy Komisar and Jantoon Reigersman continue to see startups crash and burn because they forget the timeless lessons of entrepreneurship. But, as Komisar and Reigersman show, you can beat the odds if you quickly learn what insiders know about what it takes to build a healthy foundation for a thriving venture. In Straight Talk for Startups they walk budding entrepreneurs through 100 essential rules—from pitching your idea to selecting investors to managing your board to deciding how and when to achieve liquidity. Culled from their own decades of experience, as well as the experiences of their many successful colleagues and friends, the rules are organized under broad topics, from "Mastering the Fundamentals" and "Selecting the Right Investors," to "The Ideal Fundraise," "Building and Managing Effective Boards," and "Achieving Liquidity." Vital rules you’ll find in Straight Talk for Startups include: The best ideas originate from founders who are users Create two business plans: an execution plan and an aspirational plan Net income is an option, but cash flow is a fact Don’t accept money from strangers Personal wealth doesn’t equal good investing Small boards are better than big ones Add independent board members for expertise and objectivity Too many unanimous board decisions are a sign of trouble Choose an acquirer, don’t wait to be chosen Learn the rules by heart so you know when to break them Filled with helpful real-life examples and specific, actionable advice, Straight Talk for Startups is the ideal handbook for anyone running, working for, or thinking about creating a startup, or just curious about what makes high-potential ventures tick.

Straight Talk for Startups

Straight Talk for Startups PDF Author: Randy Komisar
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062869078
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 277

Get Book Here

Book Description
"Straight Talk for Startups memorializes age-old best practices and empowers both experienced and new investment professionals to beat the odds."—David Krane, CEO, Google Ventures "Straight Talk for Startups is filled with real, raw, and fact-based ‘rules of the road’ that you need to know when diving into our ultra-competitive startup world. A must read and a re-read!"—Tony Fadell, Coinventor of the iPod/iPhone & Founder of Nest Labs Veteran venture capitalist Randy Komisar and finance executive Jantoon Reigersman share no-nonsense, counterintuitive guidelines to help anyone build a successful startup. Over the course of their careers, Randy Komisar and Jantoon Reigersman continue to see startups crash and burn because they forget the timeless lessons of entrepreneurship. But, as Komisar and Reigersman show, you can beat the odds if you quickly learn what insiders know about what it takes to build a healthy foundation for a thriving venture. In Straight Talk for Startups they walk budding entrepreneurs through 100 essential rules—from pitching your idea to selecting investors to managing your board to deciding how and when to achieve liquidity. Culled from their own decades of experience, as well as the experiences of their many successful colleagues and friends, the rules are organized under broad topics, from "Mastering the Fundamentals" and "Selecting the Right Investors," to "The Ideal Fundraise," "Building and Managing Effective Boards," and "Achieving Liquidity." Vital rules you’ll find in Straight Talk for Startups include: The best ideas originate from founders who are users Create two business plans: an execution plan and an aspirational plan Net income is an option, but cash flow is a fact Don’t accept money from strangers Personal wealth doesn’t equal good investing Small boards are better than big ones Add independent board members for expertise and objectivity Too many unanimous board decisions are a sign of trouble Choose an acquirer, don’t wait to be chosen Learn the rules by heart so you know when to break them Filled with helpful real-life examples and specific, actionable advice, Straight Talk for Startups is the ideal handbook for anyone running, working for, or thinking about creating a startup, or just curious about what makes high-potential ventures tick.

The Startup Playbook

The Startup Playbook PDF Author: Rajat Bhargava
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119708559
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 474

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Book Description
Get the real guidance you need to create and build your first startup company from founders who have been there many times before. The first run printing of The Startup Playbook SOLD OUT! So, we revised, expanded, and improved this second edition, including a new foreword by Brad Feld, author of Venture Deals. We still give our personal, how-to guide for building your startup from the ground up. You'll find a collection of the major lessons and shortcuts we've learned that will shift the odds in your favor. We're sharing our tips, secrets, and advice in a frank, founder-to-founder discussion with you. We make no bones about our bias. We're on your side, the founder's side. While venture capitalists, investors, and accelerators/incubators can add great value in the startup ecosystem, this book isn't about their points of view. We'll tell you where our interests as founders diverge from those on the other side of the table—investors, bankers, advisors, board members, and others—and what to do when that happens. The Startup Playbook is not a recipe, it's not a template, it's not a list of tasks to do. It's our insider's guide to starting a company and running it successfully in those critical early months. Between us, we've started over a dozen high-tech software companies and raised over $500 million in investment capital. We've acquired over thirty-five companies, had three of our startups go public, sold six of them, and we made billions of dollars for shareholders. We've also invested in over eighty startups, advised and mentored over two hundred companies and actively worked with venture capitalists (VCs), incubators, and accelerators to help launch many other new startups. We've had plenty of failures, too. And we've probably learned more from those than from the successes. We share those lessons as well. The Startup Playbook is full of our advice, guidance, do's, and don'ts from our years of experience as founders many times. We want to share our hard-earned knowledge with you to make success easier for you to achieve. "This book is extraordinarily fresh and exciting. In an accessible, straight talk fashion, this book is a manual, and an inspiration. The Startup Playbook is smart and avoids the 'I am so smart' over-writing endemic to the genre. Read this as it is presented. You'll be doing yourself a tremendous favor." —Amazon Reviewer

Get Your Startup Story Straight

Get Your Startup Story Straight PDF Author: David Riemer
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
ISBN: 1632994720
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 169

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Book Description
THE HOW-TO GUIDE FOR INNOVATORS TO IMPROVE THEIR IDEAS AND SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCH THEM THROUGH THE POWER OF NARRATIVE In a world that’s been turned upside down by a pandemic, social upheavals, environmental disasters, and economic disruptions, the need for reinvention is paramount. While many entrepreneurs and innovators have brilliant ideas, they desperately need the skills to successfully articulate their vision to investors, prospective customers, employees, and stakeholders. In this informative and empowering book, David Riemer breaks down the storytelling clutter so you can gain the attention you need to be successful. Storytelling is foundational. If you have a groundbreaking invention in mind or have a plan to solve worldwide problems, Get Your Startup Story Straight is the tool you need to create better customer-focused solutions, motivate more backers to your project, and ultimately dominate in the market. Broken down into three acts, this book will allow you to discover the building blocks of your narrative, the storytelling techniques to convey your ideas clearly, and the archetypes for inspiration. The author’s own words tell it all: “Innovators are ubiquitous nowadays, and for this community, storytelling is essential.” If you are a creator struggling to get others on board, this is the handbook to refine your story to guide your product strategy, shape your company, and ultimately improve lives.

School for Startups: The Breakthrough Course for Guaranteeing Small Business Success in 90 Days or Less

School for Startups: The Breakthrough Course for Guaranteeing Small Business Success in 90 Days or Less PDF Author: Jim Beach
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
ISBN: 0071761748
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 210

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Book Description
The Beginner's Guide to Low-Risk Entrepreneurship You want to start your own business, but "risk" isn't your middle name. You're not alone. Many successful entrepreneurs are averse to risk--but they have learned the tricks to working around it. And now you can too, with School for Startups. This practical guide shows you how to build a business the smart way--without risking major assets such as your house, savings account, or health insurance. You'll learn how to increase your chance of success by: Funding your venture without investors Entering international markets Taking full advantage of tools on the Web Marketing your product or service for little or no cost Deploying a third party to package and ship products Taking control of an existing business or franchise The authors present hundreds of the best ideas for new businesses, along with case studies proving the effectiveness of their approach. Also included with the book is a code you can use to register for The Entrepreneur School (www.theentrepreneurschool.com), where you can access exclusive webinars and supplementary material.

A Clear Eye for Branding

A Clear Eye for Branding PDF Author: Tom Asacker
Publisher: Paramount Market Publishing
ISBN: 9780972529082
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 168

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Book Description
Lucky you! You just sat down on a plane wondering how you are going to conduct a meeting about branding when you get to your destination. Before the plane takes off, you learn that your seatmate is Tom Asacker, a consultant who is known as a catalyst, and a nonconformist.By the end of your plane ride (or by the end of this 150-page, user-friendly book), you will understand how customers bring their own meaning to your brand and how the brand must constantly meet the customer's expectations to stay in its prime.John F. Kennedy said that the enemy of truth is not the lie, but the persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic myth. In A Clear Eye for Branding, Tom Asacker exposes myths on brands and branding and shines light on the truth of business in the new millennium.In this deceptively simple and entertaining book, Asacker demystifies the concept of branding so that executives, small business owners, and entrepreneurs can finally understand, communicate, and evaluate their strategies and organizational initiatives.You'll discover why a brand is not a logo, a promise, or even an experience. And you'll become obsessed with the three most important questions to ask yourself, and your people, in order to succeed in today's hypercompetitive, unforgiving marketplace.You will see branding in new clear ways, with a renewed energy to put everyone in your organization, from the top to the bottom, on the same path to supporting the branding and increasing profitability. Order copies for your whole team and save.Who is Tom Asacker?Tom Asacker is often described as a catalyst, and a nonconformist. He gets paid to provoke people to think about things in ways that are unclouded by the issues they deal with on a daily basis. He is the author of Sandbox Wisdom: Revolutionize Your Brand with the Genius of Childhood. His views have been featured in numerous national and international business and marketing publications, media, and events.Beyond his success as an entrepreneur and author, Tom is a recipient of the George Land Innovator of the Year Award; he holds medical patents and product design awards; and he has been an advisor to startups, nonprofit organizations, and to some of the world's most well-respected brands. He is a frequent speaker on branding, marketing, entrepreneurship and innovation. You can reach him at [email protected].

All In Startup

All In Startup PDF Author: Diana Kander
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118857666
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 311

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Book Description
If Owen Chase can't find a way to turn his company around in the next nine days, he'll be forced to shut it down and lay off all of his employees. He has incurred substantial debt and his marriage is on shaky ground. Through pure happenstance, Owen finds himself pondering this problem while advancing steadily as a contestant at the World Series of Poker. His Las Vegas path quickly introduces him to Samantha, a beautiful and mysterious mentor with a revolutionary approach to entrepreneurship. Sam is a fountain of knowledge that may save his company, but her sexual advances might prove too much for Owen's struggling marriage. All In Startup is more than just a novel about eschewing temptation and fighting to save a company. It is a lifeline for entrepreneurs who are thinking about launching a new idea or for those who have already started but can't seem to generate the traction they were expecting. Entrepreneurs who achieve success in the new economy do so using a new "scientific method" of innovation. All In Startup demonstrates why four counterintuitive principles separate successful entrepreneurs from the wanna-preneurs who bounce from idea to idea, unable to generate real revenue. You will likely get only one opportunity in your life to go "all in" in on an idea: to quit your job, talk your spouse into letting you drain the savings account, and follow your dream. All In Startup will prepare you for that "all in" moment and make sure that you push your chips into the middle only when the odds are in your favor. This book holds the keys to significantly de-risking your idea so that your success appears almost lucky. Join Owen and Sam for this one-of-a-kind journey that will set you on the right path for when it's your turn to put everything on the line.

Startups and Downs

Startups and Downs PDF Author: Mona Bijoor
Publisher: Indigo River Publishing
ISBN: 9781950906086
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Entrepreneurship is a cycle of failures and recoveries-hopefully with more successes than not. This national bestseller is about resilience and navigating the process. How do the best entrepreneurs think about failure-as it's happening and in hindsight-and ultimately win? Today’s media is replete with stories about major entrepreneurial successes, IPOs (initial public offerings), mergers, and acquisitions. Reporters and readers alike have also been captivated by the stories of entrepreneurial failures, downfalls, and massive exits (think Travis Kalanick, Elizabeth Holmes, and Doug Evans). However, entrepreneurship is rarely linear, and a lot happens between the headlines and reality. Entrepreneurship is a cycle of failures and recoveries—hopefully with more successes than not. Start-Ups and Downs: The Secrets of Resilient Entrepreneurs shares the wisdom of one entrepreneur who successfully disrupted an entire industry but felt as if she was never prepared for what came next. Mona Bijoor has created a guidebook for navigating the process, from pitching with power to coping with competition, with inspiring stories from respected entrepreneurs, including Nat Turner, cofounder and CEO of Flatiron Health; Courtney Nichols Gould, founder and co-CEO of SmartyPants Vitamins; and Stephen Kuhl, cofounder and CEO of Burrow, intended to lift up anyone determined to keep pushing forward. This book is about resilience. How do the best entrepreneurs think about failure—as it’s happening and in hindsight—and ultimately win?

Startup Your Life

Startup Your Life PDF Author: Anna Akbari
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 125009917X
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
A young entrepreneur and sociologist shows readers how to reach personal fulfillment using the same strategies that power Silicon Valley's greatest startups. As an entrepreneur, Anna Akbari learned that one of the best things about startups is their ability to “pivot” quickly—basically a euphemism for failing and starting over. And she quickly found that personal success is no different. It’s not just about developing and following the right process but also having a good idea. And that demands rigor and daily maintenance—far beyond a few positive affirmations. Like any Silicon Valley startup, the business of life is not as glamorous as its Instagram account would make it seem. What do you do when planning is not an option? When control is out of your reach? You isolate the small stuff, experiment constantly, and use the results to lay a more sustainable foundation for the future. You validate your idealized vision by testing it out in bite-sized increments. You see what sticks, integrate, and move forward. And inevitably, you experience a series of failures along the way, but those failures are key to your next success. Living a start up life is about maximizing flexibility and measuring on-going results, not avoiding failure or reaching one particular end goal. It's about embracing defeat, analyzing it, and failing up. In Startup Your Life, Akbari shows that after all, it's often the stumbles that pave the way for real happiness.

Startup Myths and Models

Startup Myths and Models PDF Author: Rizwan Virk
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231550871
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 409

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Book Description
Budding entrepreneurs face a challenging road. The path is not made any easier by all the clichés they hear about how to make a startup succeed—from platitudes and conventional wisdom to downright contradictions. This witty and wise guide to the dilemmas of entrepreneurship debunks widespread misconceptions about how the world of startups works and offers hard-earned advice for every step of the journey. Instead of startup myths—legends spun from a fantasy version of Silicon Valley—Rizwan Virk provides startup models—frameworks that help make thoughtful decisions about starting, growing, managing, and selling a business. Rather than dispensing simplistic rules, he mentors readers in the development of a mental toolkit for approaching challenges based on how startup markets evolve in real life. In snappy prose with savvy pop-culture and real-world examples, Virk recasts entrepreneurship as a grand adventure. He points out the pitfalls that appear along the way and offers insights into how to avoid them, sharing the secrets of founding a startup, raising money, hiring and firing, when to enter a market and when to exit, and how to value a company. Virk combines lessons learned the hard way during his twenty-five years of founding, investing in, and advising startups with reflections from well-known venture capitalists and experts. His candid advice makes Startup Myths and Models an ideal guide for those readers just embarking on the startup life and those looking for their next adventure.

Founders at Work

Founders at Work PDF Author: Jessica Livingston
Publisher: Apress
ISBN: 143021077X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 468

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Book Description
Now available in paperback—with a new preface and interview with Jessica Livingston about Y Combinator! Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days is a collection of interviews with founders of famous technology companies about what happened in the very earliest days. These people are celebrities now. What was it like when they were just a couple friends with an idea? Founders like Steve Wozniak (Apple), Caterina Fake (Flickr), Mitch Kapor (Lotus), Max Levchin (PayPal), and Sabeer Bhatia (Hotmail) tell you in their own words about their surprising and often very funny discoveries as they learned how to build a company. Where did they get the ideas that made them rich? How did they convince investors to back them? What went wrong, and how did they recover? Nearly all technical people have thought of one day starting or working for a startup. For them, this book is the closest you can come to being a fly on the wall at a successful startup, to learn how it's done. But ultimately these interviews are required reading for anyone who wants to understand business, because startups are business reduced to its essence. The reason their founders become rich is that startups do what businesses do—create value—more intensively than almost any other part of the economy. How? What are the secrets that make successful startups so insanely productive? Read this book, and let the founders themselves tell you.