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Gust Launch Convertible Stack Ed781ea42d39f03ee5e5ecbff922621206944a001dbbddfec6883925a25f859e

What’s the right way to interface with potential investors a couple of months prior to starting a funding round?

My thoughts on this have changed a bit over time, as the general pace of—and level of activity in—the startup world has begun to hyper-accelerate. It’s always a good idea to be able to approach someone with whom you’ve had at least a nodding relationship, because that immediately differentiates you from a pure, over-the-transom funding […]
David S. Rose
David S. Rose , Founder and CEO , GUST INC.
28 Nov 2013
How To Build A Marketing Strategy For Your Startup When You Have No Money 66241b494c6288bbf069399c0a1837378e4a1d72c735007a51084c404c83f564

Is the Marketing Strategy not important in a business plan when pitching to VCs?

Marketing strategy actually is quite important to most investors. The bottom line is that if no one shows up to buy or use your product, it doesn’t matter one whit how cool or great or innovative it is. And investors do not like top-down projections (“we’ll get a 10% market share…”). They very much want to see how you are going […]
David S. Rose
David S. Rose , Founder and CEO , GUST INC.
24 Nov 2013
Startups Need Option Plan To Hire Employees A22ae849e242af5b43b604e1ece450ef528cfd82a66946aa35f256c030709f7d

6 Tips For Entrepreneurs Who Think They Can Dance

I’m not much of a television person, but my family loves one of the popular “reality” shows, called “So You Think You Can Dance,” so I’m sort of forced to watch it every week. Over time, I’ve concluded that even startup entrepreneurs can learn a few things from this one. Of course, you must ignore […]
Martin Zwilling
Martin Zwilling , Founder and CEO , Startup Professionals
24 Nov 2013
Us Tax Code Changes Corporations 2017 B20738aa97eb6ecb042609a5bc8d00d5e7d21c6d60eab9fa30a80596e821be36

What percentage of a Series A round is typically invested by the lead investor?

This is changing as the whole world of venture/angel/seed funding is rapidly morphing, but typically a ‘real’ Series A round is small enough for one traditional venture fund to do the whole thing itself. Very occasionally, they might split it with another fund, but that would probably be the exception. What we are often seeing, […]
David S. Rose
David S. Rose , Founder and CEO , GUST INC.
17 Nov 2013
Startup Strategies: The Strategic and Financial Significance of Intellectual Property

Your Venture Is All About You, Not Your Invention

If you expect to succeed in the thrill-a-minute, roller coaster ride of a startup, let me assure you it takes more than a good idea, a rich uncle, and luck. In fact, the idea is often the least important part of the equation. Most investors tell me that they look at the people first, the […]
Martin Zwilling
Martin Zwilling , Founder and CEO , Startup Professionals
17 Nov 2013
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