BizSugar.com › User › martinzwilling › Published

Crowdfunding has come a long way in the last decade with the Internet and many popular platforms, including IndieGoGo and Kickstarter. In fact, crowdfunding now rivals both venture capital and angel funding as the money source of choice for new entrepreneurs. As a small business advisor, I often re Read More

Savvy entrepreneurs start testing their ideas on potential customers even before the concept is fully cooked. They have enough confidence in their ability to deliver that they don’t worry about someone stealing the idea to get there first, and they don’t forget to listen carefully to critical feedb Read More

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. I recognize that entrepreneurs tend to substitute vision and passion for formal processes, but using no discipline or process in building something new is a sure Read More

Aspiring entrepreneurs who rely only on traditional learning vehicles (teachers, classrooms, and risk-free practice) are doomed to failure in anticipating change today. Either they are never really ready to commit, study an opportunity until it has passed, or fail with tools and techniques from a b Read More

Most companies today claim they are embarked on a transformation to ensure their long-term survival in this era of disruption and rapid change. But in their day-to-day practices, many of their leaders and employees blindly follow the same practices they always have. The results include a rising tid Read More

As dialogs with peers become easier and more trusted via smartphones and the Internet, people are more willing to share their assets with others, and capitalize on the potential for a quick return for very little effort. This new sharing economy is rapidly becoming the new “online shopping” model, Read More

New entrepreneurs routinely jump into a startup with a full charge of passion and energy, but often find themselves drained of both after a few months by the workload and challenges. As a result, burnout and loss of passion are consistently listed among the top causes of startup failure, according Read More

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan. Read More

The last thing a new entrepreneur wants to think about for a new startup is how it will end. Yet one of the first things a potential equity investor asks about is your exit strategy. The answer you give can make or break your ability to get an investment, so you need to have the right answer ready Read More

It’s still popular these days for startup founders to operate in stealth mode, meaning no details about the idea or progress are shared with anyone until the big reveal and rollout. The common reason given is that this prevents any competitor from stealing their idea and beating them to market. In Read More