Jan 3Observations from my engagements with entrepreneursInvesting in startups allows one to observe at close quarters how different founders deal with opportunities and challenges. It allows you the opportunity to compare and contract, and therefore assimilate learnings and insights on what aspects might work better in what circumstances. My work has given me the opportunity to…6 min read6 min read
Sep 19, 2022Writing an effective business plan for an investor presentationA business plan is ‘YOUR Plan for YOUR Business’. It is not a document or excel sheet that you make separately for the investors. It is a plan that you should prepare for yourself. An investor pitch deck is simply a presentation that captures the essence of that plan. Writing…Business Plan7 min readBusiness Plan7 min read
Sep 12, 2022Does it matter who invests in the seed stage of a startup?As with many aspects about business and entrepreneurship, there is no clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer to this question. It depends on a number of factors. …3 min read3 min read
Aug 22, 2022What happens when business plans do not go as plan?And if no business plan works out as planned, why do investors insist on a business plan? A business plan is nothing but a plan for your business. It is an articulation of your vision on how the future will play out. A business plan also articulates how the startup…Startup4 min readStartup4 min read
Aug 6, 2022How do you estimate revenue and growth for your startup?Estimating revenue projections and growth requires founders to make assumptions. How practical and reasonable those assumptions are will determine how accurately you have been able to determine the revenue and growth. Any projections you make will just be a reflection of how YOU expect the market to behave. And because…Startups5 min readStartups5 min read
Jul 28, 2022Power of an advisory board for startupsCreating a meaningfully engaged advisory board is one practical way of filling in the competencies gap that a startup may have. Most startups are resource-starved and hence, not in a position to employ people for the various skill sets required for building the business. This often means that the entrepreneurs…Startup6 min readStartup6 min read
Jul 22, 2022Wrong assumptions kill more startups than bad productsAs an entrepreneur, one key role is to plan the journey of your venture. And for doing that you have to visualize what the future looks like. You have to look at the immediate future, the mid-term as well as the long term. …Startup5 min readStartup5 min read
Jul 13, 2022How do you decide who becomes the CEO from among the founders?Well, there is no real logic that can be applied in addressing this question, but a person who understands the dynamics of business better, is good at sales (or presenting and communicating the story), good at operations management and can be the face of the company to the outside world…Startup2 min readStartup2 min read
Jul 8, 2022Learnings from Shark TankObserving the pitches, their outcome, and subsequent progress of those who receive funding on Shark Tank reiterates some fundamentals of entrepreneurship. I’ve been an avid follower of Shark Tank. Apart from its entertainment value, I’ve found Shark Tank to be instructive about some fundamentals of entrepreneurship, and of pitching to…Startups2 min readStartups2 min read
Jul 7, 2022Every entrepreneur has to understand ‘sales’The reason you become an entrepreneur is to do business. And one critical aspect about business is getting customers for the product or service you wish to offer to them. Founders who are not from a sales background or orientation are not comfortable ‘selling’. …Startup2 min readStartup2 min read
