Peter
The Entrepreneurial Spirit
This is about a real life Zelig and the entrepreneurial spirit.
Do you really need to fake it till you make it? In my humble opinion, the answer is yes in the majority of instances. This is especially true if your startup is a B2B business. Existing businesses rarely gamble on the new kid no matter how low the quote is. There’s simply too much at stake for everyone from the purchasing agent on up to the CEO.
This can also be a factor in B2C businesses. Ask yourself if you would trust a lawyer, doctor, or accountant fresh out of school. Chances are high that you wouldn’t. Nobody wants to be a test guinea pig for a stranger learning on the job.
How do entrepreneurs, deal-makers, and startups get past this credibility obstacle? They fake it till they make. Basically, they puff up the business to make it appear larger and more established than it maybe in reality. If you know what to look for you will see that everyone does it to varying degrees. The most successful entrepreneurs are experts at this game. Continue reading
Shark Tank Lessons for Entrepreneurs Seeking Startup Capital
Shows such as Shark Tank and its international versions from Canada and the UK are worth watching if you are a first time capital raiser. They give you a very good sense of what it’s like to pitch savvy investors. You need to invest time figuring what tough questions will be asked and prepare answers that will satisfy the asker.
Here’s a short article on one Shark Tank winner who six months later was shocked to discover that she would not be getting any money after all. What happened? The investor changed his mind. This happens a lot more than entrepreneurs like to think. Read How Not to Become ‘Shark’ Bait by Eric Sherman. Continue reading
Promotion Tricks for Startups
I like this idea. You can hire a fire & brimstone preacher to do a one minute video pitch for your business or anything else–so long as it’s in good taste, I imagine. It will just cost you $5. Watch the video here to see the gent in action. Continue reading
