Running Lean – Business Canvas Variant

Running Lean (e-book) attacks the problem of how to grow web start-ups.  Ash Maurya has taken my favourite business model tool “The Business Model Generation” and tweaked it to meet his need of web SaaS companies.  For me this book was almost two books in one, peppered with some great tips on going companies: 1)      [...]

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Lighting Small Fires–When do you get investment? #MORGO Diary note 1

NZ Business Superstars Bare all at MORGO It’s true behind every success there are near failures. Making a go of it in emerging business space is hard yards and certainly not for the faint hearted. MORGO is an inspirational gathering of NZ Entrepreneurs sharing stories and insights of success and failure. While the real gems [...]

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Grow or Die – M&A the Answer to Export Success

Failure to get critical mass is burning out NZ exporters – adopt a M&A plan   NZ business people have a great ability to create world-beating products and solutions, yet our track record of building long-term sustainable high growth businesses is poor, why?   We  are “failing to build companies of suitable critical mass to conquer international markets”.  We are [...]

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Pitch Tip Book

After yet more tips for investment pitches … here is a great summary (29 slides) on pitching from Canaan Partners for entreprenuers seeking investment . http://www.slideshare.net/canaanpartners/canaan-entrepreneur-pitchbook-presentation?type=presentation Here is their main web site http://www.canaan.com/

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Would Trade Me have sold for $750m under the new Financial Advisers Act?

Is the new proposed financial advisers act is bureaucracy gone wrong? My fear is that this sort of policy is going to slow the economy and scare off the wrong people. Check out Andrew Simmonds take on the impact of the new act on the legendary and inspiration trademe deal  http://bit.ly/bZ74az

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Pre Money Valuation of >$1M check your logic

Escalator Angel day last week was a great chance to reset the dial for many entrepreneurs, well I hope so. Here is one investors company valuation model – not to different to the VC model we use in our workshops: Work out what realistic valuation you expect to get on exit. Hint more trade sales [...]

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