Foreword / Bill Gross -- Preface: Why every entrepreneur needs this book instead of the other 93,210 books on entrepreneurship -- Introduction: 25 key action steps (plus one) for every entrepreneur -- Translate your idea into a compelling business model -- Craft a lean business plan to serve as your venture's road map -- Find and know your competitors -- Build your dream team -- Allocate the equity in your startup -- Build a minimum viable product and validate your plan with customers -- Establish your brand with online public profiles -- Network effectively with the entrepreneurial ecosystem -- Incorporate your company for protection and investment -- "Lawyer up" the right way -- Recruit your board of directors and advisors -- Select an accountant and an accounting system -- Establish and manage your credit profile -- Open bank, credit card, and merchant accounts -- Choosing your key technologies, platforms, and vendors -- Measure your business with data analytics -- Round out your team with employees and freelancers -- Establish a stock option plan to incentivize your team -- Understand the funding process and what investors want to see -- Nurture your investor pipeline -- Crowdfunding and online platforms -- Survive the term sheet negotiation and investor due diligence -- Get the most from your investors, now and in the future -- Understand your company's valuation -- Keep your eye on the exit and reap the benefits of success.
Summary:
While most entrepreneurship books focus on strategy, this guide provides concrete steps to get your new business off to a strong start. You'll learn the ins and outs of startup execution, management, legal issues, practical processes throughout the launch and growth phases, and how to avoid critical missteps. Instead of simply referring you to experts, this discussion shows you exactly which experts you need, what exactly you need them to do, and which tools you will use to support them -- and you'll gain enough insight to ask smart questions that help you get your money's worth. If you're ready to do big things, this book has you covered from the first business card to the eventual exit. Over two thirds of startups are built on creaky foundations, and over two thirds of startup costs go directly toward cleaning up legal and practical problems caused by an incomplete or improper start. This book helps you sidestep the messy and expensive clean up process by giving you the specific actions you need to take right from the very beginning. Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.