Chapter Resources

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Video Interviews

Chapter 1: Defining Your Industry Focus and the Type of Business You Want to Start

    • Video Links
    • What it takes to be an Entrepreneur
      Founder Impact puts together a compilation of quotes and thoughts on what it takes to be an entrepreneur
    • Career Advice
      Donald Trump’s advice on how to succeed in your career especially on choosing an industry you like, not what is expected
    • Analyzing Industries
      How to analyze an industry using Michael Porter’s 5 forces
    • Porter's 5 Forces
      Porter’s 5 forces are broken down in a fun and entertaining story of someone trying to enter the rubber ducky market
    • Web Resources
    • North American Industry Classification System
    • The North American Industry Classification System provides common industry definitions for the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and groups the economic activities of specific companies into specific industries and industry subsectors.

    • Yahoo Finance
      Yahoo!Finance provides financial data for publicly traded companies.
    • Earth Portal
      A website for environment innovation, hot topics and online publications of the National Council for Science and the Environment.
    • PC Money Tree
      Tabulates recent quarter venture capital investments by technology industry.

Chapter 2: Defining the Target Customer

Chapter 3: Defining the Needs of Target Customers

Chapter 4: Defining Solutions for Customers

    • Web Resources
    • Pure Pest Management
      Pure Pest Management has a great example of a service portfolio and has defined a niche in premium, green, pest management.
    • Korkers
      An excellent example of modularity. This company creates a solid platform to use across many products
    • Dell & Lenovo
      Examples of “Good, Better, Best” Product Strategies

Chapter 5: Defining the Business Model for a Venture

Chapter 6: Positioning and Branding a Venture in the Marketplace

    • Web Resources
    • Akrivis
      Akrivis, a venture discussed in the chapter, functionally positions themselves as ultrasensitive detection
    • SFDC , ZOHO CRM, PipeDrive
      These three CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Software position themselves as “cloud” companies
    • Njabini Apparel
      An example of social & emotional positioning
    • MYSQL White Paper
      Compares companies in terms of e-commerce read/write transactions per second for 1,000 simultaneous users; and Web searches for pricing

Chapter 7: A Reality Check on the Venture Concept and the Business Model

Chapter 8: Financial Sources for Startups and Corporate Ventures

    • Web Resources
    • Accion USA
      A microfinance organization that offers small business loans up to $50,000 and credit and business advice to small business owners who cannot access traditional credit
    • East Coast Angels
      A highly regarded collection of angel investors working out of New Hampshire and Northern Massachusetts that has placed more than $20 million into a number of startups
    • The Funded
      This website carries the opinions of entrepreneurs who have worked with VC firms across the country
    • Dow Jones Private Markets or www.bizcomps.com
      Paid data source with all types of granular detail about private company transactions
    • Angel List
      Angel List is a place where startups can find investors as well as talent to join their team

Chapter 9: Projecting the Financial Performance and Requirements for the Venture

Chapter 10: Organizing the Venture Team

    • Web Resources
    • Customer Advisory Board
      Information to share best practices among Customer Advisory Board (CAB) practitioners, match companies embarking on Customer Advisory Council's with Customer Advisory experts, and promote Customer Advisory Boards as a proven method for increasing sales and customer loyalty in organizations worldwide
    • www.iFreelance.com & www.coroflot.com
      These are websites for industrial designers who can help improve the look and feel of a new product, packaging, or systems.
    • www.cofounderslab.com
      CoFoundersLab is a website to find co-founders or other talent to join your startup team
    • www.guru.com
      Guru.com is a website for finding and hiring freelancers and managing projects online

Chapter 11: Writing the Business Plan

Chapter 12: Making the Pitch

    • Video Links
    • Insights on Seeking Venture Capital
      Guy Kawasaki gives tips on seeking Venture Capital
    • Tech Stars Demo Day - Libboo
      This is a pitch from TechStars Boston Demo day featuring Libboo.  This is an example of a great and engaging pitch
    • PsychoSoft Pitch
      This is another example of a pitch from TechStars Boston for Psykosoft- this is an example of how to make a pitch that fits your personality
    • Make a Great Pitch
      Guy Kawasaki talks about how entrepreneurs are always pitching, whether it is for talent, funding or customers.  He also talks about his 10, 20, 30 rule
    • Web Resources
    • Guy Kawasaki Blog
      Guy Kawasaki’s blog. Guy is a noted observer of technology and a successful investor
    • NVCA
      A website of boutique VC firms that specialize in consumer or industrial products
    • The Funded
      This website carries the opinions of entrepreneurs who have worked with VC firms across the country
    • How to Pitch VCs
      TechCrunch advice on how to pitch to VCs
    • VC Term Sheet Lingo
      This blog explains many of the terms you will need to be familiar with if your pitch goes well!

Authors: Marc H. Meyer and Frederick G. Crane

Pub Date: January 2013

Pages: 448

Learn more about this book