Even with the latest technology software to manage a business, entrepreneurs can still miss catastrophic threats. When starting a business, unknown risks are implicitly assumed, unmanaged, and can lead to failure. In 2010, Veinott, Klein, and Wiggins conducted a study for the U.S. Army. This research team performed a scientific analysis of the pre-mortem technique. […]
How venture capital firms work: Substantial risks in the pursuit of scale
Training and PromotionVenture capital (VC) can be very positive for startups, especially if you’re interested in prioritizing speed of growth over efficiency. However, if too reliant on VC rather than profitability, it can be a significant detriment to your business model’s long-term sustainability. Sometimes raising funding from VCs can be a shot in the dark if you […]
Alternative funding options for veterans that isn’t venture capital
Veteran Startup 101One out of every ten U.S. businesses is veteran-owned. With a growing interest in entrepreneurship among veterans combined with increasing support for small businesses, more veteran-owned companies are expected to be launched in the U.S. Veterans have acquired unmatched skills that are uniquely transferable from combat to the business world. Owning a business is a […]
5 Things to consider before securing funding to grow your business
Veteran Startup 101If you’re intent on turning your barracks idea into a burgeoning startup, there may come a time when you need to focus on securing funding to grow your business. While entrepreneurial talent is distributed across a wide variety of demographics and geography, investment is not. There are gaps in startup ecosystems and a lack of […]
Pitch Deck: How to present your vision to investors
Veteran Startup 101A pitch deck is a brief presentation providing your audience with a quick overview of your business. Concerning startups, founders are pitching for funding from angel investors and venture capitalists (VCs). Raising outside capital can occur at various stages but usually happens when cash becomes a constraint to your business’s growth and scale. The deck […]
How veteran-owned businesses are navigating the pandemic with 4 Star General John Nicholson
FeaturedThis past Friday, 9/11, Lisa Nirell, the author of The Mindful Marketer, interviewed John Nicholson, General U.S. Army (Retired), and Suzie Mills, the co-founder of Practice Everywhere and an Air Force veteran. General Nicholson is the President of the PenFed Foundation, which has helped 1,062 military families with COVID-19 emergency financial relief since March 17th […]
The How-To Guide on validating your startup on a tight budget
FitnessSpend more time building versus planning your business. At the concept stage, founders are exploring the feasibility of building a product or service based on an idea. Although still in ideation, founders should also be building, measuring, and learning as fast as they possibly can. When launching your startup, it’s imperative to search for problems […]
Bringing your idea to light by bootstrapping your startup
Veteran Startup 101Turning an idea into something that people will eventually want to buy is an exceptional accomplishment. However, like life, business is not linear. The entrepreneurial journey involves time delays and unpredictability. This is especially true for transitioning veterans. A quarter of transitioning veterans say they want to start a business. While many have valuable leadership […]
4 tips from veteran entrepreneurs that you need to hear
FeaturedI’ve reviewed thousands of pitch decks from startups. After seeing a few pitches, I’ve noticed something that most inexperienced first-time founders share — they want to be everything to everyone. This is a misstep because acquiring the first group of loyal customers is essential in new product development and implementation. When you market to everyone, […]
How your veteran business can stand out: Start with WHY
FeaturedPeople don’t buy WHAT you do; they buy WHY you do it — That’s particularly true of veteran businesses. Launching a startup and building a business continues to get more capital efficient. However, markets are increasingly saturated with competition. How can veterans stand out from the pack? As founders position their startups to find a […]
