Founders are just like football managers

Founders are just like football managers

The English Premier League football season kicks off in a few days and those of you who know me well know that with my wife and I hold season tickets at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal’s home ground. I was comparing in my mind the role their coach Mikel Arteta has been...
How do I value my pre-revenue or pre-seed startup?

How do I value my pre-revenue or pre-seed startup?

I have been asked many times by founders how they should value their business when they are looking for funding. Now, whilst establishing a pre-money valuation for your venture might seem like playing darts in the dark, especially when you are pre-revenue or looking...
Pitching to angels when pre-revenue

Pitching to angels when pre-revenue

Raising capital for a pre-revenue startup is a daunting task. The process is often competitive, and investors are looking for startups that stand out from the crowd. Here are ten things a pre-revenue founding team should have in place before pitching to an angel...
Will your business scale?

Will your business scale?

Here are the ten indicators I look for in a startup to judge if it can and is ready to scale, not just grow. 9 1. Exceptional Leadership: If a team of visionaries leads the startup with a clear and focused growth strategy, this is a strong indicator that it can scale....
Growing or Scaling

Growing or Scaling

I have started to review the history of some of the businesses I have led, been involved in, or advised over the last twenty years, and at key points in their history, I have looked at how they have scaled or, in some cases failed to scale. It gave me an idea for this...