The Startup Playbook: Founder-to-Founder Advice from Two Startup Veterans (Techstars)

Description

Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Foreword Introduction Starting a Company Is Easy. Starting a Sustainable, Growing Business Is Hard. Really Hard. How This Book Is Organized Our Assumptions Who Should Read This Book? Let's Get Started PART I: I Want to Start a Company Chapter 1: What Is a Startup? The Definition of Startup Startups Exist in Many Sectors Chapter 2: Why Start a Company? The Allure of Startups Why Should You Start a Company? Chapter 3: Am I Cut Out to Found a Startup? The First Question You Should Ask Roles of the Founding Team Chapter 4: Qualities of a Founder It's More Than Just a Job Habits of a Founder Sacrifices of a Founder PART II: Getting Off the Ground Chapter 5: How Do I Know If My Idea Is Good or Not? An Idea Is Just an Idea Coming Up with Your Initial Idea Chapter 6: Vetting Your Vision Refine, Refine, and Then Refine Some More Who Are Your Customers? What Is Your Value Proposition? Chapter 7: Product‐Market Fit The Gateway to Success: Product‐Market Fit Chapter 8: If You Build It, They Will Come Can You Build a Team? Can You Build the Product? Chapter 9: Your Market How Will You Be Different? How Will You Go‐to‐Market? Chapter 10: Money—Getting It and Making It How Will You Make Money? Can You Get Funding? Chapter 11: Getting Help Finding Mentors Chapter 12: Pulling the Founding Team Together The Most Important Aspect of Your Startup Is the Founding Team Building the Founding Team Chapter 13: Equity Splits Splitting the Pie Chapter 14: Operating as a Founding Team The Complexity of Founding Teams Chapter 15: How Do I Form My Company? Creating a Legal Entity Organization Where Do I Incorporate? Getting a Lawyer Choosing a Company Name Founder's Stock Intellectual Property Agreements Chapter 16: Finance and Human Resources Company Hygiene—The Early Required Systems Insurance PART III: Funding Your Startup Chapter 17: Funding Basics Raising Money Is a Process Why Do You Even Need to Raise Money? What It Means to Raise Money Glossary of Terms Chapter 18: Sources of Capital Loads of Options Chapter 19: Prerequisites for Funding Getting Capital Before You Raise Money Nail Your Strategy and Business Model Build the Financial Model Decide How Much Money You Want to Raise Choose Your Source of Capital Chapter 20: Running Your Fundraising Process Chances of Getting Funded Who Do You Target? Getting to Your Targets Accelerators Getting Investment Capital—Angels and VCs Chapter 21: Your First Investor Meeting The First One May Be the Most Important One Chapter 22: What Happens after You're Finished with Fundraising? You've Got Capital. Now What? Failed Investment Process Alternatives to Raising Money PART IV: Running Your Company Chapter 23: How Do I Build and Deliver a Great Product? The Product Is Just Part of What You're Selling Initial Product Chapter 24: Making Your Customer Successful Documentation, Instructions, and Guides Interactive Support Planning Your Future Offering Chapter 25: How to Get Customers Why Focus on a Go‐to‐Market Plan? Pricing Strategy Chapter 26: Your Marketing Approach Letting Potential Customers Know You Exist Chapter 27: Sales and Distribution Strategy How to Sell Chapter 28: You Don't Run Your Company, Your Culture Does Moving Forward Building Your Culture It's All About the People Chapter 29: Hiring and Managing Your Team It's the Most Important Thing You Do for Your Company Managing Your Team Chapter 30: Scaling the Company To Grow Fast, You Need to Scale Conclusion Acknowledgments About the Authors Notes Index EULA