Help me find, I desperately need this for MediaTech Ventures and I *KNOW* hundreds of other Startup Development Organizations need the same thing:

1. STARTUP Investor Relations
2. Founder communications
3. CRM with scoring

All in one. WHITE LABELED! - our domain, cobranded

I love sharing this chart with the founders in @mediatech Ventures' incubators because founders, generally all, want to show me their product, get fixated on traction, and feel it necessary to explain how it works.

I can't count how many times I met someone at SXSW who then wanted to turn what should be a 3-minute conversation into a 15-minute chat so they could demo their product (and I often felt bad being busy and saying, "I don't need to see it, just tell me your pitch" because of the look of disappointment on founders' faces at hearing they can't show it off). Think about it... how will seeing your product, and how it works, change any opinion about funding you? You demo for people buying it, not for people taking a risk in whether or not you can build a company.

1. Is there actually a problem (and opportunity)?

2. How is your solution a value proposition? Not just a solution, how does it create value? If it doesn't or can't, you're not yet fundraising.

3. What are the business models that apply, and which will give you a competitive advantage? Note: business model doesn't = how we'll make money; the business model is both revenue and costs.

4. Competition. Shame on you for showing us you're best and woe be you who says there isn't any. I feel bad for founders who don't put marketing first and actually started, or worse, built something, without doing this above all else.

5. Can you and your team accomplish this?? If not, you're not fundraising, you're still team building.

6. Now, what kind of capital do you need, how will that create much greater value and not merely deliver or fulfill what you need to do now, and why do you actually need it? What will that mean for the investors?

SIX SLIDES

And notice, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to show how it works.

If those 6 slides are nailed, traction is evident, confidence is established, and opportunity is communicated.

Next frequently valuable to add?

1. Market Validation. Not CUSTOMER validation! MARKET validation. -- If you don't know the difference, call me.

2. Market Size. But really, come on, it's more than billions isn't it? What's your Attainable Market (and how)?

3. Marketing Plan / Go To Market

(seeing a recurring theme yet? #marketing)

4. Traction / Milestones - you need this if the above fails to convince. Otherwise, you don't need it

5. Use of Funds. Frankly, this should be in there.

Join me to help me top 5,000 @LinkedIn newsletter subscribers by Monday? I seem to have a knack for stirring up some controversy, helping #startups, and provoking thoughts in #entrepreneurs:

linkedin.com/newsletters/startup-studio-6877698794465701888

Messaging and things going on during #SXSW, based on real time location, check it out : link.getsaturday.com/OdVIuwwNpxb

Introducing DeSo Chat Protocol: The Universal Messaging Framework

Unlocking true wallet-to-wallet messaging for all communities across Web3

View this post at diamondapp.com/u/deso/blog/introducing-deso-chat-protocol-the-universal-messaging-framework

Mentions: $DESO

#blog

We're on #entrepreneurs, #startups, and #VCs coming to #SXSW
fundedhouse.com

4-day venue dedicated to funding and founders.
If you're coming to Austin, get yourself registered so you can join us.

Yesterday, DeSo went from "The Social Layer Fork" to "The Social Network Fork"

This will provide so many new signals... that's all 100% on-chain & indexable!

This will enable the building of social graphs beyond just "follows" & "interests", into one that's centered around
"connection" and "relationships".

And it is coupled with on-chain identity and content. This is what a true on-chain reputation should feel like.

And it's all completely open, not owned by any big tech company, and it will grow across multiple chains, starting with Ethereum (and soon, Solana) 🤯

Day 647 - #KrassensteinDaily
- @Nader releases a 2023 Preview blog posts, outlining some new features coming to @DeSo. (bit.ly/3jEbfAF)
- @WUN is shutting down, at least for now. (bit.ly/3IjPWPm)
- The @SacredSkulls project is NOT dead. (bit.ly/3Gw0Sb4)
- @rhubarb & @PBMC are celebrating @Murkury's debut vinyl release. (bit.ly/3jKz223)
- @NFTz live auctions are ending soon! (nftz.me/auctions)
- Also mentioned in this video: @altumbase @diamond @setu-deso @Pearl @RowdyReptilians @IlluMEMEnati @CLOUT_COCKS @spookies @cloutpunk @FUCKEDUPCATS @GOOSIES @SpunkArt @stedfastLLC @studio_richards @metaphilosopher @boxerxxx @LeBigMac @Bitclout_FR @ElrickErikose @EatGreenAppelz @Clivetong @Stargeezer @Goldberry @Coldlux @MechellLord @ElrickErikose @HappyRabbit @Alinaferry @SpunkArt @rolanseyidov

It's never as easy as it looks.

I lost $50,000, more or less, on a business started in my 20s. Hurt a lot. I'm now 4d-*ahem* and finding peace with success. Lessons learned along the way:

1. Always have income. Never quit a job or engagement until you're confident of success. That bullshit some claim about focus is just that, bullshit; people say 'focus' because they're ignorant of any other meaningful advice to give. Always, always, work while starting something.

2. It takes 6x longer than you think and 10x longer than you hope. Plan accordingly. Now, plan again, it will take longer.

3. Team team team team. Job 1, day 1, find people who agree. Job 2, every day, keep finding people who agree and will join you.

4. 90% of people won't get it and will tell you 'no.' This never goes away. If you think they'll say you suck now, welcome to being an entrepreneur. Get over that, that comes with the territory.

5. Marketing is the most important thing you do. Not promoting. Not sales. Not advertising. Marketing. Learn the difference. Marketing is how companies avoid costly mistakes and failures. Avoid it at your peril.

6. Do NOT buy into the hype. The shows, books, and local 'startup' thing, they're selling something and you're the customer.

7. Entrepreneurship is a leading cause of mental health issues and money lost; it is not for most. Be wary of anyone who is saying it's easy or encouraging you to be one (consider why they're encouraging it).

8. Being a startup is not about the idea. Ever. It's about thousands of ideas, hundreds of thousands, testing them constantly (daily) and discarding most of them. Most of what you do will fail. Focus on your mission, then a vision; everything else is a pivot as fast and efficiently as possible.

9. Lastly, perhaps most important, it is NOT about finding success; it's about avoiding complete failure. The trick no one tells you is that "fail fast" is actually very right, but not fail as in 'quit,' but rather as in, 'try, and abandon things quickly.' When 90% of everyone fails and quits, the trick isn't trying to be the anomaly in the 10%, it's working so as not to be in the 90%. Sounds like the same thing but it's not! Too many founders/startups get enamored by and drawn to wins and success. If you win, stay humble; buy yourself a nicer cup of coffee and get back to work discarding failures. Most startups fail because of confirmation bias, zombie status, and listening to customers telling them the wrong things. Always, ALWAYS, think, "this is wrong, this is not good enough," and do better, even with wins, "always better," because you are NOT successful until you are.

Posted from @entre

The alerts were distracting, sales pitches you know,
Averting my attention, to the spam saying "no;"
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But an unknown VC, and eight Angels dear,
A term sheet proposed, I read the deal quick.

I thought in a moment, 'this must be a trick.'

To you all, we exclaim, while we help you start right,
MediaTech Ventures says “good luck,” your idea is alright!

Enjoy... 'Twas the Night of a Startup:
mediatech.ventures/twas-the-night-of-a-startup

Posted from @entre