Martin Zwilling

LATEST ARTICLES ( 3466 )

• Investors Like Ideas, But Measure You On Execution

  

  After the idea, it’s all about execution. I often hear from investors that a great idea is necessary, but not sufficient. The most important thing is a proven... Read more

  Posted on 08 February 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• Investors Fund Solutions Rather Than Technology

  

  Too many entrepreneurs develop a new product without regard to market demand, then build an entire strategy based on creating a need, rather than acting on an... Read more

  Posted on 07 February 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• This Startup Dream Team Will Assure Fundability

  

  Every investor is looking for the “dream team” of executives to put his money on. Often I find that experienced investors flip to the management page of a... Read more

  Posted on 06 February 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• Most Investors Bite Only at Specific Startup Stages

  

  If you are looking for an outside investor, you need to know how they see you. Different types of investors look for startups at different levels of maturity. Read more

  Posted on 05 February 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• Startup Due Diligence Is Not a Mysterious Black Art

  

  After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet,... Read more

  Posted on 04 February 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• How to Find the ‘Star Performer’ in Every Employee

  

  Every startup and every big business wishes that all their employees were star performers, but wishing doesn’t make it happen. Some coaches and leaders seem to... Read more

  Posted on 03 February 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• Social Media is a Boon to Startups Who Do It Right

  

  If your startup can’t be bothered with social media, or has no plan to take advantage of it, then you are definitely at risk these days. But simply jumping in i... Read more

  Posted on 01 February 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER, SOCIAL MEDIA, TECH

• Scaling a Business by Cloning Yourself is Tough

  

  Many writers have outlined the critical success factors for product companies, like sell every unit at a profit, patent the design, and continuous product... Read more

  Posted on 31 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• 8 Key Elements Make Your Business Transformative

  

  Every entrepreneur has an idea for transforming a market with innovative new technology, or transforming society with a new process. But unfortunately, most of... Read more

  Posted on 30 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• Good Business Writing is Not a Mark Twain Novel

  

  In the world of business, you only get one chance for a great first impression. The stakes are high – you are asking an investor for money, a customer for an... Read more

  Posted on 29 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• Keep Term Sheets Simple for Quicker Cash to Spend

  

  Remember a term sheet agreement is not a deal until the check clears. Entrepreneurs sometimes assume an initial agreement with an Angel is a commitment, so... Read more

  Posted on 27 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• Great Startups Can Hook an Investor in 60 Seconds

  

  An "elevator pitch" is a concise, well-practiced description of your startup and your plan, delivered with conviction and enthusiasm, that your mother should... Read more

  Posted on 26 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• 10 Ways Top Business Leaders Avoid The Loneliness

  

  One of the toughest things about running a business is the feeling of loneliness and isolation. You are on your own and nobody supports you because it’s hard fo... Read more

  Posted on 25 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• A Smart Business Knows 8 Ways to Pivot Their Vision

  

  One of the hottest buzzword for startups these days is “pivot.” The term, introduced by entrepreneur and venture advisor Eric Ries in an article on Lessons... Read more

  Posted on 22 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• 10 Hiring Shortcuts No Young Company Can Afford

  

  Every startup with any traction quickly reaches a point where they need to hire employees to grow the business. Unfortunately, this always happens when pressure... Read more

  Posted on 19 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• 7 Ways to Avoid a Poor First Impression in Business

  

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  Posted on 16 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• Texting is Killing Real Business Communication

  

  Whether it’s a business or personal interaction, multiple studies show that as much as 50-65% of the communication is nonverbal. That means that people who are... Read more

  Posted on 13 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• 8 Ways Leaders Can Motivate Employees Beyond Money

  

  Most successful entrepreneurs will tell you that their primary motivation is to “change the world” and to build something lasting, not to make a lot of money.... Read more

  Posted on 11 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• 10 Reasons Why Business Action Can Trump Thinking

  

  I’ve always said that startups are all about execution. Sometimes I encounter self-proclaimed entrepreneurs who have been “thinking” about a concept for many... Read more

  Posted on 08 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER

• 10 Startup Survival Tips in the Age of the Platform

  

  Every startup, as well as mature business, needs to learn as much as possible from Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google, who have set the standards for fast... Read more

  Posted on 05 January 2012 BUSINESS, CAREER