Monthly Archives: December 2015

Ep. 125 – The Business Power Pitch Deconstructed: Part 9 – Management Team

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SIBP-Blog-NEW-B-2Why is your team the right one to invest in? Sure, you may have found a great market niche, and come up with a solid product or service to fill that need. But does your company’s specific collection of founders, advisors and key employees really have what it takes to create a successful business to address that gap in the market? How can you demonstrate that your team is up to the task?

In this episode, host and business coach Tom Ryan explains what investors like to see in a great management team, and some of the red flags they look for in bad ones. As always, Tom is joined by producer and co-host Jason Pyles. Continue reading →

Ep. 124 – The Business Power Pitch Deconstructed: Part 8 – Competitive Strategy

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SIBP-Blog-NEW-5Building a strong competitive strategy isn’t just a matter identifying the other companies in your market. To answer those hard questions that will inevitably come from potential investors, you need to have a clear picture of how your business stacks up against not only your rivals, but also “dark horse” companies and even your “frenemy” partners. That means putting in some time doing the less-than-glamorous stuff of SWOT research.

In this episode, host and business coach Tom Ryan takes a tactical look at creating a winning competitive strategy for your startup pitch. As always, Tom is joined by producer and co-host Jason Pyles. Continue reading →

5 Tips for Creating Great Business Partnerships

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SIBP-Blog-NEW-B-3What partners do you need to successfully grow and build your business? You’re going to need suppliers, for a start. These are the people who provide the materials you need for creating your product or delivering your service. You’re also going to need vendors — from consultants and lawyers to software providers and office supply companies — to support your operation.

Other partners you will eventually need to bring in might not be as obvious. Continue reading →

Ep. 123 – The Business Power Pitch Deconstructed: Part 7 – Go to Market

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SIBP-Blog-NEW-4One of the biggest places founders stumble during the pitch is in establishing the size and scope of their market. They either think too big, or they don’t think big enough. Nailing down the best estimate for the size of an opportunity, and demonstrating that you have what it takes to capture that opportunity, is the cornerstone to building a convincing “go to market” strategy.

In this episode, host and business coach Tom Ryan talks about the common mistakes entrepreneurs make as they determine their potential market size, and their misconceptions about their ability to reach that market. As always, Tom is joined by producer and co-host Jason Pyles. Continue reading →

Ep. 122 – The Business Power Pitch Deconstructed: Part 6 – The Business Model

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SIBP-Blog-NEW-3“How will I get my customers to give me their money?” While there are more eloquent ways of describing the function of a business model, that’s it in a nutshell. Having a clearly stated, easily understood business model is a key part of creating a power pitch for your company. This isn’t the time to be highly specific or granular about your company’s methods or organization. You just want to quickly explain how the business will make money.

In this episode, host and business coach Tom Ryan explains the basic structure of a business model, and what their function is during the pitch itself. As always, Tom is joined by producer and co-host Jason Pyles. Continue reading →