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Gust
AUGUST 5, 2022
When you hear the word crowdfunding, the first image that jumps to mind is Kickstarter. We all know how this crowdfunding site works. You donate money to a company or cause, and in return you get early access to the product/service, SWAG, or a combination of both.
Gust
OCTOBER 1, 2022
Angel investing in the past few years has moved from an arcane backwater of the financial world to a business arena that receives coverage in mainstream newspapers and hit television shows such as ABC’s Shark Tank.
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Gust
JULY 7, 2022
Welcome to the Gust Launch Founder Spotlight! Gust Launch supports a variety of exciting founders doing amazing things. In this ongoing series we’ll highlight the experiences of Gust Launch founders, in their own words, as they navigate the challenges of early-stage entrepreneurship.
Gust
MARCH 24, 2022
Welcome to the Gust Launch Founder Spotlight! Gust Launch supports a variety of exciting founders doing amazing things. In this ongoing series we’ll highlight the experiences of Gust Launch founders, in their own words, as they navigate the challenges of early-stage entrepreneurship.
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Successfully complete the five stages of ABM: define, identify, engage, convert, and connect. We’ll show you how to create a unified system with your sales team to help them land more qualified opportunities and connect with prospects like never before.
Gust
MARCH 18, 2022
A number of years ago I worked in product for Gust Launch. As a disclaimer, I am a staunch believe in the mission of Gust Launch and—more generally—decreasing the barriers to entrepreneurialism and innovation.
Gust
SEPTEMBER 6, 2022
Before a technology startup becomes a company, it spends a period of time as simply a project. The founding team is usually one or two individuals building and testing products as they try to validate a demand for them in the market.
Gust
AUGUST 24, 2022
Because you are undoubtedly raring to go out and change the world, I’m going to provide you with a crash checklist in “starting smart,” so that you can avoid the biggest, most bone-headed errors made by many bright-eyed and enthusiastic first-time founders.
Gust
AUGUST 19, 2022
Having worked with hundreds of founders and early-stage startups, I often hear questions in regards to setting up an Advisory Board. I will address some of the common questions I’ve heard over the years in this article and share some insights I’ve gained as both a founder and as an advisor.
Gust
AUGUST 17, 2015
With all the news about hundred million dollar rounds and billion dollar valuations, it can be hard not to look at the world of entrepreneurship and angel investing as a thrilling ride that only has one stop: success. But to be a successful entrepreneur or serious angel investor, you must have a realistic understanding of the startup failure rate and Read more >. The post The Startup Failure Rate Among Angel-Funded Companies appeared first on The Gust Blog.
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Sourcing the right executive candidates and filling key managerial roles in an organization can be difficult, even in the best of times. Download this eBook to level up your discovery process, talent sourcing, and strategies for reaching your best-fit candidates.
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Gust
NOVEMBER 20, 2014
Today, Gust is proud to join the U.S. Department of State and several other private sector partners to launch The GIST Network (GIST Net), an interactive online network connecting science and technology entrepreneurs in emerging economies. GIST Net will provide entrepreneurs with the resources and mentorship they need to collaborate, seek funding, and grow their businesses.
Gust
DECEMBER 7, 2014
Image via Pixabay. I’ve always wondered who started the urban myth that the best way to start a company is to come up with a great idea, and then find some professional investors to give you a pot of money to build a company. In my experience, that’s actually the worst way to start, for reasons I will outline here, and also the least common way, according to an authoritative survey of new startups.
Gust
NOVEMBER 30, 2014
Quote from Steve Jobs via Flickr. Steve Jobs was one of those entrepreneurs who seemed universally either loved or hated, but not many will argue with his ability to innovate in the technology product arena over the years. He was instrumental in creating Apple, which has pioneered a dazzling array of new products, and even surpassed Microsoft, to become the world’s most valuable technology company.
Gust
JUNE 14, 2016
In some ways, it is now difficult to imagine a world without accelerators. Many of the globe’s most well-known and disruptive startups were propelled from the hallways of legendary accelerators such as Y Combinator, TechStars, and 500 Startups. AirBnb, Dropbox, Zenefits, Stripe, DigitalOcean, Heroku, Optimizely, Intercom, Reddit, and hundreds of other startup success stories were all briskly brought to life. Read more >.
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To stay ahead in this race, every recruiter needs a good playbook. In this eBook, we lay out 12 recruiting plays that can automate key steps in your recruitment process, helping you reduce both the cost and the time it takes to hire the best candidates.
Gust
JUNE 8, 2014
Virtual Team meeting image via Wikimedia blog. Almost every startup is a virtual team these days, since most don’t start out with dedicated office space, and some or all members of the team work part-time or out of their own home. It’s a small world, so these team members may not even be in the same town, or the same country. Outsourcing is just another extension of the virtual team concept to people you don’t even know. Working effectively with a virtual team of any sort has many challenges.
Gust
DECEMBER 14, 2014
TED Conference image via Wikipedia. When entrepreneurs come to me with that “million dollar idea,” I have to tell them that an idea alone is really worth nothing. It’s all about the execution, and investors invest in the people who can execute, or even better, have a history of successful execution. Execution is making things happen, and for startups it usually means making change happen, which is even more difficult.
Gust
NOVEMBER 8, 2012
As I write this, days after the 2012 presidential election, I’m probably not alone in feeling relieved that the political jeering and soapboxing that reached a feverish pitch during the seemingly endless campaign season has finally subsided. Yet amidst all the partisan cheerleading and name-calling, there has been some discussion of substance. One particular four-letter word has been used pervasively by candidates of all stripes: Jobs.
Gust
SEPTEMBER 23, 2012
Most entrepreneurs think that risk is just an “occupational hazard” that can be minimized or eliminated by a smart businessman. That way of thinking is simplistic and wrong. In reality, some risks are good and should be embraced for growth and a competitive edge, while others are bad and should be avoided completely. Traditional risk management focuses only on bad risks, and seeks to contain losses.
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The question for sales pros is this: Are you ready for the challenge, and opportunity, of selling to the C-suite? The following 12 tips can help ensure that you and your team are.
Gust
NOVEMBER 17, 2013
Image via IntellectualVentures.com. If you expect to succeed in the thrill-a-minute, roller coaster ride of a startup, let me assure you it takes more than a good idea, a rich uncle, and luck. In fact, the idea is often the least important part of the equation. Most investors tell me that they look at the people first, the business plan second, and only then at the idea. If you want some tips to beat the insurmountable odds, take a look at the following concepts, adapted from Richard C.
Gust
OCTOBER 26, 2014
Image via Flickr from Food For Thought album. When someone asks me for the best way to fund a startup, I always say bootstrap it, meaning fund it yourself and grow organically. Bootstrapping avoids all the cost, pain, and distractions of finding angels or VCs, and allows you to keep control and all your hard-earned equity for yourself. Despite all the focus you hear on external investors, over 90% of startups today are self-funded.
Gust
AUGUST 26, 2022
Did you miss filing form 5472 at some point? Normally this means big penalties that are nearly impossible to waive, but finally there is some relief.
Gust
JANUARY 9, 2013
Years ago I came across the idea that in entrepreneurship, education and experience contribute to likelihood of success roughly like you see in the chart here. The underlying assumption is that a lot of education makes up for very little experience, and vice-versa. And this is in the context of startups, investment, and entrepreneurship. . I’ve drawn it here MBA style, with a line on two axes, pretty much the way I first saw it, with a smooth curve from one extreme to the other.
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This eBook will answer all your questions and more on Conversation Intelligence (CI) by providing a complete overview and its need in Revenue organizations - delivering impact from your Sales Development Representatives all the way to the C-Suite.
Gust
JUNE 4, 2014
This is a somewhat tricky question. Although there are many, many excellent events each week in New York that it would make sense for a startup entrepreneur to attend (see Gary’s Guide, Startup Digest, or This Week in NY Innovation), the truth is that (a) VCs and serious investors don’t go to most of them, and (b) the odds are slim that even if you and the investor were at the same event, you will have the opportunity or time to do more than say hello.
Gust
FEBRUARY 2, 2014
I don’t have an MBA. I used to fear that this would put me at a disadvantage in starting my own company, but now I’m convinced that it may be the other way around. In some reputable surveys , as many as two-thirds of entrepreneurs felt that their entrepreneurial spirit was more ingrained than learned, so a specific education level is at least irrelevant. For business professionals who aspire to an executive position in a large company, most people agree that an MBA is always positive.
Gust
NOVEMBER 11, 2012
Google's Larry Page image via Coolspotters.com. A while back, when a startup founder mentioned to me that he wasn’t sure he had the personality to be an entrepreneur, I realized how important that insight was. My first thought is that if you are more annoyed than energized by expert advice, team suggestions, and customer input, then you should probably avoid this line of work. Actually, it’s more complicated than that, but that’s a good start.
Gust
OCTOBER 30, 2015
In Q3 the global startup ecosystem continued to thrive, with 25% growth over the same quarter last year and up 18% from last quarter, as the innovation economy expands around the world. Quarterly data from Gust, the online platform for the global angel investment industry, reveals that while incumbent leaders show no sign of slowing down, new industries and areas Read more >.
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For the first time, we’re sharing the winning plays that took us from scrappy startup to a publicly traded company. Use our proven data-driven plays to grow your pipeline and crush your revenue targets.
Gust
AUGUST 17, 2014
Zappos logo via Flickr by Ben Spark. One of the most common failures I see in startups is lack of focus. Unfocused entrepreneurs boast that their new technology will generate multiple disruptive products for consumers as well as enterprises around the world. Investors hear this as trying to do too many things with limited resources, meaning the startup will not shine at anything, and will not survive the competition.
Gust
JULY 27, 2014
People are always asking me for an inside tip on Internet sites that will be “the next big thing.” Those are hard, since someone has to invent something innovative, but I do have some views on other ideas whose time has come and gone. In some cases, these are concepts that have already been done too many times, and the space is crowded. In others, the concept has been tried too many times, or no one has yet succeeded in making any money. Or both.
Gust
JULY 6, 2014
Photo via Flickr by Eric Chan. I talk to many people who have spent years struggling up the corporate ladder who dream of jumping ship and becoming an entrepreneur. I hasten to tell them that every job move is fraught with risk, but the move from employee to entrepreneur is on the high end of the risk curve. It’s a big jump, especially in today’s economy, so do your homework first on this one.
Gust
JANUARY 19, 2014
Image via Flickr (Creative Commons). Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the best entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and elsewhere. On the average, the entrepreneurs I know are living on Ramen noodles. But one thing they all seem to have in common is a love for learning and change. They rush in with a passion to better the world, and money is just an indication of their progress. The successful ones then invest their time and money in furthering their knowledge base.
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
What is conversational marketing really about? This guide will examine the market forces at play, shifting buyer trends, how to leverage conversation marketing, and the tactics involved in adopting it for a B2B demand generation strategy.
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