"The Entrepreneur Mindfield"

The Entrepreneur Mindfield: How to keep from Blowing up

your company

Robbie Melton

TEDCO

@femailentrepren

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Entrepreneur Types

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

The Tinkerer

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

The Life Styler

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

The Athlete

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

The Suicide

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Suicide Entrepreneur TM

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Suicide Entrepreneur TM

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Suicide Entrepreneur TM

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Suicide EntrepreneurTM

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Suicide EntrepreneurTM

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Suicide EntrepreneurTM

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Suicide EntrepreneurTM

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Suicide EntrepreneurTM

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Suicide EntrepreneurTM

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Suicide EntrepreneurTM

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Entrepreneur Suicide

• In Love with Technology

• Not willing to take risk/invest own money

• Suspicious

• Doesn’t listen/ oversells product

• No Customer Validation

• Insular – Family/friends

• Not Focused

• Understanding True Market

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Company Success

• Business Plan

• Good Management Team

• Understands Market/Customers

• Knows its Competition

• Platform Technology

• Financially Savvy

• Create Buzz

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

The Business Plan To have or not to have

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Management Team Family Friends

Strangers Diversity

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Market Size in $$$$

Growth Potential Do you have the real market

Market Penetration

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Customers Validation

Who are they really

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Competition

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

The Technology Platform

Disruptive

Enhancement

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Financials

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

ProForma Projections

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Investment

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Know How much, What For and When

• How much NOW and LATER

• What do you need the money for

– Be Specific

• When do you need the money

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Introductions

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Create Buzz

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012

Thank you!

rmelton@marylandtedco.org

@femailentrepren

© Robbie Melton May 23, 2012