How far a long does my company need to be before I approach an investor?

This may be a contrarian view. If you can get a warm introduction I always think it is a good idea to meet early for advice/thoughts before you return to actually pitch your investment. It really depends on the VC firm you are dealing with.

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Does my product need to be finished before i can conduct proper user testing?

Answered by April Dunford – Product Marketing Expert.

Of course not! Most companies test pieces of a product separately or focus testing on a particular feature. The key is to track your assumptions and make sure that you aren... (more)

Hi Dan. Thanks for making your time available. My question deals with calculating value. I am at a stage where I have an investor lined up for 50% of my company (which I...

Answered by Dan Martell – Founder & Investor.

Honestly, it's a negotiation. The best way to negotiate is to have multiple offers. If you don't have that - then you need to be willing to walk. If you're not willing t... (more)

I have a great programmer (also expensive) on hand who does not want to be a technical cofounder of my startup (which I can respect). Is it feasible to hire him to lay out ...

Answered by Scott Rutherford – Founder, UserVoice

Absolutely, its like having someone draw the picture, fill in the numbers, then let others paint according to the plan. You just need to be sure he creates an architecture ... (more)

what tools are out there to keep social media guideline documents updated. creating a document that Facebook ensures needs to be updated quarterly, how can i do this witho...

Answered by Maggie Fox – Founder, Social Media Group Posted in Operations

If I understand the question correctly, you're wondering how to create a dynamic set of guidelines that are available on the open web? I'd suggest from a technology perspec... (more)

Mark, do you think that in order to successfully manage a tech-based start-up involved with development of products, that the executives need to be as knowledgeable as the ...

Answered by Mark MacLeod – Partner, Real Ventures Posted in Product Development Management

I do think startup leaders, especially at the earlier stage should be either technical or a product person. For today's web startups, you don't necessarily need to be a pro... (more)

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