PACKAGING AND SELLING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL IDEA
PACKAGING AND SELLING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL IDEA
There seems to be a never-ending stream of great people with "the idea of the decade"--the one that was going to help them carve a place for themselves, and their followers, in the industry.
Some succeed--beyond their wildest dreams. Some fail quickly, almost painlessly. Some take a long time to die. Others are acquired when they are in the painful throes of death. Some of the companies and ideas are never born because they can't acquire the necessary parental support ... money.
A number of experts – particularly recruitment executives – feel that anyone in the hardware, software and communications arena, who has the desire – and the idea – should take the plunge and become an entrepreneur. They reason that even if the company fails, the individual has marketable skills that can then be sold to someone else. Others feel that you should be prepared for success--and failure.
One recruiter said that given two candidates the one who was involved in a start-up that failed compared to an individual with a growth track record with a single firm would probably have the edge in today’s market. Their reason was that the individual most certainly gained some valuable experience as to what works and what doesn’t.
Generally, people who take the new venture plunge have been successful all of their lives. But anyone, regardless of his or her past successes, has to be prepared for the bumpy road that lies ahead when starting a new product or service organization.
The start-up will consume all of your energy--and possibly your life savings. If it fails, it's more than a financial set back. It's a dramatic blow to your ego and self-esteem. But it is the successes that keep dreams alive and the reason more people try for the gold ring every year.
Money, Money, Money
A general partner at one venture capital firm recently said that good people and good ideas are key ingredients of a successful start-up. However, they are quick to point out that money is what makes the whole thing happen.
One entrepreneur reinforced this statement by saying that when you start a company and are trying to build it, "money is more important than your mother."
Venture capital is often thought of as the first method of raising money for a new company. However, venture capital actually comes quite a bit further down the line.
The first source of money is your own bankroll. It is encouraging to investors when they know that the entrepreneur believes so much in the concept that he or she will be the initial investor.
This is followed by money from friends, relatives, your partners and the bank. After you have exhausted these sources, it is time to approach the group or organization that will most likely be your biggest backer--the venture capitalist.
Actually, you’ll be doing these activities in parallel because none of the sources quickly sign the huge checks you need to grow your enterprise.
Venture Capitalists Some people consider venture capitalists to be worse than loan sharks. Others picture them as angels.
They are neither. They are business people. They invest in young firms and hope to make money when the company goes public or is acquired. They invest in those companies that they feel will provide an optimum return for their investors.
Different venture capital firms weigh the criteria for their investments differently. But they all spend considerable time look at the people involved in the start-up. They invest in people who think big, are highly motivated, are willing to make substantial personal commitments and have a track record of success. They also look for products and/or programs that meet specific market needs in a high-quality cost-effective manner.
Some firms look for large; rapidly growing markets where there are significant
opportunities. Others look for new, emerging markets where market leadership can be established quickly. Still others look for a smaller market in which the company can be the dominant factor.
Match your target venture group with your goals--just as you would if you were selling your products to a prospect.
Next, realize that there are various categories of investments and selection criteria within each category. There is seed, bridge, start-up, first-round and second-round financing. Each has its degree of risk for the venture capital firm. That means the equity they will require will vary.
Despite the well-covered demise of the dot.com era, there is still an estimated $120 billion in funding available for new enterprise investments this year. With that amount of money sitting in the bank, you may think that venture capital and R&D partnership firms are falling all over each other to fund the next wave of computer and communications opportunities.
Wrong.
Even in downturn periods like these, venture capital firms still receive an average of 100+ technology and service/support new business proposals each month.
The Business Plan
Unfortunately, instead of paving the way for funding, the proposals are often more detrimental than helpful. In fact, the sad truth is that the majority of the business plans presented are not just badly written, they're very badly written. This makes the evaluation/decision period longer and more difficult for both parties.
Pyramid Your Plan
The business plan should be presented to potential investor in the same manner that your products and services are presented to potential customers--quickly and effectively. A simple way to accomplish this is with a pyramid-style presentation. This type of proposal starts with a summary and sections are expanded toward the base.
After you get through the legalities and disclaimers, the most important part of your plan should be the executive summary. This one- to two-page summary clearly states what the company is going to do, what the market potential is, how the company plans to achieve market penetration, the time period involved, the product/service plans, the amount of money needed and how that money will be used.
The second most important section of the business plan is the business summary. This includes corporate objectives and strategy; a market summary with product/service objectives; unique technology involved; a plan of operation/action; a financial summary and investment requirements.
The executive and business summaries are the most important parts of your proposal because few senior funding officials will read beyond these areas.
The Product
The next section is the product or service description. This includes the product's, system's or service's features and capabilities, as well as future plans. Too many entrepreneurs fall in love with their technology and view the marketing and sales programs/efforts as necessary evils.
However, most investment experts feel that marketing is as important (if not more so) than technology. They reason that even the best technology has a prime life span of one-two years and then it will be usurped by another even better technology. Marketing and communications on the other hand sets the company – and its products/services – apart from the masses of firms that wax on and on about their unique and special technology. Differentiate yourself by including an aggressive marketing and promotional program.
In short, marketing is where it's at.
Market Analysis
The fourth section is the market analysis which should discuss the market or markets, the trends and the need your products/services will fill.
Depending upon the potential market, there are numerous information sources for this section. Start with the publications that target your specific market area, including leading business and trade publications. By knowing who and what to ask at the publications, you can usually find a significant amount of valuable information at no cost.
Many of the publications not only have conducted extensive product, technology and company research but also marketplace studies on current market shares and future industry requirements. They are usually willing to share this information because they realize that if you are successfully funded you represent a potential advertiser.
Over the last decade, a complex market research industry that covers every aspect of every market has emerged. Research reports can also be purchased from organizations such as International Data Corporation (IDC), Gartner Group, Forrester, META, Jupiter and others.
Another excellent source is to search the growing number of global information sites on the World Wide Web. Simply search for key words and key phrases and you will find a wealth of data from around the world. The power of the Internet can give you instant access to global engineering, marketing and technical research, major educational institution libraries, governmental research and reports as well as the Web sites of competitive firms.
The time spent on the Web can be very enlightening and informative. While many are of no interest to you, Forrester has noted that every day more than 10,000 new Web sites are opened every day. Somewhere in these electronic repositories you will find the documents, data and images you need.
The Competition
The fifth section of the business plan is the competitive analysis. This includes a discussion of the participants in the market as well as potential market players, the number of years they've been in business, their size, sales volume, product niche markets and product plans. Today firms of every shape and product discipline have Web home pages with excellent information just waiting for you to access.
Don't try to bluff your way through this section. Entrepreneurs are always inclined to say that they have no competition because their products/services are unique, different and clearly superior to anything that is in use today. If your products/technology are this far out on the bleeding edge most investors will come to the conclusion that market penetration/acceptance will be slow because sales require a long and expensive educational sales process. If there are other firms in the same segment it means that your organization only has to “share” the market educational cost and you can more quickly focus on your unique sales proposition.
If your company and its products or services are of interest to the investors, you can be certain that they will have more than a passing knowledge of the industry and its participants. In addition, the funding industry is closely knit. It only takes a few phone calls to check out details.
Background
After evaluating the competition, include a section on the management. It
includes a discussion of the current management team, as well as any additional people you will need and when you expect to add them.
Keep in mind that funding people look at the total picture and evaluate every portion in detail. At times, part of their investment plan will include replacing certain members of the team with individuals of greater strength. It could even be you.
These strings are not attached out of malice. They are putting out the hard cash and want to do everything possible to ensure that the company will succeed so that they can get their return on investment. After all, a number of people have great ideas but can't execute them.
The Whole Plan
Finally, a complete business plan includes a section on financial projections where all of the pieces come together on a cold, hard ledger sheet. For the first two years of operation, lay out the program's cashflow in monthly detail. The third year should be outlined by quarters and the fourth and fifth years in six-month increments.
No one believes that your crystal ball is so clear that you can see what is going to happen month by month in the third, fourth and fifth years. But you should at least show that you have planned that far ahead.
By following this outline, you can develop a clear, logical business plan that attracts investment interest. Great ideas need help to make them happen. A well-written business plan will help you prepare for success.
With the paperwork completed, look for more than just funding from your venture capital people. Every venture capitalist says they provide management assistance, direction, important contacts and relationship assistance. Make sure yours actually can and does.
Expect your VCs to want a seat on your board of directors. With the right individuals on your board they can do wonders in guiding you, open doors and keep you from making costly mistakes. The venture capital firm should not only take a board position; they should have an active board position. Use your venture capitalist firm as a valuable information and experience resource. Learn from their past mistakes rather than making the same costly mistakes yourself. Rely on them for professional and business guidance.
The bloom is off the rose for the venture capital industry. Today, they are working just as hard as the ventures they fund to protect their investments and produce a return for investors. At the same time, they are increasingly guarded and protective of their existing capital. They are now willing to limit their losses more quickly by abandoning young firms or forcing them into mergers to they can recover some of their investment.
As a result young firms find it extremely difficult to get first-round funding. And when they do get funding, they find they have to give up more of their equity to obtain the necessary capital. While most entrepreneurs do this begrudgingly, we do point out to them that 100% of nothing is worth far less than 20% of a $100 million firm.
The power of financing can't be underestimated. There are common problems shared by firms that are in financial difficulty today. It is too simplistic to say that their difficulty lies in being labeled a dotcom because every segment of the computer and communications industry is having a tough time. Some of the dotcom firms are profitable or well on the way to profitability.
The first problem is that many of these firms sought too little money at the outset.
Second, they tended to be overly optimistic as to when they would turn the corner to profitability. Or as we have seen with dotcoms most felt they would burn through the VC money, go through an IPO and use the private investors’ money for three-four years until they magically turned the profitability corner.
Finally, the venture community caused many of the current problems themselves by giving too much money, too freely without sufficient checks and balance guidance. They simply abdicated control to people who were totally unprepared to deal with their new found "wealth."
But at the end of the day, venture capitalists are business people. They invest in young firms to make money when the company goes public or is acquired. They invest in those companies they feel will provide optimum return for their investors and them.
Unfortunately, the flood of successes over the past three years pushed venture capital firms into the same position as some of the rapidly growing firms in which they invested. The IPOs went at fantastically – often ridiculous –inflated prices. Hundreds of private investors and VC firms gained millions in paper overnight.
Flush with their own success and reports of their success, money that needed to be invested was coming in from everywhere. The VCs did what any company would do. They hired people to make the investments and supervise them.
Unfortunately, many of these young MBAs were not prepared to guide and assist young struggling companies. They quickly learned that much of the assistance the firms needed wasn't gained from books, but rather by getting bruised in the marketplace.
By the same token, the start-up management teams didn’t have the seasoned gray hair experience they needed. Classes and case studies didn’t equip them to handle the myriad of mundane business details. These included such fundamental business activities as building leases, leasehold improvements, setting up distribution networks, fiscal control, communications, production planning, QC/test, market research, company/product positioning, staffing and training and a myriad of other ingredients that spell success...or failure.
In situations like these money doesn’t cure the ills…it only masks them.
R&D Partnerships
In this new environment, a number of well established firms and private investors/investment groups are creating research and development partnerships. It is a way for small firms to gain financing without giving up ownership. In addition, investors receive some tax shelter benefits.
The limited partnership is formed to finance the development of a product. The partnership then owns the rights to the technology and the company(ies) contract to sell the technology on a royalty basis to the partnership.
The limited partners get their write-offs plus (hopefully) significant long-term returns. The start-up organization gets its technology without having to give up equity.
The Very Few
While names like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, Jeff Bezos, Michael Dell and others have become as well known as screen stars to aspiring entrepreneurs, it is a fact of life that the successful entrepreneur is a rare individual.
He or she will go into battle severely outnumbered and be battered unmercifully. But he or she will bounce back again and again--to the entrepreneur; the game is as much fun as the victory.
PACKAGING AND SELLING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL IDEA - To learn more about this author, visit Andy Marken's Website.
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As you drive along Highway 101 in California's Santa Clara Valley, on Route 128 near Boston, the beltway around Washington D.C., the Carolina’s Silicon Triangle, Washington State’s Silicon Forest or nearly anywhere across the country, you can almost see the parched bones of entrepreneurial ideas that have died and been cast aside. They lie next to now healthy giants and soon-to-be-successful product and service organizations.
There seems to be a never-ending stream of great people with "the idea of the decade"--the one that was going to help them carve a place for themselves, and their followers, in the industry.
Some succeed--beyond their wildest dreams. Some fail quickly, almost painlessly. Some take a long time to die. Others are acquired when they are in the painful throes of death. Some of the companies and ideas are never born because they can't acquire the necessary parental support ... money.
A number of experts – particularly recruitment executives – feel that anyone in the hardware, software and communications arena, who has the desire – and the idea – should take the plunge and become an entrepreneur. They reason that even if the company fails, the individual has marketable skills that can then be sold to someone else. Others feel that you should be prepared for success--and failure.
One recruiter said that given two candidates the one who was involved in a start-up that failed compared to an individual with a growth track record with a single firm would probably have the edge in today’s market. Their reason was that the individual most certainly gained some valuable experience as to what works and what doesn’t.
Generally, people who take the new venture plunge have been successful all of their lives. But anyone, regardless of his or her past successes, has to be prepared for the bumpy road that lies ahead when starting a new product or service organization.
The start-up will consume all of your energy--and possibly your life savings. If it fails, it's more than a financial set back. It's a dramatic blow to your ego and self-esteem. But it is the successes that keep dreams alive and the reason more people try for the gold ring every year.
Money, Money, Money
A general partner at one venture capital firm recently said that good people and good ideas are key ingredients of a successful start-up. However, they are quick to point out that money is what makes the whole thing happen.
One entrepreneur reinforced this statement by saying that when you start a company and are trying to build it, "money is more important than your mother."
Venture capital is often thought of as the first method of raising money for a new company. However, venture capital actually comes quite a bit further down the line.
The first source of money is your own bankroll. It is encouraging to investors when they know that the entrepreneur believes so much in the concept that he or she will be the initial investor.
This is followed by money from friends, relatives, your partners and the bank. After you have exhausted these sources, it is time to approach the group or organization that will most likely be your biggest backer--the venture capitalist.
Actually, you’ll be doing these activities in parallel because none of the sources quickly sign the huge checks you need to grow your enterprise.
Venture Capitalists Some people consider venture capitalists to be worse than loan sharks. Others picture them as angels.
They are neither. They are business people. They invest in young firms and hope to make money when the company goes public or is acquired. They invest in those companies that they feel will provide an optimum return for their investors.
Different venture capital firms weigh the criteria for their investments differently. But they all spend considerable time look at the people involved in the start-up. They invest in people who think big, are highly motivated, are willing to make substantial personal commitments and have a track record of success. They also look for products and/or programs that meet specific market needs in a high-quality cost-effective manner.
Some firms look for large; rapidly growing markets where there are significant
opportunities. Others look for new, emerging markets where market leadership can be established quickly. Still others look for a smaller market in which the company can be the dominant factor.
Match your target venture group with your goals--just as you would if you were selling your products to a prospect.
Next, realize that there are various categories of investments and selection criteria within each category. There is seed, bridge, start-up, first-round and second-round financing. Each has its degree of risk for the venture capital firm. That means the equity they will require will vary.
Despite the well-covered demise of the dot.com era, there is still an estimated $120 billion in funding available for new enterprise investments this year. With that amount of money sitting in the bank, you may think that venture capital and R&D partnership firms are falling all over each other to fund the next wave of computer and communications opportunities.
Wrong.
Even in downturn periods like these, venture capital firms still receive an average of 100+ technology and service/support new business proposals each month.
The Business Plan
Unfortunately, instead of paving the way for funding, the proposals are often more detrimental than helpful. In fact, the sad truth is that the majority of the business plans presented are not just badly written, they're very badly written. This makes the evaluation/decision period longer and more difficult for both parties.
Pyramid Your Plan
The business plan should be presented to potential investor in the same manner that your products and services are presented to potential customers--quickly and effectively. A simple way to accomplish this is with a pyramid-style presentation. This type of proposal starts with a summary and sections are expanded toward the base.
After you get through the legalities and disclaimers, the most important part of your plan should be the executive summary. This one- to two-page summary clearly states what the company is going to do, what the market potential is, how the company plans to achieve market penetration, the time period involved, the product/service plans, the amount of money needed and how that money will be used.
The second most important section of the business plan is the business summary. This includes corporate objectives and strategy; a market summary with product/service objectives; unique technology involved; a plan of operation/action; a financial summary and investment requirements.
The executive and business summaries are the most important parts of your proposal because few senior funding officials will read beyond these areas.
The Product
The next section is the product or service description. This includes the product's, system's or service's features and capabilities, as well as future plans. Too many entrepreneurs fall in love with their technology and view the marketing and sales programs/efforts as necessary evils.
However, most investment experts feel that marketing is as important (if not more so) than technology. They reason that even the best technology has a prime life span of one-two years and then it will be usurped by another even better technology. Marketing and communications on the other hand sets the company – and its products/services – apart from the masses of firms that wax on and on about their unique and special technology. Differentiate yourself by including an aggressive marketing and promotional program.
In short, marketing is where it's at.
Market Analysis
The fourth section is the market analysis which should discuss the market or markets, the trends and the need your products/services will fill.
Depending upon the potential market, there are numerous information sources for this section. Start with the publications that target your specific market area, including leading business and trade publications. By knowing who and what to ask at the publications, you can usually find a significant amount of valuable information at no cost.
Many of the publications not only have conducted extensive product, technology and company research but also marketplace studies on current market shares and future industry requirements. They are usually willing to share this information because they realize that if you are successfully funded you represent a potential advertiser.
Over the last decade, a complex market research industry that covers every aspect of every market has emerged. Research reports can also be purchased from organizations such as International Data Corporation (IDC), Gartner Group, Forrester, META, Jupiter and others.
Another excellent source is to search the growing number of global information sites on the World Wide Web. Simply search for key words and key phrases and you will find a wealth of data from around the world. The power of the Internet can give you instant access to global engineering, marketing and technical research, major educational institution libraries, governmental research and reports as well as the Web sites of competitive firms.
The time spent on the Web can be very enlightening and informative. While many are of no interest to you, Forrester has noted that every day more than 10,000 new Web sites are opened every day. Somewhere in these electronic repositories you will find the documents, data and images you need.
The Competition
The fifth section of the business plan is the competitive analysis. This includes a discussion of the participants in the market as well as potential market players, the number of years they've been in business, their size, sales volume, product niche markets and product plans. Today firms of every shape and product discipline have Web home pages with excellent information just waiting for you to access.
Don't try to bluff your way through this section. Entrepreneurs are always inclined to say that they have no competition because their products/services are unique, different and clearly superior to anything that is in use today. If your products/technology are this far out on the bleeding edge most investors will come to the conclusion that market penetration/acceptance will be slow because sales require a long and expensive educational sales process. If there are other firms in the same segment it means that your organization only has to “share” the market educational cost and you can more quickly focus on your unique sales proposition.
If your company and its products or services are of interest to the investors, you can be certain that they will have more than a passing knowledge of the industry and its participants. In addition, the funding industry is closely knit. It only takes a few phone calls to check out details.
Background
After evaluating the competition, include a section on the management. It
includes a discussion of the current management team, as well as any additional people you will need and when you expect to add them.
Keep in mind that funding people look at the total picture and evaluate every portion in detail. At times, part of their investment plan will include replacing certain members of the team with individuals of greater strength. It could even be you.
These strings are not attached out of malice. They are putting out the hard cash and want to do everything possible to ensure that the company will succeed so that they can get their return on investment. After all, a number of people have great ideas but can't execute them.
The Whole Plan
Finally, a complete business plan includes a section on financial projections where all of the pieces come together on a cold, hard ledger sheet. For the first two years of operation, lay out the program's cashflow in monthly detail. The third year should be outlined by quarters and the fourth and fifth years in six-month increments.
No one believes that your crystal ball is so clear that you can see what is going to happen month by month in the third, fourth and fifth years. But you should at least show that you have planned that far ahead.
By following this outline, you can develop a clear, logical business plan that attracts investment interest. Great ideas need help to make them happen. A well-written business plan will help you prepare for success.
With the paperwork completed, look for more than just funding from your venture capital people. Every venture capitalist says they provide management assistance, direction, important contacts and relationship assistance. Make sure yours actually can and does.
Expect your VCs to want a seat on your board of directors. With the right individuals on your board they can do wonders in guiding you, open doors and keep you from making costly mistakes. The venture capital firm should not only take a board position; they should have an active board position. Use your venture capitalist firm as a valuable information and experience resource. Learn from their past mistakes rather than making the same costly mistakes yourself. Rely on them for professional and business guidance.
The bloom is off the rose for the venture capital industry. Today, they are working just as hard as the ventures they fund to protect their investments and produce a return for investors. At the same time, they are increasingly guarded and protective of their existing capital. They are now willing to limit their losses more quickly by abandoning young firms or forcing them into mergers to they can recover some of their investment.
As a result young firms find it extremely difficult to get first-round funding. And when they do get funding, they find they have to give up more of their equity to obtain the necessary capital. While most entrepreneurs do this begrudgingly, we do point out to them that 100% of nothing is worth far less than 20% of a $100 million firm.
The power of financing can't be underestimated. There are common problems shared by firms that are in financial difficulty today. It is too simplistic to say that their difficulty lies in being labeled a dotcom because every segment of the computer and communications industry is having a tough time. Some of the dotcom firms are profitable or well on the way to profitability.
The first problem is that many of these firms sought too little money at the outset.
Second, they tended to be overly optimistic as to when they would turn the corner to profitability. Or as we have seen with dotcoms most felt they would burn through the VC money, go through an IPO and use the private investors’ money for three-four years until they magically turned the profitability corner.
Finally, the venture community caused many of the current problems themselves by giving too much money, too freely without sufficient checks and balance guidance. They simply abdicated control to people who were totally unprepared to deal with their new found "wealth."
But at the end of the day, venture capitalists are business people. They invest in young firms to make money when the company goes public or is acquired. They invest in those companies they feel will provide optimum return for their investors and them.
Unfortunately, the flood of successes over the past three years pushed venture capital firms into the same position as some of the rapidly growing firms in which they invested. The IPOs went at fantastically – often ridiculous –inflated prices. Hundreds of private investors and VC firms gained millions in paper overnight.
Flush with their own success and reports of their success, money that needed to be invested was coming in from everywhere. The VCs did what any company would do. They hired people to make the investments and supervise them.
Unfortunately, many of these young MBAs were not prepared to guide and assist young struggling companies. They quickly learned that much of the assistance the firms needed wasn't gained from books, but rather by getting bruised in the marketplace.
By the same token, the start-up management teams didn’t have the seasoned gray hair experience they needed. Classes and case studies didn’t equip them to handle the myriad of mundane business details. These included such fundamental business activities as building leases, leasehold improvements, setting up distribution networks, fiscal control, communications, production planning, QC/test, market research, company/product positioning, staffing and training and a myriad of other ingredients that spell success...or failure.
In situations like these money doesn’t cure the ills…it only masks them.
R&D Partnerships
In this new environment, a number of well established firms and private investors/investment groups are creating research and development partnerships. It is a way for small firms to gain financing without giving up ownership. In addition, investors receive some tax shelter benefits.
The limited partnership is formed to finance the development of a product. The partnership then owns the rights to the technology and the company(ies) contract to sell the technology on a royalty basis to the partnership.
The limited partners get their write-offs plus (hopefully) significant long-term returns. The start-up organization gets its technology without having to give up equity.
The Very Few
While names like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, Jeff Bezos, Michael Dell and others have become as well known as screen stars to aspiring entrepreneurs, it is a fact of life that the successful entrepreneur is a rare individual.
He or she will go into battle severely outnumbered and be battered unmercifully. But he or she will bounce back again and again--to the entrepreneur; the game is as much fun as the victory.
PACKAGING AND SELLING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL IDEA - To learn more about this author, visit Andy Marken's Website.
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
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