Feel the Boot
Feel the Boot delivers advice and experience to entrepreneurs, helping them create and grow successful businesses. The podcast aims to guide founders from feeling overwhelmed to becoming effective CEOs. It covers practical topics around business building, leadership, and personal development, drawing on real-world experience.
Episodes
Investors Judge You Before You Say a Word
Investors form their first judgment about you before you've said a word about your product. At the early stage they bet on the founder, not the idea, which makes the signal you send long before the pitch one of the most important things you can control.In episode 133, Lance Cottrell sits down with Christine Blosdale, the Expert Authority Coach, to turn personal branding into something practical fo
Stop Asking for Warm Intros First (They Come Last)
Warm introductions are the gold standard for getting investor meetings. But
most founders chase them at the wrong time, and it actually hurts their
raise.
Friends & Family Round: How to Protect Your Relationships AND Raise Money
The friends and family round is how most founders raise their first capital — but it's also where the most relationships get damaged. If you don't structure it right, you can accidentally screw over the people trying to help you, torpedo your next funding round, and make every family gathering awkward for years.In this episode, I break down exactly how to talk to your friends and family about inve
How to Build a Go-to-Market Engine That Makes Investors Pay Attention — with Javier Lozano Jr.
Most founders are doing "random acts of marketing" — a little LinkedIn, some ads, a blog here and there. Trying to be everywhere, succeeding nowhere.Javier Lozano Jr. was the CMO at Wrapmate during their run from ~$1M to over $20M in revenue and a $16M raise. His fix was counterintuitive: do less. Find the one channel showing signals, go all in, and master it before adding anything else.In this ep
Your Product Won't Speak for Itself — Why Technical Founders Get Overlooked | Shayna Davis
Most technical founders think their product will do the talking. It won't.Shayna Rattler-Davis has spent 15+ years helping leaders at companies like IBM, L'Oréal, and dozens of STEM startups learn how to show up with credibility in high-stakes environments. She hosts The Influence Economy Podcast (top 3% globally) and works with technical founders who are brilliant at building but struggle the mom
Hockey Enforcer to $110M: Dave Burnett on Grit, Time, and Making AI See Your Startup
Former hockey enforcer Dave Burnett took punches for a living, then helped build Achievers.com (sold for $110M), watched his own business go to zero twice, and came back both times. In this episode, we dig into why founders with non-traditional backgrounds often outperform the textbook startup playbook, how to make sure AI models actually know your startup exists, and a time management system buil
The 4 Filters: Why You Aren’t Fundable... Yet
Most founders think fundraising fails because of "bad luck." Usually, it fails because of simple physics.Fundraising is a sales funnel. If you have a structural leak at the top, no amount of "slick" pitching will produce a check at the bottom. In this episode, we pop the hood on pre-seed fundraising to look at the four filters your startup must pass before you even think about building a deck.Stop
The Investor Warm-Up Protocol: How to Turn Cold Investors into Warm Leads
If your first interaction with an investor is asking for money, you have already lost.Cold pitching investors has a success rate of nearly 0%. Warm introductions have a success rate of over 50%.The gap between those two numbers is where most fundraising rounds die.Most founders think they are stuck because they don't have a rich uncle or a deep network. The reality is: You just have the wrong proc
The Super Connector System: David Homan on Building Relationships at the Speed of Trust
🛑 Stop Networking! Build Trust and Community to Fund Your Startup | David HomanAre you an introverted founder struggling to raise capital? Do you find most networking events to be a waste of time and purely transactional? Super connector, author, and composer David Homan reveals the systematic, high-integrity approach to connection that actually opens doors to investors, partners, and key advisors
124. The 6 Startup Pitches Every Founder Needs
The 6 Startup Pitches Every Founder Needs Most founders only create one pitch deck, and it costs them investors. In this video, I’ll show you the six pitches every startup founder needs to win funding. From your 3-minute competition pitch to your self-guided deck for investors to read on their own, each version has a specific purpose. Skip one, and you risk losing the deal.&nbs
123. Founder/Market Fit: Your Startup’s Early-Stage Advantage
Founder/Market Fit: Your Startup’s Early-Stage Advantage Stop guessing about “Founder–Market Fit.” In this episode I break down how investors spot it at the pre-seed stage— and what to do if you don’t have it yet. When founders enter a market they’ve never lived, credibility gaps, weak insight, and scarce access can stall everything from customer discovery to fundraising. I’ll show
122. How Founders Sabotage Themselves with ChatGPT
Are you outsourcing your thinking to ChatGPT? That’s a fast track to sabotaging your startup. In this episode, I share two real conversations I had with founders who said they got their market size numbers from ChatGPT. That is a red flag for any investor. The problem is not that they used AI. The problem is that they didn’t understand what the answer meant or where it came from. I walk
121. The mindset shift that separates stalled founders from successful ones – David Neagle interview
Most founders don’t fail because of a bad idea.They fail because fear, doubt, and hesitation stop them before they ever really start. In this episode of Feel the Boot, I sit down with internationally recognized mindset coach David Neagle to talk about what keeps talented people stuck, and how to break free. We explore:Why so many founders never launchThe mindset shift that drives re
120. Unlocking Startup Growth: Fundraising Strategies and Resilience Tips with Paulo Andrez
Unlocking Startup Growth: Fundraising Strategies and Resilience Tips with Paulo Andrez What separates the startups that raise capital and scale… from those that stall out? In this episode of Feel the Boot, I sit down with Paulo Andrez—angel investor, serial founder, and startup turnaround specialist—to talk about the real challenges early-stage founders face. We dig into:• Why
119. Pre-Sell Before You Build: Avoid Costly Startup Mistakes — with David Hirschfeld
Pre-Sell Before You Build: Avoid Costly Startup Mistakes — with David Hirschfeld Most startups fail because they build something no one wants.In this episode of Feel the Boot, I talk with David Hirschfeld, founder of Tekyz and creator of the Launch First method, about how to flip the script and pre-sell your product before you build it. We explore how high-fidelity mockups, early custome
118. Avoid These Startup Finance Mistakes — Insights from a Fractional CFO
Avoid These Startup Finance Mistakes — Insights from a Fractional CFO Most founders ignore finance until it becomes a problem—don’t be that founder. In this episode of Feel the Boot, I sit down with Josh Aharonoff, a fractional CFO who works with fast-growing startups to get their financials investor-ready. We talk about common finance mistakes, when to hire help, and what
117. Cold Start Your Startup Pitch: Hook Investors from the First Second
🔥 Your Pitch is Losing Investors in the First 5 Seconds—Here’s How to Fix It! Most founders waste the most critical part of their pitch—the opening. Investors remember the first and last things you say. But instead of making an impact, most founders start with: “Hi, I’m [name], CEO of [company]…” 🚨 That’s a HUGE mistake. In this episode of Feel the Boot, I show you how to cold
116. Fear is the Startup Killer: How to Overcome It and Get Started
What’s stopping you from starting your dream business?For most people, it’s fear.Fear of failure, financial loss, looking foolish—or even fear of success.In this episode, we break down the most common fears entrepreneurs face and share actionable strategies to overcome them. Learn how to:✅ Do the research that calms fear of the unknown.✅ Test your idea with quick, low-cost experiments.✅ Build
115. Why Startup Plans Fail (and Why That’s Okay)
Why Startup Plans Fail (and Why That’s Okay) Welcome to Feel the Boot, the science of startups! In this episode, host I share three insightful sayings about planning and their relevance to startups. Using quotes from Dwight D. Eisenhower, Helmuth von Moltke, and Mike Tyson, I discuss the importance of planning and adaptability when facing unexpected challenges.Learn how to navigate the twists
114. Building Products Right: Essential Advice for Early-Stage Founders by Chad Perry
Building Products Right: Essential Advice for Early-Stage Founders by Chad Perry 🚀 Building a tech product as a non-technical founder can feel like a daunting challenge. Should you hire a developer? Outsource? What about mockups, tech stacks, and budgets? 😰 In this episode of Feel the Boot, I sit down with fractional CTO Chad Perry, who’s worked with countless early-stage
113. Effective Team Building and Self-Management for Founders – Emily Hawkins Interview
In this episode of Feel the Boot, I sit down with leadership expert Emily Hawkins to tackle one of the biggest challenges founders face: effective team management. 🚀 Whether you’re a new founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, this conversation dives deep into the soft skills that are often overlooked but are crucial for scaling your business. Emily shares her journey from a corporate career to b
112. Go Niche or Go Home: Why Your Startup Needs a Narrow Initial Market (and How to Pick One)
In this episode of 'Feel the Boot,' host Lance Cottrell delves into the strategic importance of targeting a niche market for startup success. He guides early-stage founders through the crucial process of focusing on specific customer segments that resonate with their products, illustrating how this can significantly improve customer acquisition and product development. Lance shares practical strat
111. Freemium Business Models: The Good, the Bad, and an Alternative You Should Consider
The freemium business model is popular, but is it right for your startup? In this video, I break down how freemium works, common mistakes founders make, and why it often leads to revenue problems. We’ll also explore an alternative approach—the reverse freemium model—that could be a better fit for your business. Ideal for early-stage founders, this video provides valuable insights and practica
110. How to Pivot Your Startup Before You Launch Pre-Pivot Strategies for Entrepreneurs
How to Pivot Your Startup Before You Launch 🚀 Pre-Pivot Strategies for Entrepreneurs In this episode of Feel the Boot, host Lance Cottrell dives into the concept of pre-pivoting for startups. Avoid the common pitfalls and wasted resources of traditional pivots by learning how to identify potential problems before building your product. Lance shares three effective ways to foresee issues, focu
109. What is Secret Sauce? Why Every Startup Needs It!
In this episode of Feel the Boot, host Lance Cottrell delves into the concept of 'secret sauce' for startups. Learn why identifying and protecting your unique differentiator is crucial for attracting investors and maintaining a competitive edge. Cottrell shares insights on developing a valuable and defensible secret sauce, using trade secrets and patents, and the importance of articulating it effe
108. The Waiting Game: Why Pre-Seed Investors Delay and How to Speed Up Commitment
In this episode of 'Feel the Boot,' I address a common frustration among startup founders: investors who show strong interest but delay their commitment. I explain the reasons behind this behavior, such as risk minimization and strategic leverage, and provides actionable techniques for founders to expedite investor commitments. Key strategies discussed include structuring funding rounds in tranche
107. Startup Failure Analysis Key Lessons from Abby Sugar
Startup Failure Analysis 🔎 Key Lessons from Abby Sugar In this episode of Feel the Boot, host Lance Cottrell delves into the startup journey of Abby Sugar, the impressive founder of PlayOut Apparel, a gender-equal apparel brand. Despite the brand's promising concept and innovative approach, it ultimately failed. Abby bravely shares her experiences and the unique challenges she faced, providin
106. Why Startups Fail: Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid
🚀 Why Startups Fail: Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid 🚀🎥 In this podcast, I dive into the common pitfalls that cause most startups to fail within their first few years. Based on my decades of experience in the startup ecosystem, I share invaluable insights and practical tips to help you navigate these challenges effectively.👉 What You'll Learn:Market Needs: Understand how to validate the real demand for y
105. How to Make Your Startup Elevator Pitch Effective and Get Venture Capital Investment
In this episode of 'Feel the Boot,' Lance Cottrell shares essential advice on crafting an effective elevator pitch to capture the interest of potential investors or partners quickly, stressing the importance of brevity, clarity, and engaging storytelling. He emphasizes that the goal of an elevator pitch is to spark interest for further conversation, not immediate commitment. Drawing from his exper
104. Negotiation skills for startup founders
This podcast is tailored for startup founders looking to enhance their negotiation skills. It emphasizes the importance of negotiation in various aspects of running a business, including dealing with investors, vendors, customers, employees, and co-founders. I know that many founders may lack experience or feel conflict-averse, so here I share practical advice and strategies to turn negotiations f
103. Better than TAM SAM SOM startup market sizing
In this episode of Feel the Boot, host Lance Cottrell delves into the significance of understanding and presenting your startup's market size to investors through the concepts of Total Addressable Market (TAM), Serviceable Available Market (SAM), and Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM). He emphasizes the importance of achieving a plausible market opportunity, critiquing the TAM, SAM, SOM methodolo
102. Testing Startup Ideas and Assumptions ⚖️ John Li of PickFu Interview
Testing Startup Ideas and Assumptions ⚖️ John Li of PickFu Interview In this interview, John Li, the co-founder of startup PickFu, discusses the innovative concept of his company as a digital focus group for businesses. He walks us through their transition from a physical product to a software solution after observing a growing need for unbiased design feedback. John also shares interesting c
101. Decoding Startup Sales Strategy Michael Regnier Interview
In this discussion, Michael Regnier, founder of Sales Design & Delivery, shares vital insights into sales strategy tailored for startup founders, particularly those with a technical background. He explains that a company's sales strategy must encompass every aspect of the go-to-market message, including the target audience and the route to reach them. Smith articulates the importance of defini
100. Recognizing and Surviving a Startup Heart Attack
In this milestone episode, host Lance Cottrell dives deep into several critical topics inspired by his recent heart attack. First, he compares a heart attack with a financial crisis in a startup, emphasizing the need for recognizing early warning signs and taking immediate actions. He discusses how to identify critical situations where your venture is at risk and how to handle them effectively whi
99. The 10x rule Why better is not enough
The 10x rule 🌟 Why better is not enoughHaving a superior solution is not good enough.The special barriers startups face force you to build at least ten times better products. Why Your Startup Needs to Be 10x Better In this episode of 'Feel the Boot', host Lance Cottrell breaks down why startups need to be substantially better than their competition, particularly in the B2B context. He ex
98. Startup Fundraising Facilitators Surviving the Pit of Serpents!
Startup Fundraising Facilitators 🐍 Surviving the Pit of Serpents!You might want to ask for help when you need to raise capital.Take care, most of those people are useless or actively harmful. Quoth the AI describing this episode:In this episode, Lance Cottrell, an experienced startup advisor, shares insights on the challenges of fundraising, focusing on the role of fundraising facilitat
97. Exposing the top reasons for angel investment pre-screen rejections
🤯 Exposing the top reasons for fast angel investment rejectionsInvestors only take a few seconds to decide if a startup is worth a serious look.These eight factors lead to most of the fast NOs ☠️ In this episode, I discuss the screening process for companies seeking funding from angels and VC. Out of over a hundred applicants to my angel group, we only select about 20 for detailed considerati
96. Startup Privacy Policies What you need to know about GDPR, CCPA and beyond!
Startup Privacy Policies 🥷 What you need to know about GDPR, CCPA and beyond!In this interview, Sabir Ibrahim, an attorney and entrepreneur, provides valuable insights on the implications of privacy and privacy policies for startups. He emphasizes the importance of privacy laws, particularly highlighting the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA),
95. You’re delivering your pitch deck ask wrong What you should say instead
You’re delivering your pitch deck ask slide wrong! What you should say instead.Learn the right and wrong thing to ask for.How to handle hard questions during your ask. I was listening to several founders deliver their pitches. Most of them did their “ask” wrong and seriously damaged their chances of success.In this episode, look at their mistakes and how they could improve this critical step
94. Escape the Startup Paradox Strategies for Funding Product Development
Escape the Startup Paradox 😬 MVP Without VCCan’t Build Your Product Without FundingBut Can’t Get Funding Without a Product In the newest episode of Feel the Boot, we're diving headfirst into the world of product development sans angel investment. I provide strategies for startups to navigate the challenges of raising funding pre-MVP. Consider the paradox that most startups face: they need mon
93. Startup Branding and Positioning Mara Rada Interview
Branding is far more than just a logo and color scheme.Learn how to leverage both positioning and branding in your startup buisiness In today's fiercely competitive business landscape, effective branding and positioning strategies are crucial for startups to stand out from the crowd. However, many founders underestimate the true scope and importance of these concepts. In this interview, we he
92. The Economics of Angel Investing Angel Investing 101
How to create an angel investment portfolio for maximum returns.Learn what drives the returns for your angel investments. Read this as an article: https://ftb.bz/92BWatch the Video: https://ftb.bz/92VSubscribe to BootPrints: https://ftb.bz/JoinAngel Investing 101 series: https://ftb.bz/angel In episode, I delve into the economics of angel investing, emphasizing the need for a signi
91. Non-monetary Startup Rewards and Recognitions
Non-monetary Startup Rewards and Recognitions.Eight employee incentives that work better than cash. In this episode of "Feel the Boot: The Science of Startups," I, discuss seven highly effective motivators and rewards for employees that founders can use to attract and retain top talent. These motivators include having a strong vision, giving employees equity, providing public recognition, de
90. Thirteen Key Considerations for Evaluating Angel Deals Angel Investing 101
How to quickly eliminate the losers,and identify companies worthy of further due diligence. As an angel investor, you will need to look at many startups.This guide provides a framework for quickly analyzing deals to see if digging deeper is worth your time. This is part of a series on Angel Investing https://ftb.bz/AngelSubscribe to Boot Prints and access office hours https://ftb.bz/join
89. Non-Dilutive Startup Fundraising SBIR Grants for Innovation
Non-Dilutive Fundraising 💰 SBIR Grants for InnovationGet cash for your startup without giving up ownership.Government grants can fund your development from idea to MVP and beyond. Read the transcript: https://ftb.bz/89BWatch the Video: https://ftb.bz/89V Subscribe to Boot Prints: https://ftb.bz/JoinGet FTB Merch: https://ftb.bz/merchJoin the Founders Alliance: https://ftb.bz/Alliance &nb
88. Talking to friends and family about investing in your startup.
Your earliest investors are probably unsophisticated.You must help them understand how startup investing works. When you are at the idea stage, almost no angel or VC investors will back you, but people who know and care about you might.Unfortunately, this is usually all new and very confusing to them.You must ensure they understand what they are doing and paint a realistic picture of the poss
87. Get Angel Investor Dealflow
💸Get Angel Investor Dealflow You need to look at a lot of startups to find good investmentsLearn several ways to uncover quality startups Our Angel Investing 101 series teaches new Angel Investors how to invest in startups.This episode focuses on Angel Investor dealflow. You need to source a lot of potential deals to identify those few worthy of investment. Where to list yourself a
86. BoD vs. Shareholder ⚖️ Startup Corporate Governance
Who decides what between the board and shareholders?How to handle the BoD and Shareholder meetings as a founder. Read the blog: https://ftb.bz/86BWatch the Video: https://ftb.bz/86V Get access to office hours and Boot Prints: https://ftb.bz/Join In this episode, I explain the board of directors and shareholders roles and responsibilities.Some votes require both groups to approve. Others
85. How venture capital kills startups ☠️
VCs destroy more startups than they make unicornsLearn how to identify and avoid that trap The reason is the “marginal dollar problem”Understanding that will help you choose whether to accept venture capital investment with open eyes. Read the blog: https://ftb.bz/85BWatch the video: https://ftb.bz/85V Join Boot Prints for access to free office hours: https://ftb.bz/JoinMeet other founde
84. How to start angel investing
How to Start Angel Investing 💰What you need to know to start investing in early-stage startup companiesBest practices for new angel investors This is the second in a series of videos on angel investing.It explains the best way to begin as a new angel investor, and some critical pitfalls to avoid. Read the blog: https://ftb.bz/84BWatch the Video https://ftb.bz/84V Subscribe to Boot
83. Angel Investing 101
Angel Investing 101 💰What is angel investing?How to invest in pre-IPO companies Angel investors put their own money into early-stage startup companies.This is the first in a series of episodes on becoming an effective angel investor / venture capitalist Read the article: https://ftb.bz/83BWatch the Video: https://ftb.bz/83VSignup for the mailing list and office hours: https://ftb.bz/join
82. Startup Fundraising in a Bear Market
📉Startup Funding in a Bear MarketAdapt your fundraising strategy to succeed in a downturnRaise angel investment and venture capital in challenging times When the economy is rough, investors become cautious.Learn how to position your company to survive these times and appeal to angel and VC investors. Read the article https://ftb.bz/82BWatch the Video https://ftb.bz/82V Founders Alliance
81. My worst day as a founder how we pivoted, survived, and eventually thrived
My worst day as a founder 😭 how we pivoted, survived, and eventually thrivedStartup Stories: angel investor quits, acquisition falls through, & personal tragedyWhat to expect as a founder.Creating and growing a company can be an incredible experience, but you will have days that seriously suck. You will probably experience situations that challenge your determination to carry on.Because I freq
80. Fire the Founder? Take the initiative and replace yourself as CEO
Fire the Founder? 🔥 Take the initiative and replace yourself as CEOStartup typically outgrow their founding CEOIt’s better find your replacement then be replaced My board of directors wanted to replace me as CEO. This episode explains how I handled that with fantastic results.If you recruit the new CEO, you can find someone you want to work with, and who will respect you.They can help drive t
79. Cofounder Vesting Handling founder shares when things go wrong
Cofounder Vesting 😭 Handling founder shares when things go wrongStock vesting can save you in multi-cofounder startupsInvestors may require founder vesting before investing This episode looks at the issue of founder vesting through the lens of a fictitious company founded by Iron Man, The Hulk, Thor and Loki. Read the article https://ftb.bz/79BWatch the video https://ftb.bz/79VFounders A
78. Investment Term Sheets: Explanations, Red Flags, and where to push back
Term Sheet Red Flags ☠️ Venture CapitalAbusive terms cause dilution, loss of control, & sabotage future dealsLearn what they mean and when to push back Read the article https://ftb.bz/78BWatch the video https://ftb.bz/78VFounders Alliance https://ftb.bz/AllianceMailing list for office hours https://ftb.bz/join Article on pre-revenue startup valuations: https://ftb.bz/66BArticle on wh
77. Pitching when tech’s glitching. Handle PowerPoint failure with style!
Have you ever tried to deliver a pitch deck or other presentation, and the technology just won’t cooperate? Either your computer won’t talk to their projector, or there is some issue with the PowerPoint.How can you handle these situations in a way that leaves you looking as good or better than you would have if everything had gone perfectly?Video: https://ftb.bz/77VArticle: https://ftb.bz/77BJoin:
76. Investor Updates: how, why, and an investor update template
Get more from your investor updatesWhat to include and an easy template Get the template here: https://ftb.bz/investor-update-template Watch the Video: https://ftb.bz/76V Get the podcast: https://ftb.bz/PodcastVisit the website: https://ftb.bz/Join the mailing list: https://ftb.bz/Join A regular investor update email is the best way to keep existing and prospective investors in the
75. Surviving a Short Runway. Startup burn rate < 6 months cash
Low on cash with no imminent funding?Here’s how to keep your startup alive Read this as a blog: https://ftb.bz/75BWatch the Video: https://ftb.bz/75V Visit the website: https://ftb.bz/Join the mailing list: https://ftb.bz/Join When things get tough and cash is short, you need to manage your startup cash flow to survive. If things are particularly difficult, you might be forced to pivot o
74. What is a Cap Table? Tracking VC Investments and stock option grants
What is a Cap Table? 🧐 Tracking VC Investments and stock option grantsUnderstand startup capitalization, preferred stock, and angel investmentsTrack ownership, options, SAFE, Convertible Notes, and dilution. Startup equity and cap tables can be confusing to many founders.The CEO needs to understand startup equity well enough to talk to their lawyers and negotiate with investors. This episode
73. When your startup hits hard times: quit, pivot, or persevere?
Startup Survival 🤕 Quit, Pivot, or PersevereWhen your startup hits hard times what should you do?Make this high stakes decision with confidence When your startup is in a dark place with no path forward, what should you do?This episode explores how to analyze your options objectively to choose the best option for you and your startup. Subscribe to Boot Prints: https://ftb.bz/SubscribeJoin
72. Get more value from your startup advisors
Startups 🧐 business advisor valueGet more value from your startup advisorsHow to use mentors more effectively If you have not recruited your advisors yet, watch this first: https://ftb.bz/68VThe video on Founder Time Management for Strategic Thinking is here: https://ftb.bz/65V Read the blog: https://ftb.bz/72BWatch the Video: https://ftb.bz/72V Join us to access free one-on-one office hours:
71. How to get startup mentoring and advising at Feel the Boot
Feel the Boot 🤓 Mentoring & AdvisingHow our free mentoring office hours workEstablishing formal advising relationships Subscribe to Boot Prints: https://ftb.bz/SubscribeJoin Founders Alliance: https://ftb.bz/JoinRead this: https://ftb.bz/71BWatch the Video: https://ftb.bz/71V Lance Cottrell has been an active startup advisor and startup mentor for over a decade.His advice and mentor
70. High valuations can demotivate employees and derail investment
In this episode I explain why a very high valuation can cause trouble for your startup.It can demotivate your employees by hurting their payout at exit.It can derail your next funding round my making your last investors hostile and demanding. Read this as a blog: https://ftb.bz/70BWatch the Video: https://ftb.bz/70VJoin the Founder’s Alliance: https://ftb.bz/AllianceSubscribe to Boot Prints f
69. When to sell your startup? ♂️ Equity and Valuation vs. Risk
When to sell your startup? 🤷♂️ Equity and Valuation vs. RiskWhen should you take an offer for your startup?What is the risk of continuing vs. the immediate reward? It is critical to consider if and at what price you would consider selling your company before the offer arrives. When it does, the big $$$ may muddle your thinking.In this episode, I discuss how to systematically analyze these qu
68. How to recruit the perfect advisors (or directors) for your startup
Recruit startup advisors 👨🦳 board of directorsYour advisors can make or break your startupLearn how to identify and recruit the perfect startup advisory board Read the blog: https://ftb.bz/68BWatch the video: https://ftb.bz/68V Join us to access free one-on-one office hours: https://ftb.bz/JoinMeet other entrepreneurs at the Founders Alliance: https://ftb.bz/Alliance In this episode I s
67. Blitzscaling vs. the 4 hour work week – choose the kind of company you want to create and run.
Blitzscaling 🤔 4 hour work weekWhat kind of startup do you want to create and run?Be clear on your desires to achieve the journey and outcome you want.Read the blog version here: https://ftb.bz/67BWatch the video: https://ftb.bz/67VJoin the founder alliance: https://ftb.bz/allianceIn this episode I ask founders to think about the kind of startup journey and outcome they want. Consider things like
66. Pre-revenue startup funding: valuations & venture capital
Learn how angel investors and venture capitalists determine your startup’s valuationI share three formal methodologies and the secret technique most angels actually use Join Feel the Boot to access one-on-on coaching https://ftb.bz/JoinMeet other founders in the Founders Alliance https://ftb.bz/AllianceRead the full blog from this episode https://ftb.bz/66BWatch the video https://ftb.bz/66V&n
65. Task Management ✍️ make time for strategic thinking
Task Management ✍️ make time for strategic thinkingUse these two time management and prioritization frameworksto ensure you accomplish your high priority strategic objectives Founders and CEOs can often get in the trap of working on mundane tasks while failing to take time to do the critical strategic thinking that will make the company soar. I found two frameworks that helped me in my startu
64. Feel the Boot 2021 year in review
2021 was a big year for us at Feel the Boot. We experienced lots of growth, and I want to thank all of you for making such a fantastic experience.The best part of this year has been getting to interact with so many of you founders. I had many more one-on-one coaching sessions than in previous years. I've loved talking to so many of you. If you took advantage of them, I hope you have found them hel
63. Focus on the fundamentals to create a marketing strategy for your startup – Tim Fitzpatrick Interview
Many founders skip the marketing fundamentals and strategic thinking and jump directly to executing on some set of ad-hoc initiatives.Then they wonder why their marketing is not working.While I have done a lot of marketing over the years, it is not my core expertise. So, I interviewed Tim Fitzpatrick with Rialto Marketing, who is an expert.We talked about the fundamentals of marketing strategy and
62. Design your C-suite with care. Consider the next 2 years of your startup when handing out titles
Job titles in startups are usually loosely defined and casually managed. In many cases, founders hand out very senior-sounding titles to their co-founders and early hires.While everyone likes having a fancy-sounding job title, they can come back to bite the company later as it grows.The one big title you need to have in the company is a CEO. Investors, partners, vendors, and employees all need to
61. Understand founder equity dilution and how your decisions impact what you keep.
In this episode, I talk about dilution, the process by which your ownership in the company shrinks as you bring in investment. The decisions you make, and the terms you negotiate, can drastically alter your payout at exit.Read the article version of this content here: https://ftb.bz/61BListen to the Podcast: https://ftb.bz/Podcast Join Feel the Boot: https://ftb.bz/JoinJoin the Founders Alliance:
60. Top Insights From 25 Years as a Founder, Angel, and Advisor
PodcastI have learned a lot of things about business and the entrepreneurial experience over the last twenty-five years. During that time, I was a founder, CEO, Chief Scientist, angel investor, and startup advisor. I recently gave a live talk at the Founder Institute, where I talked about my most significant insights about the startup world, business, and life.The attendees loved it, so I immediat
59. Asking your customer these questions can prevent massive wasted effort
I noticed a pattern among founders I meet, and it is something I did too. We have an idea and immediately start working on it before validating it with our potential customers. In many cases, we have practically finished the product before we start showing it to people.But, if we guessed wrong we have wasted a colossal amount of work.I think I know why this happens. For technical founders, coding
58. How I learned to master complex B2B sales meetings as an inexperienced startup founder
When I started as a founder, I struggled with sales meetings. My scientific instincts worked against me. I often wanted to prove that I was right and argue my way to a sale. Fortunately, between fantastic coaching and excruciating failures, I eventually turned sales meetings into a personal strength. I want to share some of my key learnings with you so you can avoid the whole "pain and suffering"
57. Startup Lifecycles and Surviving No Man’s Land – Ruth King Interview
Profitability Master Ruth King is the award-winning author of 5 books including “the Courage to be Profitable” and “Profit or Wealth?” In this interview, we talked about the lifecycle of startups and particularly the challenges of a phase encountered by most companies that she calls “No Man’s Land.” Some of the specific topics we covered were:· When to list
56. Bootstrapping vs. VC funding: which is right for your startup?
Should you bootstrap your startup to greatness or take outside investment to accelerate your growth? Making the right decision can determine if your company will succeed and change your payout at exit by orders of magnitude. Read the blog at https://ftb.bz/56BWatch the Video https://ftb.bz/55VJoin Feel the Boot for our newsletter and free personal coaching https://ftb.bz/joinMeet other founde
55. Create a pitch deck that investors can read in seconds, because that may be all you get
Founders are often frustrated that, after struggling for weeks to perfect their pitch deck, investors just skim through it in a few seconds. Unfortunately, because they look at so many companies, they don't have a choice. I recently attended a webinar by Eric Bahn, GP and co-founder at Hustle Fund, where he talked about using better slide headlines to create a skimmable deck. His approach resonate
54. What projects to prioritize, and which you should kill, in your startup
Today I want to address a problem faced by many founders, prioritizing development projects in the face of conflicting opinions and pressures. Because resources are usually critically limited, you must narrowly focus your development resources. What are you going to build, and more importantly, what will not get built? The problem compounds when you are a non-technical founder/CEO, and your CTO, d
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