Springboard Presents: Been There Run That

Springboard Column on Inc.com - "Been There, Run That"

Finding the Right Investor. by Ellie Cachette

Before an investor writes a check, he or she is going to know every last thing about you. Here's how to return the favor.  Ellie Cachette (SBE 2011) offers advice on how to do your due diligence on interested investors. Read more

How to Sell Your Ideas. by Denise Brosseau

To make a difference in your company and your market, you have to get others to accept and promote your ideas. You’re already a leader in your company, Springboard Advisor Denise Brosseau helps you use those ideas to influence an entire market and to let your vision of the future take hold. Read more

Why "Urgent" is Not a Priority. by Laura Strong

Setting priorities and discipline in execution are critical to any entrepreneur's success.  Alumna Laura Strong (ATLS 2009) offers some tips for keeping urgent - but not important - tasks from taking over your day. Read more

Strategic Partnerships: The View From the Other Side. by Kelly Fitzsimmons

As an entrepreneur, your partnership with BigCo might be the most important thing your company has going right now. Chances are BigCo doesn't see it that way. Kelly Fitzsimmons (ATM 2008 & 2010, SBE 2011) has some great tips to help the entrepreneur navigate their strategic partnerships. Read more

Bootstrapping: 5 tips. by Ellie Cachette

Bootstrapping means managing your time as closely as your money.  Ellie Cachette (SBE 2011) offers five great tips for to help the bootstrapping entrepreneur do both. Read more

10 Ways to Protect Your Intellectual Property. by Kelly Fitzsimmons

To file or not to file? It's your IP in question.  Every startup – lean or not – needs to plan for success.  Read Kelly Fitzsimmons' (ATM 2008 & 2010, SBE 2011) tips on how to protect your IP. Read more

Nope, Your Investors Can't Help. by Susan Askew

What investment capital can do for you is fairly obvious.  Less well understood is what investment capital can't do for your business. Susan Askew (NY 2001) offers her insights on how to avoid some costly misconceptions. Read more

Can't Code? You Can Still Run a Software Company. by Danielle Weinblatt

How do you manage a successful software company without a deep knowledge of coding?  Danielle Weinblatt (SBE 2011) offers some lessons from her own experiences. Read more

Trapped in a Big Company? What's an Entrepreneur To Do? by Marcia Zellers

Let Marcia Zellers (ATM 2008) tell you how to become an Entrepreneur-in-Residence...even if that's not your official title. Read more

When It Makes Sense to Sell Your Company Early. by Sharon Kan

What do you do if an unexpected opportunity to sell your company presents itself?  Sharon Kan (ATM 2008) shares her experiences and insight. Read more

Are You Ready to Raise Money? How to Tell. by Carol Politi

Getting outside money will dramatically change the way you run your company. Are you ready for that? Carol Politi (SBE 2011) offers a few questions to ask yourself before deciding. Read more

How to Make Social Responsibility Work For Your Company by Lynley Sides

How can your growing business do good in ways that are also good for business?  Lynley Sides (SBE 2011) has some tips to help you. Read more

Liking vs. Buying: How Strong is Demand for Your Product? by Jen Baird

Customers may say you have a great idea for a product, but how can you tell if they'll actually buy it? Let Alum Jen Baird (MW 20055) help you find the tell-tale indicators. Read more

How to Write a Pre-Nup for Your Partnership by Laura McCann Ramsey
Sure, everything seems rosy now. But when you and your co-founder no longer see eye-to-eye, you'll be glad you did the paperwork early on. Alum Laura McCann Ramsey (NE 2005) discusses the six rules that will help you set the groundwork for a great partnership. Read more

Why We Give Unlimited Vacation Time by Rosemary O'Neill
How will your employees react to unlimited vacation time? Alum Rosemary O'Neill (SV 2001) shares the three questions you have to answer to find out. Read more

Is it Time to Pivot? How to tell. by Leslie Bane
"Pivots" come in all shapes, sizes and varieties. Alum Leslie Bane (ATM 2008) discusses how to tell if you should stay the course or abandon it. Read more

Brainiacs for Your Business by Sharon Flank
Even if your company is stocked with scientists, you still can't solve every technical challenge yourselves. Enter the scientific advisory board. Alum Sharon Flank (ATLS 2009) discusses how scientific advisory boards add invaluable brainpower to your company. Read more

How to Compete on Value, Not Price by Sandra Wear
Alum Sandra Wear (NE 2004) shares three steps you can use to get customers to look beyond price and see the value your company truly offers. Read more

When Your Customers Want One Thing -- And Your Investors Want Another by Ellie Cachette
Balancing competing demands is just part of being an entrepreneur. But what do you do when your customers square off against your investors? Alum Ellie Cachette (SB 2011) shares her Do's and Dont's for keeping investors and customers happy at the same time. Read more

Taking the Risk out of Doing Business Overseas by Christine Adamow
Starting and running a company in an emerging market means you need to forget some of the basic things you've learned about entrepreneurship. Alum Christine Adamow (ATLS-CT 2010, NE 2001) shares three ways to lessen the risks in running a company overseas. Read more

5 Tools for Innovation by Michal Tsur
Startups are supposed to be innovative -- but they can get as bogged down in the details as any big company. Alum Michal Tsur (NY 2001) shares five ways to keep the innovative spark alive. Read more