Struggling Entrepreneur

 

 109- Blatant Mistakes by Entrepreneurs and how to avoid them [23:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this audio episode, we listen to Chris Benjamin–the RogueCFO and himself an entrepreneur–on the most common blatant mistakes and errors made by the excited Startup Entrepreneurs when they are just starting their business. But, more important, Chris gives reminders and recommendations so that these newbie entrepreneurs can avoid them.

Chris Benjamin is the author of the Premium Seminar Podcast Course at www.finance4startups.com called “Empowering Entrepreneurs to Launch Successful Startups.”

Chris is also the author of the Free White Paper on Startup Capitalization and the free Audio Book at the Finance for Startups web site and blog. Chris is the subject matter expert for his own podcast series called The Rogue CFO’s Expert Guide to Launching a Startup, which is available in the iTunes(R)  store, as well as the web site at

http://www.RogueCFO.podomatic.com.

With permission from Chris, we include in its entirety the sixth podcast episode in this series that deals with an overvidw and summary of the most common blatant mistakes made by the overly excited entrepreneurs when they are launching their startup business.

With the enthusiasm and passion for the idea of the product or service for the business, the entrepreneur may be under some of the common assumptions about other professionals that will be approached to assist in starting the business–such as marketing professionals, financial advisors or CFOs, legal counsel such as attorneys, etc.

As you will hear in this audio episode, Chris describes from his own experiences the basis for these assumptions, as well as the dire consequences that they can bring to the well-intentioned and innocent–but unsuspecting–entrepreneur.

However, Chris also recommends some suggesstions to avoid making these mistakes and delivering a setback for the business in its infancy.

We will also be posting additional episodes in the future from Chris Benjamin and his podcast that deal with the critical issues for the entrepreneur in creating the startup firm.

If you wish to contact Chris Benjamin for his financial advice and on-demand CFO services, you may visit his web site and get the contact information at

http://www.roguecfo.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Chris Benjamin Consulting, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

 

 108- Legal Issues for the Entrepreneur- The Entity [22:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we interview Brian Lloyd, an Attorney in the firm of Parr Brown Gee and Loveless. He is based out of Salt Lake City, Utah.

We deliver a brief interview with this Attorney who specializes in the field of helping Startup firms, Entrepreneurs and Small Business owners–especially in the formation and launch of their firms.

As you will hear in this audio episode, Brian shares with us the legal challenges facing the entrepreneur in forming the business–especially in deciding which legal entity to pursue. He discusses the details and the pros-and-cons of the legal entities for the startup firm–from the sole proprietorship to the LLC.

We thank Brian for his perspective and his hints and recommendations for the entrepreneur in evaluating the legal entity.

Note: This interview is a small subset of the much larger conversation we had with Brian Lloyd. In order to keep the total podcast episode under 25 minutes, we only deliver to you in this episode the portion that discusses the Legal Entity for the startup.

However, if you are interested in the entire interview, it is available only as a downloadable episode in the Premium Podcast Seminar Course called “Empowering Entrepreneurs to Launch Successful Startups,” We provide the ENTIRE interview as premium content for those who subscribe to the course. In addition to a bit more detail about the Legal Entity for the Entrepreneur, Brian also discusses the following items:

- Financial challenges facing legal issues (such as capitalization and ownership)  for the Startup;

- Agreements for the entrepreneurs starting the business in dealing with revenues, roles, responsibilities, ownership, intellectual property, etc.

- Options that you, as an entrepreneur in a startup firm, need to know about and decide upon BEFORE you start the business–and avoid being blindsided by the problems that may occur later in the course of growth;

- Pitfalls and  “Legal landmines” that you can avoid in the beginning with a good launch plan;

- Regulatory issues that will challenge the startup once it is in operation; and

- Types of relationships for legal counsel by a startup firm that has very little working capital or cash at the outset.

If you wish to subscribe to the 14-module Seminar Course, you will get ALL the entire interviews from all the subject matter experts in the future, as well as all the course materials–the videos, the audio mp3 instruction files, the PDF documents, the templates, the spreadsheets, the screencasts, the PowerPoint slides  and the sample documents that compliment the Course modules that will be downloaded to your very own 1-to-1 feed to your iTunes(R) application on your computer. For more information, go to finance4startups.com, in this podcast series to hear the details–or click on the button on the left-hand navigation bar labeled: “Click Here for Seminar Course Details.”

Copyright (c) 2009, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Chris Benjamin Consulting, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

 

 107- Tools for the Entrepreneur- Finance4Startups.com [33:47m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we deliver the announcement and the details for the web site designed to help entrepreneurs and startup-business owners in the area of finance– Finance4Startups.com.

Why this Premium Seminar course?

In today’s downturn economy, where layoffs and other job-loss situations are impacting the majority of experienced professionals, one strong alternative for them is to start  their own business–that is, create a startup and enter the world of Entrepreneurs.

However, as you can gather from the more than 100 episodes of interviews with entrepreneurs, the biggest challenge, obstacle and issue in becoming an entrepreneur is financial.  That means addressing issues such as: capitalization; funding; financing; angel investors; venture capital, etc.

And most of all, it will include the topics of helping to minimize your new business startup from failing because of a lack of financial skills, strategies, financial tools or knowledge.

How can you minimize your risk of failure due to money?

Sign up at www.finance4startups.com.

You will have the experience of a finance specialist, Chris Benjamin, who is the author and presenter of the course.  Chis has helped numerous individuals and firms avoid the problems regarding finance in creating — and maintaining– their startup ventures during the critical time of planning, launching and the first year survival.

Chris has also been the “CFO-on-demand” for startups that needed to have a temporary CFO to see them through the difficult beginning stages of their business. After the period of stabilization–when the business can now proceed and grow profitably–then Chris has departed, thus giving the startup firm the best skills at the lowest cost in the shortest amount of time during the most cricital period of existence.

In this particular audio episode #107 of The Struggling Entrepreneur podcast series, we examine how the fee-based course offered by www.finance4startups.com delivers value to the Entrepreneur and those creating a startup firm.

Part of the value includes the templates, worksheets, documents, slides and presentations, audio mp3 instruction files and videos, screencasts and pdf files — all delivered to you individually, so that you can have the roadmaps or guides to implementing your financial  action items and to help prevent the problems facing Entrepreneurs and Startups in the finance area._________________________________________

Tremendous value for the Entrepreneur at a great price-point.

We think you will agree that the cost of this 13-module course delivered over 7 weeks can fit within the budget of the entrepreneur who is starting his business.

The professional Business Builder, Mark A. Roberts, is a long-time helper to the entrepreneur community in saving small businesses from failure, as well as growing small businesses and startups to success with good marketing and strategy. He sees great benefit for the Entrepreneur with this course.

You can see the details and description of each module, including all the audio and video materials in this pdf:

. Click here to see the description.

- Price Point:  Introductory price until Dec., 2009:   $79. US dollars

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Lastly, you will not be dealing with someone who is a “jack-of-all-trades-but-master-of-none.” You will be listening to  Chris Benjamin, whose core speciality and proven experience is finance for startups.

What do you get?

Just straight finance information IN PLAIN ENGLISH to help the Startup business succeed in its planning, launch and entry stages of its life.

No marketing; no sales; no upsell; no cross-sell; no affiliate commissions or finance-techno-babble. . .

For more information, please go to http://www.finance4startups.com.

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A Free Podcast and Whitepaper:

You can subscribe to the free podcast to get more details via audio. This will provide general information and interviews with subject-matter experts.

This free podcast  includes a free audio book that contains 8 episodes to give you an overview of the financial perspective for startups for the novice.

Or you can get a free whitepaper titled:

Startup Capitalization: Understanding Your Options, Choosing the Best Source for Your Needs, and How to Stand Out and Make Investors want to invest in YOU and Your Company.

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The Premium Seminar Course:

The fee-based Seminar Course with Premium Content is called Empowering Entrepreneurs to Launch Successful Startups.

- The special introductory price for this is $79. US dollars.

- There is a 30- day money-back guarantee for this course (no questions asked).- The course materials — including Templates, documents, spreadsheets, videos, tutorials, audio instruction mp3 files, presentations — are delivered electronically to you in a personal one-to-one communication feed weekly over the course of 7 weeks (so that you don’t get overwhelmed with a flood of content all at once);

- All content is presented in a relaxed and informal method IN PLAIN ENGLISH; The content advises you to recognize scams that don’t deliver actionable content and value; content gives you tools and materials for you to use immediately in launching your business and monitoring your startup for financial health.

- The content will help you to KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW about finance for your startup to MINIMIZE your risk of failure and will help you to INCREASE your probability for SUCCESS of your startup in the area of funding, capitalization and finance.

- The system that will be used to deliver the content is PremiumCast.

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Summary of Training materials and additional bonus content:

2-to-3 modules delivered weekly to your iTunes(R) program on your computer automatically:

- PRICING and MONETIZATION for your startup or small business;

- Creating an effective BUSINESS PLAN;

- What you need for successful presentations to INVESTORS;

- Ten VALUATION methods and CAPITALIZATION video walk-throughs;

- Effective FINANCIAL FORECASTING and MODELING;

- Effective Small Business CASH FLOW, with tutorials and walk-throughs;

- VENTURE CAPITAL and ANGEL INVESTORS–their process and what you will need to approach them and have them want to invest in YOU;

- Sample TERM SHEETS and EXIT STRATEGIES (e.g., IPO, M&A, MBO, etc.);

- Bonus videos: PERSONAL BUDGETING and BAD DEBT RESERVES; and

- RESOURCES for your startup’s financial health: available and recommended.

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Questions?

If you have any questions or wish for information about the course, please send a noteto this email id:

finance4startups @ gmail.com (to prevent spam)

Copyright (c) 2009, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Chris Benjamin Consulting, LLC. All Rights Reserved.