Why should early stage companies take money?

What types of money are available to early stage companies?

How can entrepreneurs expect from these various types of money?

What is “smart money”?

What are investors looking for from entrepreneurs?

How and when should entrepreneurs approach investors?

What about valuation?

How is the money paid back?

Where and how do entrepreneurs find funding sources?

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What is Design Thinking exactly?

Is Design Thinking just another passing fad?

Where did it come from and is it relevant to entrepreneurs?

What outcome and benefits can entrepreneurs expect from Design Thinking?

What are the basic Design Thinking steps?

How does Design Thinking sit with all of the other business development tools?

Like Lean Launchpad, Business Model Canvas and even simple brainstorming.

What are examples of success using Design Thinking?

How relevant is the Design Thinking process post MVP?

Realistically, when should I consider using Design Thinking?

So what next?

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Shownotes:

How to accelerate success or, just as important, accelerate failure?

How to test the viability and size of your opportunity.

So how do I define my market potential?

What methods can entrepreneurs use to de-risk go-to-market?

All my friends think I have a great idea.

How do I know I can attract customers?

What is a lean startup process?

What exactly is a minimal viable product?

What is the best way to get potential customer feedback?

How do I use customer feedback to sell my product?

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So exactly what is marketing anyway?

Shownotes:

Mention marketing and most people think advertising.

Business Dictionary – “the process through which goods and services move from concept to customer”

American Marketing Association – “a premier component of business management”, “the process of creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging offerings that have value for customers”

Peter Drucker, “Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two – and only two – basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs. Marketing is the distinguishing, unique function of the business.”

- The customer journey

- The big problem

- The opportunity (solution)

- The value proposition

- Positioning

- Generating interest

- Sales

What is the importance of product management within marketing?

Marketing – Transforming customer needs into value added revenue

What is customer profiling and who are stakeholders?

How important is user experience?

Springboard is Northern Ireland's most powerful, personalised accelerator programme for innovation companies from Connect at Catalyst Inc.

www.connect.catalyst-inc.org/

www.connect.catalyst-inc.org/springboard-accelerator

www.facebook.com/CatalystIncHQ

www.linkedin.com/company/ci-connect

Should start ups and early stage companies get bogged down in legal stuff?

What value will good corporate governance really add to my business?

Is there any need for a board in an early stage entrepreneurial company?

Should I incorporate? – What will it cost? – Companies House?

Contracts, what contracts?

What are my responsibilities as a new company director?

What is an NED anyway?

What is the difference between a shareholder, a director and senior manager?

The importance of recognising IP and ownership.

What will investors be looking for during due diligence?

What key bits of “paperwork do I need to maintain?

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The podcast from Northern Ireland’s most powerful, personalised, accelerator programme for innovation companies.

Shownotes:

Springboard Podcast:

Succeed in Business - Across the Pond, an entrepreneurs view

What (if any) are the key differences between American entrepreneurs and UK/Ireland?

What (if any) are the key differences between American VCs and UK/Ireland?

What are the keys to driving interest from investors?

Will US investors really invest offshore?

How different is go-to-market strategy between UK and USA?

What are the cultural blockers that inhibit UK/Irish companies infiltrating the USA market?

What recommendations can we give entrepreneurs seeking to crack the USA?

What should new market entrants be aware of?

What key differences do you see in trading in the USA versus UK?

Is there any nervousness in the market post Brexit or President Trumps “put America 1st?

Can you give us any insight to typical American buyer’s preferences?

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www.linkedin.com/company/ci-connect

The podcast from Northern Ireland’s most powerful, personalised, accelerator programme for innovation companies.

What key areas of IT security do early stage companies need to consider?

Maximise sales leads, minimise spam.

Reach out to potential customers while avoiding getting blacklisted.

Protect your data from hackers.

Make your company communications secure

Strong passwords are essential, but what else can I do to protect my IP.

What about data protection regulations around customer information?

How do I manage different IT platforms across my company?

Should I allow staff to use their own IT devices?

Do we really need anti malware protection on all devices.

What’s a VPN anyway?

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Springboard Podcast: Succeed In Business

So you want to be an entrepreneur

This episode was recorded at Skunkworks Surf Co in Coleraine, Northern Ireland by the team at Springboard (Connect at Catalyst Inc)

Springboard is Northern Ireland’s most powerful, personalised accelerator programme for innovation companies. Everything you need to know to establish, grow and scale your business successfully

This Episode covers:

How do you come up with a great idea?

Make sure you know what problem you are solving.

Identify your opportunity, establish your value proposition.

Make sure your customers will part with their money.

How do you start building a business model?

How do you actually deliver a real product?

Get your product to market – plan your sales route.

Make sure you are realistic about your money needs.

Balance product development with go-to-market resource.

How do you go about raising funds?

What behaviour makes a successful entrepreneur?

Now, how do you build lasting value in the company?

Connect with the team:

www.CISpringboard.co

Twitter: @CIConnect #Springboard

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ciconnect

Check out www.connect.catalyst-inc.org

Springboard Podcast: Succeed In Business

So you want to be an entrepreneur

Recorded in the Innovation Centre at Catalyst Inc, Belfast

Springboard is Northern Ireland’s most powerful, personalised accelerator programme for innovation companies

Everything you need to know to establish, grow and scale your business successfully

This Episode covers:

Identify your opportunity, make sure you’re not a “me too”

Do your customers actually want what you are offering?

Be clear about the benefits of what you are offering

Spend time talking to your customers

Will your customers pay?

Really understand your specific (niche) market

Prove the Concept – test out your customers pain

Get your product to market – plan your sales route

Make sure you are realistic about money needed to get to market

Balance product development with go-to-market resource

Challenge your own assumptions

What behaviour makes a successful entrepreneur?

Connect with the team:

www.connect.catalyst-inc.org/

www.connect.catalyst-inc.org/springboard-accelerator

Twitter: @CIConnect #Springboard

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ciconnect

Check out www.invent2017.co