The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) likely isn't the first organization that comes to mind when you need to conduct market research. But it turns out that the SEC offers a wealth of valuable data for small businesses–all for free. Any company that has publicly traded debt or equity securities must file certain documents and forms with the SEC. Since 1996, most of these filings are available online via the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or EDGAR. The system … [Read more...]
How To Read And Interpret A 10-K
The 10-K is one of the most important financial filings required by the SEC. All companies with publicly-traded securities must file one within 90 days of the close of their fiscal year. The 10-K is one of the most important financial filings required by the SEC. All companies with publicly-traded securities must file one within 90 days of the close of their fiscal year. If you need to conduct in-depth research into a competitor, potential client or strategic partner, the 10-K is a great place … [Read more...]
Entrepreneurs: What You Can Learn From Mark Zuckerberg’s Mess
Hollywood need to spend more time with startups. The stories of how entrepreneurs turn ideas into companies are a complex mix of drama and comedy. Hollywood producers need to spend more time with startups. The swashbuckling stories of how entrepreneurs turn ideas into companies are a complex mix of drama and comedy. In some cases, the stories are so surreal that one could easily confuse them for a movie script. One example that we can all learn from is the case of Paul Ceglia and a startup you … [Read more...]
How To Format A Killer Spreadsheet For Investors
When presenting financial models, both form and substance are important. When presenting financial models, both form and substance are important. It goes without saying that your assumptions need to be justifiable, the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement need to be linked and that the overall story behind the numbers needs to be attractive to investors. But how the numbers are presented is also important. Poorly formatted spreadsheets are a complete turn off to investors. … [Read more...]
The Duality Of Entrepreneurial Success
For those of you that haven't seen the movie "Black Swan" starring Natalie Portman, I promise I won't give away the ending. The plot follows the life of a ballerina as she struggles to embody the dual role of the white swan and the black swan in the Russian ballet Swan Lake. Mastering this duality takes a mental toll on Natalie’s character and the results aren’t pretty. After seeing this movie, it struck me that the stressors experienced by Natalie’s character are similar to those faced by … [Read more...]
Take it Personally When Pitching to Investors
When it comes time to Pitching to Investors, most business owners play it safe. They have their traditional PowerPoint presentation that includes the Mission, Vision, Product description, management team experience, sales strategy, financial projections and competitive advantages. That’s fine, but it isn’t enough to convince investors to write you a check. Experienced angel investors and venture capitalists evaluate dozens or hundreds of potential investments each year. Most of them have the … [Read more...]
Signs That Your Financial Model Is Flawed
Building a good financial model isn't easy. Many companies spend countless hours trying to get their Excel-built model just right. Here are 3 Signs That Your Financial Model Is Flawed The purpose of building a model is two-fold: first it lets potential investors know that you have made an attempt to project the potential performance of your business, understand what the cost drivers are and (hopefully) identify key risks in the business model. Secondly, it helps you link strategic thinking to … [Read more...]
How The Japanese Crisis Will Impact Your Supply Chain
The earthquake and subsequent tsunami that has devastated Japan is a human tragedy of significant proportions. Here is how How The Japanese Crisis Will Impact Your Supply Chain. The resilience of the Japanese people will be tested as they emerge from this crisis. In addition to the human toll, Japan’s economy is also suffering heavily. Barclays Capital estimates that the damage from the earthquake and tsunami will exceed $180 billion. The damage from the crisis has led to rolling blackouts, … [Read more...]
Why Your Next Online Sales Channel Will Be Facebook
I recently wrote about the importance of multiple sales channels for small business owners and how the economics of sales channels is an important consideration when determining which channels to use. Why Your Next Online Sales Channel Will Be Facebook Traditional sales channels like retail stores and wholesale distributors now also work in conjunction with e-commerce. Selling via your website or a third party site is accepted as a standard. Several years ago mobile commerce—selling to … [Read more...]
How To Tell If Your Accountant Is A Crook
Misconduct on the part of accountants and bookkeepers is an unfortunate reality. While most accountants and bookkeepers are honest and take their work seriously, the small number of bad apples justify taking a cautious approach. As a business owner, any level of misconduct places your entire business at risk. How to tell if Accountant Is A Crook Warning signs Here are some warning signs that your accountant may be engaging in misconduct. Being evasive or difficult to … [Read more...]
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