Investor Connect Podcast

In this episode, Hall welcomes Jef Sharp CEO of Qnect. Qnect is an intelligent, cloud-based connection app that gives fabricators, detailers, and engineers fast and flexible connections with significant cost and schedule savings. In minutes, users can connect most steel buildings without capital cost and with minimal initial training. Two important benefits of Qnect include Preference Optimization and Bolt Optimization.

Jef has over 35 years of experience leading and growing tech companies. He has a passion for value creation. Jef is a serial entrepreneur and has co-founded and led many innovative businesses: Qnect (SAAS), Panève (Big Data), Qteros (bio-fuels), Xfinit, (intrusion detection sw), XSCapacity (online exchange for excess capacity), TechCavalry (IT service), and Gravity Graphics (Inc. 500 co) Jef served on the Qteros Board for 5 years, the Panève BoD for 4 years, and is an advisor to PeopleHedge and 5 yr. advisor to Oakridge National Lab.

Direct download: Jef_Sharp_of_Qnect.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:48pm CDT

Here are some pointers for startups raising funding

Launching a startup and growing a business is hard.  It's supposed to be hard. 

You need a complete team to start a business – someone building it and someone selling it.  No fair, everyone on the team is building it and no one is selling it.

Being all-in on your startup is step one.  Part-timers need not apply.

Sweat equity is table stakes - not valuation metrics.

Entrepreneurs think investors want big revenue, but what they really want is predictable and repeatable revenue. In an early stage company the revenue is never large, but if it’s predictable based on recurring revenue, repeat revenue or known lead generation funnels, then you have a growth story to tell the investor.

Build and test your funnel so you know it works and can tell the growth story versus telling the ‘we’ll be big someday’ story - which nobody believes.

Funding is an enabler that accelerate what you already have going. Don’t think funding is going to solve all your problems.

Sell it first, build it second. If you can’t sell it in the first place, there’s no need to build it in the second place. Most startups over invest in their tech and then they search for someone to buy it. A better strategy is to sell it and then build out what the customer wants.

Thank you for joining us for the Startup Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

 

Let’s go startup something today!

 

Direct download: Startup_Espresso_--_Key_pointers_for_starters_raising_funding.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:50pm CDT

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