Adventures in Entrepreneurship

Adventures inEntrepreneurship Margaret Wallace, CEO, Playmatics Twitter: @MargaretWallace

Margaret Wallace Shirley Lin Trust Us.We’re Dressed as Pirates.

Entrepreneur AdviserInventor Twitter: @MargaretWallace Tech, Media, Gaming

Entrepreneurs Must Juggle Many Things.

…and people. Users Friends/ Employees Family Investors

Entrepreneurs Must Wear Many Hats.

Rainmaker

Therapist

Visionary

Enforcer

Inventor

We Do Whatever it Takes.

That Goes for Funding.

Different Funding Options Different Considerations

Understanding The Impact of Funding Choices Important.

Five Start-Ups I’ve Worked With or Founded Lessons Learned

Start-Up #1: PF.Magic

Be Passionate or Go Home.

Excel in at Least One Thing.Then innovate….

Create Meaningful Rituals

Offering to Software Gods at GMC.

Diversity in theWorkplace Matters

Funding Options Venture Capital Angel / Super- Angel Friends & Family Bootstrap

Start-Up #2:Skunk Studios

Timing isEverything

“Own” Your Audience

Own Your IP

Create OngoingRevenue Streams

Don’t Get Stale.

Understanding VC Psychology

Strength of Idea Market Size Strength of Team CompetitionTakeaway: VCs are all about managing risk. The morerisk you remove, the more comfort they have with you.

How VCs Rate Your Chance of Success 5% 15% 80%Takeaway: VC & Start-Up Goals Are Not Always in Alignment.

Verbal Cues Can Be Misleading

Non-Verbal Cues Can Be Misleading

Pivoting Takes Runway,Strength & Shared Vision.

Choose your Investor (orVC firm) carefully.

Choose your individualVC carefully.

Choose your attorneycarefully.

Guard Board Compositionwith your Life!

1. Cover Page2. Company Snapshot3. Numbers4. Timeline & Runway5. Demo6. Traction7. TrajectoryFrom: 365 Days, $10 Million, 3 Rounds, 2 Companies, All With 5 Magic Slides

“Stop Using the projector for initial meetings.” -- Tim Young

Accept Failure Swiftly & Gracefully

Start-Up #4: Playmatics

Breaking Bad: Cost of Doing Businesshttp://www.amctv.com/shows/breaking-bad/cost-of-doing-business

Gamification

Start-Up #5: Shadow Government

Find a CompletelyUnique Niche

The “Truth” isNot Out There.

Questions?Margaret Wallacemargaret@playmatics.com@margaretwallace

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Adventures in Entrepreneurship

by Margaret Wallace on Nov 05, 2011

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