I've often said that getting a technology startup launched has never been easier. So many services, software and … read more

Omaha OK. We know our audience, and we have down cold both the industry and the company we are pitching. Now, let’s make some sausage. I like to get those I work with to follow some simple rules that I have witnessed that are effective. My idea of a perfect pitch is one that tells them up front in five minutes what you are going to tell them, then tells them exactly that in a 30 minute presentation, and then summarizes what you just told them in the last five minutes … read more

Omaha In my last article, I explored how to answer the question regarding how to create the perfect pitch. In my opinion, it is predicated on you being able to understand your audience, the company you are presenting and any outside elements that influence the decision. After you understand these items, then you are ready to follow some simple rules and create a winning presentation. Therefore, keys to a good pitch are: Know your audience … read more

(This is a guest post by Jonathan Kay). Odds are, you have a blog reader. You have all your favorite sites and RSS feeds hooked in, and I would even venture to say you start your day off each morning by skimming through all this content. You probably read a handful of “five tips on …” and “top 10 …” posts, maybe even a few motivating success stories about entrepreneurs who killed it. This will be like none of those. This post will outline a handful of lessons you can learn from two big ass failures. Get ready. Get excited. Here we go. … read more

Kansas City (This is a guest post by Bo Fishback) When I left what I thought was my dream job to launch a start-up, I truly believed I was onto something huge. Initially, I was following my instincts; however, looking back, some key indicators reinforced my gut feeling. Think you're on the precipice of the next big thing? Ask yourself these questions first. Is the market so big that you struggle to quantify it? I've got a fancy MBA and understand how … read more

Omaha I have been asked a number of times how to create the perfect pitch. Young (or old) entrepreneurs want the template that will result in funding with the fewest number of steps and the minimum amount of time. After all, we all want it now … and we want it with whipped topping and nuts. Although I am not the brightest, I am pretty sure that if there was a perfect template for the perfect pitch it would … read more

Omaha Recently, I was honored to spend an evening with an outstanding group of young people who participated in Startup Weekend Omaha. Wow, was that refreshing! What I saw was a super group of young people trying to figure out how to walk the walk … knowing they're already beginning to understand how to talk the talk. For me, walking the walk is getting out and doing something about your … read more

Lincoln (This is a guest post by Doug Durham.) Internships are new to us. In fact, hiring people straight out of college is new to us. Historically, we have built our teams by hiring experienced (or relatively experienced) people often via word of mouth recommendations. We have always been quite protective of our culture and the impact of bringing new people into our organizations. As a result, we have been … read more