Another level of Intellectual Property (IP) safeguard focusses on the name, look and function of your company. These Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) are covered by Trademark protection.

We’ve all done it as children when working out a maze. Start from your endpoint and work backwards to the start. This same approach works for mapping out the path to startup success – Start from your endpoint and work backwards to the present.

At its core, entrepreneurship is about the monetization of an idea. That idea emanates from the process of identifying a problem that someone or some business faces and finding a solution. That idea is the very heart and soul of your start-up.

There are many ways for a startup to fail. Some factors, like regulatory changes or input cost increases, are beyond the founder’s control. However, there are three significant actions that entrepreneurs are often guilty of that can kill your company as fast as anything.

We often think of business as a special function. In reality, it operates in much the same way normal things around us do. In fact, the concepts behind Newton’s Three Laws of Motion are as applicable to business tips as they are to physics.

Every company is composed of individuals with different skill sets and has different roles that must be filled in order to succeed.

The basic question that most plans leave unanswered is, “How do I know if my plan is working?”

Stephanie Vozza has spoken of the six lessons gleaned from entrepreneurs’ experience (Fast Company). It was illuminating to evaluate how our startup company (FundingSage) and its founders dealt with these business improvement issues.

Strategic thought requires thinking “conceptually” as opposed to “sequentially.”  Sequential thinking weighs the pros and cons of each step against its immediate surroundings. Conceptual thinking requires that each step be measured against the larger goal. Perhaps this is best understood with an analogy.  Imagine going on a trip from point “A” to point “B.”

Greek historian Herodotus once said, “Great deeds are usually wrought at great risk.” The great company you are building will not come easy. It may require you to go “all in” (and take a prudent risk) to make it work. But what does that mean and when do you undertake such a risky action?