As an angel investor and leader of an angel group, I receive funding inquiries every day. Most come in the form of an executive summary, which typically provides one of the initial interactions an entrepreneur will have with an investor.

Since the business side of my world is focused on entrepreneurialism and business growth, so is my new year reading list.

The most important factor is a buzz word heard in every industry – diversity. So why is it the MOST important factor for creating an advisory board? And how does it resolve issues for entrepreneurs?

Men have typically dominated the angel investing world. However this is changing as a result of a growing numbers of women entrepreneurs, investors and mentors.

Should the coach of your favorite college team develop and implement the game plan for this week’s big game against their rival without discussing the options with his offensive and defensive coordinators?

While there is no formalized list of “Thou Shall Not” items for start-ups seeking funding similar to the Ten Commandments, if there were, Thou Shall Not encumber your balance sheet with debt, would certainly make the list.

Global Investor Register is a curated listing of Angel Networks, Funds, VCs and Corporate VCs from around the world.

Some entrepreneurs fail to leverage the knowledge and experiences of others by failing to create advisory boards. These boards are a critical component required to scale strong entrepreneurial opportunities.

Although I have more than 25 years of experience working with business, entrepreneurial and technical personnel, I continue to experience unfamiliar acronyms.  As a result, I decided to create a quick reference list summarizing acronyms utilized in the startup and entrepreneurial community.

Assessing the competitive environment allows you to determine if your idea is truly unique.