Roundtable Recap: April 1 – Bootstrapping Tips

I started doing my free Online Strategy Roundtables for entrepreneurs in the fall of 2008. Based on this work, I’ve been able to draw a few conclusions.

First, a good percentage of entrepreneurs don’t bother validating their ideas. Another percentage are immediately interested in raising money. Raising money without validating the business is pretty much impossible. If we can address some of these patterns we have a chance at significantly reducing infant entrepreneur mortality.

At this morning’s roundtable I worked with five new entrepreneurs who came to the roundtable very well-prepared.  They had already done a good deal of validation of their businesses and this led to a richer discussion about each business.  Unusual trivia: four were women and two were named Joanne, but it is clear from the amount of work they have all already done so far that each has the essential work ethic needed to be a successful entrepreneur. >>>

April 1 Roundtable Recording

In case you missed it, here is the recording:

Roundtable Starting In 30 Minutes

Today’s roundtable is starting in 30 minutes, at 8 a.m. PST/11 a.m. EST/8:30 p.m. IST. Click here to join in.

A Serial Entrepreneur’s Playbook: ChannelAdvisor CEO Scot Wingo (Part 1)

Scot Wingo is the president, CEO, and co-founder of ChannelAdvisor. Prior to launching ChannelAdvisor, was a co-founder of AuctionRover.com, which was acquired by GoTo.com and became GoTo Auctions. Prior to AuctionRover he was the CEO and co-founder of Stingray Software, which was acquired by RogueWave. Scot received a BS in computer science from the University of South Carolina and a master’s in computer science degree from North Carolina State University.

SM: Scot, let’s start at the beginning of your story. Where do you come from?

SW: It all started in 1968. I’m from a little town in South Carolina called Aiken, and our only claim to fame is that we’re near Augusta, Georgia, where the Masters golf tournament is. Most golf people know where Aiken is, but nobody else does. >>>

Running Online Middle And High Schools: Caprice Young, CEO of KC Distance Learning (Part 7)

SM: Does the online environment change the social aspect of a course?

CY: In a lot of our public school classrooms there is peer pressure towards mediocrity. By taking classes online, students can work to their highest level. That is very beneficial for kids who would otherwise be pressured into underperforming. >>>

Strategy Roundtable For Entrepreneurs On Thursday

Sramana Mitra’s next free online strategy roundtable for entrepreneurs will be held on this Thursday, April 1, 2010, starting at 8 a.m. PDT/11 a.m. EDT/8:30 p.m. IST. You can find more details and register here. Please join us and let other entrepreneurs know!

Running Online Middle And High Schools: Caprice Young, CEO of KC Distance Learning (Part 6)

SM: Let’s talk about the final piece of your business, the curriculum licensing.

CY: With Aventa we offer anything we do in our private and public offerings on an à la carte basis. We offer it with or without teachers. Our customers are school districts, charter schools, and some online schools. >>>

Running Online Middle And High Schools: Caprice Young, CEO of KC Distance Learning (Part 5)

SM: It sounds as though your private school is catering to a very non-traditional group of students.

CY: In our private school that is very true. Many of our students are extremely accelerated. We have 13-year-olds taking calculus. It is hard to get calculus in seventh to ninth grade. >>>