RESOURCE LIBRARY
Entrepreneurial Type
Check out which type of entrepreneur you identify with and find out the good, the bad and the ugly of that type…
What are the pitfalls you need to be aware of on your journey as an entrepreneur?
Interesting Innovations
A sizeable group of entrepreneurs forget to check if their product or service is addressing an actual need in the market. We put together some great examples of very innovative products that clearly do not have a market sizeable enough to create a sustainable business instead of a side-hustle – hopefully they bring a smile on your face though 🎶
Relax You’ve Got Mpesa
A classic to visualise how to communicate value…
Doblin Ten Types of Innovation
Many entrepreneurs focus on product or technological innovation, but innovation is much broader. Doblin’s Ten Types of Innovation explores additional innovations from product and service offerings to customer experience to business model innovation.
Alex Honnold – How I Climbed a 3,000 ft Cliff
There were no easy answers, but El Cap meant so much to me that I wanted to put in the work and find out.
Success is where preparation meets opportunity…
Success is where preparation meets opportunity…
How to Value a Startup Company with No Revenue
If you want to make a deal with a commercial investor in exchange for ownership (=equity), you need to know the actual worth of your company.
The Most Important Skills an Early-Stage Hire Should Have
When making early-stage hires, is it better they be skilled at one thing or be a jack-of-all-trades and why?
Susan Cain – The Power of Introverts
A classic: Susan Cain shows that introverts have many qualities to support effective communication and leadership…
How Startup Valuation Works
Dan Ariely – Are We in Control of Our Own Decisions
Dan Ariely shows that where we think we are rational human beings, we actually aren’t…
Mark Bowden – The Importance Of Being Inauthentic
Mark Bowden goes against the grain: he challenges everyone to be LESS authentic in order to connect with more people… and does so in a truly thought-provoking way ✨
Fostering Productive Entrepreneurship Communities
This very interesting report by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation compares the startup eco-systems of Nairobi and Bangalore.
15 Slides You NEED on Your Pitch Deck
If you’re preparing a pitch deck tailored to investors specifically, the below video details the key slides that effectively communicate your startup’s potential from defining the problem and presenting a solution, to outlining the market opportunity, business model, and growth strategy. It also covers how to present traction, financials, and the team in a way that builds credibility. A great watch also if you’re not pitching to investors but simply want to learn more about telling your startup’s story.
By watching, you’ll learn not just what to include, but how to structure your narrative to captivate investors and make your pitch stand out ✨
Jack Ma – Believe In Your Dreams
Some inspiration on how to think big and dream the dream from Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba who in 1999, was just an English teacher with a vision for what the internet could become for China…
SWOT Analysis worksheet
Business Model Canvas
The Business Model Canvas is a great way of describing your business model in an informal but very effective way. A must-have and -do for any entrepreneur and startup…
Joe Pulizzi – Content Marketing Strategy
You can’t run a successful business without reaching out to customers. Joe Pulizzi shares all the ins and outs on how to build a successful online marketing strategy, and does so in an incredibly motivating way.
Especially worth watching for entrepreneurs with a brick and mortar business – be ready to get inspired!
Silicon Valley: How Stanford, Science and War Made Tech History
The history behind Silicon Valley…
Break-Even Point – Easily Explained
Terri Trespicio – Stop Searching for Your Passion
We are often told that finding your passion is the key to a successful career and life purpose. What if it’s the wrong question altogether?
Calculating Unit Cost
A step by step approach to calculating Unit Cost with a focus on the Cost of Goods Sold (or COGS). The example taken is food – what can be more relatable than that ✨
Victor Antonio – MT NUT
There are various reasons why prospective customers wouldn’t want to buy from you… don’t take it personal. It might just be that you have the right value proposition, but it’s just the wrong timing…
Check out this great video by Victor Antonio on reasons why people don’t buy…
What ROI Can Angel Investors Expect to See
Six Myths about Venture Capitalists
In case you need it: some demystification of the role Venture Capitalists play…
Your SWOT & TOWS Analysis Worksheet
Jason Fried – Rework
Reading and watching the news you would almost believe that all entrepreneurs are poised to become billionaires and rule the world. Jason Fried takes us back to basics and shares how to bootstrap a successful company, where personal relations and a healthy work-life balance are at the core… while still growing your business to scale (if you want to)!
Red Ocean vs Blue Ocean Strategy
Where cutthroat competition turns the ocean bloody red, finding calmer waters or blue oceans by adding value can be a game changer for any business…
How to Build a Story with Slides
Very basic – read this article to guide you how to build a PowerPoint Presentation using Storytelling as your guidance. If your slides are telling a story, your work is just to now go and present it ✨
Total Market Size – TAM
An investor’s insight on the importance of calculating your total market size and doing it correctly…
The Founders Dilemma
Four out of five entrepreneurs are forced to step down from the CEO’s post. Most are shocked when investors insist that they relinquish control, and they’re pushed out of office in ways they don’t like and well before they want to abdicate. Just keeping things real!
Slicing Pie
If you’re looking for some inspiration how to tackle the ownership for your company – here is a useful guide to a different approach to dividing equity…
The Lean Start-Up
Most businesses fail early because of lack of product-market fit; in other words: customers are not interested in buying the product or service. The sooner you take a very first version to market, the sooner you get real and honest customer feedback which you can then use to improve on your versions 1, 2, 3, … be Lean!
Pricing Tactics
Check out this comprehensive overview of literally all things pricing tactics…
Seed, Series A, B, C, D and E Funding: How It Works
A very basic difference between startups and entrepreneurs is that entrepreneurs can run any type of new businesses vs startups who start risky, innovative businesses with the purpose to scale. In advanced countries startups for this reason often equate to tech-centric businesses…
Porter’s Five Forces
Michael Porter's Five Forces theory is a strategic management framework that helps businesses analyze industry competition and profitability. It considers five key forces: competitive rivalry, threat of new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, and threat of substitutes.
Ernesto Sirolli – If You Want to Help Soneone Shut Up and Listen
Apart from acknowledging that nothing much has changed in the world of aid - this over-the-top TED Talk by Ernesto Sirolli (watch up to 3:21 minutes or further if you feel like it ✨) is a great illustration of what can go wrong when we don’t engage with our customer!
Simon Sinek – It Starts with Why
Though already more then ten years old and containing some references to companies and products that are quite outdated, Simon Sinek shares a message that is still as relevant today as it was when he did his presentation... a classic ✨
