Blake J. Harber’s Post

When building your business or startup, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of books, advice, and opinions from countless people. So, whom should you trust? 1. No one At the end of the day, it's your venture. The wins and the mistakes are yours to own. 2. Those you work with Your team’s input matters because your success is shared.

Having a strong foundation is critical for any startup. It sets the stage for the success of your business and helps you weather any storms that may come your way. A strong foundation includes having a clear understanding of your market, a solid business plan, a strong team, and a clear vision for your company. Without these key elements, building a sustainable business that can grow and thrive over time can be difficult. By taking the time to build a strong foundation, you can give your startup the best chance for success and achieve your goals in the long run. Watch full video with Kristin H. Wilson and Joe K. to learn more here - https://lnkd.in/dqbMvsy9

Three Mistakes This founder made that made them lose their business. A lot of times, early-stage founders have trouble finding their footing, they shift and change daily. But this founder did something that made them have to shut their business. 1. Tossed their business model for some profits. - Most business models are made for you. - Take time to come into play. - This founder tossed it, to make some quick change. 2. Chased Investors, not users. - Their business stopped addressing users and focused on VC trends. - I know we all want funding for our startup. - But you get funded for your vision, not ass-kiss trends. 3. Focused on keeping profits and not growing. - I know we all want profits. - But when stop investing your revenue for more profits. - The business's priority changes. After all this when the big day came. - They were more desperate for funding - Had no idea how to scale and needed money to stay alive. - Their model and decision-making didn't make sense to VCs And they had to shut down. Don't be like them. Think long-term. And stay consistent and authentic. Ready to do so? Let's talk! Always, Arcui

Step #1 for starting a 2025 business? Take the time to write a business plan. Don't listen to others who say it's a waste of time. It's not. Especially if this is your Plan B. http://strib.mn/2HthfIq. This will help you  avoid startup failure.

Tips for Securing Your First Round of Funding 💼 Looking for ways to fund your business? Here are essential tips for securing your first round of funding: 1. Prepare a Strong Pitch: Clearly articulate your business idea and value proposition. 2. Build a Solid Business Plan: Include detailed financial projections and market analysis. 3. Network with Investors: Attend industry events and connect with potential investors. 4. Demonstrate Traction: Show evidence of market demand and growth potential. Follow these tips to increase your chances of securing funding for your startup! #FinancialFridays #StartupFunding #BizVitalSigns #InvestorTips #BusinessStrategy

Business isn’t just about strategy. It’s about surviving a storm. When I started GATEIT, it seemed like things would be easy. 📍 Few clients 📍 Some cool projects And I’d become a successful startup owner. But after hustling day in and day out. I realized that building a startup takes more than just HARD WORK and DETERMINATION. After running GATEIT for a year, here are 7 brutal truths about business that hit me hard: 1/ Failure is inevitable. 2/ Scaling is challenging. 3/ Work-life balance is elusive. 4/ Plans rarely go as expected. 5/ Hiring the right team is hard. 6/ Cash flow issues are a constant thing. 7/ The first client isn’t always the easiest to land. Business isn’t glamorous—it’s gritty and tough. Facing these truths head-on can make you more resilient and prepared. What harsh realities have you faced in your business journey? Drop your thoughts in the comments below 📌

What does this video about the difference between Profit & Loss and Balance Sheets, & my mother-in-law have in common? Easy ⬇️ They're both golden oldies. This may well have been a snippet of a conversation I recorded with Jordan Kennerley a few years ago now about, but the message still remains important today 💯 A lot is made of the P&L within your recruitment startup & the importance of being all over it as a business owner - which is true, of course it is. But that should not be at the detriment of understanding the Balance Sheet, it's importance & the role it plays in helping you really understand the position of your startup. #recruitmentstartup #recruitmentinvestment #recruitmentbusinesssupport #recruitmentbusinesssetup #businesstips #recruitmentstartuptips

9 out of 10 startups fail—and being the 1 that doesn’t is tough. You’ve got the idea, the passion, the drive—but turning that idea into a thriving business? That’s where the real challenge begins. It’s not because your idea isn’t great. It’s because growth is difficult, and many new founders don’t know where to begin. They get sleepless nights. And, the endless questions: ↳ Why isn’t this working? ↳ How can I get more customers? ↳ Why the sales aren’t growing fast enough. ↳ Why my team are feeling stressed and many more. But, here’s a simple truth: ❌ Growth isn’t about quick hacks. ✅ It’s about solid, actionable steps. ✅It’s about facing real-world problems and finding real-world solutions. And, most importantly, you're not alone. There are real, practical solutions to these challenges, such as:

How do you get VCs to believe in you and invest? I learned this tactic helping startups raise $125M: → Build a Proof Map 🗺️ Fundraising is about belief. Belief that your startup will succeed. Belief that you can hire the team… ↳ that can build the product customers want… ↳ and can sell it to them repeatedly… ↳ so you can beat the competition… ↳ and dominate the market. The problem? VCs don’t trust you… So how do you get them to believe? You use a PROOF MAP. A proof map is your internal roadmap that helps you answer all of an investor's key questions with proof, not opinion. It provides the building blocks for your entire fundraising narrative. Use it to help decide what to put in your deck. Use it to figure out how to answer common questions. This is how you build one... 👇 _____ Was this helpful? 👍 like and ♻️ repost it to help other entrepreneurs.

Starting a new business can be an exciting yet challenging endeavor. One critical decision you’ll face early on is whether to build systems for your startup. Systems are structured processes and procedures that help streamline operations, ensure consistency, and facilitate scalability. Here are some reasons why building systems is beneficial for a startup business: Read More here: https://lnkd.in/eWsb7jX4