DQventures

Updates

Update: March 2023

The financial world is giving very mixed signals - banks failing, inflation still ripping, yet oil prices and down, along with startup valuations. But here at DQ we're making progress, with 10 companies now and counting. Here's our latest update.

Start a Company

Why do so many people want to become a startup CEO?

Being a startup CEO is a lonely, complex, and often unfulfilling job, so why do so many people yearn for it, and is there a better way? We think there is.

Start a Company

Future founders, do this before resigning.

Too many founders quit their day job too soon. There are many simple steps you can take that can save you months of wasted time, giving your startup a headstart and saving you thousands. Here are some examples.

Early-Stage Capital

Founders, what fundraising tricks are you missing?

Although founders spend an inordinate amount of time raising capital, most spend very little researching and deciding on a fundraising strategy. While they're busy sending emails and LinkedIn requests to random investors, many are missing opportunities that could make the whole process much easier.

Start a Company

What do 2nd-time founders do that 1st-time founders don't?

What do second-time founders do differently from first-time founders? Here's a list of 6 differences in approach between those who've been there and those who haven't.

Start a Company

How to reward startup advisors - a framework.

It's easy to hand out equity in your startup and impossible to get it back. Here are some tips on how to manage startup advisor relationships, and how to reward advisors based on performance.

Start a Company

Are the best entrepreneurs risk takers or risk averse?

Although there are successful founders of all kinds, research shows that being more risk averse may increase your chances of success by up to one third. Here's what you can do to avoid unnecessary risks.

Updates

Advice for my kids after 20 years of startup life.

At least two of my business partners, past and present, are self-made multimillionaires. I've also invested in, worked with, learned from, and collaborated with dozens of hugely wealthy, successful people. Here are 42 pieces of advice I've collected along the way.

Build a Product

What to use for startup products: problem statements or user stories?

It's easy to rush into building a software product for your startup before you truly understand the user's need. This is a common problem, which often results in a complete redesign. You can avoid this with problem statements, user stories, and user interviews.

Early-Stage Capital

15 startup lessons I wish I'd learned sooner.

When you try anything new, it's good to be forewarned of some of the common pitfalls and mistakes you should aim to avoid. After a decade of investing in startups and launching my own, here are 15 lessons I could have done with knowing sooner!

Build a Product

An MVP is not software.

No matter what your friendly software development company might tell you (because clearly they have a vested interest), an MVP should not be software.

Start a Company

4 ways to go from idea to startup.

Many first-time founders assume that VCs are out there just waiting to be bowled over by their idea, but the reality is quite different. VCs generally want to back companies that are already proven. Not ideas. So what are the options?

Start a Company

What should first-time founders know about shares and legal docs?

If you're setting up a company, talk to a lawyer. The information below does not constitute legal advice and represents the views and opinions of the author, James Green only. Nothing expressed here should be construed as the view or opinion of DQventures, or as legal advice of any kind.

Early-Stage Capital

Growth versus profit.

High-growth software companies have boomed in the last decade, powered by investors' thirst for capital appreciation. But it might just be that this era is coming to an end, to be replaced by a renewed focus on profitability and yield. Here's how I'm thinking about my investments.

Early-Stage Capital

What to put in a data room.

There's nothing worse than an investor telling you that, yes, they'll invest in you, only for them to get cold feet because your data room was unconvincing. Put this in place before you start raising and you can reinforce investors' faith that you're the right team for the job.

Early-Stage Capital

"How much money did you invest yourself?" said the investor.

Sometimes investors will ask a question you weren't expecting, like this one. No matter what it tells you about the investor, you need to provide a convincing answer. Here's how to answer this one.

Start a Company

The best founders I know share these 4 characteristics.

Some of my investment companies have come close to perishing. The key factor was founder ability, tenacity, and creativity. Getting to the next level, however, required leadership. Here are four factors that separate the good from the great.

Start a Company

Startups: no-budget sales and marketing on LinkedIn.

Every founder knows that, when they get started, they have no budget for marketing. So how do you go from zero to one? How do you get the first users for your product? Here's how we've done it.

Early-Stage Capital

The pros and cons of crowdfunding for your startup.

if you're a startup founder and considering raising money via crowdfunding, here's a summary of the major benefits and risks of doing so, as well as some insight into how to make your raise a success.

Start a Company

What do startup employees expect from their share options?

What do employees expect from the share options they receive, and what questions might they be asking? This article is designed to help startup owners and employees find an options scheme that works for everyone.

Early-Stage Capital

Should you build investor relationships or pitch cold?

Building a relationship with investors before you're ready to pitch to them may be nice, but it's not the best use of your time. Here's why.

Updates

How it feels to lose $2m of other people's money.

This was the most painful lesson our cofounder, James, would ever learn. No founder thinks they're going to fail, so when it happens, it's way worse than you imagine.

Start a Company

Founders, don't ignore your health and wellbeing.

Founders getting burned out is a bad thing, all round - bad for the company, bad for investors, bad for team mates, and bad for the founder. It may feel counter-intuitive, but founders should not spend every waking hour on the business. Enjoy the journey, and you'll be capable of much more.

Start a Company

Building a community as a marketing channel.

For founders, building a community can be a great tool for marketing, fundraising, becoming a thought leader, and creating options for yourself should things not work out. Don't spend money on PR; build your personal brand instead.

Build a Product

Minimum viable product.

A lot of people use the term MVP incorrectly. When they describe their MVP, they're simply describing their vision of their product. This is nonsense. Don't build software. Instead, spend more time distilling your product's core value into its simplest form.