"I approached VentureArchetypes when I was at the conceptual stage of forming my business, Wait-On-Me. I knew I needed help writing the business plan but I didn't realize then how much I would benefit from their methodical processes and how it would end up helping to shape the actual products and markets we then decided to focus on. Nathan first made sure he understood what we wanted to do (the Big Picture) and then helped us to focus on the highest value propositions which has been instrumental to moving us forward.
As we are now getting ready to do some fund-raising, VentureArchetypeswas a great resource and helped us take an OK presentation and elevate it to a pitch-perfect one that really makes an impression on the audience and delivers our message clearly and concisely. Venture Archetypes through their history of working with VCs know what needs to be there and what doesn't and how best to present it.
I got more than my money's worth from VentureArchetypes and I highly recommend them to anyone thinking of starting a company, especially if you think you will need outside investors. And even if you don't, their process will help you focus the limited resources of your startup into the most profitable areas."
William L. Friend, CEO
Wait-On-Me, Inc.
(Bill was employee #5 at Oracle and has some great "Ellison stories;" His new company, Wait-On-Me, is currently in stealth mode)
"Working with VentureArchetypes was one of the most important things I did for my business. In an amazing interview session (including working until 3 am in the morning on multiple occasions), they learned about my business, researched the market, and fully learned about a very complicated industry.
Not only did they understand my business but they were able to point out strengths and weaknesses in my model so that we could adjust and improve our vision. This process allowed us to create laser focus for my team and grow my company in eight weeks from forty clients to over ninety and a growth rate of ten clients per month.
They are a great team and I recommend them to anyone."
Paul Mabray, CEO
Inertia Beverage Group
www.inertiabev.com
“VentureArchetypes’ ability to quickly understand our business and translate that into an effective executive summary in record time was amazing. The finished product was very useful in our recent successful capital raise. I would recommend them to any startup without reservation.”
Robert Locke, CEO
Vue Technology, Inc.
www.vuetechnology.com
“VentureArchetypes, who was referred to us at PrintVision by our law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati, is the most professional, thorough and sophisticated firm of this type we have ever seen. VA prepared us to present our business plan in a clear and intelligent manner. The level of preparation and detail undertaken in their analysis is astounding. We are confident in our ability to stand in front of Venture firms to state our case after our engagement with VentureArchetypes.”
Paul Trolio, CEO
PrintVision, Inc.
www.printvision.com
“LADB is the leading specialized Duplication Facilities serving several Hollywood motion picture studios. After several years of organic growth, we realized the time was right to launch a new business line in the online streaming space. To achieve this goal, we hired VentureArchetypes to develop a cohesive operating plan along with our management that would serve as the guide for executing our vision. Importantly, we also needed help developing a business model that could achieve profitability with a minimum amount of risk. As well we needed help with the nitty-gritty details— determining technical requirements, reviewing vendors, etc. Finally we needed the discipline to finish a plan to see whether we could and should interface new specialized services on-line.
We chose VentureArchetypes due to their extensive experience with Internet technologies and their background working with other online video companies—they know this space. In addition, they have a “roll up the sleeves and get it done” work ethic that fits well with our corporate culture. The level of detail in their work was very impressive.
VentureArchetypes’ process was equally impressive. They effectively bridged the talents of numerous LADB team members, and helped us form a common game plan for winning in this space by moving from over reaching fictional goals to reality. I can honestly say that great ideas have come out of this disciplined process; we were able to uncover a couple of very important “diamond in the rough” opportunities, and also avoid some potential business landmines.
This is my third company in the entertainment industry and I have worked with a number of consultants over the years. I would rank the team at VentureArchetypes at the top of the class, and would recommend them to anyone.”
Robert Seidenglanz, CEO
Los Angeles Distribution & Broadcasting
"As a start-up in the mobility solutions space, we struggled to find time to put all our ideas down on paper. Although we built a great product, we needed to translate those ideas into a winning business plan. Venture Archetypes quickly learned our business and produced a finished product in record time. The finished product has proven effective at opening doors and moving along our recent capital raise discussions. I would recommend them to any startup without reservation."
Scott Seltzer, CEO
ConnectMe Mobile
www.connectmemobile.com
"Nathan and Susan:
It truly was a pleasure working with you both over the last several months. From the very first conversation we had it was clear that you were not just business plan “writers-for-hire”.
One of Steven Covey’s Seven Habits is Seek first to Understand. This really describes your approach. Your focus was not on how you could sell your services, but rather what potential our business model had and how you could bring your experience, energy and enthusiasm to bear to help shape that potential into something that could appeal to institutional investors.
No one wants to wait until they’re making a presentation to investors for a critical question to come up or for a flaw to be revealed. Prior preparation, testing and evaluation is essential to a clean, confident and persuasive performance. I feel that you both really partnered with us to assure that we had covered all our bases in the planning stage and that we had not missed some critical piece of information or perspective. It was as if you knew you’d be in that room with us making the presentation to investors.
It’s clear that your mission is not just about helping clients to obtain venture capital; it’s about creating viable business strategy. From your innovative marketing concepts to your keen evaluation of the competitive landscape, you have truly become strategic partners in offering invaluable business consulting services that will serve to shape our future activities, goals and direction.
I always found you both to be extraordinarily helpful, prompt and professional. I never thought I would say that developing a business plan would be fun. But with you it really was! Presenting a timeline and agenda for the process was also very helpful in directing my expectations and focus for the project. I could not be more pleased with the business plan, financial model and power point presentation. And, I could not be more pleased with the process that lead us there.
I hope that we will have the opportunity to continue our association well into the future."
Jeff Harris, CEO
Jeff Harris & Associates
www.jeffharrisassociates.com
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"SimiTel is a telecommunications solutions provider serving enterprise, call center, and carrier markets. Since inception, the Company has served over 40 customers in Latin America, USA and Europe, including major firms like Ericsson, Genesys, Intervoice, Domino’s Pizza, Alcatel, and Skandia.
Through these and other engagements, SimiTel has developed and retained the intellectual property for a suite of carrier-grade contact center software products. Combined, this technology formed “IceCAP,” a suite of contact center software modules that are offered as a hosted or on-demand solution.
SimiTel retained VentureArchetypes in September of 2005 for its business planning services. Over the next several months, SimiTel and VentureArchetypes worked closely together to build a cohesive business model, define the company’s strategic direction, and undertake the critical task of product positioning for this new on-demand software suite.
Together, we also analyzed target customers and the competition, and developed an innovative marketing and sales strategy that will help SimiTel penetrate the market in a cost-effective manner. Their frameworks were very useful in streamlining our decision making process.
In addition to helping guide the company’s strategy, the resulting tailored business plan and executive summary positions SimiTel favorably for its forthcoming fundraising efforts.
It has been a pleasure working with the dedicated and hard working team at VentureArchetypes, who acted not as external consultants, but as true team members. I look forward to continuing the relationship."
Marcus Dantus, CEO
SimiTel
www.simitel.com
“We are very pleased that we chose VentureArchetypes to help us formalize and write our business plan. Not only was Nathan Beckord knowledgeable of what needed to be included, he helped us immensely by keeping us focused and on track so that the finished product was completed timely. Having the Business Plan in our presentation package for banks and potential investors has definitely added a level of sophistication to our company.”
Scott Acton, CEO
Trevi, Inc.
www.trevi.com
"VentureArchetypes is a boutique advisory service, a bespoke firm that transforms an embryonic entrepreneurial company into one that has a clear, concise and powerful message to its potential investors, clients and partners. They collectively are Yoda to our Luke.
Advisory services like Venture Archetypes perform a truly rare and deeply valuable service to entrepreneurs who have lived and breathed their idea for a considerable time. They've added dimensions to our perspective, strengthened our message, validated our assumptions, lent clarity to our strategic vision, surgically isolated our core competence and positioned us above our competition. Most admirably, they've bonded together to become a part of our team. Over time they have become as indispensable as the best among us.
Entrepreneurs everywhere will be proud to have VentureArchetypes advising them.
Thank you, guys!"
Santosh Jayaram, CEO
PowerSnap
www.powersnap.com
"We started working with VentureArchetypes in the summer of 2004. Over the next several months, we held weekly meetings where we brainstormed and conducted strategy sessions covering all aspects of our business—from potential target markets to potential exit events, and everything in between. The competitive analysis performed by VentureArchetypes was particularly valuable, as it helped us gain a thorough understanding of the dynamic landscape in which we operate.
VentureArchetypes clearly brings a lot of experience to the table. They have a great sense of what issues will be important to the investors, and they concentrate on addressing those issues.
They also have a keen eye for how to improve a CEO's personal presentation of his company's value proposition. Nathan has given me valuable feedback on both style and substance.
Even after developing the business plan and presentation, VentureArchetypes has been a strong advocate of our company. They are always on the lookout for ways to help us grow and succeed. I have enjoyed working with VentureArchetypes and expect to continue the relationship into the future."
Gary W. Edson, Ph.D.
CEO, NanoPharmatix, Inc.
"When Allegro Consultants, Ideal Computer Services, Lund Performance Solutions and Orbit Software formed Resource 3000, a new company that will offer services and products to the Hewlett Packard customer base, they realized they needed to quickly develop a Business Plan.
I enlisted VentureArchetypes to lead us through the important task of creating a road map in the form of a Business Plan. VentureArchetype's principals professionally guided the Resource 3000 staff through the process of clearly defining and expediting our Business Plan development. With their guidance we were able to discover, discuss and resolve very real issues that would not have come to light without VentureArchetypes professional direction."
Doug Felder, VP Sales
Resource3000
www.resource3000.com
"The best part of working with VA is their process for creating the plan, which enabled the whole concept to evolve in important areas and come together in a coherent way. On a personal, level it was fun to work with Nathan and Jamie. I appreciated their patience and diligence."
Paul Sunshine
CEO & Co-Founder
Sundezio (Stealth)
“We initially began working with VentureArchetypes at the outset of our business, when we were very busy preparing for the launch of our first line of products. As our business momentum grew and we began preparing for our Series A round of funding, we hired them again to help accelerate this important process. Working with Nathan, we were able to distill the key elements of our sophisticated technology, complex business model, and multi-faceted partnership structure into a very clear investment story.
The resulting business plan has helped us secure important meetings with venture capitalists, and we have received positive feedback such as this verbatim quote from an investor:
“That's an exceptional business plan. One of the best I've ever seen.”
It’s clear to me they truly enjoy what they do. Their dedication to the project was admirable, and they thoroughly vested invested themselves in our business. I wish more people could do work like VentureArchetypes."
Jonathan Hubbard, CEO
LandSonar, Inc.
www.landsonar.com
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