Startup Advice
With the new advances in AI over the past two years, every company is looking for guidance on how to manage the new risks and opportunities it brings. A company…
Cooking has long been a hobby of mine. It is a creative outlet, but it also has an element of near-term gratification when you sit down to enjoy the meal…
As a startup founder and investor, I've seen a variety of business plans and pitches. One aspect that often gets overlooked by ambitious entrepreneurs, but is consistently of high interest…
Discovery is the process of listening to users talk about what their needs are, how they are currently meeting those needs, and what they would love to have in order…
At my most recent company, we built a fantastic team. This led to a powerful high-performance culture that attracted even more talented people to want to join us. As a…
Thales, one of the Seven Sages of Greece and often considered the Father of Science, was a pretty sharp dude. So we can probably take him at his word when…
Here's what you should know: In the previous installments of our four-part series on building a successful new product, we've explored the “Aha” moment of identifying an unserved need and…
Recently, I had a company ask me to help lead a strategic planning process. Whenever I hear someone say “strategic planning process,” I have to fight a reflexive tendency towards…
SWOT stands for Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats. It is a high-level analysis tool that can help inform the development of a strategy. Importantly, it is a tool that considers…
A Capital-Efficient Approach to Sales Channels for B2B SaaS Startups Today, I want to have a conversation about a crucial topic that’s close to my heart: how to build a…
Here's what you should know: Avoid the pitfall of raising funds too early. Focus on product development and finding your Product Market Fit (PMF) before seeking venture capital. Raising excessive…
Here's what you should know: This post is for startup founders who are new to raising money or simply want to learn more about the pros and cons of the…
Every startup feels the crunch of having too much to do in too little time. Mark II Ventures is no exception and we’re taking advantage of the latest developments in…
Here's what you should know: Product-Led Growth (PLG) is a go-to-market strategy where the product itself drives customer acquisition, conversion, and retention. Key benefits of PLG include faster customer acquisition,…
Here's what you should know: Product managers (PMs) and startup founders share common traits that are critical for success, such as problem-solving, customer focus, decision-making skills, negotiation and prioritization abilities,…
Here's what you should know: Recently, there's been a shift in focus back towards profitability within the startup ecosystem. Prioritizing profitability from the start instills a culture of responsible spending,…
Here's what you should know: Hiring the right Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is crucial for a startup's success as they lead the technical direction, build the initial product, and communicate…
Here's what you should know: Taking a new product to market can be likened to building a fire. Initially, it requires a lot of attention and careful additions of fuel…
Here's what you should know: Equity Distribution: Instead of splitting equity equally among co-founders, distribution should be based on the allocation of responsibilities and expected contributions, reflecting the differing levels…
Recent advances in large language models and their ability to generate code have the AI field buzzing with excitement. And made many in the software industry nervous.
Here's what you should know: As a founder, you've recognized your "Aha Moment", stoked the passion to solve it, and you're eager to turn your idea into a successful startup.…
Here's what you should know: When ChatGPT was announced a few months ago, it blew the doors off a business community who hadn’t been keeping up with the progress of…
Here's what you should know: As a founder, one of the most critical moments in your entrepreneurial journey is the "Aha Moment." It's that instant when you realize that you've…
Here's what you should know: The startup world can be fast, exciting, and fun. You often get to build entirely new solutions that no one has thought of before, acting…
Here's what you should know: At MKII, we have relationships with dozens of leading VCs. When we launch a new company in partnership with a founder, we help that founder…
