funding

Startup Exercise: What can’t be solved with money? (…) show how the important problems facing your business are those that can be solved with money, because money is what they’re providing . Even if you’re not pitching this is a useful exercise, because if you’re good at the things money can’t buy, you’ll remain competitive even when confronted by a well-funded competitor. (…) The pattern: concepts , behaviors , knowledge , and process cannot be fabricated with money, and possibly cannot even be accelerated....

Never say “no,” but rarely say “yes.” So the principle is easy: Set the conditions of “yes” such that: If they say “yes,” you’re happy because the terms or money are so good, it more than compensates for the distraction, possibly even funding the thing you really want to do. If they say “no,” you’re happy because it wasn’t a great fit anyway, so it’s not worthwhile for a small return on your time and effort....