Tag Archives: funding

Sunday’s Top Links (10.31.2010)

Another serving of Sunday’s Top Links. This week we see the story and end of the Sony Walkmen, an innovative new platform for funding creative projects, how others influence who we are, getting your money’s worth at college, and the best of web video from Vimeo.

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Categories: Sunday's Links

The best of the web for Halloween week…

1. The Birth Of The Walkmen

The story and impact of the Sony Walkmen. Sony recently ceased production of the Walkmen earlier this month after 32 years.

2. Massive.tv – An Online Storytelling Laboratory

Large funding platform for creative projects throughout the world. There unique system of all or nothing funding allows for everyone to test their ideas and projects while minimizing risk.

3. You Are The Average Of The People You Spend Time With

Very interesting article about how the people you surround yourself with have a significant impact on who you are.

4. Pushing Back On Mediocre Professors

Trying to fight back the mediocrity from classes for which we pay thousands to attend.

5. Vimeo Showcases The Top 9 Films On The Web

Vimeo put together a Showcase of the Top 9 Films on the web right now in a range of categories, including: Animation, Motion Graphics, Narrative, Music Video, and much more.

Planning is Guessing

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Categories: Musings

businessplanWhen I was in college and working on my first startup, it was all about the plan. You need a business plan, you need financial projections, you need to know where you’ll be in 5 years, so on and so forth. Where did all that planning really get me? Nowhere.

Planning is all good and great when you’re doing it, feels valuable, but the fact of the matter is, nothing ever turns out quite like you expected it to, no matter how much you plan, which is truly why planning is guessing.

There is of course value in understanding the core of your business, having a clear vision, and doing research, but everything that deals with projections in particular I feel are a waste of time when it comes to the actual success of your business.

The only value I can see for creating these types of plans and projections is when it comes to funding for your business. It seems like they want to see a plan to put them at ease and show them that the company they are investing in knows what they are doing and will use this money wisely.

Aside from this funding factor, there appears to be no true business value connected with extensive planning that we so often see in startups.

What do you think? Is planning worth your time? And if so, to what extent?