Elements of Sustainable Companies

Why you want to read this?
Well because, I didnt write this.

Start-ups with these characteristics often foretells the success of a business and the likelihood of it becoming a sustainable, enduring company. We like to partner with companies that have:
Clarity of Purpose
Summarize the company's business on the back of a business card.
Large Markets
Address existing markets poised for rapid growth or change. A market on the path to a $1B potential allows for error and time for real margins to develop.
Rich Customers
Target customers who will move fast and pay a premium for a unique offering.
Focus
Customers will only buy a simple product with a singular value proposition.
Pain Killers
Pick the one thing that is of burning importance to the customer then delight them with a compelling solution.
Think Differently
Constantly challenge conventional wisdom. Take the contrarian route. Create novel solutions. Outwit the competition.
Team DNA
A company's DNA is set in the first 90 days. All team members are the smartest or most clever in their domain. "A" level founders attract an "A" level team.
Agility
Stealth and speed will usually help beat-out large companies.
Frugality
Focus spending on what's critical. Spend only on the priorities and maximize profitability.
Inferno
Start with only a little money. It forces discipline and focus. A huge market with customers yearning for a product developed by great engineers requires very little firepower.
Writing A Business Plan
We like business plans that present a lot of information in as few words as possible. The following format, within 15-20 slides, is all that's needed:
Company Purpose
Define the company/business in a single declarative sentence.
Problem
Describe the pain of the customer (or the customer's customer).
Outline how the customer addresses the issue today.
Solution
Demonstrate your company's value proposition to make the customer's life better.
Show where your product physically sits.
Provide use cases.
Why Now
Set-up the historical evolution of your category.
Define recent trends that make your solution possible.
Market Size
Identify/profile the customer you cater to.
Calculate the TAM (top down), SAM (bottoms up) and SOM.
Competition
List competitors
List competitive advantages
Product
Product line-up (form factor, functionality, features, architecture, intellectual property).
Development roadmap.
Business Model
Revenue model
Pricing
Average account size and/or lifetime value
Sales & distribution model
Customer/pipeline list
Team
Founders & Management
Board of Directors/Board of Advisors
Financials
P&L
Balance sheet
Cash flow
Cap table
The deal