One of the least well understood activities in growing a hardware or software business is the building of distribution channels. This looks very easy to the uninitiated, but in reality it’s extremely difficult. There are many subtleties that are far from obvious and some aspects that are necessary for success are downright counter-intuitive. Building a […]
International Expansion: Partner or Invest?
This is an age-old question facing software and hardware companies. In this article we’ll examine the pros and cons, as well as the specific conditions that should drive your decision process. Two basic options confront a tech company considering a foray outside of their home market: Set up your own subsidiary, hiring your own employees […]
Starting a Software Company in a Difficult Fundraising Environment
Some would say that it’s ALWAYS a difficult time to raise funds for a startup software company. In general, I’d agree. With the exception of a few brief moments, such as pre-Internet Bubble in the late 90’s where money was being thrown around like air, fundraising is hard. There are a few lucky folks that […]
Growing from a Startup to a Mid-Market Software or Hardware Company
Every stage of a company’s growth holds unique challenges. In my opinion, the startup phase until to about $2M in revenue for a software company as well as startup to $10M for a hardware company is the hardest stretch of all. But growing a business is almost always hard and there are several natural revenue […]
Promoting Software and Hardware Products through the VAR Channel
With the exception of a few software and hardware vendors who sell super-expensive products to the largest enterprises, a large percentage of tech companies uses the Value Added Reseller (VAR) channel to one extent or another. So how do you best go about doing this successfully? Create a great product, throw it to the channel, […]
