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Explore free samples of our premium startup courses.

Events

Register for upcoming online webinars and in-person events.

Book

Check out our book on startup execution, talent, funding & life.

Tools

Download color-by-numbers tools to build your startup.

Your Startup Journey From Formation to Exit

Two value-packed resources, so you know exactly where you are, where you're going and the key tasks to get there.

Your Startup Roadmap

Make sense of your startup journey with our high-level, visual roadmap that guides Founders to build healthy, fundable startups, scale, and exit.

Your Startup Blueprint

A low-level blueprint to enable confident & correct execution. Identify tasks, illuminate concepts, & leverage ready-to-use tools.

Get both of these (and more) inside our FREE Basic Training Package!

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Here are a Few of the Classes You'll Find Inside the Basic Training...

Five steps to raise early-stage funds: Prepare, Plan, Execute, Sell & Close.

A repeatable, actionable framework to raise funds, going from formation to exit.

Seven keys: Foundation, Strategy, Validation, Execution, Talent, Metrics & Speed.

Learn key details about SAFEs: the most popular way to raise early-stage funds.

Our free classes have attracted 1000s of attendees. Many founders would pay several hundred dollars to attend our "7 Keys to Build a Fundable Startup" and "Founder's Guide to SAFE Startup Fundraising" classes alone. Both are included in our no-cost Basic tier!

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Upcoming Live Events

We periodically run live, online and in-person events to help founders succeed. Join us!

FREE MASTERCLASS

Seven Keys to Build a Fundable Startup

Founders work very hard to build their startups. Learn how to maximize the return on your sacrifice and avoid making costly mistakes in this FREE on-demand training.

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21 Secrets of
Successful Startups

Pillars for an Entrepreneur's Foundation

A book by Sam Wong, a Silicon Valley Coach & Five-Time Startup Executive

 

Industry experts frequently emphasize the importance of great execution. But what exactly does great execution look like? How does one turn a goal into real-life action? Every entrepreneur and investor aims for world-class execution, but the poor hit rate - about 5% - on venture capital investments exposes how few founders actually execute well.

In order for companies to excel at execution, dozens of business functions and processes must be built well. Great execution provides a solid foundation for entrepreneurs to build their enterprises and their lives. 21 Secrets of Successful Startups provides direction, frameworks, and tools to help founders build successful startup companies. Drawing from over 30 years of experience and five different startup ventures - including both successes and failures - Sam Wong provides advice on execution, fundraising, and talent development. 

With the consistent stress inherent with startup life, the author also provides guidance to help founders thrive personally. Where most business books focus only on professional matters, Sam crosses over and offers perspectives, gleaned from his own challenges, to help entrepreneurs thrive in their personal lives as well. 

If you currently lead, advise, or invest in a startup 21 Secrets of Successful Startups provides key tools to build the foundation needed to support both your company and your quality of life. 

Reader Reviews

Read what founders are saying about 21 Secrets:

Delightfully Practical, Personal and Poignant!

"...well written with excellent advice on topics ranging from financial planning to mental health. Clear, crisp explanations and examples. I highly recommend this book to entrepreneurs of all experience levels green or grey! I hope Sam writes 21 More Secrets!"

Mike Moyer
Author, Slicing Pie

Great Insights from a "been there, done that" founder turned advisor". 

Sam has some really great frameworks for logically derisking your business in the most effective order. I love how he also ties in the personal side of things and the importance of putting your startup in the perspective of an "asset" and not your "baby". It's a quick, engaging read that doesn't ramble. 

Eric Espinosa
CEO, Venture Validator

The Founder's Roadmap to Success

"Hard to understand concepts are broken down into layman's terms so that even first time founders (like me) can understand it. I've been searching for an entrepreneur's road map but haven't found one anywhere online or in book format... until now. I highly recommend this book to startup founders."

Lisa Clifford
CEO, Autistalline

An extremely valuable resource for every entrepreneur.

"Full of practical guidance with tons of specific examples that are easy to understand and apply. Detailed coverage of important topics such as MVP, valuation, exit strategies, and balancing family and friends in the midst of heavy startup stress."

Kevin Hardin
Owner, MakingProto

Practical, actionable guidance. 

"Years of hard-to-gain experience explained in every page with valuable, unique insights and practical, actionable guidance."

John Vong
Chairman, ComplianceEase

If you can't have coffee with a serial entrepreneur, get this book instead.

"These 21 secrets read like the conversations you would have if you met a serial CEO for coffee twice a month for an entire year. Since so few people would have this amazing opportunity, Sam created this book to be the next best thing."

Kate Stephenson
Owner, Dyad Engineering

Featured Blog Posts

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Download Free Color-By-Numbers Tools for Founders

Tools to help you create actionable strategies.

Detailed Two-Year Startup Budget

Startups need detailed budget projections that are broken down: by month (not by quarters), by business functions, and by headcount. Expenses must also align with expected revenue. But building a defensible bottoms-up budget takes a lot of time. Simplify this task with this spreadsheet template.

Simple Equity Dilution Model

Very few first-time founders understand the typical dilution events a startup will encounter. Even after educating yourself by reading dozens of web articles, clarity on projected dilution remains elusive. Visualize and model your own dilution scenarios with this easy-to-use, customizable spreadsheet

Liquidation Preference Proceeds Model

Founders all work to secure a term sheet — a major funding milestone for all startups. But term sheets come loaded with unfamiliar legal language, such as liquidation preference, which can dramatically impact who gets paid. Armed with this spreadsheet, founders can see how liquidation preference affects payouts in various exit scenarios.

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