December Resource Blog

Questions to ask before launching a startup: Almost every wannabe entrepreneur goes through the debate about whether to take the plunge. If you are having similar thoughts, then you might like to ask yourself a series of seven questions as you contemplate the possibility of launching your own startup. (Graham Duncan)

How Jonathan Rubinstein Turned Joe Coffee into New York’s Hometown Brand: The article tells the story of Joe Coffee: a burnt-out 33-year-old Manhattan talent agent who leaves his ambitious corporate career, spends seven months subsisting on unemployment checks and then decides to open an artisanal coffee shop. After 17 years in business and a multimillion-dollar investment from Danny Meyer’s Enlightened Hospitality Investments, Joe Coffee is ready for the next level of coffee shops. (Worth)

Cash management in startups: This article highlights the importance of modelling cash flow on a weekly basis in a startup, as there are all sorts of unpredictable things (revenue, infrastructure costs, hiring pace, receivables, etc.) that might happen. But like all practices, it is about the practice. You have to engage in cash forecasting, you have to engage in it regularly, you have to adapt to changing conditions on the ground, and you have to internalize the puts and takes and their impact on operations. (AVC)