Ultimately, the fit is as important to the advisory board candidate as it is to the entrepreneurs and the company. If it is learned that the fit doesn’t exist after the advisor has been on-boarded, it will likely turn out to be a waste of time for everyone.

As an angel investor and leader of an angel group, I receive funding inquiries every day. Most come in the form of an executive summary, which typically provides one of the initial interactions an entrepreneur will have with an investor.

If you want to up your chances of success, take a page out of the Boy Scout manual and follow these five steps to make sure you’re good and ready to give a winning startup pitch…

You are going to fail! This is the dirty little truth about being an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurs tend to be arrogant. This sounds rather like a criticism, but it’s more a statement of fact and a caution.

How do we get there? Remember that your organization’s vision is the destination.

It is essential to understand your organization’s dreams for the future, prior to coming up with the pretty words you put on paper and hang in conference rooms. So, how does an organization create an effective vision statement?

How to protect yourself and your business startup when the partnership falls apart.

A fair number of really smart, well-prepared entrepreneurs get tripped up, stumble around and eventually fall to the ground when they make their startup funding pitches to the Angel Investment Group that I am a part of.

There are two key factors to consider in order to be great startup advice from outside experts: Pick the right team, and always know what you want before you ask.