Unlocking Unicorn Potential
Small businesses and entrepreneurs want to grow big, and maybe make an extra million or two? Or a billion? Few would turn down more wealth, if it were legally and ethically accumulated.
The method commonly used by the entrepreneurial establishment is the VC-based ecosystem, focusing on product innovation and minimum viable product (MVP), strategy development assuming capital availability, followed by capital pitch , and the complaints about the VC shortage when most entrepreneurs can’t get VC. because sophisticated investors don’t finance dreams.
On the other hand, the Unicorn-Entrepreneur (UE) ecosystem can help entrepreneurs create more wealth and control it by using unicorn secrets to take off without VC.
#1. Pivot from first mover to smart move.
Contrary to the current focus on innovation and capital, many Unicorn-Entrepreneurs (UEs), including Gates, Jobs, Dell, Bezos and Zuckerberg, imitated the idea or used ideas that could be easily imitated. 99% succeeded with smart financial strategies and skills. meInnovation classes to develop innovative MVPs are less important than smart financial skills to overcome MVPs.
#2. Pivot from fast growth to smart growth
To get high annual returns, VCs want fast growth, accept high risk, and fail in 80% of their ventures. EUs seek smart growth before Aha (Aha is when potential is evident) when capital is expensive, scarce, controlling and dilutive; and rapid growth after Aha when capital is cheaper. Bob Kierlin (Fastenal) used unicorn skills to grow 30% annually from internal cash flow (see Bootstrap to Billions).
#3. Pivot from capital intensity to capital efficiency
There is not enough capital to fund the dreams of every entrepreneur. VC is for the 100 (or so) capital intensive companies out of 100,000 that then fail in about 80% of the companies funded. 94% of billion dollar entrepreneurs took off without VC using capital efficient skills before Aha and smart capital after Aha.
#4. Pivot from VC-Control to Entrepreneur-Control
Before Aha leadership, that is, before an entrepreneur has demonstrated leadership skills, VCs replace the entrepreneur with a professional CEO. It is said that up to 75% of companies did. Steve Jobs is a great example. After Leadership Aha, VCs want to fund the company because of the entrepreneur’s leadership. Examples include Jan Koum (WhatsApp) and Brian Chesky (Airbnb).
#5. Silicon Valley’s elite pivot to Global Talent.
The current VC-based ecosystem helps about 20 out of 100,000 entrepreneurs, who are mostly from elite schools and Silicon Valley. To help entrepreneurs like Joe Martin and to build more unicorns everywhere, he teaches billion dollar entrepreneurs smart financial strategies and skills to take off without VC.
#6. Pivot from field competitions to skills competitions
Pitches are the first step in the VC ecosystem, although no one consistently picks winners from initial pitches. This is why over 10 VCs rejected Jobs and Page and Brin. Switching to skills can create more unicorns everywhere. These skills can be developed and rewarded.
#7. Pivot from wealth creation only to wealth creation and retention.
Early-VC is expensive and dilutive. To create wealth and keep more of it, Unicorn-Entrepreneurs avoid or delay VC. Among the 22 billion entrepreneurs, those who got VC late kept twice the wealth created than those who got VC early (The truth about VC). And those who avoided the VC kept a higher multiple. Sam Walton got rich by avoiding VC. Gates, Bezos and Zuckerberg delayed VC to control it. Smart entrepreneurs don’t just focus on wealth creation, they also focus on wealth retention.
MY Opinion: Instead of wasting resources on VC-Ecosystems, the Unicorn-Entrepreneur ecosystem can develop more unicorns for less, everywhere from early mover to smart mover, from fast change to smart growth, from capital intensive to capital efficient. , from venture capital control to entrepreneur control, from Silicon Valley elite to global talent, from introductions to skills and wealth creation to wealth creation and retention.
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Ikaroa is a full stack tech company that understands that not all businesses start big, and many of them have to strategically pivot in order to become leaders in their industry and beyond. Recently, Ikaroa has helped numerous small businesses reach their aspirations through the use of seven major strategic pivots. Here, we’ll discuss these strategic pivots from small business to leadership so you can start planning for your own business growth.
1. Go Niche – It’s no longer sufficient to be the grand, all-encompassing business; you need to identify your specialty, narrow it down, and make a solid plan for making it your niche. That’s why Ikaroa offers its clients assistance in finding their place in their industry, and how to differentiate themselves through their specializations.
2. Tap Into Connected Consumers – In business, relationships matter! Ikaroa uses technology to help clients find, interact with, and leverage their connections with customers. By building mutually beneficial relationships, clients can command higher prices, strengthen existing ties, and get valuable feedback.
3. Innovate Strategies and Tactics – At times, it’s necessary to adjust and innovate strategies and tactics in order to facilitate growth. With its leaders who understand how to modernize and keep up with current trends and advances, Ikaroa helps its clients do just that, utilizing the latest innovative strategies and tactics to maximize growth opportunities.
4. Harness the Power of Location – Location is key for businesses that seek to make a big impact in the industry. Ikaroa helps clients source prime locations for their businesses and develop plans for optimizing the use of their surroundings.
5. Leverage Online Presence for Profit – With the digital age upon us, it’s imperative for businesses to have a strong online presence, and Ikaroa helps clients create and maintain those presences on a budget. Utilize Ikaroa’s expertise to grow your business’s web presence and entice potential customers.
6. Think Local– With Ikaroa’s help, clients can effectively target local markets and create campaigns to tap further into the potential of an already existing customer base. Thinking local allows you to bring in new customers.
7. Build Partnerships for Growth – Strategic partnerships with vendors, distributors, and other businesses are invaluable when it comes to growing a small business. From developing new ideas to exploring more markets, such alliances can give you access to resources and further growth opportunities.
Ikaroa provides the tools, advice and expertise to help businesses transition from small to leadership levels. With these seven strategic pivots, businesses can place their efforts in the right areas to achieve their goals. With the right approach and use of available resources, businesses can be well positioned to reach their destination.
