At WIRED’s “The Big Interview” event earlier this month, Cost Plus Drugs founder and “Shark Tank” star Mark Cuban was asked why he doesn’t make more profit at his low-price drug company.

“You’re pretty clear that you are not doing this for altruistic reasons — you’re running a business,” noted the event moderator.

“Well, I could make more money,” Cuban said, to laughs in the crowd. “We’re a public benefit corporation. But how much f—ing money do I need?”

“I’m not trying to go to Mars,” he added, with an obvious dig at his billionaire rival Elon Musk.

Related: Mark Cuban’s Startup Is Sending Its First Batch of Essential Meds to Hospitals Facing Shortages

What Is Cost Plus Drugs?

Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. is an online pharmacy co-founded by Cuban and radiologist Alex Oshmyansky to disrupt the pharmaceutical industry and lower drug costs. It launched in January 2022 and offers more than 2,300 prescription medications and delivery.

How Does Cost Plus Drugs Price Its Medications?

On the company website, Cuban outlines how the price structure works: Cost Plus marks the base price up by 15%, and then adds on the actual cost that the pharmacy charges them to prepare the medication.

So a drug like Albendazole, for example, which treats ringworm and costs around $113 elsewhere, according to Drugs.com, is $35, as per the letter. (Cuban wrote that the company paid $26.08.)

“Many people are spending crazy amounts of money each month just to stay healthy,” Cuban wrote. “No American should have to suffer or worse – because they can’t afford basic prescription medications.”

Related: How Mark Cuban Forced the Biggest U.S. Pharmacy to Upend Its Business

What Is a Public Benefit Corporation?

A benefit corporation—also known as a B Corporation—has shareholders who own the company, unlike a non-profit. So making money is the point, just not the whole point.

While non-profits (or not-for-profits) serve a public benefit and don’t make any profits, benefit corporations want to make money while still serving a greater purpose than itself “and a desire for the corporation to help make the world a better place,” according to Rick Bell of Harvard Business Services.

Hi, I’m Dima, the bootstrapped solo founder of PitchBob — a tool designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life.

I want to start with a disclaimer: My entrepreneurial journey isn’t my first. I’ve had significant experience building businesses in the past, and my choices with PitchBob are deliberate. Whether bootstrapping or going solo, these were calculated decisions, not mere accidents.

Yet, despite this experience, I can’t count how many times I’ve wrestled with the urge to quit — whether it’s freezing progress, pivoting or walking away entirely. These thoughts come even as PitchBob remains the central focus of my attention, time and financial resources over the past two years.

As the year ends, I find myself reflecting on deadlines — self-imposed checkpoints to evaluate whether PitchBob has “taken off” or if it’s time to face hard truths. The concept of success for a startup often remains fluid, and that ambiguity can create a space for internal negotiations: Should I persist, or is it time to move on?

Related: I Want to Throw in the Towel and Quit My Business — Here’s How to Know When to Stick With or Let Go of Your Business

The takeoff analogy: Evaluating progress

I often compare new ideas to an airplane racing down a runway. The engines are roaring, the plane is gathering speed, and the wings are twitching — but it hasn’t yet lifted off the ground. In such moments, the captain feels in control … except for one thing: the finite length of the runway.

As a founder, your job is to assess this runway — your available time, resources and market opportunity. Is there enough momentum for takeoff? Should you push forward, or is it time to pull the brakes and pivot?

This analogy serves as a framework for one of the most challenging questions entrepreneurs face: When is it time to quit, and when should you double down? It’s a universal dilemma, epitomized in that famous image of a miner walking away just inches from striking gold.

Is entrepreneurship a form of addiction?

There’s a thin line between passion and obsession. Entrepreneurship can sometimes resemble an addiction — an insatiable drive to build, create and succeed, even when faced with mounting evidence that things aren’t working. Blind faith in your vision, ignoring harsh market feedback or stubbornly pushing forward despite red flags often leads to failure.

Worse, the emotional highs and lows of running a startup can mirror the cycle of addiction. The exhilaration of launching a product, closing a deal or securing funding can quickly be followed by crushing lows when things don’t go as planned.

So, how do you know when you’re pushing too hard?

How can you avoid the trap of throwing good money, time and energy after bad?

To address this, let’s examine eight key signs that help founders determine whether to persevere or let go.

When to let go

1. Lack of progress despite effort

If months (or even years) of focused effort have yielded little to no progress, consider whether the problem lies in market demand rather than execution.

2. Consistent negative feedback

If customers, partners or investors consistently resist, it’s time to revisit your assumptions. Sometimes, the market simply isn’t ready or interested.

3. Personal well-being is declining

If your startup is harming your health, finances or relationships, it’s a red flag. No business idea is worth personal destruction.

4. The runway is gone

If you’ve depleted your financial, emotional and temporal resources, it might be better to land the plane than risk a crash.

Related: 7 Signs It’s Time to Quit Your Business

When to persevere

1. You’re seeing traction

Even minor signs of customer or user engagement can signal that your idea has potential. Sometimes, a few tweaks can unlock significant growth.

2. A clear path forward exists

If you’ve identified actionable next steps that could move the needle, it’s worth staying the course.

3. External validation

Support from credible investors, partners or advisors can reaffirm your belief in the venture and provide critical resources to continue.

4. Your passion still burns bright

Passion can be the fuel that powers persistence. It might be worth pushing through if you’re still excited about solving the problem.

Balancing grit and realism

Entrepreneurship often glorifies grit — “Never give up” is a mantra we’ve all heard. But the reality is more nuanced. While perseverance is critical, so is the ability to evaluate when a venture has reached its natural conclusion.

The key is honest self-reflection. By evaluating your runway, understanding market feedback and knowing your personal limits, you can make balanced decisions about when to double down and when to pivot.

Related: How to Know When to Give Up, When to Pivot and When to Persist

The road to success

Success isn’t linear. Sometimes, the best decision is to pivot, start fresh or even walk away entirely. Knowing when to quit can be just as important as knowing when to persevere.

Failure, after all, isn’t the opposite of success — it’s often a step toward it.

For founders facing this decision, remember that seeking outside perspectives can help. Whether it’s a mentor, fellow entrepreneur or trusted advisor, they might provide the clarity you need to evaluate your runway and determine your next steps.

As a business leader, staying ahead in tech is non-negotiable. Whether you’re building a more skilled team or enhancing your own IT knowledge, the Complete 2025 CompTIA Certification Training Super Bundle by IDUNOVA can really support your efforts.

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New data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) out Wednesday showed that consumers paid 2.7% more for essentials like shelter, food, and energy in November compared to the same time last year.

The Bureau reported that the consumer price index (CPI), a key measure of inflation and price changes, rose by 0.3% from October to November. That’s more than the 0.2% that the CPI rose from September to October.

The key driver of the increase was the 0.3% monthly uptick in shelter costs, which BLS stated comprised close to 40% of the monthly increase for all items.

Related: ‘Gradual Recalibration:’ The Fed Cuts Rates By 0.25%, Just as Economists Predicted

Over the past year, the food category increased by 2.4% while energy decreased by 3.2%. The core CPI reading, or the prices for all items without including food and energy, increased by 3.3% over the past year.

“Under the surface, you have core goods prices still deflating year-over-year and core services prices increasing at their slowest pace since early 2022,” Elyse Ausenbaugh, head of investment strategy at J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, told Entrepreneur in an emailed statement. “It’s also encouraging to see shelter price pressures cool, given that they are still accounting for a sizeable chunk of the core reading.”

What does the CPI report mean for Fed interest rate cuts?

The CPI report is one data point that the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) uses to determine how to adjust the federal funds rate, or the rate at which banks borrow from one another. One FOMC meeting is coming up from December 17 to 18.

“We believe economic fundamentals of gently decelerating labor market momentum, strong productivity growth and disinflationary under-currents would support a further 25bps fed funds rate cut at the upcoming FOMC meeting,” EY Chief Economist Gregory Daco and EY Senior Economist Lydia Boussour told Entrepreneur in a joint emailed statement.

Related: ‘Confidence and Commitment’ or ‘Old Demons?’ Experts Are Divided Over the Fed’s Decision to Cut Interest Rates

A rate cut of 25bps or 0.25% could ripple out to lower borrowing rates for consumer-facing loans, like mortgages and credit cards.

Ausenbaugh also agrees that the Fed will cut rates at “a steady, 25bps-per-meeting pace.”

“We think the Fed will deliver a cut at next week’s December meeting, with market expectations giving them ‘permission’ to do so,” she said.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, full-time workers spent an average of 8.49 hours per day at work in 2023.

For those looking for companies with the best work-life balance, a new study conducted by Hennessey Digital examined Glassdoor data in the U.S. to find top employers. The researchers narrowed down employers to those with more than 5,000 global employees, at least 1,000 U.S. reviews, and more than 3.5 stars out of 5 on Glassdoor.

Then they ranked the employers by average work-life rating, as shown by employee feedback on Glassdoor.

The best company for work-life balance was LinkedIn, with an average rating of 4.32 out of 5. Employees gave the job search platform an average score of 4.46 for its culture and values and 4.39 for compensation and benefits.

Related: These 5 Companies Were Rated Best for Work-Life Balance. Is Yours Anything Like Them?

No. 2 was Indeed, another work-related platform, with a work-life balance rating of 4.29 on Glassdoor. Over three in four current or former employees responded that they’d recommend working at Indeed to a friend.

“It’s encouraging to see so many companies prioritizing employee well-being,” a spokesperson for Hennessey Digital said in an emailed statement. “We hope these findings spark meaningful conversations among employers across all sectors to continue improving work-life balance for their teams.”

Midway through the list, at No. 5, HubSpot received a work-life balance rating of 4.24, and nearly nine out of 10 HubSpot employees (88.5%) would recommend working there.

Related: This Is the Worst City in the World for Work-Life Balance — and No, It’s Not NYC

Northside Hospital and Google were tied for No. 8 while Zillow and Paylocity were tied for No. 9.

Here are the top 10 companies currently offering the best work-life balance for employees, according to the report.

1. LinkedIn

Work-life balance rating on Glassdoor: 4.32

2. Indeed

Work-life balance rating on Glassdoor: 4.29

3. Docusign

Work-life balance rating on Glassdoor: 4.27

4. Slalom

Work-life balance rating on Glassdoor: 4.26

5. HubSpot

Work-life balance rating on Glassdoor: 4.24

6. Intuit

Work-life balance rating on Glassdoor: 4.23

7. Smile Brands

Work-life balance rating on Glassdoor: 4.19

8. Northside Hospital

Work-life balance rating on Glassdoor: 4.17

8. Google

Work-life balance rating on Glassdoor: 4.17

9. Zillow

Work-life balance rating on Glassdoor: 4.16

9. Paylocity

Work-life balance rating on Glassdoor: 4.16

10. Adobe

Work-life balance rating on Glassdoor: 4.15

AI can do incredible things. Microsoft’s Copilot can create leadership decks in seconds while synthesizing the two leadership decks you forgot to read. Notebook LM can create custom podcasts from full books or articles. And ChatGPT… well, we all know ChatGPT.

But hype and promise often misalign, and AI is no exception. John Werner, an MIT Senior Fellow and Managing Director at Link Ventures, said, “sometimes the promotional language doesn’t match the results that you see from a new advancement in IT. Experts talk about a “hype cycle” for new technologies that affect how they are perceived and how they are used, when they’re brand new. AI is not immune, and it’s undergoing its own hype cycle right now.”

Amid all of this, you understand that you need AI (or at least a strategy for it), but how can you stand out from your competitors and bring your vision to fruition?

In this article, I’ll show you how leading entrepreneurs and executives are leveraging fractional AI experts to bring their strategies to life.

Related: How to Effectively Integrate AI into Your Organizational Strategy

The problem: Companies don’t know where to look for leadership-level AI talent

We all know that good leadership is crucial. A team without a strong leader is like a rowboat without a captain. Everyone may keep rowing but lack direction, adjustment and motivation. In business, poor leadership leads to wasted time, money and opportunities.

I’ve observed a similar issue with AI strategies. Instead of appointing a strong leader to manage, execute and cultivate AI success, companies often settle for the wrong talent or simply hold back. When this happens, it is common for claims of financial issues or simply not being the right person. When companies settle, they hire someone who falsely claims to be an expert in AI without checking if the individual has a background in computer science, deep learning, statistical modeling, or neural networks. More often than not, this results in stagnation and wasted resources. This can make those you hired in leadership positions lose trust in your company and doubt your faith in utilizing AI.

In the context of AI, both hesitation and settling are akin to algorithms without the right input data. No matter how impressive the presentation, strategy, or press release may seem, the desired outcomes are rarely achieved without the right data (much like strong leadership). The issue isn’t a lack of talent or that talent is too expensive or difficult to find. The real problem is that companies are searching in the wrong places.

Related: The Future of Work: Solving Problems Through a Flexible Workforce

The solution: Fractional experts

There’s a third strategy that bridges the gap between holding and settling: fractional AI experts. These executive-level independent freelancers can deliver the same results as top executives but at a fraction of the cost. Rather than committing full-time to a single company, fractional experts typically work with two to five clients, dedicating 10-30 hours per week to each.

The concept of fractional isn’t new. The term “interim executive” is widely understood and is seeing high growth. According to a Business Talent Group report, “the need for interim leadership rose 116 percent year over year at all levels throughout organizations, with the demand for such help in the C-suite rising by 78 percent.” The distinction between fractional and interim roles is often just a matter of terminology.

Fractional is one aspect of the flexible workforce, and what’s unique about today’s fractional experts is that they choose and plan to stay full-time fractional. Recent data makes this clear, as individuals choosing full-time independence have doubled since 2020. Amidst a trying 2023 and 2024, growth persisted to the point that 27.7 million Americans choose to be independent today, with a 5.5% higher compound annual growth rate of individuals deciding to be more independent than the general non-farm workforce.

Fractional executives can do everything that a full-time executive can. They can identify problem areas that are ideal for AI, create roadmaps, go to market and workback plans to go from ideation to product market fit. They can even build and manage large teams. The only thing fractional experts can’t do is technically be solely employed by you. Oftentimes, this isn’t necessary.

Related: 3 Reasons Your Small Business Needs Flexible Talent

Get started by finding a fractional platform

Where there’s flexible talent, there’s a talent platform to help you find, onboard, manage, pay and scale your flexible workforce. There are 29 fractional-focused platforms on Human Cloud’s Industry Landscape. Toptal is a well-known developer platform, while Tribe.AI specializes specifically in AI.

Platforms can also focus on specific regions. For instance, Malt, Europe’s largest freelance platform, adopts a country-by-country strategy where each nation offers a tailored client experience. Other platforms like Flexer.AI specializes in Southeast Asian fractional marketing talent, Talent Alpha specializes in IT talent in Poland and Dojo Talent focuses on gaming talent in Turkey.

Think beyond AI

While AI is great, use cases can be industry or skill-set-specific. For example, rather than an AI expert, a supply chain expert on supply chain-focused talent platform NatQuest, paired with an AI expert on Arc might be best. Or potentially, a fractional CFO on finance-focused talent platform Paro paired with an AI expert might be best.

Akhil Seth, UST’s Freelance Program leader, learned this when combining multiple freelancers for a website build rather than trying to find one Unicorn talent that understood both advanced mathematics and a specific Python library. They found two freelancers. One understood advanced mathematics. The other understood the Python library and could teach UST’s internal team how to develop with it. The result is that they finished the website in 3 weeks, saving $2 million worth of revenue.

What experts can you pair to take your first step into realizing your potential in AI?

Related: A Game Plan for Introducing Flexible Talent

Let your flexible talent strategy unlock growth and innovation

Once you embrace flexible talent, you’ll quickly learn that top talent is always only a couple of days away. You’ll realize this is more than a “plug the hole” staffing solution. Flexible talent is a leadership strategy that drives growth and innovation across your company.

Take the next step by scaling your flexible workforce. Don’t stop at collaborating with only one individual. Build a pool of 20 to 100 freelancers, then 1,000 freelancers, and watch your company go from bureaucratic and slow to agile and effective.

Running a small business often means juggling multiple responsibilities, from managing cash flow to staying ahead of market trends. For business owners who are looking to diversify revenue streams or strengthen their financial acumen, understanding the stock market is a powerful tool.

Whether it’s to earn passive income or cultivate a new revenue stream for your business, trading intelligently requires the skill to minimize risk and maximize returns. Many business owners don’t have the luxury of making mistakes, so it’s worth it to learn from experts like those leading the 2024 Ultimate Candlestick Trading and Analysis Master Class. This investment training bundle is now available for $22.97, but that won’t last much longer.

Learn how to make smart investments

This bundle breaks down the strategies that master traders use in eight expert-led courses. It begins with the essentials of day trading, providing step-by-step instructions for those who may have little to no experience. These beginner-focused lessons emphasize technical and fundamental analysis, showing how to read market indicators and develop personalized trading plans.

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“Shark Tank” star and real estate pioneer Barbara Corcoran knows that being open to new things, whether adopting the latest technology for your business or even just buying a new coat, can be a big part of growing a business.

That’s why she says the one thing entrepreneurs need to be successful is having the ability to pivot.

Related: Barbara Corcoran Needed to Make Job Cuts. Here’s Why She Fired Her Mom First.

“I’ve learned that the entrepreneurs I’ve invested in are exceptional at one thing, embracing change,” Corcoran says in a new episode of “Behind the Biz with Barbara Corcoran,” a web series by AT&T. “It’s proven to be a key to growing their businesses.”

In the episode, Corcoran says AI is the “hot topic” affecting entrepreneurs today and asks Justin Fineberg, co-founder of CassidyAI, various questions on how businesses can use AI to help streamline their tasks.

Both entrepreneurs agreed that another important trait is being curious. By testing, researching, and exploring what is out there, you’ll know what you need to grow, Fineberg said.

Finally, when considering “what’s next,” Corcoran recommends that business owners focus on the “little guy” instead of what the larger, mainstream companies are doing.

“I never worry about the large guy; my eyes are on the little guy, ’cause he’s so smart and fast,” Corcoran said. “I think the little guy is the future competition.”

Corcoran adds that she dismisses the “big guy” because “they are never going to catch up, they are going to get slower and slower.”

Watch the full video on LinkedIn, here.

Related: ‘Not a Big Deal’: Barbara Corcoran Says the NAR Ruling Hasn’t Had Much of an Impact So Far

Amazon is putting its own spin on car sales — without a trip to the dealer or even a test drive.

The retail giant announced on Tuesday that shoppers could buy their next car through Amazon if they lived in one of 48 major U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Portland through “Amazon Autos” on Amazon.com.

Amazon is partnering with Hyundai first, with plans to add additional manufacturers and cities in the coming year, the company said. The cars are all new and start at $22,500 in price. They include models like the Hyundai Kona, Sonata Hybrid, and Elantra.

Related: You Could Buy Your Next Car on Amazon, Seriously — But There’s a Not-So-Convenient Catch

In turning to online car sales, Amazon joins a marketplace already occupied by other online car retailers like Edmunds, Carvana, Shift, and Vroom, but those sites also feature used cars for sale; at the moment Amazon only offers new cars.

What would happen if I tried to buy a car from Amazon? Here are the pros and cons that emerged when I tried out the new feature.

Pro: Transparency

Amazon says that shoppers can see transparent pricing upfront with Amazon Autos, and I wasn’t disappointed. Clicking into a car, a new 2025 Hyundai Elantra SE, I was able to see a detailed price breakdown, down to the carpeted floor mats ($210) and how much the dealer charged compared to the Manufacturer Suggest Retail Price (MSRP).

^{Pricing through Amazon Autos.}

I was also able to estimate the monthly payment based on the down payment and loan term.

The product page also transparently outlined the condition of the car, how much mileage it had on it, and the terms of the manufacturer’s warranty.

Related: I Tested the ‘Invest As You Shop’ App to See If It Really Makes Investing Less Intimidating

Con: Selection

Right now, Amazon is only selling Hyundai vehicles, so cars from other automakers are nowhere to be found.

This con could soon disappear: Amazon says it will add cars from other manufacturers in 2025.

However, the selection is also limited in price, with the cheapest car selling for $22,510 excluding fees, taxes, and dealer charges. There are no used cars available for sale at the time of writing.

Related: I Tried Making an AI-Hosted Podcast with Google’s NotebookLM. It Worked Surprisingly Well.

Pro: Familiar Interface

Buying a car through Amazon Autos felt like shopping on Amazon, so I felt right at home. There were categories like price, model year, and trim color on the left-hand side, and there were products in a list sorted by price in the center.

Even though the car product category is new to Amazon, the familiar interface made the process easy to navigate.

^{How Amazon Autos looks.}

Con: No Negotiating Power

Amazon says that it shows transparent pricing, “eliminating the need for negotiation.” I can buy a car and complete my entire order, including securing financing, without talking to a human being about the price and trying to negotiate it down.

While it can be less stressful to have the whole process online, it is also less personal. And I can’t help wondering if I’m getting the best deal online or if I would be better off going in person.

This, along with the limited range of selection, ultimately dissuaded me from buying a car from Amazon — for now.

Related: I Tried 3 AI Headshot Generators and There Was a Clear Winner

Entrepreneurship is a journey of grit, vision and strategy. While many entrepreneurs focus solely on securing capital, true business growth often demands more than funding.

It requires the strategic mentorship of an investorpreneur — an investor who provides financial backing and serves as a mentor, guide and partner in your journey toward success.

Investorpreneurs are redefining the relationship between entrepreneurs and investors by blending financial support with expertise, real-world insights and access to networks.

This article explores how you can prepare your small business to engage with an investorpreneur, unlocking new opportunities for growth while building a resilient foundation for your company’s future.

Related: More Than Money: How the Right Investor Can Add Lasting Value to Your Startup

What is an investorpreneur?

An investorpreneur is a transformational ally, offering far more than just financial support. Unlike traditional angel investors or venture capitalists, investorpreneurs combine their capital with active mentorship, helping you make informed decisions, build connections and scale effectively.

Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and a prominent investorpreneur, played a pivotal role in Airbnb’s rise to success. Hoffman didn’t just provide funding — he mentored Airbnb’s founders, helping them refine their business model, expand into new markets and navigate industry challenges. His strategic advice during critical growth stages propelled Airbnb into becoming a global leader in hospitality.

Investorpreneurs invest more than money — they bring their experience, insights and networks to the table, turning promising startups into industry leaders.

Step 1: Craft a strategic business plan

An investorpreneur looks beyond the surface. To attract their interest, you need a business plan that is not only comprehensive but also compelling. Think of your business plan as your blueprint for growth, showcasing your readiness for partnership.

Your plan should begin with a high-impact executive summary that highlights your vision, mission and the unique value your business offers. A detailed market analysis is essential, demonstrating your understanding of industry trends, customer needs and how your product or service stands out in the competitive landscape.

Clearly articulate your product or service offering, focusing on the problem it solves and why your solution is innovative and scalable. Complement this with a well-thought-out growth and scaling plan that outlines your operational strategy, supplier relationships and scalability potential.

Provide financial projections that include realistic, data-driven forecasts for income, cash flow and expenses. Break down how you will use the investorpreneur’s funding to achieve these growth targets.

By structuring your business plan around these elements, you demonstrate not just your vision but your ability to take decisive action, something investorpreneurs highly value.

Step 2: Financial preparedness is key

Financial transparency is a cornerstone of any successful partnership with an investorpreneur. It proves your business’s health, viability and potential for growth.

To demonstrate this, start by showcasing historical financial data that highlights trends in profitability and stability. Pair this with cash flow forecasts that show your ability to manage liquidity effectively while pursuing growth targets. Clearly communicate your break-even point and when your business is likely to become profitable.

A critical element is your use of funds — outline precisely how the investment will be allocated across marketing, product development or scaling operations. This not only builds trust but also shows that you value the investorpreneur’s involvement in your business.

Investorpreneurs bring financial expertise and tools to help you manage these elements more effectively, ensuring you balance growth with liquidity.

Related: Investor Outlook: Seed Funding Needs to go Beyond the Money

Step 3: Build a high-performing team

Investorpreneurs invest as much in people as they do in ideas. Your team‘s expertise, passion and ability to execute your vision are critical to securing their support.

To build confidence, highlight the strengths of your management team. Showcase their experience, achievements and the unique skills each member brings to the table. If you have an advisory board, emphasize their industry expertise and connections, which lend credibility to your business.

Clearly define roles and responsibilities within your team to demonstrate you have the right people in place to manage operations and execute your business plan. Investorpreneurs are drawn to teams that inspire confidence and exhibit the capability to turn vision into reality.

Step 4: Understand and embrace mentorship

A unique characteristic of investorpreneurs is their active involvement in your business. They are not passive investors but hands-on mentors who use their expertise to help you grow strategically.

How investorpreneurs add value:

Investorpreneurs guide entrepreneurs through strategic decisions, such as entering new markets, refining pricing strategies and pivoting business models when necessary. For example, Hoffman’s mentorship during Airbnb’s early years helped refine its revenue model, ensuring monetization while maintaining customer trust.

They also provide operational support, helping streamline processes and scale operations sustainably. Additionally, investorpreneurs bring access to industry connections, opening doors to partnerships, customers and suppliers that accelerate growth.

Their involvement goes beyond financial returns — they mentor entrepreneurs to build resilient, sustainable businesses capable of thriving in competitive markets.

Assess your investor readiness

Are you ready to partner with an investorpreneur? Take the first step by evaluating your business’s growth potential and preparedness.

Access the Investorpreneurship Quiz by emailing me@jamesdooley.com to take a personalized quiz that highlights areas for improvement. This score-driven approach provides actionable insights to help you attract the right investorpreneur and scale your business effectively.

Related: Watch: Why You Should Be Getting More Than Money From an Investor

Investorpreneurs offer more than funding as they provide a partnership rooted in mentorship, guidance and shared expertise. By crafting a clear business plan, building a strong team and embracing their mentorship, you set the stage for a transformative collaboration.

Investorpreneurs invest in people and potential, not just ideas. By preparing your business to engage with an investorpreneur, you’re not just seeking funding; you’re building a foundation for long-term success.