Kamran TurkogluEntrepreneur / Angel Inv. / Advisor / Consultant
Bio

- Consultant / Mentor / Advisor
- Start-up: Strategic Planning, Thought Leadership
- Scaling/Growth in start-ups (and/or teams)
- Innovative Technologies
- Advanced Technologies
- Engineering Management
- Autonomous Driving Vehicles/Cars
- Autonomous Flight Control Systems


Recent Answers


This depends on what stage they are, how badly they want you and what is the future look like at the company. Also on the qualifications as well. But as a bare minimum, C-level equity compensation for start-ups, anything 3-4% and above is a fair game.


To be honest, this should should not be the drive! Honest truth! If you are driven by money, this will not go far (again honest truth). Motivation should come from innovating, and bringing ideas to the next level, and to expanding layer by layer, organically. This may sound cliche, but it is not: Once the effort, and work is put into the idea, the fruits come by itself. You will collect paychecks from left and right. People will make a line at your door. And again, this is honest truth. Have seen this first hand in Silicon Valley, and this is a perspective which comes from a guy whom has been in the game for ~10years, and whom has gone IPO with a company. Thus, my suggestion, is to be motivated by coming with the best, most reliable, functional, safe and robust idea!


- With a proven track record... period!
- Idea person, from my perspective, means that you are not only able to come up with ideas, but can bring idea-2-concept-2-productization.
- And once you do this enough times, you will turn back, and look at your history as a proven track record.
- At that point, more than words, accomplishments will speak for yourself. The rest will come by itself!


- Find a technical co-founder, whom can take off the load for the technical side.
- Share equity equally so that everyone is supported and there is no dispute about each and everyone's contribution in the future.
- While you lead the business side, the technical co-founder can lead the technical side.
- Assess the situation as you go along the way, and expand your idea to PoC.
- Keep in mind `there is no such thing as not give away my idea`. Eventually if you cannot execute it by yourself, you need support and you need to be open to people coming in and owning part of your business. This is the reality. This is where hiring becomes very critical.
- Hire appropriately, and hire absolutely brilliant, competent people with integrity.
- And dont forget the word `integrity`. This will be a driving factor in all your career while people try to make a doormat out of you, or try to milk everything out of you. If you hire well, you will have to deal with these minimally, and the things will flow better.


- Talk to Board members, CEOs to validate the idea and market need. Gather as much feedback as possible.
- Create a PoC, on your own. You will build know-how, learn a new skill and will acquire a new talent.
- After the PoC creation, create a simple web-site and promote the idea.
- Utilize linkedin heavily for promotion. It is free professional promotion platform, with you owning all the bragging rights. Use it wisely. If you have a good market fit, people will come to you.


At this young age, you have all the time on earth. Here is my (to the point) advice:
- First, identify the market need (is there any need for my idea in the market?) Do not create a proof-of-concept then try to find a market fit. Will not work, will lag, if not fail miserably.
- After market need is determined, and you actually have an idea that fills in a need in the market, tirelessly work on your proof of concept. This is your key to open the doors.
- Hire accordingly. Quality work is done with quality people. Do hire, and do employ only enthusiastic, determined, hard working, dedicated people. Will absolutely pay off long term.
- Balance life. Work hard, but also party hard. You have to take time to reset.
As soon as possible try to prove your idea with a proof of concept.


When you wake up the morning, if you:
- Cannot wait to go back to your desk
- Cannot wait to see your colleagues, co-workers in the office
- Cannot wait for your next Board meeting so that you can plan for a better 12-24 months
- Cannot wait to plan with your wife/family for next trip
- Cannot genuine/sincerely stop (without bragging, being cocky, or snobby) talking about your plans, goals, and how many things you want to do about your job in the neat future
- Cannot stop turning down linkedin outreaches because you are extremely satisfied with what you do at work,
- Cannot wait to expand your business nationwide, overseas, make it a global company

... you are absolutely on the right track! Success will come by itself, to those whom know how to persevere.


This completely depends on the intent and level of involvement of the investor whom wants to bring in pure cash. The possible branches and scenarios could get very long (almost like binomial tree), but I will iterate here two very fundamental ones.

1) The investor brings in the cash, capital, owns certain percentage of the company based on investment, and gets involved with decision making, at the board level, and provides feedback, and holds voting rights based on the involvement.

2) They become pure investor with very little involvement and you steer the ship.

At the end of the day, decisions are to be made by CEO and the board, and regardless of percentage of investors, if you (as CEO) hold control of the company, decision making lies upon you (as well as the consequences, and deliverables). Overall, the percentages are all dependent on the valuation, the money that is brought in, equity, ...etc

Good luck,
Sincerely,
KT


The logistics of schools owning a business as a legal entity has some legislative implications. This is a technical question for lawyers, as I do believe there are ways to navigate around it (like certain percentage of ownership...etc)

Overall, the idea is interesting, and could be worth to explore. One suggestion I have is to keep the main focus on high schools, associate degree schools (2yr colleges) and actual higher education institutions, as the dedication, enthusiasm and success rate potentially is going to be higher associated with such entities.
Good luck,
Sincerely,
KT


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