• Evidence of focus, through concentration on a limited number of products or
services
• Proprietary position, as represented by patents, copyrights, and trademarks
On the other hand, the following are some features that create unfavorable reactions among prospective investors:
• Infatuation with the product or service rather than familiarity with and
awareness of marketplace needs
• Financial projections at odds with accepted industry norms
• Unrealistic growth projections
• Need for custom or applications engineering, which makes substantial growth
difficult9
Finally, as noted earlier, investors are quickly disillusioned by plans that contain page after page of detailed computergenerated financial projections, suggesting— intentionally or unintentionally—that the entrepreneur can predict with great accuracy what will happen. The experienced investor knows differently.