Mark Cuban has an offer to help businesses. Here are his ‘dragon’ rules…
1. It can be an existing business or a start up.
2. It can not be a business that generates any revenue from advertising. Why ? Because I want this to be a business where you sell something and get paid for it. Thats the only way to get and stay profitable in such a short period of time.
3. It MUST BE CASH FLOW BREAK EVEN within 60 days
4. It must be profitable within 90 days.
5. Funding will be on a monthly basis. If you dont make your numbers, the funding stops
6. You must demonstrate as part of your plan that you sell your product or service for more than what it costs you to produce, fully encumbered
7. Everyone must work. The organization is completely flat. There are no employees reporting to managers. There is the founder/owners and everyone else
8. You must post your business plan here, or you can post it on slideshare.com , scribd.com or google docs, all completely public for anyone to see and/or download
9. I make no promises that if your business is profitable, that I will invest more money. Once you get the initial funding you are on your own
10. I will make no promises that I will be available to offer help. If I want to , I will. If not, I wont.
11. If you do get money, it goes into a bank that I specify, and I have the ability to watch the funds flow and the opportunity to require that I cosign any outflows.
12. In your business plan , make sure to specify how much equity I will receive or how I will get a return on my money.
13. No multi-level marketing programs (added 2/10/09 1pm)
It is great to see an open and transparent offer on the table.
5 comments
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February 12, 2009 at 9:23 am
Shaune
Actually even if you don’t have an idea the comments in Mark’s original post make for a very interesting read.
You could even “borrow” somebody’s idea and run with it yourself!
September 22, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Joseph W Casto
I have an idea for marks stimulous project: How do i publish it?
Re; R.E. Project
A “Clean and Sober” transitional housing project. First of all this is a great idea! My idea in fetal literary context is this. I have a house as we speak i can get at almost 1/2 the asking price of over 300k. By the time you respond to this ” if you do”. the deal may have went to public auction. None the less I would still need a start up of about 150k for any rehab of an existing foreclosed home in which i have agents working on as we speak. I will find funding hopefully sooner than later. The house has rules and details and would virtually run itself. The only rule is the tenants have to be clean and sober and wanting to better their lives as well as their surrounding environments to live there.
How would you get your money back? If you spark interest in this project I will immediately seek a deal on re-financing the home so that you would be able to get your money back within the allotted time limit. ‘60 days” either with your institution or my own or private investor.
There is a great need for this in any community “Washington state” across the united states.
I do not want to go into to much detail on here but I have a plan. All I need is a start eventually I would like to advance to multi-family dwellings for the community I think this thing will sell itself after it gets started. I Thank you for your time.
March 31, 2009 at 4:03 am
Joe Jackson
Mark,
I would like to submit my business plan and ask for yur assistance in funding. I was just approved to become a reseller for a GPS fleet tracking company. My service will include selling ( at a profit) hardware that gets installes into a vehicle, light or heavy duty, then a provide a monthly service another fee. I already have a funnel of opportunities established all being 80+% ready to go with my company. Is this something we can discuss further
Joe
March 31, 2009 at 8:58 am
Shaune
Hey Joe, I think you posted this on the wrong site. Click on the link in the main post if you want to send it to Mark.
September 5, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Steve Bonczek
Mr. Cuban,
I currently own a directional boring company. The directional boring industry is booming and it is extremely profitable and can break even within your time constraints. Yes the machinery is very expensive but well worth the risk and reward. The average machine cost 100,000 plus witht he additional parts needed. The reason that this business is so profitable is because everyone is looking to have all of their utility lines to there houses put underground. In addition most homes all want sprinkler systems now, and with that said a directional bore machine makes less of a mess in a yard than regular trenching. trenching leaves a constant line in the dirt were in boring it is just as quick and there are only two holes needed for the typical shot. The utility companies are for the most part going completely underground where they can and there is always cable to be replaced. My company also does sewer bore jobs where we bore into man holes. The biggest issue is I borrow a machine that limits my potential. I have a degree in business management and am currently 8 classes away from my Masters Degree in Management and Human resources. I am always on the job and will never do a job that I am not present for, just to ensure that the job is properly done. I have a fairly solid business plan. By doing most of the work myself at this point is how I stay in the green. I also see that directional boring is a big thing in Texas right now. Thank you for your time.
My information is as follows:
Broadband Splicing Solutions
Steve Bonczek – Owner/Operator
bonczeksteve@yahoo.com
860-209-3206