This may sound silly, but recently I have become a fan of using the fabric adhesive strips for cable management in lieu of wire ties. A full-scale replacement of all existing strain relief applications isn't necessary, but I have started using the loop-and-hook fabric for all situations and am very satisfied with it. Unfortunately, the stuff is quite expensive for a large roll, so stock up while you can.
Velcro is a brand name of fabric hook-and-loop fasteners. The term Velcro is a registered trademark in most countries. Generic terminology for these fasteners includes "hook and loop", "burr" and "touch" fastener he/she prefer to use the hook and touch fabric because it is what he/she started using and it is satisfying to use because Hook and loop fasteners consist of two layers: a "hook" side, which is a piece of fabric covered with tiny plastic hooks, and a "loop" side, which is covered with even smaller and "hairier" plastic loops. There are many variations to this which include hooks on both sides, for example. When the two sides are pressed together, the hooks catch in the loops and hold the pieces together. When the layers are separated, the strips make a characteristic sound.
The strength of the hook and loop bond depends on how well the hooks are embedded in the loops and the nature of the force pulling it apart. Force pushing the pieces together engages more hooks and loops. If hooks and loops are used to bond two rigid surfaces, e.g. auto body panels and frame, the bond is particularly strong because any force pulling the pieces apart is spread evenly across all hooks. Vibration can also cause rigid pieces to improve their bond. When one or both of the pieces are flexible, e.g. a pocket flap, the pieces can be pulled apart with a peeling action which applies the force to relatively few hooks at a time. If a flexible piece is pulled parallel to the plane of the fastener surface the force is spread evenly as with very rigid pieces. Although the name fabric adhesive encompasses a variety of products that provide temporary or permanent ways to attach fabric without sewing. Some of them are available simply as applications, while others are sold already applied to a fabric or material, with the adhesive being activated while incorporating that material into a project.
5. Purchase evaluation equipment or software
If you have any concept projects or other long-term directions, investing in some tools, software, or hardware to facilitate your projects can be a wise decision. Such a purchase may be to bring your group's competency up in a certain area or simply to perform a customized proof of concept for the solution you're considering.
Just be sure you don't trap yourself in under funding your larger projects by slipping these types of purchases into the mix. If a project is pressed upon you, and there are tools or software titles needed to succeed, the project should fund those requests.
Venture funding works like gears. A typical startup goes through several rounds of funding, and at each round you want to take just enough money to reach the speed where you can shift into the next gear.
Few startups get it quite right. Many are underfunded. A few are overfunded, which is like trying to start driving in third gear.
I think it would help founders to understand funding better—not just the mechanics of it, but what investors are thinking. I was surprised recently when I realized that all the worst problems we faced in our startup were due not to competitors, but investors. Dealing with competitors was easy by comparison.
I don't mean to suggest that our investors were nothing but a drag on us. They were helpful in negotiating deals, for example. I mean more that conflicts with investors are particularly nasty. Competitors punch you in the jaw, but investors have you by the balls.
Apparently our situation was not unusual. And if trouble with investors is one of the biggest threats to a startup, managing them is one of the most important skills founders need to learn.
Let's start by talking about the five sources of startup funding. Then we'll trace the life of a hypothetical (very fortunate) startup as it shifts gears through successive rounds.
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