Guy Kawasaki answers questions from entrepreneurs

I have heard many times that the best marketing plan will make even a shoddy product soar. Is this true?

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What ways can an entrepreneur protect his "idea" (other than patent) from being copied or stolen prior to introducing it to venture capitalists or other potential investors?

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I have a great idea for using nano light-emitting diodes in everyday objects, but now what? How do I implement these ideas–just look up manufacturers, legal patent issues, funding…what do you suggest?

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What amount of revenue projections are necessary for a VC to consider funding a deal, e.g., how small is too small? If a venture is only going to do $5 million, $10 million or $15 million annually, is it possible to get funded?

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I had several flops in business–I established about six companies; each lasted no more than a year and a half–sometimes due to partnership, sometimes due to lack of funds and mismanagement of funds. Right now my sixth company is on the verge of sinking, due to small financial and legal problems. I am a foreigner based in Saudi Arabia. Can you advise me on what precautions to take to stop the sinking ship? I have tried the three F’s.

Guy’s responses: http://www.forbes.com/work/entrepreneurs/2005/03/29/cx_gk_0329artofthestart.html?partner=moreover

About Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki is the CEO of Garage Technology Ventures, a venture capital investment bank for high-technology companies. Previously, he was an Apple Fellow at Apple Computer. Guy is also the author of seven books. He has a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from UCLA, as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College. He is currently on the board of BitPass, a micropayments systems company for online content.