Deal-making Adventurer Mugs

"We were finally able to take out enough extras to get the car within your budget."

'When we get there let me do the double talking.'

'Well the good news is that we've landed some huge contracts in China!'

"That's Paul, he's our head of partnerships..."

'We're making progress. I just got a firm 'maybe'.'

The Salesman

'You're developing a reputation as something of a cowboy, Henderson.'

"With this company, it's like 'Adventure Capital."

'I'm still not sure HOW it happened. One minute, we were bouncing ideas off each other, and the next thing I knew, we were using furniture instead!'

'I begin to question whether this startup ever had venture capital.'

It's a deal. You give me five analysts, three pundits, seven technicians and a soothsayer. I give you six experts, five professors, four consultants and a prognosticator.

"Could you fellas tell me if there's anyplace around here where I could find a fax machine?"

"And when conventional theories don't work, we've got Charnier here to do us a spot of voodoo marketing."

365 Lemonade Stand

...and if the Chairman rings, find out who he is.

Self-employed.

'No hostile takeover bids beyond this point.'

'He's out massaging,manipulating and monopolising.'

'The trick is to be gentle yet firm in negotiations. I prefer soft money and hard liquor.'

"Remember, negotiating is like buying fruit. You don't know what you'll get until you squeeze 'em a bit."

'Nobody gets to the point quicker than Ron!'

"I came, I saw I takeovered."

Palm Reading

"The shareholders were planning to finance your trip to space until they learned that you were expected to return."

He had finally made it to the mountaintop.

'With our pioneering spirit we are going to break into some great new markets.'

"Don't anybody move: this is a merger."

'The business is worth $125,000, tops. We expect Google to offer us three billion.'

Profit Cowboy

The Life Cycle of a Startup

'My startup could really use a pioneer type like you.'

"Well, we're all in agreement. We must be overlooking something."

'It's not a stick-up, it's a merger offer.'

'I'm doomed anyway, so I may as well make the most of it...'

'Sorry for interrupting. I didn't realize you were still trying to hammer out an agreement.'