Greenberg shares the most common mistakes found in business plans while explaining how best to avoid them.

An elevator pitch is the most important instrument in the entrepreneur’s toolbox. A clear, concise, easily understood pitch can open the door to capital and customers; a poorly crafted pitch can scuttle interest in even the most innovative startup.

Brant Cooper and Patrick Vlaskovits,the authors of “The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Customer Development,” told a TechPortal/Entrepreneurs Forum audience members that that the startup environment is changing dramatically. Lean is now the name of the game, and lean startups demand an integrated...