Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2021

In short: Access to great deals, ability to be invited to invest in these deals, ability to see where value in a market will be created and the luck to back the right team with the right market at the right time all matter. Consider: When GOAT started it was a restaurant reservation booking app called GrubWithUs … it’s now worth $3.7

Funding 294

Funding Startup Writing Invest 294

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 21, 2010

One of the investment themes I’ve been focused on in the past 3 years has been Performance-Based Marketing. When I started investing the US advertising market was $300 billion with only 10% of it ($30 billion) of it being online and measurable. This no doubt led to the acquisition of AdMob by Google and Quattro by Apple.

Advertising 284

Advertising Invest RSS CPC 284

Berkonomics

APRIL 26, 2018

This is one interpretation of “It takes money to make money” , although that statement was probably created to describe new investment opportunities. Speaking of which, those companies with cash in the bank and cash available are the ones to scoop up the bargains, from suppliers and in acquisitions especially during tough times.

Acquisition 226

Acquisition Email Competition Activity 226

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 29, 2016

Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced. Return Path said it acquired all of Email Copilot, including technical ssets and existing book of business. Al Bsharah, was co-founder and CEO of Email Copilot.

Email 100

Email Anthem San Diego Acquisition 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2023

In addition, current investors want to see every startup go public or be acquired, as an exit event, so they can get their due return for that investment which has been tied up for the last few years. For these reasons, I always look for an overt exit strategy in every startup I might consider for an angel investment.

Startup 99

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 99

TechCrunch LA

DECEMBER 15, 2021

The tools that it has built include Voyage, its proprietary operating system to manage properties; a concierge app to help its guests with services before, during and after stays; its front-end booking platform; and a recently launched real estate platform. “It has always lagged hotels by a wide margin.

Platform 139

Platform Invest Los Angeles Funding 139

SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 17, 2009

I like to book my own travel, so I might be on Expedia or on an airplane. I'd rather invest time investing in social media to drive traffic to our site. Our new customer acquisition has grown and our costs have plummeted. A negative customer acquisition cost! Very important, but less than before. Love the minis!

Acquisition 170

Acquisition Custom Customer Ideas 170

socalTECH

JUNE 24, 2010

Los Angeles-based CapLinked , an online startup developing software to help link entrepreneurs with their investors, has raised $350,000 in an equity investment round, according to a regulatory filing by the firm today. Tags: caplinked paypal mafia venture capital investment startup entrepreneur. READ MORE>>.

Venture Capital 243

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Equity Invest 243

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2022

The key elements of leadership in a company, both individual and organizational, are less tangible, but very critical in setting a market value for investment, acquisition, or going public. In the investment community, these leadership elements are often called “goodwill.”

Technical Review 129

Technical Review Funding Organization Coach 129

Xconomy

JULY 2, 2019

With the previous version of Uber’s (NYSE: UBER ) app, users had to navigate from the main menu to another part of the app to book nearby e-bikes and e-scooters from Uber’s Jump brand. Uber also facilitated e-scooter rentals from Lime, a mobility company in which Uber has invested and, at times, been rumored to be considering for acquisition.)

San Diego 76

San Diego Mobile Acquisition Invest 76

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2021

In addition, current investors want to see every startup go public or be acquired, as an exit event, so they can get their due return for that investment which has been tied up for the last few years. For these reasons, I always look for an overt exit strategy in every startup I might consider for an angel investment.

Startup 173

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 173

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2022

The details of these considerations are outlined in a classic book, “ The Board Book ,” by Board expert and founder of The Board Institute, Susan F. Most founders and CEOs will not voluntarily establish a formal Board of Directors, unless they are trying to attract a major investor, preparing for an IPO, or planning for an acquisition.

Allegis 139

Allegis Startup Acquisition Entrepreneur 139

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

I’m super excited to announce that GRP Partners led the investment in Ethan Anderson’s new company MyTime (link has LA-based merchants but will give you a good feel for the product). RedBeacon went on to sell to HomeDepot in what was considered a very successful acquisition on all sides. Let me not bury the lede.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022

Here are some examples from their book and my experience of the many indicators, challenges that entrepreneurs will probably recognize, which highlight the value and need for increased focus on the human element: Collaborative team sessions seem to drag on. Investments and acquisitions fail.

Training 142

Training Coach Startup Entrepreneur 142

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

Thus I was pleased to see my own insights covered in a new book, “ Why Startups Fail ,” by Tom Eisenmann, a Harvard Business School professor, who has mentored many more entrepreneurs, and authored more than a hundred HBS case studies from real-world startups. Mergers and acquisitions also require new skills.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

socalTECH

JANUARY 2, 2020

While it was a good year for our merger and acquisition practice in the SaaS and fintech space, our most exciting news is in our merchant banking sector where we invest in and advise growth companies often for several years. I love the Whisper Synch feature on Audible so I can read books and then seamlessly listen where I left off.

Capital 100

Capital SoCal Southern California SaaS 100

socalTECH

JUNE 11, 2012

How do you cut out all of the effort required to discover, find, and book venues for your event, wedding, or conference? At the end of the day, we're looking to change the way people book events. New World is the investment firm of the Pritzker family, and they really have an understanding of this business. It's very exciting.

Santa Monica 211

Santa Monica Seed Funding Startup Conference 211

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 11, 2022

Now I see in a classic book, “ Business Models for Teams ,” by Tim Clark and Bruce Hazen, an extension of this process to down inside the venture, for teams and individuals. Every startup looking for investment needs a solid partner story. It shows you how everyone works in synergy.

Funding 133

Funding Activity Custom Customer 133

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

In terms of specifics, with action items that you can start now, I like the strategies outlined in a new book, “ Going On Offense ,” by Behnam Tabrizi. Continuous innovation is a mindset that you cannot outsource, or bring in through acquisition or consultants. Have each develop a personal transformation plan with your support.

Case Study 117

Case Study Outsource Development Outsource Custom 117

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 27, 2016

LeisureLink , the developer of vacation rental booking software which was started in Pasadena, has shut down all of its operations, and laid off all of its staff. The company said it has now entered into an Assignment for Benefit of Creditors to manage an orderly disposition of the company's assets.

Pasadena 100

Pasadena Equity Platform Software 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 15, 2020

The key elements of leadership in a company, both individual and organizational, are less tangible, but very critical in setting a market value for investment, acquisition, or going public. In the investment community, these leadership elements are often called “goodwill.”

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Organization Coach Invest 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2021

Happy customers quickly become your biggest advocates, today reaching far beyond friends and family, and they make traditional marketing efforts pale in comparison for growth, loyalty, and new customer acquisition costs. Use metrics to assess needs and growth economics. Regularly invent new ways to delight customers.

Custom 114

Custom Customer Satisfaction Metrics 114

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 25, 2010

I recently read a book I’d highly recommend to every reader of this blog called “ Yes, 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to be Persuasive &# by Robert B. Cialdini who is also author of a very well received book called “ Influence &# (which I plan to read). You should, too. (no, This is all explicit decision making.

Guide 293

Guide Funding Venture Capital Technical Review 293

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2021

This usually means not taking money from equity investors, since investors want fast growth, high profits, and an exit event, to allow investments to be recouped. Of course, that doesn’t dilute the owner’s equity, but it may well limit you to organic growth, versus international rollouts and acquisition options. According to William R.

Entrepreneur 148

Entrepreneur Startup Equity Course 148

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2022

Ric Dragon, an expert in online marketing, in his classic book. Measuring is all about return-on-investment (ROI). This can be customer acquisition cost, revenue growth, profit, or whatever other parameters are key to your success. Pick the ones that fit your desired outcome. Iteratively execute and measure results.

Social Media 135

Social Media Framework Media Metrics 135

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 4, 2020

Most impressive, Amazon had Hsieh retain his role as CEO, and gave him latitude for projects like his famous book, Delivering Happiness , which spun out into a separate organization of its own; continuing to focus and build out the Zappos company culture; and testing new management paradigms such as Holacracy.

Commerce 206

Commerce Statistics Custom Customer 206

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2019

Here are some examples from their book and my experience of the many indicators, challenges that entrepreneurs will probably recognize, which highlight the value and need for increased focus on the human element: Collaborative team sessions seem to drag on. Investments and acquisitions fail.

Training 123

Training Coach Startup Entrepreneur 123

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 3, 2011

Their primary intended reader is a “first-time entrepreneur”, but clearly other stakeholders within the startup universe can also benefit from the book’s hands-on advice. Examples – The book is filled with text excerpted from actual funding documents, rather than the generic templates usually found in academic textbooks.

Venture Capital 205

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Writing Guide 205

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2021

Especially for entrepreneurs who have not built and sold companies before, and need this startup to be an attractive acquisition or IPO target in a few years, I can’t think of a better way to enlist outside experts and keep them motivated to help you meet the challenges of a startup. Their value will be well worth the investment.

Startup 145

Startup Entrepreneur Mentor Writing 145

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 19, 2019

Popular messaging app Kik is, indeed, “here to stay” following an acquisition by the Los Angeles-based multimedia holding company, MediaLab. According to the filings, Susan Stone, a partner with the investment firm Sierra Wasatch Capital , is listed as a director for the company. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Social Network 153

Social Network Los Angeles Social Media Blogging 153

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 26, 2016

We caught up with Asher Hunt , CEO of the company, to learn more about how the startup wants to make finding a room while traveling more like Uber and less like traditional hotel booking. Asher Hunt: Overnight is a mobile app for travelers to book same day, last minute stays, with local hosts. Can you explain how your service works?

Startup 100

Startup Los Angeles Mobile Pricing 100

socalTECH

JUNE 27, 2019

He saw that the cost of acquisition for many, many different businesses were going through the roof, week after week. We saw that they were hitting the inflection point, where they were spending more than they were receiving from customer acquisition. Michael Greenberg: We like to be more of an open book.

Dollar Shave Club 113

Dollar Shave Club Artificial Inteligence Custom Customer 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 8, 2019

The details of these considerations are outlined in a classic book, “ The Board Book ,” by Board expert and founder of The Board Institute, Susan F. Most founders and CEOs will not voluntarily establish a formal Board of Directors, unless they are trying to attract a major investor, preparing for an IPO, or planning for an acquisition.

Startup 98

Startup Allegis Entrepreneur Acquisition 98

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 26, 2016

= profitable and companies like Amazon who chose to focus on growth > profitability were not losing money on each book sale (ie they were gross margin positive). The reason one would accept losses is when they are investments in fueling faster growth. Customer acquisition cost. So here are some more details ….

Metrics 150

Metrics Startup SaaS Course 150

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2020

I was pleased to find a new book, “ The Entrepreneur’s Faces, ” by Johnathan Littman and Susanna Camp, which outlines the key stages and provides examples of real people making the transformation from one stage to the next. Landing investments and backing requires a new level of confidence, communication, and risk.

Entrepreneur 139

Entrepreneur Help Incubator Startup 139

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2012

This strategy is called “organic growth,” yet it alone may yield only a fraction of the potential you could achieve, unless you add the additional strategies of partnerships and M&A (mergers and acquisitions). Laurence Capron and Will Mitchell explain why in their new book, “ Build, Borrow, or Buy: Solving the Growth Dilemma.”

CTO Hire 91

CTO Hire Startup Outsource Development Resource 91

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 7, 2011

This is one interpretation of “It takes money to make money” , although that statement was probably created to describe new investment opportunities. Speaking of which, those companies with cash in the bank and cash available are the ones to scoop up the bargains, from suppliers and in acquisitions especially during tough times.

Acquisition 166

Acquisition Email Competition Activity 166