Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

As an angel investor and a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m always disappointed to see founders who seem stressed out most of the time, and more annoyed than energized by the abundance of challenges they see in building their startup. Investors and strategic partners look for entrepreneurs who can execute.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Startup Activity Ideas 110

socalTECH

AUGUST 18, 2010

For today's Insights and Opinions section, where we feature insights and analysis from the local technology community, we have an article from Jeff Cohn , an entrepreneur and veteran of the angel and VC investment community here in Southern California. Read the rest of Jeff's post on on angel and venture capital shareholder liquidity.

Venture Capital 145

Venture Capital Capital Tech Coast Angels Angel 145

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 8, 2014

” It’s the most common refrain I hear from investors and even entrepreneurs these days. Let me start with the obvious baseline that most people probably know instinctively: Los Angeles is the 3rd largest technology startup ecosystem in the US. And it wasn’t just Google Ad Words that originated in Los Angeles.

Entrepreneur 376

Entrepreneur Snapchat Startup Google 376

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 2, 2022

Serious entrepreneurs know that, but too many “wannabes” still fall for that elusive get-rich-quick scheme with no risk. As an active angel investor, I still hear entrepreneurs asserting large opportunities with minimal risk and no competition. Outside of dreams, there is no real business opportunity without risk.

Entrepreneur 153

Entrepreneur Marketing Customer Custom 153

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

As an Angel investor and a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m always disappointed to see founders who seem stressed out most of the time, and more annoyed than energized by the abundance of challenges they see in building their startup. Investors and strategic partners look for entrepreneurs who can execute.

Entrepreneur 63

Entrepreneur Product Startup Activity 63

Berkonomics

MAY 15, 2014

After being an active angel investor for about fifteen years, I realized that many of the discussions I was involved in were virtually identical to ones I’d had many times before. Angel investing today is similar to where venture capital investing was in the mid-1980s. By Basil Peters. Email readers, continue here.]

Venture Capital 228

Venture Capital Examples Invest Conference 228

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 30, 2015

Serious entrepreneurs know that, but too many “wannabes” still fall for that elusive get-rich-quick scheme with no risk. As an active Angel investor, I still hear entrepreneurs asserting large opportunities with minimal risk and no competition. Outside of dreams, there is no real business opportunity without risk.

Entrepreneur 103

Entrepreneur Startup Marketing Customer 103

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2013

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Need to spread the risk.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Technical Review Equity 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 13, 2019

New entrepreneurs are always looking for a shortcut in getting their venture story and plan across to investors, and closing on the funding they need. The canvas is a visual chart with elements describing your value proposition, structure, finances, and customers, to help companies identify and align business activities. Key resources.

Activity 100

Activity Customer Custom Resource 100

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 7, 2015

We talk a lot about college entrepreneurs here at Tech.Co, but what about the younger generations? Specifically, two high school seniors in LA, Dillon Rosenblatt and Tyler Makhani, recently built out an app called Tutors , a platform for on demand tutoring. Why not bring tutors into this new on-demand economy? .

Demand 126

Demand Technical Review Los Angeles Platform 126

socalTECH

JANUARY 31, 2013

Will all that activity help create the next big technology, advertising, gaming, or e-commerce startup? Much of the focus is on absorbing that energy, the enthusiasm of the startup community here has created over the last few years. It's unclear.

Startup 256

Startup Commerce Santa Monica Mentor 256

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 1, 2013

The magazine turned its attention this month towards the Los Angeles innovation and technology economy in a section guest edited by StartEngine co-founder Howard Marks , including a reception held Wednesday evening at the Viceroy in Santa Monica. Big disclaimer: the author and editor was one of the honorees at the event). (Big

Ventura 182

Ventura Santa Monica Idealab High Tech 182

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2013

Entrepreneurs often get the advice from their lawyers and friends to always get a Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA or CDA) signed before disclosing anything about their new venture. You won’t last long as an entrepreneur in this category, since a startup is all about taking risks. non-disclosure entrepreneur investor CDA business'

Ideas 92

Ideas Demand Patents Entrepreneur 92

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Need to spread the risk.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup Equity 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2022

In the old days, every entrepreneur planned on taking their startup public, and making it big. Smart entrepreneurs are now starting to look at this option again, as well as the challenges of running a public company. Public stockholders are more easily swayed by emotion and the activities of the crowd, than real market conditions.

Startup 98

Startup Report IBM IBM 98

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2023

Based on my own career as a business owner and angel investor, in this age of change, I still see key successes and growth from the same team member work qualities. For example, it has long been widely accepted that one of the primary causes for entrepreneur failure in new startups is that many give up too soon.

Startup 121

Startup Satisfaction Technical Review Ideas 121

socalTECH

APRIL 12, 2011

Derek Norton is head of Los Angeles-based Watertower Group (www.watertowergroup.com), a firm which helps companies raise funding, one of the rare companies which has a track record and good reputation helping companies with fundraising, and also runs its own investment fund. Derek Norton: I'm a fourth generation Angeleno.

Riot Games 199

Riot Games Technology Los Angeles Entrepreneur 199

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 9, 2012

Who are the top tech companies to work for in Los Angeles? popped up consistently in an informal (and highly non-scientific poll) of a number of readers, executive recruiters, and others in the Los Angeles area, who cited growth, brand, profitability, and other factors in their suggestions to us of the top companies. Demand Media.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Company Companies Southern California 279

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2017

New entrepreneurs are always looking for a shortcut in getting their venture story and plan across to investors, and closing on the funding they need. The canvas is a visual chart with elements describing your value proposition, structure, finances, and customers, to help companies identify and align business activities. Key resources.

Funding 57

Funding Startup Activity Customer 57

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

This morning's interview with an entrepreneur is with Bertrand Patriarca , the CEO of Los Angeles-based startup WashOS (www.washos.com). WashOS runs an on-demand, car washing service. We send our service directly to your place, at home, within 90 minutes, in Los Angeles and Orange County. What does WashOS do?

Orange County 124

Orange County Los Angeles Startup Entrepreneur 124

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2019

In the old days, every entrepreneur dreamed of easily taking their startup public, and making it big. Smart entrepreneurs are just now starting to look at this option again, due to its unpredictability and the challenges of running a public company. Startup founders don’t fit in a public company.

Startup 84

Startup Technical Review Report IBM 84

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 63

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 22, 2011

To hear about the firm's interest in Los Angeles, and Southern California investments in general, we spoke with Fouad ElNaggar , Principal at the firm, to hear about where the firm is nowadays and what kind of investments it is making locally. It's difficult to add value to a portfolio company or entrepreneur.

Redpoint 154

Redpoint Southern California Cornerstone OnDemand Invest 154

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2017

In the old days, every entrepreneur dreamed of easily taking their startup public, and making it big. Smart entrepreneurs are just now starting to look at this option again, due to its unpredictability and the challenges of running a public company. Startup founders don’t fit in a public company.

Startup 87

Startup Technical Review Report Entrepreneur 87

socalTECH

JUNE 23, 2021

Our interview this morning is with Alex Nocifera of Los Angeles-based Field Day. Alex Nocifera: We help the enterprise, large brands, working with brands like US Cellular, Panera Bread, Square, Uber, and help them generate demand for their products and services in a local, acute manner. We've got Peter Goldberg.

Marketing 113

Marketing Los Angeles Zag Startup 113

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2017

Serious entrepreneurs know that, but too many “wannabes” still fall for that elusive get-rich-quick scheme with no risk. As an active angel investor, I still hear entrepreneurs asserting large opportunities with minimal risk and no competition. Outside of dreams, there is no real business opportunity without risk.

Entrepreneur 68

Entrepreneur Marketing Customer Custom 68

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2013

Well, a down round is even more complicated than having no demand for your investment round. As has been pointed out by Dan Primack based on FLAG Capital data, there are fewer than 100 “real and active” tech VCs in the country. If we count seed funds and large angels maybe that number goes up by 2x? A down round.

Pricing 302

Pricing Seed Funding Invest Venture Capital 302

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 29, 2010

We received so much positive feedback from our This Week in Venture Capital show walking through valuation calculations & term sheets that we decided to do a Q&A show this week to address topics that entrepreneurs want to learn about. on the entrepreneur side of the table) when I raised at too high of a price. This is wrong.

Venture Capital 282

Venture Capital Capital Startup Pricing 282

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 17, 2014

Serious entrepreneurs know that, but too many “wannabes” still fall for that elusive dream of a get-rich-quick scheme with no risk. As an active Angel investor, I still hear entrepreneurs asserting large opportunities with minimal risk or no competition. There is no real business opportunity without risk.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Marketing Customer Custom 93

socalTECH

AUGUST 18, 2017

Last week, Pasadena-based Ocular Data Systems (www.oculardatasystems.com) announced a funding round from the Pasadena Angels, for its camera-based systems used by law enforcement to capture evidence in drunk or drugged driving cases. Judges, juries, defense, and prosecuters are now expecting and demanding video be produced in the courtroom.

Pasadena Angels 100

Pasadena Angels Pasadena Technical Review Southern California 100

socalTECH

OCTOBER 26, 2015

Los Angeles is the capital of on-demand apps, for just about anything you want. One of those areas that combines LA's passion for on-demand apps, and its active lifestyle, is Fitspot (www.fitspotapp.com), which brings athletic trainers to you or your local fitness center. What is Fitspot?

Training 100

Training Startup Orange County Malibu 100

socalTECH

MAY 30, 2019

Our interview this morning is with Robin Richards , the CEO of Los Angeles-based CareerArc (www.careerarc.com). Richards--a serial entrepreneur who has been involved in a number of technology companies here, including NTI Group (sold to Blackboard), Internships.com, MP3.com, You've got to know best practices in demand generation.

Content 193

Content Social Network Coach Help 193

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2018

As an active angel investor, I’m accustomed to hearing entrepreneurs pitch their expectation to quickly create a new dominant brand, based on their disruptive technology. Thus it is imperative that you get to market quickly, adapt to your customer demands, and scale before the market changes, or new competitors appear.

Marketing 57

Marketing Startup Entrepreneur Social Media 57

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 29, 2017

As an advisor to entrepreneurs, I often have to deal with people who are convinced that they must get me to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before they begin talks about their new venture. Some entrepreneurs avoid the patent process, since patent details become public once a patent is issued.

Technical Review 61

Technical Review Patents Ideas Social Media 61

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 3, 2010

I know many super experienced entrepreneurs who don’t understand the basics of how fund size and age can affect them so I thought it was worth establishing a baseline. In a world of The Funded, VentureHacks and entrepreneur blogs this kind of informations spreads like wildfire. If you raise angel money that’s another story.

Venture Capital 265

Venture Capital Seed Funding Pricing Invest 265

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Need to spread the risk.

Technical Review 95

Technical Review Startup Equity Entrepreneur 95

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2015

In the old days, every entrepreneur dreamed of easily taking their startup public, and making it big. Smart entrepreneurs now avoid this option like the plague, due to its unpredictability and the challenges of running a public company. entrepreneur IPO m&a startup Stock Exchange' Startup founders don’t fit in a public company.

Startup 98

Startup Technical Review Report Entrepreneur 98