SoCal CTO

MARCH 12, 2012

I promised I would write this post with some thoughts and ideas on the topic. " Typically, this requires quite a bit more information for me to be able to respond and provide real help. Your technical advisor can likely help. They often can help a lot in navigating to expertise and to possible resources.

CTO Hire 211

CTO Hire CTO Coach Startup Equity 211

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 22, 2018

As BCG writes in its report: The good news for SoCal and any region with tech ambitions is that the Bay Area has in some ways been too successful. Over the past several years we have observed a significant decrease in startups leaving SoCal,” said Greg Becker, CEO of Silicon Valley Bank.

Southern California 224

Southern California Dollar Shave Club SoCal Develop 224

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 2, 2011

I’m sitting at my computer now at 9.00pm writing this – which is an hour earlier than I normally write (there are about 8 women at my kitchen table having a book club (aka excuse to drink wine & gossip so I’m locked in another room writing. Should entrepreneurs have convertible debt or priced equity?

Email 287

Email Blogging Venture Capital Writing 287

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 28, 2018

Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). It’s helpful to think of startups as proceeding through several stages, which I have defined some time ago from a funding perspective. Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Funding 94

Funding Startup Organization Incubator 94

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 17, 2020

Let’s take a few minutes to examine the kind of equity financing available to small or early stage businesses. In most cases, these applicants for equity funding must be rooted in technology to apply to this limited discussion. We’ll call these “inside angels.” Angel investment groups or funds.

Equity 156

Equity Technical Review Class Organization 156

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2013

Understanding where your VC partner sits in their respective fund and where their fund is in the cycle of its investment lifecycle will help you understand your VCs behavior. In addition to helping manage the board Chris also helps represent the interests of the angel investors / common stock holders.

Tips 365

Tips Email Venture Capital CTO Coach 365

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2016

Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). It’s helpful to think of startups as proceeding through several stages, which I have defined some time ago from a funding perspective. Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Organization 93

Organization Startup Incubator Ideas 93

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 8, 2019

. “If big companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon are prevented from acquiring startups, that actually reduces competition,” Sirinivasan writes. The reason is that if there is less M&A due to legal uncertainty, there is a reduced incentive for angels & VCs to fund those startups in the first place.

Technical Review 144

Technical Review Startup Chief Technology Officer Social Media 144

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Based on my experience as an angel investor and a mentor to dozens of entrepreneurs, having no business plan is the quickest way to define yourself as just a dreamer, or at best a hobbyist. When sizing your funding request, be aware of the value of your startup today, since most investors expect an equity share for their contributions.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2018

through Grants.gov , an online directory of more than 1,000 federal grant programs that don’t look for equity or payback. Experts are available to help, but fees are high. You need to make an ROI assessment of value versus cost on outside help at this stage. Another alternative is to find an inexpensive class on grant writing.

Funding 90

Funding Technical Review Startup Research 90

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 30, 2012

million in a new round of financing from Peter Thiel, FF Angel , Siemer Ventures , 500 Startups , Andrej Henkler (former Bertelsmann executive), and Alexsis de Raadt-St. Yesterdays’ equity round of $1.6 25 Years of Writing Code. LA based CapLinked , a cloud-based business transaction platform yesterday raised $1.6

Technical Review 88

Technical Review Software Review Bertelsmann Technology 88

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 23, 2010

a loan) that is later converted to equity at the time of the next financing. If no financing happened then this “note&# may not be converted and thus would be senior to the equity of the company in the case of a bankruptcy or asset sale. These aren’t angel investors or family friends for whom $250k might be a big deal.

Startup 290

Startup Funding Venture Capital Pricing 290

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2013

Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). It’s helpful to think of startups as proceeding through several stages, which I have defined before from a funding perspective. Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Funding Incubator Startup 102

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 21, 2010

When to get a lawyer - If you plan to be a venture or angel backed technology company (what I mostly write about) the best time to start meeting and getting to know lawyers is long before you ever start your company. I write about some of the lessons in my post on Startup Mistakes. Many people start companies arse backwards.

Startup 318

Startup IP Southern California Entrepreneur 318

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2012

Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). It’s helpful to think of startups as proceeding through several stages, which I have defined before from a funding perspective. Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Resource 94

Resource Startup Organization Incubator 94

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2010

I’m not saying I don’t spend time trying to help entrepreneurs that I am not planning to invest it – anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I do. So I spend much time with them and trying to help. I get to network with angels, VCs, entrepreneurs, lawyers, etc. I get to choose what I write about.

Venture Capital 312

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Entrepreneur 312

socalTECH

MARCH 6, 2017

Los Angeles-based Maple Media (maplemedia.io) recently announced a big, $30M funding from Shamrock Capital, to assemble a collection of mobile applications in the utility, productivity, games and entertainment verticals. We are making changes to the user interface, to help limits things like attrition and other things we're trying to avoid.

Media 153

Media Mobile Startup Acquisition 153

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

” The punch line from this post was “angel yourself.” He wants a chance at changing life’s circumstances with building equity value that might free him and his family from the rat-race of 529 accounts, property taxes, summer-school tuitions and even spending some cash on aging parents. He still has the dream.

Technical Review 150

Technical Review Startup Venture Capital IP 150

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2012

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. A good investor can do a lot to help a company, but can't make customers buy products.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Startup Writing Competition 94

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 12, 2011

Chris Dixon is one of my favorite people in tech and writes one of the few blogs I read religiously. 6. Chris then discussed his current approach to angel investing in that he tries to do everything through Founder Collective (FC), unless it is out of the purview of the firm’s investment thesis, then he’ll do it on his own.

Technical Review 281

Technical Review Venture Capital Startup Artificial Inteligence 281

Berkonomics

APRIL 3, 2014

We’ve spoken of financing a young company through friends and family, known as “inside angels.” There are three classes of equity investors for early stage businesses that we have not yet considered. Often grouped into formal organizations, these investors are sophisticated, helpful, and connected.

Equity 232

Equity Startup Organization Invest 232

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2011

Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). It’s helpful to think of startups as proceeding through several stages, which I have defined before from a funding perspective. Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Startup 92

Startup Organization Incubator Ideas 92

CEO Flow

MARCH 2, 2009

Bio summary: Aaron Ross is the founder of CEOFlow , which helps CEOs understand how to create predictable revenue, through guidance, groups and consulting. Just write me). Who this is for: This is for CEOs of companies that have either raised $1m+ in capital or have $1m+ in revenues. Date & Time: Friday, March 13.

Santa Monica 40

Santa Monica Los Angeles Finaventures Angel 40

CEO Flow

MARCH 2, 2009

Bio summary: Aaron Ross is the founder of CEOFlow , which helps CEOs understand how to create predictable revenue, through guidance, groups and consulting. Just write me). Who this is for: This is for CEOs of companies that have either raised $1m+ in capital or have $1m+ in revenues. Date & Time: Friday, March 13.

Santa Monica 40

Santa Monica Los Angeles Finaventures Angel 40

CEO Flow

MARCH 2, 2009

Bio summary: Aaron Ross is the founder of CEOFlow , which helps CEOs understand how to create predictable revenue, through guidance, groups and consulting. Just write me). Who this is for: This is for CEOs of companies that have either raised $1m+ in capital or have $1m+ in revenues. Date & Time: Friday, March 13.

Santa Monica 40

Santa Monica Los Angeles Finaventures Angel 40

CEO Flow

MARCH 2, 2009

Bio summary: Aaron Ross is the founder of CEOFlow , which helps CEOs understand how to create predictable revenue, through guidance, groups and consulting. Just write me). Who this is for: This is for CEOs of companies that have either raised $1m+ in capital or have $1m+ in revenues. Date & Time: Friday, March 13.

Santa Monica 40

Santa Monica Los Angeles Finaventures Angel 40

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 7, 2013

Natalia Oberti Noguera is on a mission to help change the demographic of investment with her Pipeline Fellowship. Pipeline Fellowship teaches women to become angel investors and become a more powerful and helpful voice in the investment world. I’m passionate about women becoming angel investors.

Mentor 84

Mentor Invest Entrepreneur Startup 84

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

If you truly believe that you, your company and your products are exceptional and your company will be valuable then you’re actually doing them a FAVOR by helping them invest in your startup. For simplicity I’ll assume you’ve raised some money from angels or seed investors and you’re either raising an A round or a B round of venture capital.

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2010

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. A good investor can do a lot to help a company, but can't make customers buy products.

Technical Review 90

Technical Review Writing Competition Tips 90

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

Some of the products I’ve helped validate and launch include GoToMyPC, GoToMeeting and AppFolio. Our software helps companies save time, improve their communication, and ultimately build better products faster. I think in the end it’s helped us build a better product because we are resource-constrained. Semick: They are.

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

socalTECH

AUGUST 4, 2011

Jeff Zwelling is the co-founder of Convertro (www.convertro.com), a Los Angeles company focused on helping companies track how their marketing efforts are leading to sales conversions. Instead, after a private equity firm offered to buy YLighting, we negotiated to keep the technology that we had developed. Jeff Zwelling.

Startup 210

Startup Marketing Custom Customer 210

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 1, 2016

We’re a national venture capital investment firm but with our roots firmly in Los Angeles. We try to hire deeply analytical associates to can help companies problem solve and who make us better investors. You don’t have unlimited equity to dole out. That’s healthy. You can’t make everybody an SVP.

Startup 150

Startup Coach Course Invest 150

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2015

” Today I want to talk about how a VC thinks about equity pricing on your round and particularly if you’re coming off of a convertible note. In the old days there usually weren’t convertible notes on early-stage deals and there weren’t party rounds with 20 angels or 6 seed funds. It’s very simple.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Pricing Startup Invest 150

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

A friend helped him get out of this situation and changed Matt’s life forever. Since selling Matt has gone on to become one of the smartest angels I have seen operate. He is very hands-on and helpful – especially for any company looking into customer acquisition. The answer? Something so simple.

Acquisition 304

Acquisition Startup Custom Customer 304

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 19, 2010

As a member of the local angel group Selection Committee, I’ve seen a lot of startup presentations to investors, and I’ve never seen one that was too short - maybe short on content, but not short on pages! Fuzzy terms like “not user-oriented” or “too expensive” are not helpful. Give the “elevator pitch” for your startup. Exit strategy.

Slides 94

Slides Competition Sample Sales 94

socalTECH

JUNE 18, 2009

OneCubicle helps you build a career, through a jobs page, jobs listings, career advice, micro transactions for resume help, and an upcoming celebrity mentor feature. That was the jumping off point for OneCubicle a little over 18 months ago, when we started writing the business plan and code. How are your two companies connected?

Social Network 100

Social Network Entertainment Startup CTO Coach 100

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

When an entrepreneur takes on investors who take equity (i.e. The board is where large equity investors get their representation. It’s why the best angels and seed investors are local and why the best independents are, too. I really like it when independent directors write a check into the company.

Startup 187

Startup Writing Venture Capital Oracle 187