Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2021

As a business advisor, I have to recommend even to established companies that they review and revamp their competitive strategy now, even if it appears to be working today. Simple metrics and your personal knowledge of the industry can’t keep up with all the relevant competitive forces. You need to be part of a larger ecosystem.

Competition 142

Competition Software Review Social Media Customer 142

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 17, 2018

You get to have interesting conversations with founders and review business plans and then see how these businesses evolve over the years. 1/ From vantage point of being able to see hundreds of companies, good & bad I have some advice for founders - Get to know and love "gross margin."

Software Review 242

Software Review Technical Review Pricing Metrics 242

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Los Angeles-based Signal Sciences (www.signalsciences.com), which develops web application firewall software, just inked a big, $35M series C funding round a few weeks ago, and now has plans to dramatically expand its hiring in Los Angeles. We also included existing investors we have locally in Southern California.

Startup 113

Startup Funding Technical Review Software Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2022

As a potential investor, I always think of the high rate of failure of disruptive technologies, due to the longer learning curve of customers, infrastructure change consistently required, and higher marketing costs. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by an initial innovation that has served your company well so far.

Technical Review 101

Technical Review Metrics Resource Software Review 101

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 29, 2015

What is it to start up a company, and run it to the brink of shutdown�only to have it acquired and restarted immediately? We caught up with co-founder Joey Flores on the story behind the company's brush with death, and its recent acquisition by You42, which was announced last week. So, we decided to shut down the company.

Software Review 100

Software Review Startup Metrics Content 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2022

For example, if you are working on a great social networking idea to replace Facebook, and need funding, you probably won’t find any interested and focused VCs or angel investors in Arizona, where I live. Today, Silicon Valley is the consumer and enterprise software capital of the world. get the attention of the market they choose.

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Oracle Software Review Ideas 123

socalTECH

JULY 10, 2017

There's been a revolution in the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the last few years, by both startups and large companies, to help in a large number of areas. With each company that we've started, we've concentrated on a particular market. You've done this before in other industries--what led to new company?

Artificial Inteligence 124

Artificial Inteligence Software Review San Diego .Net 124

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 26, 2010

I’ve been having discussions with several people recently about the role of the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) in very early stage companies. I used an image from Roger Smith that describes the varying roles of a CTO as the company matures. In December 2007, I described how I commonly take on an Acting CTO Role in a Start-up.

Fractional CTO 225

Fractional CTO CTO CTO Hire CTO Coach 225

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 27, 2019

Most board meetings are administrative updates that accomplish very little other than inform board members about the performance of the company since the last board meeting. Nobody knows how many outstanding shares are in the company so nobody knows what percentage Mary’s 22,475 shares is equal to. The meeting starts.

Startup 226

Startup Slides Metrics News 226

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 9, 2019

For example, if you are working on a great social networking idea to replace Facebook, and need funding, you probably won’t find any interested and focused VCs or Angel investors in Arizona, where I live. Today, Silicon Valley is the consumer and enterprise software capital of the world. get the attention of the market they choose.

Startup 97

Startup Technical Review Oracle Software Review 97

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

Jackson: The story behind the company, is we're trying to solve a real world problem. My cofounder and I know how hard it is to get a company up and running, and funded, to keep your investors in the loop. For investors, it gives them a dash board of key metrics, and ensures those investors stay in the loop.

Southern California 243

Southern California Entrepreneur Software Review Yammer 243

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 15, 2016

There is much talk these days that startup valuations have decreased and may continue to do so and that the amount of time it takes to fund raise may take longer. But the hardest question to actually answer is, “What is the right burn rate for your company?”

Startup 150

Startup Capital Funding Invest 150

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

To grow faster businesses need resources in today’s financial period to fund growth that may not come for 6 months to a year. You have to understand whether they’re likely to yield revenue growth in the near term OR whether you have access to cheap enough capital to fund your losses until your investments pay off.

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 23, 2012

There are obvious reasons the industry has had less-than-desirable returns, including: massive over-funding of the sector, huge increases in inexperienced venture capitalists that took a decade to peter out, and the massive correction in the value of the public stock markets that closed many exit opportunities for half a decade.

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Capital Technical Review Startup 347

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Being a consultant is a role that works with big companies, but I have found that it doesn’t get much traction in small businesses and startups. Luckily, I had always been a “hands-on” professional, and I had learned the pragmatics of people leadership, marketing, management tools, and funding. Use social media for more visibility.

Social Media 56

Social Media Software Review Customer Custom 56

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2015

For example, if you are working on a great social networking idea to replace Facebook, and need funding, you probably won’t find any interested and focused VCs or Angel investors in Phoenix, Arizona, where I live. Today, Silicon Valley is the consumer and enterprise software capital of the world. The list goes on and on.

Startup 109

Startup Technical Review Oracle Software Review 109

Steve Reich

JUNE 11, 2012

It is an article about how to make your company worth a fortune by listening to your customers. Here are two successful founders who are building great companies by listening to their customers: Rick Stollmeyer of MindBodyOnline and Travis Giggy of SwingbySwing Golf. This is a company for the long haul.

Customer 97

Customer Custom Software Review SaaS 97

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 2, 2017

For example, if you are working on a great social networking idea to replace Facebook, and need funding, you probably won’t find any interested and focused VCs or Angel investors in Arizona, where I live. Today, Silicon Valley is the consumer and enterprise software capital of the world. get the attention of the market they choose.

Sites 59

Sites Startup Technical Review Oracle 59

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 7, 2013

For example, if you are working on a great social networking idea to replace Facebook, and need funding, you probably won’t find any interested and focused VCs or Angel investors in Phoenix, Arizona, where I live. Today, Silicon Valley is the consumer and enterprise software capital of the world. The list goes on and on.

Startup 102

Startup Technical Review Oracle Entrepreneur 102

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 25, 2009

Keeping a blog has been great because so many entrepreneurs have written me with questions about their companies and I’ve gotten to know many of you personally through the process. Below is a quote about Gus from The Funded. We provide advice that is pertinent because we are able to see patterns across multiple companies.

Venture Capital 297

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur 297

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

It turns out that to build a successful company you ultimately need this strange thing called “revenue” that people don’t just hand you: You need to earn it. Most of this advice boils down to an argument in favor of basic planning before starting a company or raising money. MakeSpace provides physical storage.

Startup 150

Startup Marketing Study SEO 150

SoCal CTO

AUGUST 3, 2010

5 Lessons from 150 startup pitches - A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks , July 11, 2010 I just reviewed several hundred startup pitches for Capital Factory. Many of our job postings for Engineering positions describe the company as a place “where the word ‘millions’ is used frequently and in many contexts&#. Here’s why.

Startup 217

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Software Review 217