Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2010

In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Things that make it investment-grade for outside investors will also benefit you, since you are the ultimate investor. Investors invest in people - not just ideas. Executive team.

Invest 74

Invest Tips Competition Metrics 74

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 15, 2010

You can watch this week’s TWiVC episode by clicking on the link and my summary notes are below. {if It was the first company to do “paid search&# back when Larry & Sergey were saying they would never do it. (plus a large settlement on patent disputes paid from Google) so Bill did well on it. Finally, I HATE the name.

Venture Capital 271

Venture Capital Capital Google Platform 271

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 29, 2010

If you want to watch the show click the image above or this link , but if you want a quick read – here’s a summary: 1. tevye2009 , Q: “can you briefly explain why it’s best to get a small valuation when getting investment.&# I explain in the video what happened in my first company (e.g.

Venture Capital 282

Venture Capital Capital Startup Pricing 282

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2012

Use the Internet and social networking instead of public relations companies and advertising agencies. See my interview a couple of years ago with parallel entrepreneur Rich Christiansen , who has started 28 businesses with a target bootstrap investment of $5K each. Sales and marketing costs.

Startup 102

Startup Search Engine Optimization SEM Social Network 102

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 16, 2011

After 4 years of retail she went to “the other side of the business&# working for a clothing brand where she sold apparel to department stores and other companies. Below is a nice summary of our interview with some great quotes from Joanne. This is where she first developed sales skills. In 18 months from $1.5m to $12m in sales.

Startup 311

Startup Sales Venture Capital Entrepreneur 311

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

Yet according to the latest data from AngelSoft , only about 3 out of 100 companies who initiate the formal request process actually get funded. The AngelSoft Deal Funnel from the last 12 months indicates is that 70% of the interested companies never make it past the initial screening process. Prepare an investment-grade business plan.

Angel 89

Angel Funding Technical Review Startup 89

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Things that make it investment-grade for outside investors will also benefit you, since you are the ultimate investor. Investors invest in people - not just ideas. Executive team.

Competition 113

Competition Metrics Startup Invest 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

Use the Internet and social networking instead of public relations companies and advertising agencies. See my interview a while back with parallel entrepreneur Rich Christiansen , who has started 28 businesses with a target bootstrap investment of $5K each. Sales and marketing costs. Savings can be huge in these areas.

Entrepreneur 94

Entrepreneur Startup Search Engine Optimization SEM 94

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2014

Here is a summary, with some of the pros and cons or special considerations for each: Product or service is free, revenue from ads. This also requires a huge investment to get to critical mass, and real work to differentiate and sell premium services to convert users to paying customers. Cost-based model. Subscription model.

Startup 114

Startup Pricing Customer Custom 114

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 18, 2013

Summary Version. TV will enter the era of “participation” which is a much more important trend than “social video” even if it seems less sexy or less fundable. It means the “ torso TV ” consumption patterns will be more important than the head or the long tail for the next era of media companies.

Startup 380

Startup Media Content Platform 380

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 3, 2009

There are now a second generation of entrepreneurs and companies that have learned from their last successes and are producing great new companies like TopSpin Media , Sometrics and GumGum. Twiistup 6 featured 12 showoff companies as the opening act of a 2-day conference. We have accomplished much yet have much work to do.

Twiistup 228

Twiistup SoCal Southern California Yammer 228

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2013

Here is a summary, with some of the pros and cons or special considerations for each: Product or service is free, revenue from ads. This also requires a huge investment to get to critical mass, and real work to differentiate and sell premium services to “convert” users to paying customers. Cost-based model. Subscription model.

Pricing 116

Pricing Product Customer Custom 116

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Things that make it investment-grade for outside investors will also benefit you, since you are the ultimate investor. Investors invest in people - not just ideas. Executive team.

Competition 116

Competition Metrics Startup Sales 116

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2009

Great companies are built by having great products. One great company, AppFolio , filmed all of this user interaction and made the DVD available to me. They are people who built and sold companies and have a bit of money. They know that the money they invest may be lost. Go research it. They exist in every town.

Angel 291

Angel Funding Venture Capital Startup 291

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2010

Use the Internet and social networking instead of public relations companies and advertising agencies. See my interview a while back with parallel entrepreneur Rich Christiansen , who has started 28 businesses with a target bootstrap investment of $5K each. Sales and marketing costs. Savings can be huge in these areas.

Startup 50

Startup High Tech Search Engine Optimization SEM 50

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money. Start in a business domain you know well.

Invest 89

Invest Entrepreneur Startup Equity 89

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 14, 2016

There is much discussion online and also in small, private groups, about why the price of technology companies – public and private – are falling. Valuing any company can be difficult because it requires a degree of forecasting future growth & competition and ultimately the profits of the organization. Mostly, no.

Startup 150

Startup Company Companies Venture Capital 150

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money. Start in a business domain you know well.

Invest 73

Invest Startup Equity Incubator 73

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money. Start in a business domain you know well.

Startup 87

Startup Invest Incubator Ideas 87

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2012

I’ve raised money as a “hot company” and I’ve raised capital when no one would return my phone calls. I raised money as an entrepreneur, like you, in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005 for two different companies. Executive Summary. Partners make investment decisions. Do they have money to invest?

Develop 366

Develop Development Funding Venture Capital 366

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 13, 2011

This version has some additional details on a portfolio company I’ve invested in, which are disclosed below. No private head nods are given to small startup companies to help them prepare. Any company who develops products reliant on iOS spends weeks crapping their pants before WWDC. It’s madness. And on and on.

Google 325

Google Press Marketing Content 325

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2015

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money. Start in a business domain you know well.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Startup Invest Incubator 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 14, 2013

Yet every investor has his own “rules of thumb” on what makes a specific startup too high a risk for his investment taste. Of course, if you intend to fund the business yourself, or have a rich uncle, external investment funding concerns are not a problem. Large initial investment required. Dependent on government regulations.

Startup 109

Startup Summary Software Review Sites 109

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2011

Yet every investor has his own “rules of thumb” on what makes a specific startup too high a risk for his investment taste. Of course, if you intend to fund the business yourself, or have a rich uncle, external investment funding concerns are not a problem. Large initial investment required. Dependent on government regulations.

Startup 97

Startup Summary Software Review Sites 97

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2012

Reuters TV Interview by Rhonda Schaffler Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money.

Startup 91

Startup Invest Incubator Ideas 91

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2010

Yet every investor has his own “rules of thumb” on what makes a specific startup too high a risk for his investment taste. Of course, if you intend to fund the business yourself, or have a rich uncle, external investment funding concerns are not a problem. Large initial investment required. Dependent on government regulations.

Startup 89

Startup Summary Sites Invest 89

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2010

Only one in four companies in the USA today are run by women. Here is a summary of observations from this and other studies: Leadership style. Women have larger social networks, for advice and resources, and relationships with other business women are more nurturing than competitive. Investment style.

Entrepreneur 49

Entrepreneur Study Competition Summary 49

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 9, 2011

So the industry formed around a day of the week when all partners could avoid having company board meetings or traveling. Valuations were enormous relative to progress in companies. Companies with less than $2 million in revenue were asking for $50-60 million valuations and getting them. tl;dr summary. Cut where needed.

Marketing 305

Marketing Venture Capital Funding Technical Review 305

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 22, 2011

I’m often asked by people what investment areas interest me. I try to invest in things that I know and that I believe I might have better knowledge and relationships than the masses of VCs. But one theme in pervasive in all my thinking about investing in Internet-based companies: Deflationary economics.

Startup 386

Startup Pricing Marketing Product 386

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 19, 2012

I’ve wanted to come back but had a busy year on the road meeting with investors and making a few investments of my own. And this episode was with the always enjoyable and philosophical Jonathan Strauss of awe.sm , a company in which I am an investor. data to run effective social media campaigns. But I’m back.

Yahoo 268

Yahoo Social Media Startup Media 268

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 18, 2015

On the one hand innovation is clearly at an all time high unleashed by smart phones, fast telecom networks, social networks that spread commerce and the fact that we are all one click away from buying things on Amazon, Apple, Google or PayPal. On the chart below, 78% of the rounds of 80 $1bn+ companies were led by non VCs.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Pricing Platform Marketing 150

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 12, 2017

It conjures up a range of emotions anytime I’ve privately expressed my opinion to thought leaders in our industry that I believe it is one of the most innovative companies in digital media. The 30-minute interview of Jonah Peretti is here but my summary in the notes below. Others are skeptical, “Ha! But I digress.

Buzzfeed 210

Buzzfeed Media Content News 210