Press Release: 16 San Diego Pitch Competition & Tournament Competitors Announced
Startup San Diego
OCTOBER 12, 2022
The post Press Release: 16 San Diego Pitch Competition & Tournament Competitors Announced appeared first on Startup San Diego.
Start-ups are all Naked in the Mirror
Both Sides of the Table
AUGUST 28, 2009
This is part of my ongoing series Startup Lessons. I started my first company in 1999 in London at the height of the dot com craze. It didn’t add up to me. I know that you keep reading about how our competitors seem to been going from strength-to-strength in the press. Building companies is hard work. Believe me.
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The Importance of Realism in Startups
Both Sides of the Table
AUGUST 10, 2013
As I’ve said before, all startups need to realize that every other company still has to see itself naked in the mirror in the morning. Stop reading their press releases or hearing their founder talk about he is crushing it. Startups are filled with enormously talented people – often product people & engineers.
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Should Startups Announce Their Funding?
Both Sides of the Table
JANUARY 26, 2013
Understanding “The Funding Angle” I sit at enough board meetings to hear conflicting advice given to entrepreneurs about how to handle PR and announcements at startups. In stead of doing my typical big long post with 10 PR tips (like I did there), I’m going to break them up into individual (I hope more digestible) chunks.
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5 Steps To Finding The Best Investor For Your Startup
Startup Professionals Musings
FEBRUARY 10, 2023
Even though the color of their money is always green, all startup investors are not the same. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. It’s no fun for either side.
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CapLinked Launches Pitch Competition
socalTECH
OCTOBER 6, 2011
Los Angeles-based CapLinked , the developer of an online platform for managing fundraising and investors, said this morning that it has launched a new pitch competition. The firm said that judges for the competition come form Idealab, Rincon, Rapidfire, and Actarus, including Idealab's Alex Maleki and Rincon's Jim Andelman.
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Why Recruiting Isn’t Over When an Employee Accepts Your Offer
Both Sides of the Table
SEPTEMBER 20, 2014
It is the bane of every startups existence because it takes up so much time, it is so competitive to sign people and it feels like unproductive time because it’s not moving the ball forward on product, engineering, sales, marketing, biz dev, fund raising. Set up calls for VCs to welcome her to the team. Recruiting.
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Why You Should Embrace Opposing Views at Your Startup
Both Sides of the Table
OCTOBER 11, 2011
What could you learn from looking at your competitors or other tech startups in a different way? Are you cynical about their chances in the market just because they seem to be hot in the press and that bugs you? Or you think their startup is a passing fad and yours is the real deal? The topic of FourSquare came up.
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Two Amazing Women Setting Out on Their Startup Journey
Both Sides of the Table
APRIL 25, 2013
She was leaving IAC to start a company. Competitive sportswoman. Somehow she was always on a flight up to Seattle or San Francisco. Didn’t I make myself clear about celebrities & startups ? She helps write press releases. Turns out she’s done this startup thing before. Does that work for you?”
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What Happens When Startups Turn from Their Innovation Stage to Operational Excellence?
Both Sides of the Table
NOVEMBER 14, 2017
Nearly every successful tech startup I’ve observed over the past 20 years has gone through a similar growth pattern: Innovate, systematize then scale operations. Innovate In the early years of a startup there is a lot of kinetic energy of enthusiastic innovators looking to launch a product that changes how an industry works.
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How to use PR Firms at Startups
Both Sides of the Table
JANUARY 23, 2011
In a startup this is a mistake. I was talking a month ago with a founding team who was lamenting the fact that their competitors got way better coverage than they did when they felt that their traffic numbers were > 2x the competition. In this instance I typically recommend that startups NOT hire a big, well-known PR firm.
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In Defense of Uber: An Unbiased Opinion
Both Sides of the Table
NOVEMBER 22, 2014
It’s a fantastic startup that has had a amazing impact on society. It’s not just about people like me who can (and do) turn up in nearly any city in the US and immediately book a ride. They were a little too fierce in their competitive practices against Lyft to sign up drivers. Is Uber evil? So was Microsoft.
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Why Startups Should Pay Attention to Herman Cain’s 9-9-9
Both Sides of the Table
OCTOBER 30, 2011
So I’m not suggesting to startups that you define bad market positions to get noticed. As long as you don’t care about getting any press. A way to tell the press and customers what you stand for. The ad ends with a really strange, close up of Herman Cain staring at the camera and then a long, slow smile.
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Reflections on 2018: Anna Barber, Techstars LA
socalTECH
DECEMBER 27, 2018
Editor's note: All this week, and into the start of next year, we'll be featuring reflections on 2018 from notable investors, entrepreneurs, and others from Southern California's technology community. Here in LA we continue to be excited about the growth of the startup ecosystem and the quality of the companies here.
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6 Marketing Specifics That Apply To Every New Venture
Startup Professionals Musings
MAY 1, 2022
You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. In fact, this article was driven by a startup press release I saw a while back, highlighting a startup’s “geo-fencing technology” as a new basis for discount coupons.
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Trojans and Bruins Battle on the Startup Field
Tech Zulu Event
MARCH 31, 2014
On Sunday, March 2 nd at USC, these rivals took their battle to a new platform: startups. With the help of co-hosts and partners, including Bruin Entrepreneurs , Start-up UCLA , USC E-Club , Incubatrix, and more, Wowfand was able to put together the first startup rivalry to decide the dominant startup school in Los Angeles.
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Boulevard books $70M to help beauty and wellness salons with their bookings
TechCrunch LA
AUGUST 9, 2022
They were early to that idea: Danna describes it as “creator tools for YouTube before YouTube built them itself,” and he said they came up with the idea for Boulevard out of a joke between them. “We started obsessing about this,” Danna went on. Things then took an investigative, plainclothes turn.
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Why Your Marketing Campaign Sucks
Both Sides of the Table
MARCH 14, 2013
Creating awareness for your brand and products is one of the lifebloods of technology startups yet in a world where so many companies are being created it becomes difficult to rise above the noise. Ever notice how some companies tend to be in the press all the time and your big new product launch struggled for inches? I am a VC.
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389 7 Strategies To Thrive On The Challenges Of A Startup
Startup Professionals Musings
NOVEMBER 7, 2020
We all face pressure in our lives, but there’s nothing like that of an entrepreneur facing customer crises and the competitive challenges of a new business. Don’t believe the myth that all you have to do to get rich is bring up an ecommerce website, and the money rolls in while you sleep.
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My Number One Advice for Startups or VCs: Conviction > Consensus
Both Sides of the Table
MAY 3, 2015
The rest of our partners, principles, associates and EIRs can weigh in with commentary on their views of the quality of the entrepreneur, the market, the product, competition and so forth. Sometimes this feedback is sufficient to start to erode his confidence in pursuing the deal. The same is true at startups.
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The Corrosive Downside of Acquihires
Both Sides of the Table
MAY 13, 2013
For the past 5 years or so Google, Facebook and a handful of tech industry giants have been quietly buying scores of early-stage startups for their talent. And to keep up with the Jones’s it seems that Yahoo! It is probably purchased in the $5 – 15 million range even if you see higher numbers in the press.
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My One Wish For All Startup Employees
Both Sides of the Table
AUGUST 18, 2015
If I had one wish for all startup employees it would be that you watch this film. I watched with headphones on with my wife in the room and I cackled so loudly and so often I think she wondered what I was up to. A few take aways for me that parallel startups. So he started with market schtick. I laughed. I got verklempt.
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Do you want to control your business destiny?
Berkonomics
NOVEMBER 21, 2018
There is nothing quite as thrilling in business as igniting a startup and watching it blossom. Especially when starting a company with personal savings or money from relatives and friends, early signs of success are intoxicating. Each new customer, each mention in the press or online adds to the feeling of early accomplishment.
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Master of Customer Acquisition, Matt Coffin, On Startups …
Both Sides of the Table
APRIL 19, 2011
I recently sat down with Matt Coffin , the founder of LowerMyBills, which sold for $400 million but was very nearly a bankruptcy only a few years early, and talked “startups.&#. Matt is one of the most transparent, focused & honest startup guys you’ll meet. o Put a timeframe/money – competition in the picture.
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NDA Stealth Mode and Sharing Your Startup Concept
SoCal CTO
SEPTEMBER 20, 2011
One of the readers asked my opinion around sharing your startup concept: My first question has always been - how do you protect your idea while shopping around for feedback, partners, developers, etc.? Especially if the idea could be whipped-up by a few 24-year olds in a few weeks? Lots of thoughts here.
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211 Why You Should Make Your Competitors Your Frenemies
Both Sides of the Table
DECEMBER 27, 2010
Conventional wisdom in most companies is that “the competition is the enemy&# – it’s the rallying cry to dig deeper, get more features out the door, issue press releases citing differences and attack the competition’s weaknesses in sales presentations. You know, frenemies. When Enemies are Good.
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CapLinked Worldwide Pitch Competition | Submit Your Startup
Tech Zulu Event
OCTOBER 19, 2011
CapLinked , the online platform for private investment funded by members of the “ PayPal Mafia “—announced that it is launching a worldwide pitch competition for entrepreneurs to present their business ideas to a panel of all-star judges from Idealab, Rincon, Rapidfire, and Actarus.
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Here’s How to Do PR on a Budget
Both Sides of the Table
OCTOBER 26, 2014
When to start PR? It’s why in this article I advise that people “market today not futures” because you don’t want your playbook in the hands of the competition. In a startup this is a mistake. You need somebody who is helping push out information on what is up-and-coming in the company.
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319 5 Tips For Startups To Win With Social Media
Startup Professionals Musings
APRIL 4, 2015
Social media is so pervasive in today’s world that every entrepreneur believes instinctively that they know how to use it for their startup. Startups should begin by selecting just a few of the vast array of social media offerings out there, and customize based on results. Concentrate your efforts on two to three platforms to start.
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NDA Stealth Mode and Sharing Your Startup Concept
SoCal CTO
SEPTEMBER 20, 2011
One of the readers asked my opinion around sharing your startup concept: My first question has always been - how do you protect your idea while shopping around for feedback, partners, developers, etc.? Especially if the idea could be whipped-up by a few 24-year olds in a few weeks? Lots of thoughts here.
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Car Sharing Firm Zipcar Heading To Los Angeles
socalTECH
NOVEMBER 9, 2011
Zipcar has been inviting the press to an event tomorrow with L.A. Car sharing startups have become immensely popular in areas such as Boston and San Francisco, with heavy competition between Zipcar, Relayrides, and Getaround.
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213 Getting Your Head in the Game for Fund Raising
Both Sides of the Table
APRIL 23, 2017
When you run a startup you’re always on borrowed time. It’s why so few can really start a business from scratch. Very, very few founders have an easy time despite what you read in the press. Start Early The single biggest mistake founders make is waiting until they have too little cash in the bank before fund raising.
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238 Here’s Why a Booming Tech Market May Fool You into Thinking You’re Successful
Both Sides of the Table
JULY 21, 2014
For what ever reason we’re wired to have amnesia during the run up and prescient memories of how we ‘knew it all along’ as soon as the slide begins. Once you understand both sides of the cycle you start to recognize signs of behavior during each phase. It’s when the game slows. ” The Lessons of Shelfware.
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7 Government Small Business Grants to Apply For in May 2024
Tech.Co
MAY 9, 2024
There are thousands of grants up for grabs through government website portals, but since this type of financing is designed to support the public, their eligibility criteria tend to be quite specific. We also offer some advice for writing your application, to make sure your proposal is as competitive as possible.
The Perils of Founder Fighting
Both Sides of the Table
JANUARY 4, 2014
Yesterday I wrote a post about “ the politics of startups ” in which I asserted that all companies have politics, which in its purest sense is just about understanding human psychology. A co-founder who started by working hard but gets sucked into the tech party circuit and has more interest in socialize than building cool s**t.
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340 Understanding the Underbelly of Online Marketing & Why You’ll Lose if You Don’t
Both Sides of the Table
JANUARY 12, 2014
If you’re a technology startup you need to excel at product, of course. The starting point of product IS marketing, which is what a lot of young entrepreneurs that never studied business don’t realize. The start of marketing is figuring out a market need and a way to solve that need better than anybody else.
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379 Top 30 Startup Posts in June 2010
SoCal CTO
JULY 13, 2010
Some great content around the intersection of startups and being a Startup CTO in June this year. This continues my series of posts: Top 29 Startup Posts May 2010 Startup CTO Top 30 Posts for April 16 Great Startup Posts from March There was some really great content in June. It shows a lack of interest.
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16 Great Startup Posts from March
SoCal CTO
APRIL 8, 2010
If I Launched a Startup - The Startup Lawyer , March 17, 2010 Great advice on initial steps of setting up a Startup. Death By Competitive Analysis - Steve Blank , March 1, 2010 Trading emails with a startup CEO building an iPhone app, I asked him why potential customers would buy his product.
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150 6 Key Marketing Do’s and Don’ts For Your Startup
Startup Professionals Musings
JUNE 19, 2013
You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. In fact, this article was driven by a startup press release I just saw today, highlighting a startup’s “geo-fencing technology” as a new basis for discount coupons.
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103 6 Keys To Marketing That Many Entrepreneurs Overlook
Startup Professionals Musings
AUGUST 4, 2019
You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. In fact, this article was driven by a startup press release I saw a while back, highlighting a startup’s “geo-fencing technology” as a new basis for discount coupons.
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97 Kevin O’Connor Discusses The Secrets Of Success - Hint: There Are No Secrets
InfoChachkie
NOVEMBER 7, 2011
Before starting FindTheBest, Kevin was the Co-Founder and CEO DoubleClick (sold to Google, $3.1B He jokes that in the photo below, he was the only guy who could get up on the file cabinet. Throughout his career, Kevin has had tremendous success garnering press. One thing I learned at DoubleClick, we got a ton of press attention.
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260 Interview with Scot Lawrie and John Rhodes, Coverfly
socalTECH
JUNE 11, 2018
For our interview this morning, we caught up with Scot Lawrie , the President and technical Co-founder of Los Angeles-based Coverfly (www.coverfly.com), and John Rhodes , Coverfly's head of Marketing and Business Development, to learn a bit more about the early stage, bootstrapped startup focused on Hollywood script writers.
Technical Review 100
100 6 Tips for Building Relationships with Journalists
Both Sides of the Table
MARCH 22, 2010
File this under both Startup Adivce and Sales & Marketing Advice. Oh, and Demo charges the startups $18,000. Too many startup execs place too much emphasis on the big stage launch. I’ve heard many startup CEO’s (and VCs!) It started socially. Robert’s article is worth reading.
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307 What To Do When Your Competitor Gets Funded?
Both Sides of the Table
OCTOBER 22, 2015
And it’s part of what can go wrong in startup land. For starters – the co-founder of Clutter.io, Ari Mir, is a friend and 6 years ago I backed the first startup he co-founded with Ophir Tanz , GumGum. But the bigger truth is the competition is important. Healthy competition keeps you on your toes.
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