socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2020

Every year, we feature the year end reflections of founders, CEOs, investors, and others in Southern California's high tech community. It's been a tough year for many due to the pandemic; how have you or your company adapted to the business environment? We'll be posting these throughout the next two weeks.

Southern California 113

Southern California Technical Review Santa Monica Invest 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2013

Due to the struggling economy as well, traditional individual Angel investors haven’t been able to fill the gap. Technology costs are plummeting, meaning you can do more with less. Twenty years ago, it cost $5 million to really launch a high-tech startup, when the same thing can be done today for $500 thousand.

Angel 92

Angel Entrepreneur Venture Capital Startup 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

SEPTEMBER 7, 2018

A critical stage for most first-time entrepreneurs is getting their idea developed into at least a prototype to validate their technology. Specifically, I often point to the NSF or the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program for high-tech startups. Experts are available to help, but fees are high.

Funding 90

Funding Technical Review Startup Research 90

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 28, 2011

Guy’s latest book, Enchantment , was released in March of 2011, to overwhelmingly upbeat reviews. Of the 225 customer reviews currently posted on Amazon, over 90% are highly positive. I enjoyed the book as well, as evidenced by the review I wrote at the time of its release, which you can read HERE. It wasn’t the Guy fan base.

Santa Barbara 262

Santa Barbara Technical Review Social Media Startup 262

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 5, 2010

Two weeks after Brad’s post I was at the 140 Conference in LA and I held open office hours for any entrepreneur who wanted to spend 15 minutes talking with a VC about their business. But it turns out I met a bunch of really interesting entrepreneurs. But TWTFelipe is an entrepreneur. But it wasn’t meant to be.

Technical Review 282

Technical Review Startup High Tech Software Review 282

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Entrepreneurs seeking funding should emulate Addie''s efficient and focused pursuit of perfection. When securing funding, entrepreneurs must balance the desire for perfection with the urgent need to ensure the process is efficient. Google x Facebook x Amazon) + (Universal Reviews). One-liners. AngelList Differentiation.

Product 208

Product Yammer Technical Review Google 208

socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2010

All this week, we are sharing the opinions of some of the top influencers in Southern California's high tech community. We asked the same five questions of a variety of top technology entrepreneurs, investors, and others, to hear what they're thinking about, and are sharing it here over the next two weeks. 1) Mobile web.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Southern California Cloud Computing Venture Capital 160

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 18, 2013

Despite what you might think, you are never too old to benefit from the helpful guidance of a mentor. Anyone reading this who lent me a hand during the past couple decades should not take offence - I am grateful to the numerous people who helped me. I certainly did. Don''t Always Look Up.

Mentor 263

Mentor Startup Technical Review Software Review 263

socalTECH

JULY 16, 2013

As much as the idea of "Silicon Beach" wants to represent the whole of the local technology industry in Los Angeles, there are -- as one would expect in such a large metropolitan area -- many different neighborhoods and communities spread across the region, all with their own individual identities, companies, and technology focuses.

Pasadena 242

Pasadena Santa Monica CalTech Technical Review 242

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

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 23, 2012

Ignorance is not bliss in business, but it does allow entrepreneurs to face the unknown with a measure of confidence. No 19-year old understands business at the level of a seasoned, serial entrepreneur. However, it is important for young entrepreneurs to be adequately self-aware to know what they do not know.

Startup 268

Startup Tips CTO Coach Technical Review 268

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2012

These should be carefully selected, with a proven track record, willing and available to help, and be completely trustworthy. For this, you should expect participation in monthly strategy and review meetings, and unlimited access via phone or email for questions, mentoring, and advice. Let’s talk specifics.

Startup 95

Startup Technical Review Software Review High Tech 95

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 17, 2012

During my many years as an entrepreneur, I developed the Impact Matrix to help me prioritize such significant, long-term initiatives. Resources Required – At high-tech startups, required resources include developers’ time and the opportunity cost associated with alternative uses of the developers’ 12-hour workdays.

Tool 255

Tool Startup Ideas Resource 255

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 5, 2011

These should be carefully selected, with a proven track record, willing and available to help, and be completely trustworthy. For this, you should expect participation in monthly strategy and review meetings, and unlimited access via phone or email for questions, mentoring, and advice. Let’s talk specifics.

Startup 95

Startup Technical Review Software Review High Tech 95

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2010

I conclude that the genesis of this trend seems to come from several forces, including the following: Less investment capital available due to the recession. Due to the economy as well, traditional individual angel investors haven’t been able to fill the gap. Technology costs are plummeting, meaning you can do more with less.

Startup 86

Startup Angel Venture Capital Technical Review 86

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 10, 2010

Yet, it does nothing to help you execute your business model. One is obvious, without protection, such IP might prove to be of little worth, as other companies can mimic the technology without recourse. It is often a feature or set of features which enhances the overall efficacy and value of a more comprehensive technology.

IP 256

IP Patents Company Companies 256

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

According to a recent Harvard Business Review article , only 60% of companies today use social media for marketing, and only 12% of those feel that they are using it effectively. There is TweetDeck to help you use Twitter, and YouTube for video sharing. So print it off and deliver it to a friend who is not so high-tech.

Social Media 115

Social Media Media Startup Social Network 115

InfoChachkie

APRIL 9, 2012

These entrepreneurs do not risk everything, work outrageous hours and put themselves under extreme pressure because they want to. If it were a decision to be an entrepreneur, then most right-minded individuals would decide to turn back when they encountered the first inevitable startup crises. Entrepreneurs want to matter.

Startup 243

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Statistics 243

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 10, 2010

If you’re not familiar with the term it’s basically trying to help all of us who are deluged with technology to find ways to cope with the masses of information without having it ruin our lives. We were high tech at the very start of the boom. Let me start by saying I’m a huge business book cynic.

Startup 295

Startup Email Technical Review Course 295

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2010

These should be carefully selected, with a proven track record, willing and available to help, and be completely trustworthy. For this, you should expect participation in monthly strategy and review meetings, and unlimited access via phone or email for questions, mentoring, and advice. Let’s talk specifics.

Invest 50

Invest Technical Review Software Review High Tech 50

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2010

It made me laugh because the technical world has this exact phrase to talk in computing sense about the need to block out interruptions in order to complete a task. PhoneTag uses a combination of technology and human translation and thus has a much better accuracy rate. Except the Dmitry is much better at this than most of us.

Product 280

Product Startup Email Technical Review 280

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 28, 2011

To prove that point, tonight I had the privilege of hearing him speak at Lean LA , a Los Angeles group that helps high tech start-ups build great companies on a budget. He told us how important it is to empower our team to make decisions that will help achieve company goals. But you need to pay the bills!’ I resisted.

Metrics 87

Metrics Email Startup Technical Review 87

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2010

My advice to entrepreneurs was and is “ when the hors d’oeuvres tray is being passed take two ” (e.g. So I agreed to offer my current thinking on the economy and what it portends for the VC industry & fund raising for entrepreneurs. raise money now to weather any storms). Such is the case with advanced batteries.

Entrepreneur 298

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Technical Review Startup 298