Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2011

One of the great joys of doing the web series This Week in VC every week is that I get to spend time with great people debating the issues of our day including how our industry is evolving as well as insights into how companies got started, got their initial traction and dealt with adversities. Positive feedback feeds the idea.

Startup 286

Startup Venture Capital Web Ideas 286

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Mentoring and technical assistance from volunteer or paid experts. To get started, go to the International Business Innovation Association web site, and use the lookup tool provided to see what’s available in your area. Direct seed funding, for a share of the equity, and introductions to investors.

Resource 159

Resource Startup Incubator Seed Funding 159

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 21, 2012

Ever have an idea for a great mobile startup but get stuck with just a dream because you have no skills to design or develop it and no money to pay to get it done? Any person with an idea is welcome to attend, no coding skills required. Your day will start with pitching your idea to a group and form a team around it.

Design 92

Design Web Design Mobile Ideas 92

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 21, 2020

You should also use these forums to test and hone your solution idea for general acceptance, before your risk your own money and investor funds to build a shippable version. You need to be an active member of LinkedIn, Meetup, or equivalent sites where influencers exchange ideas and discuss current business issues.

Product 127

Product Entrepreneur Technical Advisors Technical Review 127

socalTECH

MAY 25, 2012

If you were a student in college, working on a startup idea, what would spur you to drop your education plans, and go full time on your startup? I started playing around with a similar idea in my freshman year. He really took to the idea, and enjoyed it. Both have been great mentors ever since.

Startup 239

Startup CTO Coach Content Web 239

socalTECH

DECEMBER 27, 2012

Kevin Winston , is the organizer of Digital LA , the popular and widely attended networking organization for the Los Angeles startup, web, movie, music, marketing, and social media community. What was the biggest news for you/your firm this year? What was the biggest lesson you learned over the past year (good or bad)?

Dollar Shave Club 272

Dollar Shave Club Technical Review Santa Monica Southern California 272

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

The idea came about, because we see a lot of people coming through our program at UCLA, who might have the desire to be an entrepreneur, and to get into the technology field, by studying data science or cybersecurity. At the same time, we're trying to help add women and diversity to technology and entrepreneurship.

UCLA 159

UCLA Education CIO Examples 159

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I often get asked for the magic that has made Amazon the world's most valuable brand , from a total unknown only twenty years ago. Contrary to popular belief, I’m convinced that business success is more of function of the right people, rather than the right idea. The cost of being late is hard to recover.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Customer Custom 123

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 12, 2014

Applications are being accepted starting today, through April 16, 2014 for early-stage companies with innovative consumer media and entertainment product ideas. Accepted participants will receive $120,000 in investment capital to develop their ideas, along with mentor support from top Disney executives, including Chairman and CEO Robert A.

Entertainment 102

Entertainment Santa Monica Ideas Mentor 102

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2018

Anyone can build a new web site, or publish a smartphone app for a few thousand dollars, but getting market penetration requires a lot more. As an angel investor, I quickly look behind the idea or solution, to gauge the mindset and the leadership capabilities of the entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur 86

Entrepreneur Social Network SpaceX Ideas 86

socalTECH

APRIL 11, 2013

The idea is that products have moved to the web in a big way. We had a general thesis that, at some point in the future, services will also move to the web, in the same way that products had moved to the web. Last year, we started testing the idea of online music lessons and how that would work.

Startup 260

Startup Education Study Ideas 260

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 19, 2016

Anyone can build a new web site, or publish a smartphone app for a few thousand dollars, but getting market penetration requires a lot more. As an Angel investor, I quickly look behind the idea or solution, to gauge the mindset and the leadership capabilities of the entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur 103

Entrepreneur Social Network SpaceX Ideas 103

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

He had an idea for a startup that would help consumers better book service jobs and would take on Service Magic, which he believed had a business model that could be disrupted. I acted as the occasional mentor, advisor and coach to Ethan. When Ethan was considering leaving Google we talked about it. The company was called Red Beacon.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 23, 2014

Finally, I think it’s worth meeting “mentors.” VCs often don’t make great mentor meetings because they meet too many companies and too many people to be able to provide mentorship outside of the CEOs and management teams with whom they work. ” You simply need to ask. You have to select carefully.

Networking 366

Networking Startup CTO Coach Email 366

Tech.Co

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

After graduating with a degree in advertising and design, I started a web development consultancy, where I oversaw user experience, brand design, and business strategy for internet-based startups across the country. We then weave in over 300 local professionals to mentor students and build professional networks.

Startup 70

Startup Mentor Design Web Development 70

socalTECH

OCTOBER 24, 2011

Accelerator programs--like YCombinator in Silicon Valley, and TechStars in Colorado--have come to the forefront of the minds of entrepreneurs as a way to boost their ideas quickly into the market, find funding, and into existence. Erik Rannala: The application process is open as of today, and we have applications on our web site.

Technical Advisors 176

Technical Advisors Startup Southern California Los Angeles 176

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

Where Stealth is Good – There’s a lot of discussions on the web about whether startups should be stealthy before they launch or not. In the early days you don’t really want 3 extra teams hearing your ideas and gearing up to compete before you feel you’ve got a solid head start. Be careful about this advice.

Marketing 380

Marketing Startup Press Technical Advisors 380

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2018

Mentoring and technical assistance from volunteer or paid experts. To get started, go to the International Business Innovation Association web site, and use the lookup tool provided to see what’s available in your area. Direct seed funding, for a share of the equity, and introductions to investors.

Incubator 87

Incubator Startup Resource Seed Funding 87

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2017

The problem with this approach is that most of this information could be disseminated before the meeting and the time you have with what should be some of your most important mentors is wasted as they turn into an audience vs. counsellors. But also many ideas percolate but aren’t fully decided or require more work. It happens.

Tips 212

Tips Slides Startup Technical Review 212

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2016

Mentoring and technical assistance from volunteer or paid experts. To get started, go to the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) web site, and use the lookup tool provided to see what’s available in your area. Direct seed funding, for a share of the equity, and introductions to investors.

Incubator 106

Incubator Startup Help Resource 106

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

The ability to build off of an idea and creating a product, service or brand is an awesome feeling. Today we all have an opportunity to take any idea we think of and build it. He always encouraged me to think out of the box, and supported me with any idea I had. What inspires you about entrepreneurship and innovation?

Startup 82

Startup Mobile Platform Ideas 82

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2012

TechStars has several excellent mentors on staff, led by founder and CEO David Cohen. The incubation period is very short and intense, usually intending to drive entrepreneurs from ideas to marketable products in a matter of months. Look for the best mentors, and the toughest regimen for program survival. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 86

Entrepreneur Incubator Startup Seed Funding 86

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 30, 2012

The evening will consist of a series of live stage demonstrations guaranteed to impress and inspire new ideas among all in attendance. Mobile Web America, Inc. The Caltech Entrepreneurship Club is the hub for innovators in the Caltech community who want to learn how to make their idea a reality.

CalTech 91

CalTech Company Companies Idealab 91

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2016

Founders generally need more focus on the market sizing, volume projections, cost details and margin expectations to balance the optimism of their passion for the idea. Until you have a business, you shouldn’t get a web domain name or social media accounts, since these all should match and are hard to change later.

Company 61

Company Companies Startup Equity 61

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

Is the idea to have multiple projects as part of the company? We have some great mentors now. Thanks to TechStars, we've got an awesome mentor who's co-habitating with us now, and we're learning something daily from him. We started working on local web design projects, but got sick of that in six months.

Startup 242

Startup CTO Coach Blogging Social Media 242

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2014

Mentoring and technical assistance from volunteer or paid experts. To get started, go to the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) web site, and use the lookup tool provided to see what’s available in your area. But don’t expect incubators to magically convert your pre-hatched idea into a successful company.

Incubator 98

Incubator Startup Help Resource 98

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

Web Summit. This is when founders need you the most – either are coach, mentor, interviewer, work off-loader or honest-mirror-reflection of reality. I also love it when I see really big ideas that seem a little bit too outrageous but where the entrepreneur seems just crazy enough to possibly pull it off. Have conviction.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Invest Press Startup 374

socalTECH

OCTOBER 14, 2019

Michele Ruiz: Robin Richards and I formed the company, after he approached me, after having been a business mentor for me for fifteen years. It's the idea of bringing a modern web experience to this. That data gives them a clear understanding of additional things that need to happen. How did the three of you connect?

Content 150

Content Training Education Outsource Development 150

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

This was the first in her string of web properties. The idea came from having been recently married herself and seeing how expensive it can be to buy a new wedding dress. Once off the ground she could attract mentors from her industry. She learned at the kitchen table as so many spouses do.

Startup 363

Startup Entrepreneur SEO Venture Capital 363

Tech.Co

MAY 25, 2018

The Case Foundation invests in people and ideas that can change the world. Indiegogo has brought more than 800,000 ideas to fruition since 2008. They also align with companies such as Amazon web services, IBM, and many others. The Case Foundation (Washington, DC). Indiegogo (San Francisco,CA and New York, NY).

Startup 141

Startup Technical Review Competition Software Review 141

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2012

For a startup founder, this stage is when the “big idea” has become a passion for him, but he hasn’t written anything down yet. This is a concept coined (and trademarked) by Eric Ries a few years ago, primarily for software and web applications. Early-stage startup. Every startup is early-stage to someone. Lean startup.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Seed Funding Incubator 101

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2011

For a startup founder, this stage is when the “big idea” has become a passion for him, but he hasn’t written anything down yet. This is a concept coined (and trademarked) by Eric Ries a couple of years ago, primarily for software and web applications. Early-stage startup. Every startup is early-stage to someone. Lean startup.

Startup 92

Startup Funding Seed Funding Incubator 92

Xconomy

NOVEMBER 13, 2016

The idea was to feature early stage companies in the region that have not attracted much attention or raised a substantial amount of startup capital. I started with a list of companies already screened by the San Diego Venture Group’s annual venture summit, and consulted with investors and startup mentors to refine the list.

San Diego 40

San Diego Technical Review Artificial Inteligence Startup 40

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 8, 2011

The evening will consist of a series of live stage demonstrations guaranteed to impress and inspire new ideas among all in attendance. The Caltech Entrepreneurship Club is the hub for innovators in the Caltech community who want to learn how to make their idea a reality. Absurdly fast and easy online meetings- free for everybody!

CalTech 100

CalTech Technical Review Company Companies 100

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

This time frame – 2005/2006 – web 2.0 Was about a billion dollars on the IPO” and “was one of the first web analytics companies. Was it David Cohen’ Idea? It was David’s idea.” “Well I didn’t know David. was starting. And how do you know David? “It I do something I now call community hours.

Venture Capital 288

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Software Review 288

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 20, 2011

The evening will consist of a series of live stage demonstrations guaranteed to impress and inspire new ideas among all in attendance. GumGum was founded in 2007 when a team of seasoned Internet entrepreneurs realized web site publishers were missing out on valuable revenue by not monetizing their image-based content.

UCLA 102

UCLA Company Companies Idealab 102

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 18, 2013

Think about how many images are on the web. After Tanz had sold his pre-Instagram photo-sharing app called MoJungle, he was intrigued with notion of bringing advertising to photos, and had no idea if it was even possible. Millions, billions, trillions? The old media companies were resistant to change. He decided to pivot.

Advertising 98

Advertising Santa Monica Startup Content 98