Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2015

I must admit I discuss this very frequently with portfolio companies but hadn’t thought to write about it. Although the carriers made a lot of money initially by selling dial-up Internet services, customers never took their software because, well, it sucked. PR Malloy (@diddly_do_indy) June 13, 2015.

Outsource Development 150

Outsource Development Startup Custom Customer 150

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 3, 2016

These things outside your control do happen, but based on my years of experience as a startup advisor and angel investor, I still see too many shortcuts leading to failure that are inside the entrepreneur decision realm. I certainly agree that starting a business is fraught with risk, and none of us get it all right the first time.

Startup 57

Startup Entrepreneur Writing Ideas 57

Berkonomics

MARCH 5, 2020

This risk can be mitigated by finding a customer willing to purchase as soon as a proven model is completed, and willing to state this in writing. Here we expand the definitions a bit to encompass businesses that are still early stage, but perhaps beyond startup. And fifth: Competitive risk. .

Outsource Development 156

Outsource Development Ideas Resource Patents 156

InfoChachkie

MAY 5, 2011

Give up Branding. Agree to Bundling Without a Minimum Price. If you enter into a development or trial partnership for free, you are allowing the BDC to forestall its ultimate determination of the value of the partnership. BDCs can afford to hire large staffs to adequately track all of the evergreen provisions in their contracts.

Outsource Development 244

Outsource Development Entrepreneur Resource Press 244

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

August was a slow month in terms of traffic and I was away for a lot of the month, but there were some really great posts at the intersection of startups, technology, product and being a Startup CTO. He blogs to 10,000 web entrepreneurs at Software by Rob and co-hosts the podcast Startups for the Rest of Us. How it happens.

Startup 191

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Hire 191

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2015

These things outside your control do happen, but based on my years of experience as a startup advisor and Angel investor, I still see too many common failure causes that are inside the entrepreneur decision realm. I certainly agree that starting a business is fraught with risk, and none of us get it all right the first time.

Startup 105

Startup Entrepreneur Writing Ideas 105

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

Most technology startups seem to be funded by product people or business people. My first startup was no different. I’ve started writing up some of those sales & marketing lessons and I plan to continue to build that section out over time. Startups are the art of the possible.

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Custom 316

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2019

A big trend in business these days is hiring freelancers or contract personnel for the duration of a project, rather than permanent staff. According to a recent poll , contractors and freelancers could make up half of the American workforce within a decade. Start today thinking at least one job ahead.

Startup 98

Startup Outsource Development Competition Social Media 98

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 1, 2010

I continue to collect great content that is the intersection of startups, products, online and technology. aka: An Open Letter to the Next Big Social Network) - 500 Hats , November 1, 2010 I've held off writing this post for a long time, because I couldn't quite get my head around all the issues. but: Something is Still Missing.

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Startup Product Technology 175

Berkonomics

MARCH 15, 2012

This risk can be mitigated by finding a customer willing to purchase as soon as a proven model is completed, and willing to state this in writing. Will the public respond in numbers to buy, license or rent your offering? And fifth: Competitive risk.

Outsource Development 200

Outsource Development Ideas Resource Patents 200

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

This is an updated post from my ongoing series on Startup Advice that I learned from founding two companies. . I wanted to be sure that they felt they knew all of my partners well so they could see why I joined up with them in the first place – they are smart guys who have a 20-year track record of winning. Write things down.

Outsource Development 328

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 328

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 1, 2011

Mike Yavonditte is the founder of the “super hot&# Hashable , a startup out of NYC that has been described as a “ Mint.com for Social Capital ” Mike sold his previous company, Quigo , to Aol for $340 Million. Now, he ‘outsources’ his investments through John Frankel of Frankel Asset Management. Thank you, John.

Google 302

Google Startup Advertising Acquisition 302

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 15, 2010

We’re staring to get the hang of how to divide the show up into talking about deals but also talking about issues for entrepreneurs during funding. Nevertheless, if you share too much in your funding process or meet too many VCs expect a certain amount of your ideas to spread around the startup community. They also avoid Reg D.

Venture Capital 285

Venture Capital Startup Advertising Redpoint 285

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series on Start-up Lessons that I learned from founding two companies. But first I’d like to start with a story. I had been competing to win a contract at Thames Water, the largest water company in the UK. We helped the write out their requirements for a system. I HATE LOSING.

Startup 151

Startup Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review 151

socalTECH

MARCH 12, 2013

What is it about the content delivery network market which has enabled Santa Monica-based EdgeCast to go from startup to over $100M in revenues in only a few, short years? We caught up with James Segil , the firm's President, to hear the story behind that big growth at the company. Instead, they outsource to an expert like Edegcast.

CTO Hire 248

CTO Hire Content Networking Web 248

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 10, 2018

Nobody commits, nobody wants to set a price, nobody wants to stick their neck out then BOOM! It’s like the entire industry wants to outsource its brain to the smartest person they know and then follow that person. The “sure, let’s continue the process” by definition are not yeses so the no’s rack up and the yeses stay stuck at zero.

Press 232

Press Funding Venture Capital Technical Review 232

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 7, 2011

Sometime around 2003/04 my technology team turned me on to “Spolsky on Software&# a periodic newsletter served up blog style from Joel Spolsky of FogCreek Software, a maker of bug-tracking software. This ended up developing into Visual Basic for Applications , the strategy for programmability in Microsoft Office.

Software Review 285

Software Review Software Blogging Startup 285

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

This is an updated post from my ongoing series on Startup Advice that I learned from founding two companies. . I wanted to be sure that they felt they knew all of my partners well so they could see why I joined up with them in the first place – they are smart guys who have a 20-year track record of winning. Write things down.

Outsource Development 333

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 333

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 25, 2016

It is no secret that the number of private companies with valuations in excess of one billion dollars has skyrocketed since the start of 2014. The duct tape securing the faux unicorns’ horns won’t hold up to the market’s scrutiny forever. Social Contracts Are The Foundation Of Successful Partnerships. Image: CBInsights.com.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Invest Venture Capital 100

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 22, 2010

Last night I co-hosted a dinner at Soho House in Los Angeles with some of the most senior people in the media industry with executives from Disney, Fox, Warner, media agencies and many promising tech & media startup CEO’s. He started selling the mixtapes out of his trunk and even gave away some of his music. He was riveting.

Entrepreneur 356

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Startup Email 356

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2013

But the thing I am most proud of about Rob is that he has taken a company with a uniquely talented founder & CTO – Nick Halstead – and managed to build a very tight working relationship with Nick where we drive world-class product development without having the usual founder / CEO conflicts. How much is too much? Rob does it.

Tips 365

Tips Email Venture Capital CTO Coach 365

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 10, 2011

Today I’m announcing that GRP Partners is doubling down on the Twitter ecosystem by investing in DataSift , a company who provides a real-time data platform and tools to third-party developers and corporations. But that’s not the deal they made with us when we signed up. The Importance of Twitter.

Platform 307

Platform News Startup Invest 307

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2012

The product plan tells your developers what to build, and the marketing team what to market. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Equally important, marketing and sales people should be able to identify benefits and marketing strategies, set prices, and validate a business model.

Product 92

Product Outsource Development Competition High Tech 92

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2011

The product plan tells your developers what to build, and the marketing team what to market. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Equally important, marketing and sales people should be able to identify benefits and marketing strategies, set prices, and validate a business model.

Product 93

Product Entrepreneur Outsource Development Competition 93

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 2, 2009

No one wakes up and says to themselves, “I need to buy that product I have never heard of before.” Affiliates invest the up-front marketing expenses required to attract customers. Ideally, such ads should clearly articulate the value proposition including the price. Unattributed – There is no such thing as organic customers.

Custom 164

Custom Customer Advertising SEM 164

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 9, 2010

The product plan tells your developers what to build, and the marketing team what to market. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Equally important, marketing and sales people should be able to identify benefits and marketing strategies, set prices, and validate a business model.

Product 48

Product Outsource Development Competition High Tech 48

InfoChachkie

MAY 23, 2011

Hipster-wannabes routinely wait in line for hours for the opportunity to buy exorbitantly priced drinks in an exclusive nightclub. As noted in Contract Traps Entrepreneurs Should Avoid , exclusivity can kill a small company. Most startups cannot effectively implement multiple BDC partnerships in parallel. Write this number down.

Technical Review 183

Technical Review Marketing Sales Competition 183

Jason Nazar

JUNE 18, 2009

They also have a new management team, that’s headed up in part by Michael Jones (COO), the most all around talented internet executive I know. Having grown up in LA, and having started Docstoc down here, there’s a bit of a shared connection. Movies – no website has more Hollywood DNA.

Development Team Review 76

Development Team Review Content Sites eHow 76

SoCal Delicious

MAY 6, 2012

Right now they’re setting up 500 free corporations for first time entrepreneurs. There are hundreds of entrepreneurs here in Los Angeles who are building awesome companies, writing awesome books, making awesome movies and are trying to solve important problems to help make this world a better place. Thank you @eminutes. .

Los Angeles 78

Los Angeles Entrepreneur Angel Fractional CTO 78