socalTECH

DECEMBER 22, 2016

This holiday season, we are again sharing the reflections on the year from Southern California's technology community. Today, we have Cody Simms , Executive Director of Techstars (www.techstars.org), which has been very active this year in the startup accelerator and mentoring area.

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Southern California Snapchat Yahoo Social Media 100

Tech.Co

APRIL 24, 2018

But if you’re a startup founder, you too have the chance to find your own moment in the spotlight. Over the past decade, startups that have been part of the Startup of the Year programs have made new partnerships, grown into household names, and collectively raised billions of dollars in funding. Startup of the Year!

Startup 70

Startup Competition Google Capital 70

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2017

As an advisor to startups, and a mentor to many aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m still surprised at the number who are determined to go it alone. In short, if you’re killing yourself with work, and following up on every detail, you may want to look closer at your team to ensure you’ve surrounded yourself with the right people.

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Help Startup Course Technical Review 66

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2017

Even the most diligent investors are often surprised by apparently solid business startups that fail, while others succeed, despite the odds. I found this perspective validated in a new book, “ Plan Commit Win: 90 Days to Creating a Fundable Startup ,” by serial entrepreneur and strategic consultant Patrick Henry.

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Technical Review Startup Mentor Study 60

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2017

Entrepreneurs are people who dream up new ideas, and then commercialize them into new businesses. Most people believe that the hard part is coming up with the idea, and the easy part is turning it into a business. In today’s world, the market evolves even faster than the technology. Communication must be proactive, not reactive.

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Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2017

The challenge is to retain the same sense of urgency, energy, commitment, and readiness in a mature company that you felt during the startup stage. The best leaders are mentors to their team, and they are stewards of a company’s assets and vision. Set-up for success and don’t set-up for failure.

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Company Companies Startup Mentor 55

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Don’t believe that Silicon Valley myth that all you have to do is sketch your idea on the back of a napkin, and investors will line up to give you money. Based on my experience as an angel investor and a mentor to dozens of entrepreneurs, having no business plan is the quickest way to define yourself as just a dreamer, or at best a hobbyist.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2017

As a business advisor and investor in new startups, I see how difficult it is to make any process work, no matter how well designed, if the team is dysfunctional. Today’s pace of change in the market and in technology is unprecedented. Priority is placed on employee mentoring and coaching.

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Entrepreneur Coach Organization Mentor 78

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Hopefully, between the two of us, more of you with big business dreams will follow the leads and generate more successful business results: Start by getting your hands dirty. The business world doesn’t thrive with yet another social media or dating site – it’s begging for paradigm shifts in the technology or business model.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2017

In my years of mentoring and advising business leaders, I find that real planning for the future always gets the short shrift. I believe these factors are key to the future success of every new startup, as well as every mature company: Leadership must be values-based and people focused.

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Company Companies Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 55

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2017

In the same way, you may think that people assessment is all about skills and experience, but as a mentor to business owners, I have learned to look more for the right attitude, persistence, and determination, as success factors. Start looking for what is right in a person or business situation, instead of looking for what is wrong.

Software Review 57

Software Review Technical Review Startup Press 57

LATechDigest

MAY 13, 2016

Up to seven companies will be selected for this year’s program, which launches right after Labor Day, and wraps in the middle of November. Each mentor spoke for nearly an hour to the entire group, answered questions, and sat with each company for one-on-one mentoring. SMASHD LABS First-Round Cohorts.

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Mentor Venture Capital Draper USC 75

Tech.Co

NOVEMBER 28, 2017

Here at TechCo, we’ve done plenty of lists rounding up the most impressive incubators, accelerators, and coworking spaces in plenty of major cities and across a variety of sectors, from the best healthcare accelerators to a collection of the top women-only coworking spaces. The Land O’Lakes Dairy Accelerator. Brooklyn Foodworks.

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Incubator Santa Clarita Technical Advisors FAQ 70

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2017

I was mentoring some graduate students at a local university recently, and I sensed again that profit seems to be a dirty word these days to many aspiring entrepreneurs. It’s naïve to think you can sell below costs, and make it up by attracting more customers. Facebook spent $150 million getting started.

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Pricing Customer Custom Advertising 66

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2017

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Almost any startup can start with Excel, and move to open-source data analysis tools, including Python or RStudio.

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Tool Entrepreneur Statistics Metrics 53

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2017

As a business owner in this age of rapid technological change, with the surge of worldwide competitors, setbacks and adversity are virtually guaranteed. He is a serial entrepreneur and founder of several successful startups, as well as a consultant to some of the world’s largest organizations.

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Guide Entrepreneur Help Mentor 60

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2017

In my experience as an advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs in business, one of the biggest failures I see is a lack of self-leadership. Leadership in business starts with making good personal choices. If necessary, use a strengths coach, and always start a business which highlights your signature strengths.

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Coach Satisfaction Ideas Entrepreneur 59

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 6, 2017

Starting a new venture is all about being creative, not just in the initial solution, but in tackling the daily challenges of every new and innovative business. In this new world of constant cultural and technological change, the only source you can trust is your own ability to learn faster and be more creative than your competition.

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Ideas Social Media Press Mentor 60

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 28, 2017

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. Based on my years as a business executive and mentoring entrepreneurs, I’m convinced that the principles of reframing can be learned, and apply equally well to any domain, certainly including business.

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Entrepreneur Competition Press Mentor 56

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 26, 2017

Based on my years of experience as a new business advisor, I always find leadership to be more important to business success than any new technology or innovative solution. The best leaders spend more time supporting and mentoring their constituents to develop their competence and confidence, and then delegate effectively with accountability.

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Activity Entrepreneur Mentor Writing 55

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2017

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” Based on my experience, creating the solution is usually the easy part of starting a successful business. Yet startup founders are often lonely, since no one else can make their decisions.

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Mentor Entrepreneur Ideas Writing 90

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2017

Starting and running a business is hard. As an angel investor in startups, I often find myself looking harder at the quality of the team and the leadership, than at the details of the product and business model. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 01/05/2017. Business is more about people than product.

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Funding Satisfaction Customer Custom 55

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2017

If employees don’t see their leaders stand up and lead by example, employees will feel less engaged—and be less willing to do their best work. It all must start with hiring people who are the right fit for your desired culture. After the hire comes mentoring and continuous training as the key to engagement.

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Mentor Startup Training Resource 57