Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2022

A major chunk of this activity is provided by the newer class of “super angels,” who often look more like micro-VCs, except that they are investing their own money. Institutional venture capital dispensed in 2021 reached record highs of almost $330 billion, up significantly from the last few years.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

With the advent and growth of crowdfunding over the past few years, many entrepreneurs have predicted the demise of those demanding angel investment groups and venture capital organizations. These groups are now largely run by volunteers at no cost to entrepreneurs. Lack of checks and balances on startup valuations.

Equity 164

Equity Statistics Platform Entrepreneur 164

socalTECH

JANUARY 5, 2021

What are you most looking forward to in the technology/startup world in 2021? For the tech/startup ecosystem in SoCal, I am looking forward to continued momentum in addressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the workforce and support for emerging entrepreneurs. He previously held C-level roles at Overture Services/Yahoo!,

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Southern California SoCal Technical Review Startup 202

socalTECH

DECEMBER 23, 2020

As a fund manager, showing the credibility of being able to execute on an investment thesis while garnering the support from the larger investment community that that thesis makes sense is a tremendous milestone. Furthermore, while a small fund, we invest across the country, and Thin Line has relationships in every time zone.

Capital 113

Capital Technical Review Southern California CalTech 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 15, 2021

As a member of an angel investment group for years, I’m sometimes surprised to see founders with a good technical business case get rejected for funding, while others seem to have a hidden quality that gives them credibility to be fundable despite some missing elements. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 03/01/2021.

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Entrepreneur Examples Google Funding 174

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2021

Yet as a business advisor I am convinced that making the jump from a startup to a the next unicorn takes a different mindset, and actions most entrepreneurs are reluctant to face. Then there is the pressure to go public ( IPO ), and open your investment to thousands, maybe millions, of small investors.

Startup 151

Startup Course Sales Entrepreneur 151

TechCrunch LA

JUNE 10, 2020

In response to VCs’ sudden rush to invest in more Black founders , Black venture capitalists and entrepreneurs have penned a bunch of advice on the best way to tap into talent. The program is expanding to Chicago in 2021, the blog post notes. Among the strategies? Team up with Black firms already doing the work.

Equity 220

Equity Technical Review Venture Capital Blogging 220

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2022

The next thing that entrepreneurs need to realize is that the process and framework for making social media marketing work are different from traditional marketing, and trial and error certainly doesn’t work. Measuring is all about return-on-investment (ROI). See some recent examples in the 10 of the Top Social Media Campaigns of 2021.

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Social Media Framework Media Metrics 135

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 24, 2021

That ability to “ see around the next corner ” seems to be limited to a very few entrepreneurs, such as Steve Jobs and Elon Musk. Of course, one key reason for incremental thinking is to limit the risk, and also perhaps get something going with less initial investment. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 11/10/2021.

Startup 137

Startup Artificial Inteligence Ideas Entrepreneur 137

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2021

As a long-time advisor to new entrepreneurs here in the USA, I’ve long been impressed with the number that come here from other countries, and the positive traits that most of these seem to bring with them. Aspiring entrepreneurs need to all understand that starting a business is not for short-term returns.

Startup 146

Startup Resource Summary Entrepreneur 146

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

Almost every entrepreneur and new business owner I mentor is certain that his/her idea has a very high probability of success, and all find it hard to believe that ninety percent of startups ultimately fail. I once met with an entrepreneur who had developed a new algae strain to cure world hunger and make him rich.

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Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2021

Based on my own years of experience in startups and big business, and more recently as an angel investor, I often cringe when I see one of you entrepreneurs missing a cue that I have seen work for many before you. A passionate entrepreneur I met a while back had found that a certain algae could be grown cheaply, and could end world hunger.

Entrepreneur 162

Entrepreneur Social Media Examples Metrics 162

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2021

In my experience as an angel investor for new startups, I’m always surprised by how many entrepreneurs are looking for funding without outside advisors. For example, I once was approached by an entrepreneur, passionate that his new algae strain would cure world hunger and make him rich. Bandwidth is a constraint we all feel.

Startup 142

Startup Technical Review Equity Entrepreneur 142

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2021

By definition, all of you entrepreneurs are leaders, by taking the initiative to start a new company. Most investors will readily admit that they invest in entrepreneur leadership, more so than innovative ideas, but they often find it difficult to separate aspiring leaders from those that are clearly extraordinary.

Coach 162

Coach Startup Resource Competition 162

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 2, 2021

In the eyes of investors like me, to be an entrepreneur, it’s not enough to create an innovative solution – you need to convince me that you can build a profitable business. It is no secret that investors invest as much or more in the person, rather than the solution. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 06/18/2021.

Funding 152

Funding Startup Ideas Resource 152

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2021

Based on my experience as a business advisor, I recommend that every business owner and entrepreneur focus on the following tips to provide a better work culture: Invest in integrating new technology, not just forcing it. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 01/29/2021.

Tips 159

Tips Satisfaction Coach Mentor 159

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2021

Later, in my second career as an entrepreneur with startups, I realized that limited resources and fresh insights actually created the mindset that relied on market change and innovation to survive. If you see yourself or your company ignoring any of these, now is the time to take action: Invest in a new market, as well as new features.

Marketing 117

Marketing IBM IBM Resource 117

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2021

As an angel investor in new startups, I’ve long believed that investors invest in people, not ideas. But the magic that makes one entrepreneur stand out over others is hard to quantify – yet we all recognize it when we see it. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 03/05/2021.

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Customer Custom Metrics Ideas 157

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2021

In my current role as a consultant to entrepreneurs and small business owners, I’ve accumulated my own list of insights on how some people get more done. If you invest the time and effort to install and upgrade processes and systems, you can replicate results and grow the business without multiplying your own efforts.

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Coach Satisfaction Mentor 123

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2021

Based on my experience as a business advisor, I’m convinced that most startup investors invest in the entrepreneur, as much as a solution or product. The attitude of taking nothing for granted, of disbelieving the conventional wisdom, of challenging the way things are done, is essential for a winning entrepreneur.

Startup 162

Startup Entrepreneur IBM IBM 162

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2021

When someone says Intellectual Property (IP), most entrepreneurs think only of patents. Still, it is recommended that you add the familiar ©Copyright 2021 symbol at the beginning or end of each media and document segment. In reality, patents are only one of at least eight items that should be in your IP portfolio. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 145

Startup Patents IP Social Media 145

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2021

As a long-time advisor to entrepreneurs and occasional angel investor, I often see and hear innovative product pitches that sound exciting, but are missing one or more of the key business elements that investors deem critical for funding consideration. Most investors admit that they invest in the people, as much as the solution.

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Funding Template Resource Competition 132

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2020

As an advisor to many entrepreneurs, I still hear frequently the irrational exuberance that crowdfunding is the quick alternative for startups that are passed over by overly demanding angels or venture capital investors. Thus crowdfunding is clearly not the panacea for funding and success that many entrepreneurs envision.

Startup 151

Startup Equity Funding Demand 151