Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2018

The market is changing so fast these days, and if you are not planning a solution today for tomorrow’s customers, you may be setting yourself up for failure and don’t even realize it. As an angel investor, I routinely toss business plans that focus too much on today, and don’t talk about tomorrow.

Customer 57

Customer Custom Technical Review Software Review 57

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 30, 2012

million in a new round of financing from Peter Thiel, FF Angel , Siemer Ventures , 500 Startups , Andrej Henkler (former Bertelsmann executive), and Alexsis de Raadt-St. James (chairman of the Althea Foundation) and appointed Adam Sroka as Senior Vice President of Technology in a move to make business transactions simple and secure. .

Technical Review 88

Technical Review Software Review Bertelsmann Technology 88

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2023

As an angel investor, I quickly learned that luck has very little to do with it, and I now look for some personal characteristics and leadership styles that separate the potential winners from the losers. As I was reminded again by the classic book from Dennis Perkins, “ Leading at the Edge ,” this isn’t a new concept.

Technical Review 107

Technical Review Startup Entrepreneur Examples 107

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2022

If you are not in that rare category of known and proven entrepreneurs, you should avoid the following list of my top ten turnoffs that I have personally experienced as an angel investor. I don’t have a business plan, but the technology is disruptive.” Too much detail at first contact is just as much of a turnoff as no information.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Startup Statistics Social Media 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2013

The average length of a funding pitch to Angel investors is ten minutes. Even if you have booked an hour with a VC, you should plan to talk only for the first fifteen minutes. Or they get sidetracked by a technical glitch due to poor preparation. Equally bad is an extended pitch on your new disruptive technology.

Angel 102

Angel Funding Slides Technical Review 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2016

Angel investors are still the lifeblood of early-stage startups, despite the surge of activity in crowdfunding and an increasing early interest from venture capitalists. According to the Angel Capital Association , at least 300,000 people have made angel investments in the last two years, totaling $24 billion in the U.S.

Angel 65

Angel Startup Technical Review Social Media 65

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Some get stuck in a rut and get run over by competitors with new technology, like Eastman Kodak, and others get pushed into a crisis, like Apple did, before they reinvent themselves into a new market. In his recent book “ Invent, Reinvent, Thrive ,” Lloyd E. Seek out customer trends before they become an avalanche.

Technical Review 99

Technical Review Marketing Mentor Entrepreneur 99

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2020

The average length of a funding pitch to angel investors is ten minutes. Even if you have booked an hour with a VC, you should plan to talk only for the first fifteen minutes. Or they get sidetracked by a technical glitch due to poor preparation. Equally bad is a full tutorial on your new disruptive technology.

Startup 118

Startup Slides Technical Review Research 118

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2018

Sometimes entrepreneurs are so focused on making change happen for customers that they forget that continually changing themselves and their company is equally important. In his classic book “ Invent, Reinvent, Thrive ,” Lloyd E. Seek out customer trends before they become an avalanche. Find mentors who have the skills you lack.

Technical Review 59

Technical Review Mentor Entrepreneur Customer 59

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 25, 2020

As an angel investor, I quickly learned that luck has very little to do with it, and I now look for some personal characteristics and leadership styles that separate the potential winners from the losers. As I was reminded again by the classic book from Dennis Perkins, “ Leading at the Edge ,” this isn’t a new concept.

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Startup Entrepreneur Examples 123

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2014

Some get stuck in a rut and get run over by competitors with new technology, like Eastman Kodak, and others get pushed into a crisis, like Apple did, before they reinvent themselves into a new market. I just finished a new book “ Invent, Reinvent, Thrive ,” by Lloyd E. Seek out customer trends before they become an avalanche.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Summary 105

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2019

Steve Blank via Flickr by jdlasica I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the solution.

Startup 98

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 98

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Nearly every successful tech startup I’ve observed over the past 20 years has gone through a similar growth pattern: Innovate, systematize then scale operations. There is nothing more pure than building a product, putting it out in the world and seeing paying customers using your product and in some cases loving it.

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2020

If you are not in that rare category of known and proven entrepreneurs, you should avoid the following list of my top ten turnoffs that I have personally experienced as an angel investor. I don’t have a business plan, but the technology is disruptive.” Too much detail at first contact is just as much of a turnoff as no information.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Statistics Startup Social Media 124

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 25, 2010

I recently read a book I’d highly recommend to every reader of this blog called “ Yes, 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to be Persuasive &# by Robert B. Cialdini who is also author of a very well received book called “ Influence &# (which I plan to read). You should, too. (no, This is all explicit decision making.

Guide 293

Guide Funding Venture Capital Technical Review 293

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 13, 2013

ML: Porter is a really simple consumer app, a one-stop shop for booking your recurring in-home services. The nuts and bolts of our tech company is that CMS in the middle, the connection engine. What we are spending money and time on is onboarding customers on one end and on the other end onboarding providers.

Technical Review 87

Technical Review Mobile Startup Los Angeles 87

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

I should note that my friend Brad Feld has written a new book on the subject that I would recommend if you want the bible on the topic. The functions of an early-stage board are pretty obvious and well understood: Providing introductions to customers, biz dev partners, recruits, the press, other investors, etc. Mentorship.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

In my role as a Professor of Practice within UC Santa Barbara’s entrepreneurial Technology Management Program (TMP), I have worked with approximately 8,000 students over a ten year period. Note: due to the founders’ relative lack of experience, most student enterprises do not qualify for venture capital.

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Technical Review Class Patents 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2014

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the solution. Nail the solution.

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Customer 113

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

Exec Summary: Most companies (98+%) in the world (even tech startups) should be very profit focused. If you had huge customer growth but just didn’t focus on revenue that’s a different story. If you spent the 3 years perfecting some hugely differentiated technology IP that may also be different. Not necessarily.

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2013

According to the book, “ Small Business, Big Vision ,” by self-made entrepreneurs Adam and Matthew Toren, it’s really a question of need versus want. Of course, every company needs these, in due time. When you have invented a new technology, you need expensive models and testing, including samples for potential customers.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Technical Review Equity 100

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

If you are not in that rare category of known and proven entrepreneurs, you should avoid the following list of my top ten turnoffs that I have personally experienced as an Angel investor. I don’t have a business plan, but the technology is disruptive.” Too much detail at first contact is just as much of a turnoff as no information.

Entrepreneur 119

Entrepreneur Technical Review Statistics Startup 119

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 12, 2017

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the solution. Nail the solution.

Startup 64

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 64

SoCal CTO

MARCH 18, 2010

My management book, Ignited, was released in 2007 and serves a guide and champion for middle managers. You can find more: My Consultancy – www.Middleshift.com My Book – www.BeIgnited.com My Media Company – www.Media2Watch.com Twitter - @vincethompson What are you working on now? That’s important in my game. I run a lot.

Startup 225

Startup Los Angeles Social Network Twiistup 225

socalTECH

MARCH 5, 2012

To address that worry, Los Angeles-based DogVacay (www.dogvacay.com) lauched last week -- just in time for SXSW -- to help connect dog owners with individual dog lovers to help watch their dogs at their homes. It's really about providing a customized approach, and the best experience for both the dog and dog owners.

Technical Review 164

Technical Review Startup Sites Malibu 164

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 20, 2012

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the solution. Nail the solution.

Startup 118

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 118

socalTECH

MARCH 5, 2012

To address that worry, Los Angeles-based DogVacay (www.dogvacay.com) lauched last week -- just in time for SXSW -- to help connect dog owners with individual dog lovers to help watch their dogs at their homes. It's really about providing a customized approach, and the best experience for both the dog and dog owners.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Startup Sites Malibu 160

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 19, 2015

The average length of a funding pitch to Angel investors is ten minutes. Even if you have booked an hour with a VC, you should plan to talk only for the first fifteen minutes. Or they get sidetracked by a technical glitch due to poor preparation. Equally bad is a full tutorial on your new disruptive technology.

Slides 105

Slides Technical Review Startup Research 105

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2015

If you are not in that rare category of known and proven entrepreneurs, you should avoid the following list of my top ten turnoffs that I have personally experienced as an angel investor. I don’t have a business plan, but the technology is disruptive.” Too much detail at first contact is just as much of a turnoff as no information.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup Statistics 109

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

According to the book, “ Small Business, Big Vision ,” by self-made entrepreneurs Adam and Matthew Toren, it’s really a question of need versus want. Of course, every company needs these, in due time. When you have invented a new technology, you need expensive models and testing, including samples for potential customers.

Technical Review 95

Technical Review Startup Equity Entrepreneur 95

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2011

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the solution. Nail the solution.

Startup 114

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 114

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

According to a new book, “ Small Business, Big Vision ,” by self-made entrepreneurs Adam and Matthew Toren, it’s really a question of need versus want. Of course, every company needs these, in due time. When you have invented a new technology, you need expensive models and testing, including samples for potential customers.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup Equity 102

SoCal Delicious

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

Ten Tech Entrepreneurs Who Are Putting LA on the Map. If a person from outside Los Angeles is a fan of the city, dig a little and you’ll probably find that they like it for the celebrities, Hollywood not LA. Well, they’re all wrong, and Los Angeles is about to prove it. Skip to secondary content. Post navigation.

Technical Review 75

Technical Review Entrepreneur Riot Games Southern California 75

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 1, 2013

Already live, the service is available in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., As Groupon has evolved, we’ve seen growing demand from our customers for upscale offers and exclusive experiences. with more cities coming by year end.

Marketing 61

Marketing Entertainment Los Angeles Tool 61

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 5, 2018

If you are not in that rare category of known and proven entrepreneurs, you should avoid the following list of my top ten turnoffs that I have personally experienced as an angel investor. I don’t have a business plan, but the technology is disruptive.” Too much detail at first contact is just as much of a turnoff as no information.

Funding 62

Funding Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup 62

socalTECH

OCTOBER 28, 2010

How do you take a business you started as your own personal web site, and turn it into an online powerhouse, completely bootstrapped, from the little town of Ojai, California--not exactly known as a technology town? At the time, I was looking for a book to teach web design to my students, but figured out that one had never been written.

Startup 242

Startup Web Design Writing Web 242

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2016

The average length of a funding pitch to Angel investors is ten minutes. Even if you have booked an hour with a VC, you should plan to talk only for the first fifteen minutes. Or they get sidetracked by a technical glitch due to poor preparation. Equally bad is a full tutorial on your new disruptive technology.

Startup 64

Startup Slides Technical Review Research 64