Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2023

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 strategies leading to failure that are inside the entrepreneur decision realm. I believe the old adage that you don’t know what you don’t know until you try to write it down.

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Startup Writing Entrepreneur Ideas 124

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2014

These tensions seep out in some angels or seed funds publicly or semi-privately deriding later-stage VCs for their “bad” behavior. Or your A-round investor who wrote a $5 million for 25% of your company may not be well positioned to write another $5 million (25%) of a $20 million round.

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Guide Venture Capital Startup Writing 336

socalTECH

JUNE 11, 2018

For our interview this morning, we caught up with Scot Lawrie , the President and technical Co-founder of Los Angeles-based Coverfly (www.coverfly.com), and John Rhodes , Coverfly's head of Marketing and Business Development, to learn a bit more about the early stage, bootstrapped startup focused on Hollywood script writers. What is Coverfly?

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Technical Review Hollywood Platform Competition 100

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 8, 2019

. “If big companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon are prevented from acquiring startups, that actually reduces competition,” Sirinivasan writes. If big companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon are prevented from acquiring startups, that actually reduces competition. — Balaji S.

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Technical Review Startup Chief Technology Officer Social Media 144

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2022

Finally I realized that venture capital and angel investors are actually humans, despite some views to the contrary. Some entrepreneurs love to talk and produce videos, but hate to write anything down. As with most business and personal interactions, first impressions tend to become lasting ones. Marty Zwilling.

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Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 111

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 17, 2020

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 strategies leading to failure that are inside the entrepreneur decision realm. I believe the old adage that you don’t know what you don’t know until you try to write it down.

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Startup Writing Entrepreneur Ideas 174

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. Startups need to build a large passionate group of fans before the campaign.

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Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 3, 2013

She entered you reservation by writing in a time slot in a paper calendar and you were in. and there was certainly less competition from everybody pitching local merchant solutions. We then spent much of 2013 proving out the merchant model in one city – Los Angeles. After hours there was the answering machine.

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Development Team Review Course Writing Mobile 324

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

My favorite new VC blogger, Hunter Walk, weighed in with some thoughtful comments about how Syndicates might actually pit, “ angel vs. angel.” AngelList 101 : As you know, AngelList is a platform where angels can invest in semi-screened tech deals. In virtually every deal I do I leave space for angels.

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Venture Capital Invest Course Technical Review 356

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

If you haven’t raised any money or if you raised a small round from angels or friends & family I would suggest you avoid setting up a formal board unless the people who would join your board are deeply experienced at sitting on startup boards. This is the norm and unless you have a hugely competitive round it’s not worth fighting.

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Startup Venture Capital Tips Capital 236

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 26, 2013

I will add to this as I write more in the coming weeks on the topic. If you’re a very early stage startup that just raised your first angel money it is very possible that the funding announcement will be your first big tech news. There are reasons you may delay funding announcement but rarely reasons not to announce.

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TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Capitalism is fundamentally about timing, since market competition is about finding opportunities before others. Start writing down predictions about people, companies, and markets. We get at least a dozen at the TC offices every week, which is why we write about books so often around here these days. When should a VC invest?

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Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Invest 202

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Looking for an entrance into a VC, an angel group, a bank, a CxO for a sales opportunity, or any other entity? Dropping that name will often immediately draw a response if the decision maker is curious or particularly competitive. Let me reinforce this: never reveal competitive information to gain access or advantage.

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Ideas Sales Competition Venture Capital 120

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

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. Opportunity segmentation and competitive environment. No mention usually means no plan and not competitive.

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Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Los Angeles-based digital marketing agency Wpromote said on Monday that it has launched a new set of scholsrships, which will go to students interested in digital marketing. According to Wpromote, the new scholarships--which will be awarded bi-annually--will total $3,000, with the first award in December of this year.

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Marketing Blogging Writing Los Angeles 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2020

Finally I realized that venture capital and angel investors are actually humans, despite some views to the contrary. Some entrepreneurs love to talk and produce videos, but hate to write anything down. As with most business and personal interactions, first impressions tend to become lasting ones. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 126

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 4, 2016

Or an angel investor starts emailing the CEO of a company with all the people they want him or her to meet. It’s hard enough building a valuable product or service in competitive global markets without spending time on unproductive tasks. I introduce people constantly and it’s an important part of my job.

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Innocal Conference Help Study 255

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

If you will need to supplement your own funds and assets for your business, don’t wait for a crisis to enlist family, friends, angel investors, or start a crowdfunding campaign. Write a business plan for your desired new business. Assess potential for funding or bootstrapping. You can’t keep all these in your head.

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Startup Tips Coach Satisfaction 114

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 29, 2014

This week I wrote about obsessive and competitive founders and how this forms the basis of what I look for when I invest. But at the end of the year you write your own ticket if you’re talented because now you have experience and it cost you less than your law school loans! These days everybody wants to be an angel.

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Startup Invest Venture Capital Writing 409

TechCrunch LA

MAY 17, 2019

The Los Angeles-based company has already launched a beta version of its streaming service, Ficto , and yesterday announced a host of new shows that will appear on the app later this year. Michael Scott is simultaneously writing a pilot for linear television. Feist novels have sold over 20 million copies.

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Services Report Netflix Content 167

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2014

The VC market has right-sized (returned back to mid 90′s levels & less competition). Lower costs to start a business (95% reduction), many more companies created & funded by angels / seed. Just 3 years ago there was talk of institutional investors “not being able to write small enough checks.”

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Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Seed Funding 398

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 15, 2010

I give a sneak peek at a blog post I’m writing on the topic next week. Can you please explain convertible debt and specifically how it pertains to angel deals? If you’re an angel investor you prefer a “priced&# rounds because you want to lock in a lower price given that you’re taking more risk up front.

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Venture Capital Seed Funding Pricing Southern California 210

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 18, 2010

By Mahesh Raj Mohan Writing a business plan can be a difficult process. Even if you know your product/service suite down cold, understand the strengths/weaknesses of the competition, and have built pro forma financials that are sane. you still have to write the plan for a particular audience. What does that mean? compelling.

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Writing Summary Ideas Research 97

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 16, 2010

We talked with Noah about how the company grew out of a business plan competition at the University of Southern California, his recent funding from the Maverick Angels, as well as how the firm hopes to stand out among a crowded list of comparison shopping sites. Noah, thanks for the interview. So, we decided to go out and do it.

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USC CPC Sites Startup 207

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

2: As expected at least one person accused me of writing this post because I want to see lower valuations. If you invested in the first angel round of a startup company it is usually very hard to sell your stock – usually for many years if ever at all. I acknowledged this in the article. I’m just making the commentary.

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Startup Pricing Technical Review Marketing 336

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

The solution here is to never stop the fundraising cycle, moving quickly from friends and family, to angels, to venture capitalists. Keep control by writing every check personally, and manage receivable and payables tightly. Your customers and competition make unexpected moves. The world today never stands still.

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Startup Entrepreneur Customer Custom 131

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

For instance, a services business or an opportunity with limited growth potential might be a good fit for an Angel investor, but not a venture capitalist. A restaurant is a generally appropriate for a bank, but not an Angel investor. Competition. Who do I write the check to and where do I send it? Patents and Trademarks.

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Venture Capital Summary Technical Review Template 211

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2019

In my experience as an angel investor, the perfect pitch length is ten slides, outlining the business problem, your solution, opportunity sizing, competition, and financial projections for the next five years. This section is especially important if you intend to attract outside investors or strategic partners.

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Ideas Slides Sample Examples 126

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

But the majority of VCs & Angels all speak. Have you looked at competition? How well financed is the competition? My advice: Do not mention the other VC firms, angels, seed funds, etc. It’s called competition. It’s healthy competition. Entrepreneurs need angels. Angels need VCs.

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Pricing Entrepreneur Technical Review Venture Capital 292

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

I had an enjoyable conversation this morning with a young team straight out of college this morning and they were calling to ask advice on how to approach fund raising (angels vs. VCs, how to select a VC, etc.) So I thought I’d write about out with what I would look for in a VC knowing what I know now and why. It’s not you.

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Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

socalTECH

DECEMBER 17, 2008

In their case, people write their scripts on a web site, and when they're done, they can submit them to contests with a single click. If you're doing freelance writing, have a story you're trying to sell, there's a whole process of finding out where you're doing well, not doing well, and what responses you have received.

Writing 209

Writing Hollywood Startup Sites 209

socalTECH

OCTOBER 11, 2016

There are a lot of other competition shows and reality show, which are much more predatory and cut-throat, and it's nice for our entrepreneurs to not only get a real investment, but get great feedback. How did you get involved with angel investing, initially? Anyone can write a check, but not everyone can provide intellectual capital.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Invest Competition 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2012

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. Sustainable competitive advantage. This is the dreaded “due diligence” process.

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Technical Review Startup Writing Competition 94

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 believe the old adage that you don’t know what you don’t know until you try to write it down.

Startup 105

Startup Entrepreneur Writing Ideas 105

socalTECH

MARCH 2, 2020

Smith , the founder of Croquet (www.croquet.io), a new Los Angeles startup which actually has its roots at the very beginning of the modern computing era. The other nice thing about that, is as things are happening on the same computer, there is no server code to write. Are Android and iOS then your competition?

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Platform Startup Web Examples 168

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 21, 2010

When to get a lawyer - If you plan to be a venture or angel backed technology company (what I mostly write about) the best time to start meeting and getting to know lawyers is long before you ever start your company. I write about some of the lessons in my post on Startup Mistakes. Many people start companies arse backwards.

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Startup IP Southern California Entrepreneur 318

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 15, 2012

In contrast, an Angel Investor is someone who invests their own capital. All you need do to become an Angel is identify a promising venture and write a check. Become An Angel - Before I became a VC, I invested my own money in such companies as RightScale , Eucalyptus and AppFolio.

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Venture Capital Technical Review Invest RSS 242