Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 29, 2013

I’ll write you an angel check, then. You helped so many figure out how to approach angels. How smart she was – studying to be a doctor. Is it true that you have 3% body fat? I know, I know. I shouldn’t eat the carbs. But this is Lemon Moon – at least we know it’s healthy. Yes, Jody.

Venture Capital 406

Venture Capital Study Writing News 406

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Round sizes of > $100 million or more now account for 47% of all VC dollars (62% if you count rounds > $50 million) This has made venture capital significantly more valuable for VCs and LPs who invest in the best companies As part of our study we noticed a trend many have spotted but few have explained?—?why

Venture Capital 328

Venture Capital Invest Seed Funding Startup 328

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 studied the errors that other people had made and tried to improve on them.

Entrepreneur 356

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Startup Email 356

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 5, 2011

November 23, 2010 Entrepreneurs, Using Outsourcing to Obtain Capital Efficiency Needs to be Thought Through to be Effective - Robert Ochtel , June 7, 2010 Teen Entrepreneur, Brian Wong, Youngest Founder to Receive Angel Funding - teenentrepreneurblog.com , October 28, 2010 Build Your Own Silicon Valley?

Startup 378

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Coach 378

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 4, 2016

These people are like the friend in college who always tempted you by telling you about the latest party when you were at the library studying. Or an angel investor starts emailing the CEO of a company with all the people they want him or her to meet. It starts seemingly innocent enough.

Innocal 255

Innocal Conference Help Study 255

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2010

In writing anything positive about any of the companies I’m not suggesting that it means that I prefer them to any of their competitors. Also, some of the deals I write about I have actually seen as part of their fund raising process. entrepreneur Wil Schroter (I am an angel investor in Affordit). Really!).

Venture Capital 265

Venture Capital Capital Email Blogging 265

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 5, 2010

I’ve been meaning to write this post since September of last year when Brad Feld first wrote about the The Founders Visa Movement. I commented briefly on his blog and made a mental note to write a blog post. At the time he granted me permission to write about his story. Felipe grew up in Brazil.

Technical Review 282

Technical Review Startup High Tech Software Review 282

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2010

The prices of angel deals have recently crept up, VCs have also gotten their checkbooks out again, frothy deals are happening and people are feeling bullish. VCs have also gone back to writing checks because as an industry we can’t be seen as “sitting on the sidelines” for years at a time. VCs get paid to “put money to work.&#.

Entrepreneur 298

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Technical Review Startup 298

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 8, 2010

For our Insights and Opinions section today, we have Jared Reitzen , CEO of Los Angeles-based MobileStorm , who gives a few opinions on how to make you and your resume stand out above the crowd, when applying for a job. You want a job? Then stop sending crappy resumes. Yes, but it takes 15 seconds; reading the body of the email does not.

Doc 145

Doc Email Tips Research 145

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. Did you have any prior background in this, and what were you two studying?

USC 207

USC CPC Sites Startup 207

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

In fact, they are probably in such a hurry to give you money that they don’t want you to waste time writing anything down and passing it along to new investors. Most VCs and Angel investors don’t read unsolicited proposals, unless they have met you first, or have a glowing recommendation from another investor or acquaintance.

Technical Review 126

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 126

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

It’s why the best angels and seed investors are local and why the best independents are, too. I really like it when independent directors write a check into the company. If a multi-millionaire writes even a $25,000 I assure you that it has a psychological impact on how they’re thinking about the company. Sound controversial?

Startup 187

Startup Writing Venture Capital Oracle 187

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2014

They cite sources like the BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this Forbes article. In fact, they are probably in such a hurry to give you money that they don’t want you to waste time writing anything down and passing it along to new investors. In fact, the whole process is a waste of time.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 109

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 2, 2010

As a VC I’m acutely that a “yes&# decision to support an entrepreneur can do just that, yet I only write 2-4 of them per year and maybe another 3-4 as an angel. My closest friend from high school, Rob Sowers, had studied abroad in Spain during college. I wanted to study the languages. True story.].

Startup 353

Startup Help Blogging Entrepreneur 353

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 14, 2013

They cite sources like a recent BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this NY Times article. In fact, they are probably in such a hurry to give you money that they don’t want you to waste time writing anything down and passing it along to new investors. In fact, the whole process is a waste of time.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Technical Review Writing Slides 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 25, 2013

That's the idea behind Focus@Will (www.focusatwill.com), a new Los Angeles music startup headed by Will Henshall. Will Henshall: Focus@will is the first, ever music service which helps with focus and distraction, while writing, reading, and studying. Explain what Focus@will is all about?

Help 219

Help Startup Sites Research 219

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

Huge thank you to Steve De Long for the write up. So I was an Angel investor from 1994 to 1996. The thing you should do is study Silicon Valley and try to understand what’s great about it and try to institutionalize within your community some of those things. Some Angel groups endorse it. Is that when it became big?

Venture Capital 289

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Software Review 289

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

I have been writing a series on how startup boards get selected, who sits on them and what to avoid. Equally, put away your computer, your iPad or whatever other electronic device you use unless it’s 100% in note-taking mode and you’re using a stylus to write. The thing is?—?no You don’t have to have an opinion on every topic.

Startup 251

Startup Help Technical Review Writing 251

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 23, 2009

Those companies are ones they don't have time to write about, or don't have an interest in, or who they just don't have the resources to write about. And, 85% of the people in the study said they understood that it was sponsored content, but were interested in scanning the headlines and reading anyway. How are you backed?

News 124

News Advertising Press Sites 124

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2010

Bockerstette, Main Street Venture Fund As I outlined last week, trophy angel investors are always looking for trophy entrepreneurs. Creating a strong value proposition requires substantial customer insight, thorough study, an understanding of the real value of intellectual property, thoughtfulness, and several iterations. By Joseph A.

Funding 106

Funding Startup Entrepreneur Activity 106

socalTECH

JULY 20, 2011

Earlier this month, Los Angeles-based HitFix (www.hitfix.com) an online news site focused on entertainment, announced it had raised $2M in a funding round. We thought it was a real opportunity to bring in some taste-maker editors, who could write specifically for that audience, and break news. How did you decide to launch HitFix?

News 173

News Entertainment Startup Bertelsmann 173

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. If you don’t have the time to write things down, or your writing skills leave something to be desired, don’t be afraid to get some help.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

For simplicity I’ll assume you’ve raised some money from angels or seed investors and you’re either raising an A round or a B round of venture capital. Sometimes I encourage teams to create new analysis on cohorts, future revenue projections, competitor reviews, pricing studies, etc. How Many Investors Should You Speak With?

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332

InfoChachkie

JULY 14, 2011

9) In Getting The Band Back Together , I write about the power of serial Founding teams. We met with a ton of VC’s and angels. There’s lots more info including videos, case studies and more at www.ringrevenue.com. Do you have any words of caution or advice for entrepreneurs who attempt to “Get Their Band Back Together”?

Marketing 209

Marketing Advertising Paid Search Startup 209

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 5, 2010

Last week at an angel investor forum I was privileged to meet Stephanie Spong, who is a Principal with EPIC Ventures, an increasingly rare early stage VC firm. Stephanie also speaks Spanish and Japanese. Marty: Welcome to Startup Professionals interviews. Tell us what you do. Oh, I couldn’t do that!”

Venture Capital 65

Venture Capital Capital Entrepreneur Competition 65

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Skyler Lucci is co-founder and CEO of Los Angeles-based HeyTutor (www.heytutor.com), a startup which has created an online platform which connects and matches students with in-person tutors. In terms of where we offer to our customers, we have 250 different areas, from early childhood to studying for an MCAT or the bar.

Startup 113

Startup Venture Capital Beverly Hills Acquisition 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2018

As an angel investor, I routinely toss business plans that focus too much on today, and don’t talk about tomorrow. I was happy to see a real focus on preparing for tomorrow highlighted in a new book, “ Start a Successful Business ,” by Colleen DeBaise, who has made a career of studying and writing about entrepreneur challenges.

Customer 57

Customer Custom Technical Review Software Review 57

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2009

I recently wrote a post on angel financing covering the topic of convertible notes but I realized I was thinking about the issue more from investor perspective and a very narrow topic of how to price the round. This post is for those who want to raise angel money. At an angel round you can get away with no market validation.

Angel 292

Angel Funding Venture Capital Startup 292

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

In many ways the fact that it has become so cheap to start a company and relatively cheap to raise angel/seed money that we as an industry have gotten lazy on basic planning. The questions that a VC mulls before writing a check are precisely the questions you should be asking yourself. Study your history. Market Size.

Startup 278

Startup Marketing Study SEO 278

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. This is the dreaded “due diligence” process.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Startup Writing Competition 94

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2010

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. This is the dreaded “due diligence” process.

Technical Review 90

Technical Review Writing Competition Tips 90

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 11, 2016

I had always respected Gold’s writing and reviews but after seeing a glimpse of his life I respect him even more as as human. He played in a punk rock band in his youth but in a typical nebbish journey of a young Jew in Los Angeles he was the Cello player who was all too happy to find his outlet to be counter-cultural.

Guide 150

Guide Class Writing Santa Monica 150

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 10, 2011

In my ongoing quest to get you good transcripts of the wonderful interviews we’ve done in the past, I present you with one amazing interview here with Tom McInerney – a friend, co-investor, former entrepreneur turned angel investor and “wizard of Oz&# behind the scenes at the uber hot startup Klout. In fact, HAVE done so.

Angel 302

Angel Startup Ideas .Net 302

SoCal CTO

AUGUST 3, 2010

Welcome to the Lost Decade (for Entrepreneurs, IPO’s and VC’s) - Steve Blank , July 15, 2010 If you take funding from a venture capital firm or angel investor and want to build a large, enduring company (rather than sell it to the highest bidder), this isn’t the decade to do it. Angel vs VC? - Not so bad. Metrics availability.

Startup 217

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Software Review 217