Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 29, 2014

It’s not hard to find people willing to write the narrative that “venture capital is not an asset class” or “venture capital has performed terribly.” I wrote about this in a blog post last year titled “ It’s Morning in VC ” but I never made the full deck available until now.

Venture Capital 362

Venture Capital Capital Startup Writing 362

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 23, 2011

Obviously you should have somebody that helps you research journalists, gets you meetings, pitches stories, helps prep you for interviews & helps make sure your writing is cogent. But some CEOs then try to have more junior people in the company take the interview. That’s why keeping a personal blog is so great.

Startup 349

Startup Writing Press Blogging 349

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 5, 2011

My 1,000th Post on This Blog - Tim Berry's Blog - Planning Startups Stories , July 21, 2010 HTML5 video markup, compatibility and playback - Niall Kennedy's Weblog , February 8, 2010 Your Product Needs a Soul - ArcticStartup , February 12, 2010 Product Friday: Monetizing Content is a Product Problem - This is going to be BIG.

Startup 379

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Coach 379

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 25, 2013

On my most important ones I spend as much time figuring out what to cut out as I do putting into the writing of it. Many people write email without a “call to action” or reason they’re writing the email. Write to one person at a time. This is critical and was the reason I sat down to write this post.

Email 415

Email Writing Software Review Startup 415

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 26, 2013

One of the advantages of blogging, using social media, public speaking, etc as a VC is that you get a more nuanced view of these shifts by watching your own successes and failures. I will add to this as I write more in the coming weeks on the topic. But succinctly this press places a marker in the ground for your company.

Startup 356

Startup Funding News Press 356

Tech.Co

JANUARY 26, 2024

There are just five days left to enter the digital detox competition set up by Icelandic Yogurt company Siggi’s Dairy, which has pledged to give selected contestants $10,000 to spend an entire month “detoxing” without a smartphone or social media. The post Company Offering $10K for a 30 Day Phone Detox, Apply Now appeared first on Tech.co.

Company 226

Company Companies Social Media Writing 226

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 14, 2013

Creating awareness for your brand and products is one of the lifebloods of technology startups yet in a world where so many companies are being created it becomes difficult to rise above the noise. Ever notice how some companies tend to be in the press all the time and your big new product launch struggled for inches? I am a VC.

Marketing 389

Marketing Press Blogging Startup 389

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 3, 2011

On my blog I’ve been hesitant to take the topic head on. But last week I noticed a blog post by a woman, Tara Tiger Brown, that asked the question, “ Why Aren’t More Women Commenting on VC Blog Posts? In it she observes that only 3% of the comments on this blog are from women.

Entrepreneur 341

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Startup Blogging 341

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 10, 2012

On his first day of work my wife was kind enough to write down words of wisdom from her years on the job. I don’t write about Tania very often – mostly at her request. She’s worked for L’Oreal, Accenture, Virgin Mobile & BSkyB (one of the leading media companies in the UK). Hope you enjoy. **.

Writing 414

Writing Mentor Blogging Tips 414

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 14, 2015

I don’t know Ezra yet but since he’s taking the time to blog (which I hugesly respect) and share thoughts I thought I’d take him up on his challenge and also spill the beans on my secrets. On blogging I blog because I love it. I just write. My other secret on blogging? Keep on writing.

Blogging 150

Blogging Writing Startup Email 150

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 1, 2011

I was thinking about all of this as I looked at the logs from my WordPress blog this evening. I started blogging 2 years ago. I started by writing 3-4 times / week. I started by writing 3-4 times / week. Building a blog & name recognition is only one small, small part of my job. And let’s be honest.

Startup 391

Startup Blogging Venture Capital Writing 391

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 10, 2015

As I write these words I already imagine my next deposition in which I’m asked to read this out loud. Even when I’m not the one being sued I find myself being dragged into deposition after deposition and my blog (along with all my emails) are being served as evidence. I angel funded a company 5 years ago.

Startup 352

Startup IP Writing Ideas 352

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 17, 2011

So I thought I’d write a post about how I drive my personal creativity. (A It’s why I always work hard to find images for my blog posts & why all of my keynote presentations are visual rather than bullet points with words. This applies equally to VCs, startups & big company executives.

Writing 356

Writing Startup Ideas Summary 356

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 24, 2014

As a result I didn’t write my first venture capital check until March 2009 – exactly 5 years ago. That company was Invoca, which just announced a $20 million fund raise led by Accel. At the time I pointed out: “If I had realized exits almost certainly it would be because I invested in a company that failed.

Venture Capital 387

Venture Capital Downey Writing Press 387

InfoChachkie

MARCH 8, 2011

I write a bit more about how entrepreneurs can protect their ideas here: Spilling The Beans. Analogy – As readers of this blog know, I enjoy drawing connections between seemingly disparate people, historical events and pop culture minutia because it is entertaining and can facilitate learning. Timing and luck also play a role.

Writing 150

Writing Social Network Ideas Entrepreneur 150

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 11, 2011

I recently had the pleasure of spending an hour with Jon Steinberg, president of Buzzfeed , a company who focuses on helping media companies make their content go viral. I’ll write a post on how to give feedback to employees and then I’ll get emails from people telling me they forwarded it to their whole team.

Buzzfeed 354

Buzzfeed Content Tips Blogging 354

SoCal CTO

MARCH 22, 2007

skip to main | skip to sidebar SoCal CTO Thursday, March 22, 2007 Discussion Creation Among Bloggers - LinkedIn, Blogging and Discussion Groups Ive been participating in a Yahoo Group that are users of LinkedIn and who are Bloggers: [link] Its an interesting group of folks from diverse backgrounds. See Five Things Meme as an example.

Blogging 150

Blogging CTO Coach CTO Hire Southern California 150

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 11, 2010

I haven’t written a blog post in a week. And for the last few evenings I decided to get through email rather than blog. It was interesting for me to read Fred Wilson’s email bankruptcy blog post this morning. And when I have time I try to write back. But what has really killed me is email.

Email 265

Email Startup Writing Blogging 265

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 29, 2014

Fred Wilson wrote a Tweetstorm and then did a blog post on the topic. I never asked Marc why he stopped blogging but I presume it is some combo of having started a venture capital firm (which you might guess takes a bit of time) and also allowing some air time for his then-less-well-known compadre. Engagement. Many people. Any people.

Social Media 307

Social Media Blogging Media Startup 307

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

And she didn’t start her company in Northern California. Tracy built her company, Recycled Media , out of necessity. She drove her company to profitability before paying herself a modest salary. She put all of her savings into her company. So Tracy began keeping a blog about … (what else?)

Startup 363

Startup Entrepreneur SEO Venture Capital 363

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 15, 2010

He had followed me on Twitter and sent me a nice message about my blog. So when I saw the merely mortal Tristan with a normal sized Twitter following I clicked through to his link, saw his blog, saw that he was a second year at Stanford and just thought, “hey, he seems like an interesting guy. before having 300k followers!).

Social Network 347

Social Network Networking Blogging RSS 347

SoCal CTO

OCTOBER 19, 2009

Value of Blogging I started the presentation talking about the value of blogging. Tom Peters No single thing in the last 15 years professionally has been more important in my life than blogging. But from a value perspective, it really comes down to the numbers I showed for my eLearning Technology blog. This is that post.

Social Media 222

Social Media Services Media Blogging 222

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 10, 2012

I’ll write up some thoughts in a blog post format soon. I’ve been spending time looking at marketing conversion metrics at portfolio companies lately. I recently spoke at the Blue Glass conference on the topic of marketing.

Conference 297

Conference Marketing Metrics Writing 297

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

The truth is – there isn’t a “right&# answer so for your company. And these ideas have ways of seeping into board discussions with portfolio companies as in, “have you ever thought about trying A, B or C?&# For early-stage consumer companies I would be careful not to market futures at all.

Marketing 380

Marketing Startup Press Technical Advisors 380

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2013

I can attest from experience that publishing a regular blog to properly showcase your offering, even before you have it, is a most cost effective approach in time and money. For blogging to work, you need to do it consistently and frequently, at least once a week, or the value evaporates. Populate your team. Cultivate early customers.

Blogging 104

Blogging Product Startup Writing 104

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

<== Our conclusion was that this isn’t a temporary blip that will swiftly trend-back up in a V-shaped recovery of valuations but rather represented a new normal on how the market will price these companies somewhat permanently. First in late-stage tech companies and then it will filter back to Growth and then A and ultimately Seed Rounds.

Venture Capital 417

Venture Capital Marketing Technical Review Seed Funding 417

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 3, 2010

I CERTAINLY opened myself up to attack by writing my original blog post about job hoppers with some incendiary language and tone. But the comments on my own blog were so much more balanced with people taking both sides of the debate. For anyone who attacked me on my blog but used their actual names I left their comments.

News 259

News Tips Blogging Writing 259

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2015

Blogging is one of the best ways to do this and build a brand, even before you have a product or service. Thus I recommend that every entrepreneur start blogging in parallel with solution development for the following benefits: Get customer idea feedback before you commit resources. Develop an efficient and effective writing style.

Blogging 110

Blogging Startup Search Engine Optimization Social Media 110

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 17, 2014

Just back from vacation and also some work travel and want to get back to blogging so expect a few posts over the next couple weeks. I’ll try to get write-ups shortly but for now here is an overview of my interview with Nanea Reeves – President and COO of textPlus. Company Organization.

Technical Review 315

Technical Review Blogging RSS Organization 315

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 24, 2015

Some through blog comments – your place or mine. I was reminded of that when Shafqat Islam weighed in: @msuster @marshallk I built relationships via twitter and blog comments with both of you well before we ever met! I knew Shafqat as a reader on my blog and then I was introduced to him on a trip through New York.

Networking 332

Networking Blogging Startup Conference 332

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2009

I wanted to also post the series here to have it as a resource on my blog for future entrepreneurs who stop by. I’ve watched people who went to the top schools, got the best grades and worked for all the right companies flame out. This post covers the first out of 10 that I’ll write about. Next on the checklist.

Entrepreneur 338

Entrepreneur Startup Venture Capital Google 338

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2009

Recently I wrote a blog post about how I hated losing, but I embrace it. Fred Wilson wrote on his blog this week about learning from failures here and quoted Obama’s speech from tonight: you can’t let your failures define you – you have to let them teach you. This is part of my ongoing series, “ Start-up Lessons.&#.

Startup 247

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Writing 247

InfoChachkie

JUNE 3, 2013

John Lusk, along with his Co-Author Kyle Harrison, leveraged their humble company''s newsletter into The MouseDriver Chronicles , a New York Times bestselling book. The company''s newsletter was initially created to share their entrepreneurial journey with their family and friends. blogging, in a sense. in September of 1999.

Newsletter 233

Newsletter Startup Entrepreneur Writing 233

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2014

This blog started from a series of conversations I found myself having over and over again with founders and eventually decided I should just start writing them.It I see founders who think they can be at every conference, advise multiple companies, do side investments in angel deals, leave the office at 6pm and have a balance life.

Competition 394

Competition Startup Writing Marketing 394

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2014

Yesterday I wrote a post about The Silent Benefits of PR in which I pointed out that most young companies I encounter don’t fully grasp the benefits of PR because they are less measurable than product milestones or customer acquisition analyses (like CAC/LTV). In a startup this is a mistake.

Press 320

Press Startup Writing Training 320

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 17, 2009

. &# If you want to subscribe to my RSS feed please click here or to get my blog by email click here. Sometimes they’re working full time at a company or sometimes they’ve already left their employer and they’re bouncing around ideas with friends. It’s hard enough to build a successful company.

Startup 366

Startup Technical Advisors IP Ideas 366

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 3, 2009

People had been steadily blogging for 2-3 years and this crowd seemed to bifurcate. On the one hand were the blogs that “blew up&# and became real businesses like TechCrunch, GigaOm or TalkingPointsMemo. So Twitter was initially billed at a “micro-blogging&# platform. started blogging again outlined here.

Blogging 219

Blogging Venture Capital Startup Social Media 219