Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2016

In 2008 I started VC blogging. I had blogged when I was an entrepreneur. I went to an industry event where people actually called me self-centered for writing publicly. My friends said, “I don’t need another network. That’s what happens when you join a network and have kids. Right now it’s my favorite network.

Snapchat 150

Snapchat Product Startup AMA 150

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 23, 2010

Take AVC.com, the blog by Fred Wilson. He wrote a blog post that always stuck with me about how there are regulars on his blog who hang out there a bit like “Cheers&# just having a chat with a metaphorical beer in hand. I picked questions that I had already covered in depth on my blog and answered them in shorter form.

Blogging 301

Blogging SEO Startup Writing 301

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. Finally, a lot of people asking me about typos on my blog. Other deals. Enter Xobni.

Venture Capital 265

Venture Capital Capital Email Blogging 265

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 13, 2009

I recently wrote a post about how to get access to people at conferences and how to connect with people on social networks. I got to thinking more broadly about social networks and the real-time web. Facebook has much more value to me as a networking tool. So being Linked seems nothing more than a status symbol.

Startup 276

Startup Blogging Social Network Networking 276

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 14, 2014

If you follow the tech media you would be subject to a lot of narrative biases that are completely off base – and this includes the value of email and phone calls. I’m sure you’ve heard the meme that “email is dead” – if fact if you Google it you’ll find a long list of articles that will mislead you.

Email 339

Email SaaS Venture Capital Google 339

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2022

These days the media formats range from email, phone, radio, television, to social media. Social media includes blogs, social networks, and video-sharing sites. Even the most experienced executives write down what they need to say, and practice for every event. People judge you and your company in the first few seconds.

Media 118

Media Tips Social Media Startup 118

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 2, 2009

On Facebook (and nearly all social networks that preceded it) the relationship was always reciprocal – if I accept your invitation to follow me then I have to follow you. Twitter, by contrast, started as an open platform where people let anybody see what they were writing. Facebook. So why is this important for businesses?

Social Network 235

Social Network Writing Tool Startup 235

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2012

I’m talking about doing some real networking to test your elevator pitch, and get to know some potential investors before you ask them for money. Start writing a blog, speaking at local groups, and conversing at networking meetings about the need you see in the marketplace, before you pitch a solution. Give it to them.

Startup 96

Startup Writing Newsletter Blogging 96

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

Fred Wilson wrote a blog post yesterday called “Real Names” in which he talked about a commenter on his blog who preferred not to comment because he didn’t want to use his real name. All of this has become a lot more relevant lately given social networking. It’s a powerful concept. Think about it.

Social Network 329

Social Network Startup Blogging Venture Capital 329

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 7, 2011

I’m talking about doing some real networking to test your elevator pitch, and get to know some potential investors before you ask them for money. Start writing a blog, speaking at local groups, and conversing at networking meetings about the need you see in the marketplace, before you pitch a solution. Give it to them.

Startup 92

Startup Writing Newsletter Blogging 92

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2017

It does mean that you need to look, listen, and participate in the business world around you, and network through all available channels, like business-oriented social networks online (LinkedIn), local business organizations (Chamber of Commerce), and events or conferences in your school or industry. Give and you will receive.

Startup 75

Startup Social Network Networking Mentor 75

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 4, 2009

msuster for me) the message you write appears in my @msuster inbox on Twitter.com and on any of the desktop or mobile clients. Sometimes I’ll see people who want to make people aware of a blog posting. If you truly want it to be private stick to DM or email (or better yet … telephone!). The basics: 1. I have 1,200.

Tips 291

Tips Social Media Social Network Venture Capital 291

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2010

Unfortunately my wife reads my blog and she’d log in and add comments to dispel this rumor (she keeps me honest. Like you, I struggle to return everybody’s emails because I get too many. When added to my volume of Facebook messages, LinkedIn requests, blog comments and Tweets my head is definitely below water.

Product 280

Product Startup Email Technical Review 280

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2010

I’m talking about doing some real networking to test your elevator pitch, and get to know some potential investors before you ask them for money. Start writing a blog, speaking at local groups, and conversing at networking meetings about the need you see in the marketplace, before you pitch a solution. Give it to them.

Startup 90

Startup Writing Newsletter Blogging 90

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2015

It does mean that you need to look, listen, and participate in the business world around you, and network through all available channels, like business-oriented social networks online (LinkedIn), local business organizations (Chamber of Commerce), and events or conferences in your school or industry. Give and you will receive.

Startup 108

Startup Social Network Mentor Entrepreneur 108

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2013

It does mean that you need to look, listen, and participate in the business world around you, and network through all available channels, like business-oriented social networks online (LinkedIn), local business organizations (Chamber of Commerce), and events or conferences in your domain. Give and you will receive. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Tips Startup Social Network 108

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2013

Make sure you have the five basic platform tools in place well before the launch – social media profiles with a great headshot (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube), website (with blog), business cards, email signature block, and an email address on your domain name. Make your customers your platform.

Platform 105

Platform Entrepreneur Startup Social Media 105

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 29, 2010

Well, aside from it showing discipline and intelligence – we always get flooded with emails when we recruit and when you have to manage volume you need to go for obvious filters. Plus, show my you can write! I’m already 2 weeks late in writing this blog post as my partners keep reminding me. Yesterday.

Venture Capital 290

Venture Capital Technical Review GRP Partners Email 290

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2019

These days the media formats range from email, phone, radio, television, to social media. Social media includes blogs, social networks, and video-sharing sites. Even the most experienced executives write down what they need to say, and practice for every event. People judge you and your company in the first few seconds.

Press 96

Press Entrepreneur Social Media Training 96

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2012

Make sure you have the five basic platform tools in place well before the launch – social media profiles with a great headshot (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube), website (with blog), business cards, email signature block, and an email address on your domain name. Make your customers your platform.

Startup 104

Startup Social Media Platform Blogging 104

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2012

It does mean that you need to look, listen, and participate in the business world around you, and network through all available channels, like business-oriented social networks online (LinkedIn), local business organizations (Chamber of Commerce), and events or conferences in your domain. Give and you will receive.

Startup 97

Startup Tips Social Network Networking 97

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 29, 2010

We also discussed how to deal with pricing in angel rounds and a strategy I advocated in my “social proof&# blog post , which is to price your initial angel round really low and get in the best possible angels as a way to get momentum in the company. There’s some stuff here that I even prefer not to put into writing.

Venture Capital 282

Venture Capital Capital Startup Pricing 282

socalTECH

APRIL 14, 2011

I ended up passing on the Twitter investment, but I put out a blog post at the time--I was working for CBS--asking if someone would want to build it, and a kid named Soren MacBeth emailed me back saying he'd build it, which started the idea of StockTwits. We've just added a layer on top of all the social networks particular to finance.

Ideas 248

Ideas Web Startup Content 248

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2013

Publish a regular blog, contribute to relevant social networks, and write a “white paper” on your technology. Be consistent is their application, and provide contact information for both phone and email access. They will exit quickly. Show evidence of your expertise. Offer support assistance and guarantee.

Search Engine Optimization 105

Search Engine Optimization Startup Advertising SEO 105

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2011

It does mean that you need to look, listen, and participate in the business world around you, and network through all available channels, like business-oriented social networks online (LinkedIn), local business organizations (Chamber of Commerce), and events or conferences in your domain. Give and you will receive.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Tips Startup Social Network 96

SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 1, 2010

I had a recent email dialog with the founder of a company looking for a CTO for their startup. We had several emails back and forth where he provided basic details on the concept. Here are a few perspectives on it: Building a sweat equity team You simply need to network. Was it a Startup Founder Developer Gap ?

CTO Hire 241

CTO Hire CTO Coach Equity Develop 241

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 19, 2015

Every night before I went to bed I would say to myself, what one thing could I do to make progress on this hire, which is why people who worked with me on it probably noticed a lot of late-night emails. Or as I learned from Steven Covey so many years ago in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Lots of people start, very few finish.

Startup 150

Startup Framework Sales Venture Capital 150

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 22, 2010

As a teenager he experimented with writing & producing his own rap music and received a lot of feedback from elders that he had a talent with words. I had written a blog post on exactly this – how to not suck at group presentations – and what he said reminded me a lot of this post. His email list became his power.

Entrepreneur 356

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Startup Email 356

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2013

When I sit down to write every week I never really imagine what is going to end up resonating the most with people but it seems I’ve most often been defined by my post that I Invest in Lines, not Dots. I became aware of Sam several years ago as I started noticing his name repeated in the comments section of my blog.

Startup 372

Startup Course Ideas Invest 372

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 16, 2013

The presentation is meant to give an unbiased overview of how to get involved in the tech community; what blogs to read, who to follow on Twitter, who the angel investors are, what areas in LA are home to the most startups and what resources there are to further educate yourself.

Rustic Canyon 74

Rustic Canyon Startup Los Angeles Class 74

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2012

Publish a regular blog, contribute to relevant social networks, and write a “white paper” on your technology. Be consistent is their application, and provide contact information for both phone and email access. They will exit quickly. Show evidence of your expertise. Offer support assistance and guarantee.

Search Engine Optimization 96

Search Engine Optimization Entrepreneur Sites Advertising 96

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 18, 2011

On the card I usually write the date, where I met the person, how I met them and what value I can bring to the table. Find events, conferences, mixers, networking groups, meet up groups who would find value in hearing your insights. Once you’ve answered these questions go ahead and contact them in a short email.

Customer 85

Customer Custom Marketing SEO 85

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 20, 2017

These days the media formats range from email, phone, radio, television, to social media. Social media includes blogs, social networks, and video-sharing sites. Even the most experienced executives write down what they need to say, and practice for every event. People judge you and your company in the first few seconds.

Media 55

Media Social Media Startup Training 55

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 29, 2009

Turns out everybody likes to produce content and take part in the “conversation.&# Massive uptake of user-generated content including blogs (e.g. People rightly recognize that comments on blogs are just a form of a stream and thus the growth of open commenting platforms like Disqus and IntenseDebate. Then came blogs.

Ideas 286

Ideas Advertising Google Technical Review 286

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2014

These days the media formats range from email, phone, radio, television, to social media. Social media includes blogs, social networks, and video-sharing sites. Even the most experienced executives write down what they need to say, and practice for every event. People judge you and your company in the first few seconds.

Press 105

Press Social Media Startup Training 105

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2012

These days the media formats range from email, phone, radio, television, to social media. Social media includes blogs, social networks, and video-sharing sites. Even the most experienced executives write down what they need to say, and practice for every event. People judge you and your company in the first few seconds.

Training 93

Training Media Entrepreneur Social Media 93

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2010

Publish a daily blog, contribute to relevant social networks, and write a “white paper” on your technology. Be consistent is their application, and provide contact information for both phone and email access. They will exit quickly. Show evidence of your expertise. Offer support assistance and guarantee.

Tips 92

Tips Search Engine Optimization Startup Advertising 92