Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2013

Perhaps the biggest piece of new news is that after 17 years of operations we’ve changed our name from GRP Partners to Upfront Ventures. Please help me spread the news as only RTs or FB Likes can! And we chose to locate ourselves 3 blocks East of The Third Street Promenade where much new development is taking place.

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Funding Santa Monica Venture Capital Startup 343

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 27, 2011

By definition, you read blogs. This is a post to help you figure out why you should write and what you should talk about. People often ask me why I started blogging. I know that I have not yet earned these kudos based on investment returns (although my partners have. Who are your customers, partners or suppliers?

Blogging 373

Blogging Startup Writing Venture Capital 373

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 29, 2010

GRP Partners is looking to hire two analysts (maybe even three) to join our practice in Los Angeles. We need help. I’m already 2 weeks late in writing this blog post as my partners keep reminding me. It’s often a combination of luck, relationships & timing. Are you merging? Be patient.

Venture Capital 290

Venture Capital Technical Review GRP Partners Email 290

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 24, 2012

I wrote a blog post on how to work with lawyers at a startup nearly two-and-a-half years ago. ” He was generous with his time with me and helpful. This was 2005 when I had no exits under my belt, no blogs … nobody was looking. It was very widely read. It should be: Local; Right-sized; and. Startup-focused.

Venture Capital 299

Venture Capital Startup Los Angeles GRP Partners 299

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 22, 2009

I myself recently covered the topic when I spoke about why GRP Partners invested in Ad.ly. GRP Partners invested in GoTo.com which rebranded as Overture. Think about this – bands and stars helped bring people by the millions to MySpace. This debate is awfully familiar - This debate is so familiar to me.

Advertising 277

Advertising Technical Review GRP Partners Google 277

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 8, 2010

I’m going to save that for a future blog post. Alan was “over the top” helpful and engaged in making sure we were all talking / meeting each other and having a great time [he literally walks people around and makes sure they’re meeting other people]. My action item – I will soon announce the GRP Partners CEO Summit.

Startup 279

Startup Venture Capital Tips Custom Development 279

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

I had one of the biggest mental breakthroughs about what I want to do differently at GRP Partners in 2013. The number of times I’ve had people come to me and say they want to blog more. They often need teams of people to help them Plan how to turn their ideas into realities. I don’t want to be on autopilot.

Venture Capital 400

Venture Capital Conference Ideas Entrepreneur 400

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2013

I’m very excited to be finally be able to announce that this week we’ve added Sam Rosen to our ranks at GRP Partners in the role of entrepreneurs-in-residence – EIR. I became aware of Sam several years ago as I started noticing his name repeated in the comments section of my blog. Come to partner meetings.

Startup 372

Startup Course Ideas Invest 372

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2010

Since I answer this all the time anyway I thought it might make an interesting blog post. I’m not saying I don’t spend time trying to help entrepreneurs that I am not planning to invest it – anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I do. So I spend much time with them and trying to help. Maybe 10-15%.

Venture Capital 312

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Entrepreneur 312

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 21, 2014

Stuart Lander has joined Upfront Ventures to help us run operations. And the fact that we’ve all worked for a decade with Dana Kibler who is our long-time CFO and now helping run Investment Operations & Platform Services we have a truly senior & killer internal team. We have worked together ever since. Back together.

CTO Hire 320

CTO Hire Startup CTO Coach Venture Capital 320

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 5, 2010

I’m a huge supporter of his initiative to help end this practice. I suppose I should keep it to myself but I guess Jason will be helping to hype up all the companies anyways. My personal favorite and best fit for GRP Partners was Thumbtack. It also attracted some big names from the Bay Area.

Angel 254

Angel Technical Review Software Review Platform 254

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

Kathy Sierra at Business of Software 2009 - Business of Software Blog , May 4, 2010 "In the old days, getting customers was easy. Bending over: How to sell to large companies - A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks , May 24, 2010 This is a guest post by Steve Hanov , who blogs about programming and startups. Stay Tuned.

Startup 248

Startup Venture Capital Conference Social Media 248

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

I was reading Chris Dixon’s blog tonight. I came across this blog post about getting a computer science degree as the best degree for getting into venture capital or working at a VC-backed start up. I just completed an exercise where I went out to hire a new associate for my VC firm, GRP Partners.

Startup 337

Startup Venture Capital Study Course 337

SoCal Delicious

AUGUST 23, 2010

The CitizenNet platform helps you measure, analyze, and automate social media marketing and engagement. Mark Suster – GRP Partners Mark joined GRP Partners in 2007 after having worked with GRP for nearly 8 years as a two-time entrepreneur. He blogs here and tweets here.

Guide 42

Guide Startup Mahalo GRP Partners 42

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 16, 2013

Previously known as GRP Partners, Upfront Ventures has focused on early stage investments since 1996. Fun Fact: One of the most prominent figures from their firm, Mark Suster t, runs a blog startups follow religiously. Every small business needs a resource for logistical advise, be it legal, financial, or operations.

Startup 111

Startup Snapchat Venice Social Media 111

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 28, 2012

If u see an article or write a blog post, email us or leave a comment below with a link to your story and we’ll add it in. Abbot Kinney Venice Blog: The New West Coast Digital & Creative Hubs: Venice and Santa Monica. . & #celebrity to pull off anything! RT @urlgrl @DigitalLA had an amazing time at #SBF. Geeks Unite.

Hollywood 67

Hollywood Technical Review Startup Rustic Canyon 67

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

SoCal Delicious

MARCH 1, 2010

Mark Suster, a partner at GRP Partners in Los Angeles, spoke with Fastcompany.com about what makes L.A.s About Us Advertise Articles by Topic FAQ FC Expert Blogs Events Subscribe Manage Subscriptions Privacy Terms of Service Contact Us Multimedia About Company of Friends Copyright © 2010 Mansueto Ventures LLC.

Los Angeles 50

Los Angeles Company Companies Angel 50

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

Who’s going to help you with improving your marketing / positioning to become a clear platform category leader like Twilio? I know it’s not single-handed as he has both fantastic partners at Foundry Group and many other community leaders. There’s you and your killer CTO co-founder. Are you going to do all of this?

Venture Capital 317

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Press 317

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 1, 2010

But when I’m looking to invest the dollars that my Limited Partners have entrusted my firm with I’m going with my view. It’s the view that I back great entrepreneurs and help them pursue their dreams no matter what. GRP Partners had also funded my first company. So what is the “entrepreneur thesis?”

Entrepreneur 321

Entrepreneur GRP Partners Venture Capital Invest 321

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 10, 2011

Today I’m announcing that GRP Partners is doubling down on the Twitter ecosystem by investing in DataSift , a company who provides a real-time data platform and tools to third-party developers and corporations. You’re simply an @message away from my reaching out and asking for your help in putting pressure on our local congressman.

Platform 307

Platform News Startup Invest 307