Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

For example, many investors I know tell me they look for business plans that allocate the largest portion of a requested investment to marketing, but most often see the top “ use of funds ” to be further product or service development. Of course, you can’t possibly brand yourself if you don’t know who you really are.

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Marketing Customer Custom Outsource Development 133

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day. It’s why most investors proclaim that they invest in people, more than the idea. Tackling most of the support tasks yourself.

Search Engine Optimization 103

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 103

socalTECH

DECEMBER 22, 2016

Today, we have Cody Simms , Executive Director of Techstars (www.techstars.org), which has been very active this year in the startup accelerator and mentoring area. You'll be able to see all the many 2016 reflections here as they are posted. What was the biggest news from you or your firm this year?

Southern California 100

Southern California Snapchat Yahoo Social Media 100

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

So Tracy began keeping a blog about … (what else?) She became an authority on the topic and her blog helped her to both elevate her status in her industry as well as to bring great link juice to her website and improve her SEO. If you haven’t read my blog posts on why Tracy chose the right strategy it’s worth a read.

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Startup Entrepreneur SEO Venture Capital 363

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2014

In that sense, you should think of an advisor more like your mentor who has done all he can. A good mentor will have some knowledge and some perspective on almost every business subject, which compounds their effectiveness. business entrepreneur mentor startup' Advisors tell you what you need to hear. You always need the friend.

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Mentor Coach Tips Entrepreneur 104

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2014

Everybody has a blog these days and there is much advice to be had. Many startups now go through accelerators and have mentors passing through each day with advice – usually it’s conflicting. On investment strategies I have “ Deflationary Economics ” 6. What is a founder to do?

Startup 407

Startup Framework CTO Coach Sales 407

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 18, 2017

Recently the firms two founding partners (and also Managing Partners) —  Fred Wilson and Brad Burnham  — decided to transition management of the firm to Andy Weissman (who joined in 2012) and Albert Wenger (joined in 2008 and writes one of the most thoughtful blogs in our industry ). Lindel Eakman led the discussion with Fred and Andy.

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Venture Capital Funding Capital Startup 161

Xconomy

OCTOBER 10, 2017

In mid-October, eleven college students will be flying to California for an opportunity that would be the envy of any Ivy League MBA candidate—they’ll meet the venture capital firm partners who will personally mentor them throughout the school year. Only about one percent of investment professionals at VC firms are black, according to.

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Venture Capital Statistics Mentor Invest 67

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2020

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day. It’s why most investors proclaim that they invest in people, more than the idea. Tackling most of the support tasks yourself.

Search Engine Optimization 124

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 124

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

Brad on blogging. How did you start blogging? “My My initial desire to blog came from something that’s always been my approach to investing – I’m a nerd and I love to play with the technology and part of my approach has really been to understand things both at a user level and at a reasonably deep tentacle level.

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Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Software Review 288

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 10, 2010

Ask me something very narrow that I can answer without typing a whole blog post length response. If I AM an investor, mentor, friend or advisor I accept the email being longer. Fred Wilson nailed this in his “double opt in&# blog post. But you hate email!?! More work for me – sure.

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Help Email Mentor Blogging 332

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

It's like WordPress, but instead of blogging, it provides an online community, which is self-hosted. We have some great mentors now. Thanks to TechStars, we've got an awesome mentor who's co-habitating with us now, and we're learning something daily from him. SocialEngine is a white-label, community platform. READ MORE>>.

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Startup CTO Coach Blogging Social Media 242

InfoChachkie

APRIL 25, 2011

Although many are entertaining, most fail to provide entrepreneurs with a sufficient return on their time investment. It has also influenced my thoughts, as evidenced by the six infoChachkie blog entries which reference Art. The second most referenced author on my blog, after Kawasaki, is Robert Cialdini, co-author of Yes!

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Technical Review Blogging Class Entrepreneur 279

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

There are lots of resources available for the challenge of that activity, including the Internet and mentors like me. I suggest you use social media, blogging, crowdfunding, or documented research to quantify a real demand from people who can afford it, and don’t have a better alternative already out there.

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Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Xconomy

OCTOBER 31, 2017

People are building mentoring networks. But women in the industry aren’t optimistic about big changes coming soon, according to a new report and survey from digital healthcare investment firm Rock Health. To close the healthcare and life sciences gender gap, there have been programs to move women into the boardroom.

Equity 49

Equity Mentor Report Mobile 49

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 17, 2019

I don’t feel like canceling LinkedIn just because occasionally a well-meaning but slightly not-clued-in person from a faraway place wants me to be their personal mentor, answer 3-questions for their high-school entrepreneurship project or take a sales pitch for their recruiting services. By the way, I don’t spell check my blog posts either.

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Email Writing Conference Mobile 250

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. Mostly I’m Blogging for the Hell of It, Not Blogging to Stay Relevant.

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Blogging Writing Email Startup 150

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2019

Pick your niche, and continually invest in improving your expertise and keeping up with trends. Use blogging, outside publication, and speaking or mentoring opportunities to establish credibility and stand out above peers. Build relationships to attract future business or roles.

Startup 98

Startup Outsource Development Competition Social Media 98

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 25, 2013

Most top tier VCs return about 3x invested capital and outlier funds (the best of a vintage) might return 6-8x. But the larger funds usually have lower returns because they are often investing bigger dollars at later stages with less risk and therefore lower returns. That would mean 6 firms drive $24.5 billion in returns. Yeah, true.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 8, 2013

Well, besides it being founded by infamous tech start-up icon Dave McClure, in just 3 years 500 Startups has invested $50 million in more than 500 startups in the past few years. Entrepreneurs and mentors travel from various parts around the world to take part in the 500 Startups accelerator program.

Startup 86

Startup CTO Coach Mentor Class 86

socalTECH

JUNE 1, 2012

The big thing for us has been those connections to investors and mentors. The feedback, mentors, and connections are amazing. From the companies around us and others we've seen, the one thing I'd always tell them, is that it's easy to not focus on the product, and just focus on earning an investment, but you have to do both.

CTO Coach 223

CTO Coach Startup Mobile Artificial Inteligence 223

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

I admit that I haven’t yet read it but I’ve had numerous discussions with Brad over the years about board structure & conduct and consider him a mentor on the topic. As we have invested millions in building out our sales organization efficiency really matters. In the Early Days.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 18, 2015

There’s too much PR and too many tech blogs and too many newsletters and aggregators and Twitter summarizers to even try to catch everything that’s going on and equally there’s so much noise that it becomes harder to be heard. .” I still plan to keep more normal pace of investment which is 1-2 deals per year.

Software Review 150

Software Review Startup Venture Capital Invest 150

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day. It’s why most investors proclaim that they invest in people, more than the idea. Tackling most of the support tasks yourself.

Startup 89

Startup Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 89

InfoChachkie

JULY 21, 2016

A number of my UC Santa Barbara entrepreneurial students initially model their investment pitches on the show's contrived format. I am not alone in my opinion that Shark Tank is not representative of real-world tech investing. You can also check out my hands-on startup advice blog HERE. According to David S. Share and Enjoy.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Entertainment Technical Review Ideas 100

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 9, 2012

Through one lens, it looks like a way for aspiring twenty-somethings to raise capital and find mentors that can help them pursue their dreams”. The backers invest in the Upstart who in turn shares his or her income for 10 years.This allows them to pursue their dreams with guidance from backers who believe in their aspirations.

Startup 61

Startup Google Mentor Capital 61

socalTECH

AUGUST 28, 2017

I'd see these wedding blogs, but I thought, there has got to be more. He and I connected, and walked through PartySlate and what we were doing, and he immediately said he wanted to invest and become an advisor to the company. Being a digital person, I kept looking online for new ideas.

Technical Advisors 100

Technical Advisors Technical Review Metrics Startup 100

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day. It’s why most investors proclaim that they invest in people, more than the idea. Tackling most of the support tasks yourself.

Startup 108

Startup Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 108

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 8, 2011

I began our discussion by asking Brad what motivated him to co-author Venture Deals , rather than continuing to share venture capitalists’ secrets via his Ask The VC blog. At one level it’s a terrible return on time investment, but on another level, it’s a really positive one. Writing a book is very different from writing a blog.

Venture Capital 224

Venture Capital Writing Entrepreneur Blogging 224

Xconomy

JUNE 22, 2016

Radicle, which takes its name from the botany term for the part of a plant embryo that develops into the primary root, was founded by a mix of agricultural investment and industry heavyweights. Before making an investment, Radicle says it screens technologies and can quickly vet and validate technologies through its farm connections.

Funding 68

Funding Research San Diego Incubator 68

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2013

Jonathan Strauss took this issue head on in a blog post that I believe every startup founder should read on “ Replacing Oneself as CEO.” I know because I marked the occasion with a blog post on how to have a great VC meeting. I have a very public seed stage investment policy and awe.sm So give up the CEO role?

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Startup Technical Review Product Blogging 303

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

Here are some of the key new rules I have learned by starting my own company, investing as an angel in other startups and mentoring many more new entrepreneurs over the last few years: Do incorporate a company, but keep it simple. Site marketing is easily extended through blogs, Twitter, Facebook and social media.

Startup 108

Startup Search Engine Optimization Social Media Outsource Development 108

Tech Coast Venture Network

APRIL 22, 2010

Virgina Lorimor There are several options for financing a start-up business that tend to follow a natural course in a business’ development: Personal Investment. Understand how to value you company (more to come in a future blog!) Remember, help is only a mentor away. This is where all entrepreneurs have to start.

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Startup Tech Coast Angels TCVN Incubator 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2014

Travel to key groups and participation in worthy causes, such as Habitats For Humanity, are an important marketing investment. Mentoring and shared advisory board opportunities. As an entrepreneur, you are the brand, so your visibility is as important as your product or service. Business development and strategic partners.

Startup 100

Startup Tips Mentor Conference 100

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. Abrams, Jim Wiatt, and Zach James have presented at Amplify’s Wednesday evening mentor events.

Startup 111

Startup Snapchat Venice Social Media 111

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2014

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cashflow personally every day. It’s why most investors proclaim that they invest in people, more than the idea. Tackling most of the support tasks yourself.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 105

Xconomy

OCTOBER 30, 2016

In the Bay Area, Roudi said about 180 companies pay Plug and Play an annual fee to get an inside track on incubating startups, and in some cases could be making investments in San Diego companies as well. It’s a place where we’re going to put 250 like-minded people, where I can mentor him, you can mentor me,” Cohen said.

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San Diego Incubator Avalon Mentor 40