Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

Picking a VC is hard. So I thought I’d write about out with what I would look for in a VC knowing what I know now and why. Most VCs are book smart. VCs should be more of a coach than proscriptively telling you what to do. You want a VC who will spar with you but then STFU and let you get on with things.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

Berkonomics

AUGUST 3, 2023

The subject of raising money is critical to many businesses and a passing option to others, depending upon the capital efficiency of the enterprise. But few businesses grow into the sweet spot of $20 million to $30 million in worth to an ultimate buyer without the injection of outside capital.

Venture Capital 295

Venture Capital Startup Class Invest 295

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

Los Angeles-based The Skills , a new startup offering up subscription-based "life lessons" from celebrity athletes, launched today, saying that it is backed by Maveron, Global Founders Capital, and 8VC. The company was founded by CEO Omer Atesman. Access to the content costs from $69 to $149 a year.

Coach 113

Coach Startup Content Los Angeles 113

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

I was having dinner with a friend last night and we were chatting about venture capital and a bit about what I’ve learned. Today we’re in a world where 10 accelerators are bombarding you with emails to meet their 10-15 companies. Products that ship late and place entire companies under serious stress.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Invest Press Startup 374

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 3, 2016

In the VC insider baseball world a discussion has gone on about “VC platforms” over the past 5 or so years. While firms define platforms differently, let’s just say they are the services that a VC offers outside of investment capital and partner time on boards or providing intros.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Platform Startup Resource 150

Berkonomics

MARCH 28, 2024

Even venture capitalists who sit on boards where they have significant investments often forget this point. They write in their investment documents that they will occupy a seat on the board for as long as they are invested in the company, thinking of this as a protection for their investment and tool for them to influence growth.

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Class Coach Invest Sales 282

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

We have significant VC commitments (listed below) – every entering company will get $50,000 in funding, mentorship from top VCs and successful entrepreneurs plus free office space. For any company interested in applying please visit the website. To show these companies that they can remain in LA.

Venture Capital 287

Venture Capital Funding Startup GRP Partners 287

socalTECH

JANUARY 29, 2020

Los Angeles-based Crosscut Ventures m, one of Southern California's most active seed stage venture capital investment firms, has launched a new effort to tackle the mental health and well being of founders, the firm said this week. READ MORE>>

Southern California 100

Southern California Coach Venture Capital Los Angeles 100

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2011

If you read this blog often you'll know that I'm a huge fan of First Round Capital. They have totally changed the way you run a VC firm, investing heavily in systems & events for their founders that are pushing the boundaries of the way our industry works. I'm a huge fan of this innovation. and Half.com. Investing Strategy.

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Capital Venture Capital Technical Review Startup 284

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

When I was new at Venture Capital I was trying to figure out the business. As a VC you want to feel like you have “proprietary sources” of deal flow. Because entrepreneurs often went to lawyers at their earliest stages to get their company registration done. What kind of deals should I be doing? What stage?

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Venture Capital Startup Pricing Invest 347

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 29, 2021

. “There was an abandoned vehicle parked there and the station was surrounded by mud,” said Terry who is CEO and co-founded the company with Evette Ellis. The company said it has raised $2.75 million from investors Trucks VC, Kapor Capital, JFF, Energy Impact Partners and The Fund. Hiring approach.

Incubator 287

Incubator Outsource Development Los Angeles Startup 287

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

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 2012

But honestly there are times when being a VC can feel like that, too. And it got me thinking about all of the people like him behind the scenes who never get recognized for their significant contributions to the success of companies. And speaking of coaching, if you haven’t read Googled by Ken Auletta you should.

Startup 363

Startup Venture Capital Coach Press 363

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

My primary role was “chief psychologist&# and as I’ve learned over the past few years the same has been true as a VC. He says it basically comes down to three key functions: Sets the overall vision and strategy of the company and communicates it to all stakeholders. Selling the company. Hiring & Firing the CEO.

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Venture Capital Startup Sales Customer 319

TechCrunch LA

MAY 29, 2019

The company raised $46 million last year—its first year operating—with the vision that owning the infrastructure for competitions and expanding it to encompass other social elements of gaming can make it the largest gaming company in the world. And I was on the founding team of a car rental company called Executive Rental Car.

Startup 204

Startup Coach Competition Los Angeles 204

Berkonomics

JUNE 8, 2017

The subject of raising money is critical to many businesses and a passing option to others, depending upon the capital efficiency of the enterprise. But few businesses grow into the sweet spot of $20 million to $30 million in worth to an ultimate buyer without the injection of outside capital.

Venture Capital 266

Venture Capital Class Invest Equity 266

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 25, 2013

But VC is like congress. “I don’t know the exact math, but I hear it again and again: the top 2% of firms generate 98% of the returns in venture capital.” As you can see from the chart their data suggests there are about $25 billion of VC distributions per year in the US. Their data looks at tech VCs.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 10, 2021

I mostly talk about startups, technology & venture capital. It’s amazing what mental coaching can do for a workout. “A And sometimes I need the focus on my form of “Coach Matt.” With no platform to really help me with “food coaching” I had to be this coach for myself. Will Porteous from RRE Ventures?—?and

Coach 538

Coach Startup Guide Journal 538

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

Investment experience (5 years a VC at Battery Ventures). Helped merge company with Seedling – on track to do $20 million combined revenue in 2015 – will now become Chairman). She is a coach and mentor to team members. Upfront Ventures VC Industry'

Venture Capital 408

Venture Capital Startup Outsource Development CitySearch 408

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

Los Angeles- and Nashville-based Clovers, a developer of interviewing and recruiting software, has raised $15M in a funding round, the company said this week. According to Clovers, the funding was led by Greycroft and Alpha Edison, and also included Crosslink Capital, Acadian Ventures, Fika Ventures and Act One Ventures.

Cornerstone OnDemand 124

Cornerstone OnDemand Software Coach Los Angeles 124

Xconomy

APRIL 17, 2017

Since then, TakeLessons has raised a total of $20 million in venture capital, and expanded into new markets and services. The company’s last VC round in early 2014 raised $7 million. Now TakeLessons has completed another acquisition, buying Chromatik, a Santa Monica, CA-based provider of digital sheet music.

Venture Capital 59

Venture Capital Santa Monica San Diego Coach 59

socalTECH

APRIL 4, 2013

That''s what Los Angeles-based FieldLevel (www.fieldlevel.com) has been working on, making it easier for coaches to network and exchange information on athletes. We spoke with co-founder Brenton Sullivan about the company''s platform, and how it''s hoping to transform the athletic recruiting process. How''d you start the company?

Coach 252

Coach USC Statistics Startup 252

Berkonomics

APRIL 28, 2012

Something like a marriage (and often lasting just as long statistically), your investment partner can be a great cheerleader, coach and resource. But the moment things turn sour, including missed plans, some investors on company boards go into a predictable mode of dictating terms for emergency loans or additional investment.

Coach 174

Coach Venture Capital Statistics News 174

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2014

I had witnessed a number of early-stage tech startups in LA raise seed capital from the Bay Area and relocate. Companies were getting funded more easily and many more companies were actually being created. Throughout all of these years I was a full-time VC so Launchpad really came out of evenings and weekends for me.

Venture Capital 290

Venture Capital Startup Idealab Funding 290

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2021

The company says the $8M, Series A funding round came from Nexus and Blume. The company's service runs on iOS and Android devices. Los Angeles-based Ultrahuman, a startup developing an app focused on meditation, workouts, and sleep, said Wednesday that it has launched its first product, backed by $8M in funding.

Funding 113

Funding Coach Los Angeles Platform 113

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2019

With Startup Boost, we had dozens of investors, service providers, successful entrepreneurs, and major industry leaders (including Microsoft, Google, Softbank, REME, and TechStars) coalesce around our initiative to help early stage companies get to the next level. Yet they turned-out each and every week of our six-week programs.

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Software Review Startup Coach 157

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 12, 2012

Board skills (Startup coaching, mentoring, strategy, operational/growth). But none of them are substitutes for having started and run a company. So I wanted to distinguish running the company from the other jobs at a startup.”. He was worse than useless as his frame of reference seldom synced up with my portfolio company.

Venture Capital 239

Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur SaaS 239

socalTECH

AUGUST 10, 2012

At a recent accelerator event on the West Side, a friendly young founder told me that he had been coached by his mentor not to talk to Angel groups. But as a community, we have to figure out how Angels can effectively participate in the development of accelerator-based companies. The Angel funding process can be arduous.

Angel 174

Angel Southern California Pasadena Angels Coach 174

socalTECH

AUGUST 16, 2021

San Diego-based sales and marketing software developer Seismic has raised $170M in a Series G funding round, the company said this morning, and is now valued at $3 billion. The Series G round was led by Permira and also included JMI Equity, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Jackson Square Ventures, Ameriprise, and funds and accounts advised by T.

San Diego 113

San Diego Coach Sales Training 113

Tech Coast Venture Network

MARCH 9, 2011

Last year, venture capitalists and angels who co-invested with them placed $7 billion into seed and early-stage deals, an 11 percent increase from 2009, according to the most recent PricewaterhouseCoopers/National Venture Capital Association MoneyTree report. “Most have a strong desire to mentor and help build companies.”

Tips 100

Tips Capital Tech Coast Angels Screening 100

socalTECH

OCTOBER 11, 2016

The startup combines whole genome sequencing and other diagnostic tests, along with data analysis software, and provides counselor-driven, health coaching services aimed at long-term health and wellness of its clients.

Los Angeles 100

Los Angeles Angel CalTech Coach 100

Xconomy

OCTOBER 23, 2017

At the American Trucking Association Management Conference in Orlando, FL, this week, San Diego’s SmartDrive Systems announced that Michelin North America has led a new investment round in the company, though SmartDrive wouldn’t say how much it has raised.

Technology 49

Technology Capital Coach Conference 49

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 29, 2011

Yesterday I wrote Part 1 of the series on the changes to the software industry over the past decade that has led to changes in the venture capital industry itself. These trends have put pressure on traditional VCs. So VCs spent a couple of years experimenting with earlier-stage investing, which is OK. Funny, that.

Venture Capital 296

Venture Capital Capital Software Startup 296

Tech.Co

JUNE 14, 2024

With 42% of US companies currently owned by females, the business landscape has become a lot more equitable in recent decades. of venture capital funding in 2023. Yet, despite major strides being made by women in business, entrepreneurship is still very much a man’s game, with all-female start-ups receiving only 1.9%

Newsletter 79

Newsletter Entrepreneur News Design 79

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 18, 2010

We will be selecting 10 startup companies to participate. When I kicked off Launchpad LA a year ago I had a few objectives: Create an ecosystem where all Southern California VC’s had the chance to work together more actively outside of the boards on which we mutually sit. The companies are listed on the website.

Technical Review 259

Technical Review Venture Capital Southern California Tech Coast Angels 259

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 27, 2013

” If your company was featured there (in the early days of what people called Web 2.0) But the obvious thing dawned on many people – the early-adopter, tech-obsessed readers of TechCrunch at the time were not necessarily the typical users of many company’s products. Frankly, every VC’s, too.

Blogging 309

Blogging Journal Press Startup 309

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 23, 2015

One of the questions we discussed is, “How much capital should a startup raise?” ” Fred & I are both in agreement that there is a tension between capital constraints and creativity. So part of playing an effective coach is helping the team to see the answer for themselves. That always stuck with me.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Startup Writing Blogging 150