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. Of course I went through normal other channels of deal flow. It makes it extraordinarily hard to raise the next round of capital. What stage? What price?

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Startup Pricing Invest 347

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. I divided success into the phases of venture capital and 18 months into writing my first check here was my view (details on each in the link above). Sourcing high-quality leads : 9/10. None have exited.

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 speaking of coaching, if you haven’t read Googled by Ken Auletta you should. And in it he profiles the work of Coach Campbell who was once on the boards of both Google & Apple. EXECUTIVE COACHES. VENTURE CAPITAL.

Startup 363

Startup Venture Capital Coach Press 363

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 It’s a form of accountability but of course it’s all just in your own mind. And sometimes I need the focus on my form of “Coach Matt.” But for a few weeks will cover health & fitness.

Coach 538

Coach Startup Guide Journal 538

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 San Diego Santa Monica Coach 59

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

Investment experience (5 years a VC at Battery Ventures). As I like to say (and as Kara humbly hates when I do so in front of others) … she has a much better resume to a venture capital partner than I do. She is a coach and mentor to team members. Upfront Ventures VC Industry'

Venture Capital 408

Venture Capital Startup Outsource Development CitySearch 408

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. Once you’ve been around for a few years, attracted some great people, landed real, paying customers and raised venture capital you’ve likely got a talented team around you.

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Startup Sales Customer 319

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

JUNE 8, 2014

Cincinnati, like many startup communities in the US over the past 5 years, has revitalized important regions in its urban core, created accelerators, built co-working facilities, pooled together angel capital, attracted VCs, involved educational institutions and solicited the help of important corporations in a more cohesive ecosystem.

Startup 390

Startup Venture Capital Capital Funding 390

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2023

It takes more than passion and a course on business basics. There is no standard course for this, but the answers are accessible online, if you know how to search, follow blogs, and interact with the relevant social media groups. Utilize business content curators and coaches. Mix business learning with doing.

Startup 108

Startup Education Entrepreneur Tool 108

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. Throughout all of these years I was a full-time VC so Launchpad really came out of evenings and weekends for me. Adam had a full time startup and then was doing consulting (he later raised a VC fund). And Jamie hers.

Venture Capital 290

Venture Capital Startup Idealab Funding 290

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2012

There is all sorts of advice on the Internet about how to raise capital. Of course much of it is conflicting. I’ve raised money as a “hot company” and I’ve raised capital when no one would return my phone calls. And of course I’ve sat on the other side of the table: As a VC.

Develop 366

Develop Development Funding Venture Capital 366

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 6, 2020

It takes more than passion and a course on business basics. There is no standard course for this, but the answers are accessible online, if you know how to search, follow blogs, and interact with the relevant social media groups. Utilize business content curators and coaches. Mix business learning with doing.

Entrepreneur 137

Entrepreneur Tips Startup Education 137

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 10, 2013

I made many classic first-time mistakes which serves both as my warning signal of which teams to avoid funding (if I perceive they will make critical mistakes often led by hubris) and also as my source for coaching others. It’s why I believe startup coaches are so important and I wish I know more great ones. Until you know.

Startup 412

Startup Press Course Entrepreneur 412

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 18, 2012

As I’ve written about before, You’d Have to be a Big Baby to Complain about Being a VC. Throughout the course of last year I never had more than $8,000 in my account. . Think about it – most entrepreneurs who manage to raise seed money or venture capital usually raise enough money for 12-18 months maximum.

Blogging 420

Blogging Press Entrepreneur Venture Capital 420

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

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 10, 2014

One of the interesting things about being a VC is that you often see companies in transition. In a VC business when you raise additional capital you need to “level up” and act the round you are. Of course I’m not preaching crazy, irrational spend or having Kid Rock at your next company party.

Startup 381

Startup Resource Venture Capital Activity 381

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 4, 2014

Of course it makes no sense to have great people management and a crappy product. ” Of course we all go into businesses expecting to be aligned with our co-founders but over time life changes. I have seen it first-hand in my VC career many, many times. And, yes, it is politics at its purest. We sat down the three of us.

Startup 340

Startup Technical Review Course Press 340

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. Of course I went through normal other channels of deal flow. There is one source I never liked and no early-stage VC should – investment bankers.

Startup 361

Startup Venture Capital Pricing Technical Review 361

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

When you first start your company and raise initial venture capital your board probably consists of 1-3 founders and 1-2 VCs. Most experienced VCs won’t push you to give up founder control at this stage of the business nor should they. In the Early Days.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 9, 2013

Get board members to help me with things they are uniquely positions to help with – mostly introductions, recruiting or coaching my team members. And of course you must also get your board administration done. should we raise capital now while valuations are strong or wait until next year when we have more traction?

Writing 337

Writing Venture Capital Help SaaS 337

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 19, 2015

Of course that’s true. I felt this myself as we went from a few founders huddled into a tiny room to the front page of the Financial Times, an influx of VC interest, magazine covers, invitations to high-profile events and the pressures of trying to live up to this perception and the economic opportunities everybody expected.

Press 150

Press Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 12, 2015

It takes more than passion and a course on business basics. There is no standard course for this, but the answers are accessible online, if you know how to search, follow blogs, and interact with the relevant social media groups. Utilize business content curators and coaches. Mix business learning with doing.

Entrepreneur 112

Entrepreneur Startup Education Tool 112

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 3, 2011

As many of you know I run a weekly webcast called This Week in VC that’s getting between 25-35,000 weekly views across ThisWeekIn.com, YouTube & mostly iTunes. Sure, of course I am. Why did you raise VC from Polaris & how have they been to work with? Advice, coaching, intros? Gregg says at $9.99

Startup 303

Startup Venture Capital Pricing Writing 303

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 21, 2018

It takes more than passion and a course on business basics. There is no standard course for this, but the answers are accessible online, if you know how to search, follow blogs, and interact with the relevant social media groups. Utilize business content curators and coaches. Mix business learning with doing.

Startup 51

Startup Education Entrepreneur Tool 51

Berkonomics

SEPTEMBER 6, 2010

They can elect directors for their class of stock, approve mergers and acquisitions; approve increases or changes to the capital structure of the company and other more minor actions. Of course they should not. Shareholders such as the investors are granted few rights by law.

Class 179

Class Coach Invest Sales 179

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 27, 2013

Seth is one of the most decent human beings in the venture industry so the rant was off base. But even if a VC is nasty a rant email back isn’t the right way to channel your frustration. ” And of course – the harder you work, the luckier you get. The best revenge for rejection is success.

Startup 371

Startup Press Blogging Entrepreneur 371

Xconomy

AUGUST 23, 2016

In other circumstances the five-day workshop, scheduled this fall at George Washington University in the nation’s capital, might go unnoticed among the sea of executive training programs offered every day. Participants will also be paired with coaches and will network for board seats after the course is over.

Training 40

Training Class Organization Course 40

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2016

It takes more than passion and a course on business basics. There is no standard course for this, but the answers are accessible online, if you know how to search, follow blogs, and interact with the relevant social media groups. Utilize business content curators and coaches. Mix business learning with doing.

Entrepreneur 58

Entrepreneur Startup Education Tool 58

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 25, 2013

in 2008 and 2009, we had at that point righted many of the wrongs in the venture capital industry, but that didn''t mean that entrepreneurship was all of a sudden healthy. In particular, TFI does not provide participating companies with investment capital. In Adeo''s words, ". Nowadays it''s more like, 75,000. And we''ve had.

Entrepreneur 232

Entrepreneur Startup Equity Technical Review 232

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 1, 2016

But of course all of these things are intertwined. We’re a national venture capital investment firm but with our roots firmly in Los Angeles. Obviously you need to be mentally flexible enough to spot if your instincts were wrong and a change of course is necessary. WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get).

Startup 150

Startup Coach Course Invest 150

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

I had a picture in the office of my first company with the logo above and the capital letters JFDI. (In Good entrepreneurs can admit when their course of action was wrong and learn from it. Yes, I know it’s my job as the CEO to be the coach for people and that’s fine. He was stuck on capital raising.

Entrepreneur 414

Entrepreneur Technical Review Slides CTO Coach 414