Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 3, 2009

This is part of my ongoing Raising Venture Capital (VC) series. So I thought I’d try to lay out a framework for how you should think about it as many you will inevitably be faced with this experience. But the venture guys don’t make the calls on what the product / business guys do.

Venture Capital 279

Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur Framework 279

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2019

The bad news is that it’s still a jungle fight for survival for entrepreneurs of all ages and demographics, with over 80 percent not having access to bank loans or venture capital. Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. The jungle framework is a great one to set the right perspective.

Startup 94

Startup News Framework Outsource 94

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 17, 2011

I thought I’d try to offer a framework for thinking about the topic. So here’s my framework. For many businesses you should keep your costs low & your capital raises low until you discover whether you are really on to a big idea where there is market demand. Sometimes this pays off, other times it doesn’t.

Help 303

Help Startup Competition Framework 303

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 4, 2010

The framework of his book has profoundly altered how I think about the technology market and affects how I thought about building my businesses and how I think about investing in venture capital. In fact, the incumbent is usually very dismissive of this new competition as our the large buyers of the incumbent’s products.

Startup 376

Startup Framework Marketing Customer 376

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 1, 2015

*. What is the role of a VC for entrepreneurs? I suppose it can be different for every founder and for different VCs but I’d like to offer you some context on what I think it is and it isn’t. Consultants should provide you data & frameworks – not decisions. In my view the best VCs are merely your guides.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Course Guide Entrepreneur 150

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 22, 2011

When this first ran on TechCrunch I got the greatest comment in the world that I had to repeat here, “VC’s are like martinis: the first is good, the second one great, and the third is a headache.&# I understand the appeal of having many VC firms on your cap table. I love that. And it’s kind of true. But it happens.

Venture Capital 314

Venture Capital Startup Invest Pricing 314

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 3, 2015

I am often asked how we make decisions on investments at Upfront Ventures. Every VC firm works differently but when asked about our process I always reply the same way, We’re a “high conviction” shop. Great leaders are rare and competition for capital, people, press and customers can be brutal.

Startup 150

Startup Venture Capital Invest Framework 150

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 17, 2017

My goal is to lay out a basic framework for anybody unsure whom to listen to as a way of helping you think about a way to orient your own views. This market structure in which the few, large players use their market position to eliminate competition is inevitable. It’s Hobbesian economics 101. Enter the decentralized Internet.

Course 280

Course Startup Framework Marketing 280