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Ryan Blair, HashtagOne: From Gang Member, To Entrepreneur, To Anti-VC

socalTECH

He eventually founded and sold consumer health firm ViSalus to a public company and is now back making investments, in technology companies, as a venture capitalist here at Los Angeles-based HashtagOne (www.hashtagone.com). I'm a bit of an anti-VC, as you know. It was really the same business, but with less capital.

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Some Thoughts on Branding Startups and Communities

Both Sides of the Table

And of course a place of idyllic weather, culture and a lifestyle. ” And of course it’s not a true assessment. ZestCash, founded by Douglas Merrill, former CIO of Google [Hollywood]. Think about venture capital. But if you were going to start a venture capital fund today, you’d want to stand out.

Startup 304
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Can You Really Build a Great Tech Firm Outside Silicon Valley?

Both Sides of the Table

Last year I was on Sand Hill Road in Silicon Valley meeting with one of the most prominent venture capital firms in the country. The VC partner, somebody I greatly respect said, “Yeah, we like Gil and what they’re doing. That’s convenience when your VC is hoping to write the next $20 million check.