Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2017

This may seem intuitively obvious, but as an angel investor, I have heard hundreds of new business pitches that focus heavily on the product, but don’t tell the rest of the story. She speaks from years of experience coaching entrepreneurs and executives on the magic of a story. Temper your emotion with data.

Social Media 58

Social Media Coach Invest Media 58

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2013

Growth like this, this early in a company’s lifecycle rarely happens. Partly out of the fact that in 1 week I depart for England to speak at LeWeb, attend our DataSift board meeting and generally make myself available to the DataSift team to meet their customers, partners and employees. Send Text messaging for rapid responses.

Tips 365

Tips Email Venture Capital CTO Coach 365

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2015

Written mission statements and a passionate quarterly pitch to the team is not enough. Demonstrate a consistent set of personal values and priorities. Customize your organizational structure based on individuals' strengths. Technology can be used to facilitate customer support and sales, as well as enhance your product.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Training 102

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 28, 2012

When is it appropriate for a VC to call your customers? Having been on both sides of this sensitive topic, the following is my personal advice. I have seen some entrepreneurs go into first meetings willing to share almost anything about their company. I personally believe it is appropriate to say. The First Meeting.

Technical Review 316

Technical Review Venture Capital Custom Customer 316

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 25, 2013

They know her personally and know she cares about her constituencies even if she has to make tough trade-offs from time-to-time. You invest across many funds just as VCs invest across many companies. Let’s look at some great companies. And Coach Campbell. But VC is like congress. Because they know him or her.

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Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2017

Others schedule long and exhaustive practice and coaching sessions for everyone on the team, including showcase customers, to make sure that everyone tells the most positive and consistent story. Update reference customers, partners, and vendors.

Invest 59

Invest Startup Doc Slides 59

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 28, 2010

Years ago I was working in England and I worked for a very big company – Accenture. Anyway, I spent the first part of my career consulting for large companies. So we launched a global initiative to come up with our own unique strategy based on our years of strategy experience in advising (but never running) companies.

Startup 378

Startup Framework Slides Coach 378

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 19, 2011

And a key point is that when it comes down to “negotiations&# you need to turn up your personal heat and dial back the middle man. One thing I learned from the book is that real estate agents always sell their personal property at higher relative prices than their clients’ properties. They want to place this person.

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Pricing Startup Outsource 319

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 9, 2009

For this morning's interview, we thought we'd try something different, and put together a virtual panel of venture capitalists to give us a few tips on pitching your company. Let's start, and why don't you tell us what you are looking for in a pitch? Hi guys, thanks for getting together. We're really excited about 2009.

Tech Coast Angels 100

Tech Coast Angels Ideas Entrepreneur Invest 100

Tech Coast Venture Network

MARCH 9, 2011

. “While most angel groups don’t post a list of members, they do publicize the companies they’ve funded on their websites,” says Richard Sudek, a member of Tech Coast Angels , a group in southern California whose members invested about $6.2 Let investors help you refine your pitch. million in 2010. Be coachable.

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Tips Capital Tech Coast Angels Screening 100

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Frugality was missing-in-action at many bubble-era Dot Bomb companies. In many cases, these companies were led by untested and unproven entrepreneurs who did not understand the importance of frugality. Along with Selling (see Be Like Sam ) and Networking (see Making Stone Soup and Personal Pitch ), negotiating is a vital startup skill.

Startup 221

Startup Pricing Entrepreneur Email 221

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

This is an updated post from my ongoing series on Startup Advice that I learned from founding two companies. . It is never as rewarding when you’re the coach (but coaching has many other benefits. Last year I lost a deal in a company that I wanted to invest in and that I thought I should have won. I HATE LOSING.

Outsource Development 333

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 333

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

This is an updated post from my ongoing series on Startup Advice that I learned from founding two companies. . It is never as rewarding when you’re the coach (but coaching has many other benefits. Last year I lost a deal in a company that I wanted to invest in and that I thought I should have won. I HATE LOSING.

Outsource Development 328

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 328

InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 24, 2011

Seth attended UCSB but dropped out to start a denim company. . Without their buy in, we don’t get the opportunity to interact with end customers. 6) Y our Company’s success squarely resides on consumers’ willingness to trade personal data for enhanced services and discounts. It drives revenue & engages guests."

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Startup Design Mobile Social Network 233

Jason Nazar

APRIL 2, 2016

Balance “Coaching and Cheerleading” vs. “Doing and Directing” (via Bob Walters ). Have mastered the investor pitch process. Product / Customer Evangelist. Product / Customer Evangelist. Regularly talk with customers to see what can be improved. Know when to set unrealistic goals. They first sell themself.

Entrepreneur 46

Entrepreneur Tips Organization Sales 46

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series on Start-up Lessons that I learned from founding two companies. It is never as rewarding when you’re the coach (but coaching has many other benefits ;-). In the 2003/04 timefame I was living in the UK and running my first company. I HATE LOSING. I hate it. It chaps my hide.

Startup 151

Startup Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review 151

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2012

All the experts these days are talking about the increasing need for customer focus and maximizing sales. Typically entrepreneurs and even professional sales people think this means more emphasis on the customer selling process, when in fact it really means spending more time understanding the customer buying process (view from the customer).

Sales 96

Sales Custom Customer Competition 96

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2011

All the experts these days are talking about the increasing need for customer focus and maximizing sales. Typically entrepreneurs and even professional sales people think this means more emphasis on the customer selling process, when in fact it means spending more time understanding the customer buying process (view from the customer).

Sales 93

Sales Custom Customer Competition 93

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2012

I’ve raised money as a “hot company” and I’ve raised capital when no one would return my phone calls. I raised money as an entrepreneur, like you, in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005 for two different companies. Spend time researching your buyers and not just pitching them. Meet in person.

Develop 366

Develop Development Funding Venture Capital 366