Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

We all like to think of startups as “non hierarchic&# organizations and to some extent that should be true. I never built a Google-sized business but I did build an organization from scratch that grew to 120 employees in 5 countries before we sold it. I’m not a big believer in too much hierarchy.

Startup 308

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SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 5, 2009

We are not “finders” and usually serve the role of advisor and attorney. Sometimes we draft business plans and coach the entrepreneurs on their pitch, and sometimes we even help develop a business model. Los Angeles is a great place for startups. We occasionally get involved with very early stage startups.

Startup 150

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Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 16, 2015

In practice it can be a fine line between sparring partner / coach and stepping over the line to brute-force persuasion. The way we dealt with this issue is that we took each senior exec in the company (including the CFO and the CTO) and assigned them to important accounts. The organization gets used to it and adjusts.

Startup 150

Startup Sales CTO Coach Course 150

SoCal CTO

OCTOBER 1, 2008

Then the organizer went into a 20 minute sales pitch around his new training/coaching offering. At the end, he said that going forward the focus of the group would be around his commercial offering and that the only value that an organizer and participants get is when they can pitch their stuff to the group.

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socalTECH

JANUARY 25, 2016

I started as a teenager, and I did babysitting, life guarding, and swim coaching. So, we moved forward from there, and organically grew, creating a boutique agency. We've had a lot of advisors along the way, in the financial and technology realm, which has helped us with everything.

Demand 100

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Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

You’re sales person is getting blocked by the CTO who says she shouldn’t go above him but the CTO isn’t approving the deal. Yes, I know it’s my job as the CEO to be the coach for people and that’s fine. Should she take a chance and potentially ruffle feathers? Entrepreneurs have a way of doing that.

Entrepreneur 414

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Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2013

He has grown our US operations from 1 employee (him) to a global organization of 75 employees that will finish the year with 8-digit revenues (90+% recurring) and more than 350% year-over-year growth. So naturally we’re pushing for him to drop critical information when their paths cross organically. Rob is driven to learn.

Tips 365

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