Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

I was having dinner with a friend last night and we were chatting about venture capital and a bit about what I’ve learned. Of course these are great places to network with other investors, meet great entrepreneurs and keep your connections strong with senior execs at larger companies like Yahoo!, Oh, the conferences.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Invest Press Startup 374

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 3, 2016

In the VC insider baseball world a discussion has gone on about “VC platforms” over the past 5 or so years. While firms define platforms differently, let’s just say they are the services that a VC offers outside of investment capital and partner time on boards or providing intros.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Platform Startup Resource 150

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 20, 2021

There are other social networks in the list of 300 “major sites” recognized by Wikipedia that entrepreneurs use for networking, depending on where you are in the world, like Viadeo, Ryze, and Sina Weibo, but talking to friends on Facebook probably won’t help you. Volunteer to help out with entrepreneur activities at your local university.

Entrepreneur 143

Entrepreneur Social Network Activity Networking 143

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 25, 2009

Beware of VC Seagulls, who shit on you and then fly away (or worse yet leave you with Red Herrings). I write this post as a warning to pick your VC’s carefully. I like to say to first-time entrepreneurs, picking a VC is more permanent than marriage. I guarantee this is a bad VC. There are many great VCs.

Venture Capital 297

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur 297

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. Because entrepreneurs often went to lawyers at their earliest stages to get their company registration done. What kind of deals should I be doing? What stage?

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Startup Pricing Invest 347

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

We have significant VC commitments (listed below) – every entering company will get $50,000 in funding, mentorship from top VCs and successful entrepreneurs plus free office space. Of these 19 have received funding (10 have received significant amounts of VC funding) and 5 have been acquired (2 for more than $30 million).

Venture Capital 287

Venture Capital Funding Startup GRP Partners 287

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 6, 2020

One of the simplest questions I get from aspiring entrepreneurs, and ironically one of the hardest, is “How do I start?” They just aren’t prepared for the life they want, and are really asking me how to learn to be an entrepreneur. Help entrepreneurs with constant learning. Utilize business content curators and coaches.

Entrepreneur 137

Entrepreneur Tips Startup Education 137

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 2012

But honestly there are times when being a VC can feel like that, too. But a couple of people replied with responses of such lack of comprehension that I thought it was worth expanding on for first-time entrepreneurs. And speaking of coaching, if you haven’t read Googled by Ken Auletta you should. EXECUTIVE COACHES.

Startup 363

Startup Venture Capital Coach Press 363

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 25, 2013

After all, I am no stranger to the publicly expressing the frustrations of dealing with the downside of this industry as I wrote about in 2006 when I was an entrepreneur. 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.”

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

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. Some entrepreneurs make the mistake of never devolving power. So you internalize much as a CEO, which is why groups like YPO are so important for super successful entrepreneurs.

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Startup Sales Customer 319

TechCrunch LA

MAY 29, 2019

Eric P: You have a fascinating background as a serial entrepreneur while you were a teenager. Starting at 21, I worked at a venture capital firm called IncWell based in Birmingham, Michigan then joined a startup called Rocket Fiber. Below is the transcript of our conversation (edited for length and clarity) : Founding PlayVS.

Startup 204

Startup Coach Competition Los Angeles 204

Berkonomics

JUNE 8, 2017

However, most often, these funds are solicited by a well-meaning entrepreneur from investors who are not qualified as accredited investors under the law (currently requiring a proved income of $200,000 a year or $1 million in net worth for an individual investor). Dave’s book and ebook on raising money available on Amazon.com.

Venture Capital 266

Venture Capital Class Invest Equity 266

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

socalTECH

OCTOBER 16, 2015

Pasadena-based 17hats , a startup that develops business management software aimed specifically at solo entrepreneurs (solopreneurs), has raised $4M in a Series A funding. The company is targeting such solopreneurs as photographers, developers, interior designers, business coaches, event planners, bookkeepers, consultants and others.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Tool Coach Pasadena 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

There are other social networks in the list of 200 “major sites” recognized by Wikipedia that entrepreneurs use for networking, depending on where you are in the world, like Orkut, Viadeo, and Sina Weibo, but talking to friends on Facebook probably won’t help you. Volunteer to help out with entrepreneur activities at your local university.

Networking 90

Networking Entrepreneur Social Network Activity 90

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2023

One of the simplest questions I get from aspiring entrepreneurs, and ironically one of the hardest, is “How do I start?” They just aren’t prepared for the life they want, and are really asking me how to learn to be an entrepreneur. Help entrepreneurs with constant learning. Utilize business content curators and coaches.

Startup 108

Startup Education Entrepreneur Tool 108

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2022

In my experience as an advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs in business, one of the biggest failures I see is a lack of self-leadership. For example, I often hear from aspiring entrepreneurs that “I had that idea first, and he stole it, and is now making money on my idea.” Leadership in business starts with making good personal choices.

Capital 114

Capital Coach Satisfaction Ideas 114

socalTECH

APRIL 4, 2013

That''s what Los Angeles-based FieldLevel (www.fieldlevel.com) has been working on, making it easier for coaches to network and exchange information on athletes. Brenton Sullivan: What we are is a private social network and platform for coaches to connect with each other, to exchange information on athletes. What is that process?

Coach 252

Coach USC Statistics Startup 252

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

(In case it’s not obvious it’s a play on the Nike slogan, “Just Do It.&# ) I believe that being successful as an entrepreneur requires you to get lots of things done. Entrepreneurs make fast decisions and move forward knowing that at best 70% of their decisions are going to be right. This paralyzes most people.

Entrepreneur 414

Entrepreneur Technical Review Slides CTO Coach 414

Berkonomics

APRIL 28, 2012

This important variation on “money talks” is an important consideration for entrepreneurs when seeking an investment from professionals such as VC’s. Something like a marriage (and often lasting just as long statistically), your investment partner can be a great cheerleader, coach and resource. Email readers, continue here.]

Coach 174

Coach Venture Capital Statistics News 174

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

Clovers said its product uses "conversational intelligence" to provide real-time hiring questions for interviews, offering up what it says are "unbiased" question for interviews, and providing post-interview candidate insights, and post-mortem interviewer coaching.

Cornerstone OnDemand 124

Cornerstone OnDemand Software Coach Los Angeles 124

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

Or if you’re a VC raising from LPs you have to list all of your deals, your investment value, your carrying value, your multiples, your IRRs, TVPIs, DPIs, etc along with net cashflows plus your previous LPAs. So what does a VC do when he or she isn’t ready to say “no” or perhaps might like to talk with you in a year but not now?

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 25, 2013

Adeo Ressi is a serial entrepreneur turned investor and entrepreneur advocate. Adeo Co-Founded the entrepreneur-friendly website The Funded and he is the Founder and CEO of The Founder Institute , whose goal is to create and foster local startup ecosystems across the globe. In Adeo''s words, ".

Entrepreneur 232

Entrepreneur Startup Equity Technical Review 232

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 12, 2015

One of the simplest questions I get from aspiring entrepreneurs, and ironically one of the hardest, is “How do I start?” They just aren’t prepared for the life they want, and are really asking me how to learn to be an entrepreneur. Help entrepreneurs with constant learning. Utilize business content curators and coaches.

Entrepreneur 112

Entrepreneur Startup Education Tool 112

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 18, 2012

It’s what life was like as an entrepreneur. But this is nothing like the stress of being an entrepreneur. As I’ve written about before, You’d Have to be a Big Baby to Complain about Being a VC. What’s it really like being an entrepreneur? I’m reminded of this feeling. And so it goes again.

Blogging 420

Blogging Press Entrepreneur Venture Capital 420

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 12, 2012

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Steve Blank, author of Four Steps To The Epiphany , Stanford Professor and noted entrepreneur. The subject discussed in the video below is Steve’s belief that Venture Capitalists should begin their careers as operational entrepreneurs. The Alchemy Of A Great Venture Capitalist.

Venture Capital 239

Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur SaaS 239

SoCal Tech Calendar

JANUARY 12, 2012

Speakers: Tarang Shah is a venture capital professional. At SoftBank Capital, a venture capital fund, he helped with investments in mobile, digital media and enterprise software startups totaling $50 million; Ash Kumra is a business coach, speaker and entrepreneur. See [link] (more)

SoCal 100

SoCal Southern California Coach Venture Capital 100

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2014

and I thought if we brought the community together for common purpose we could create more of a sense of community to help new entrepreneurs get funded, assemble teams, raise profiles and help with biz dev, product, etc. Throughout all of these years I was a full-time VC so Launchpad really came out of evenings and weekends for me.

Venture Capital 290

Venture Capital Startup Idealab Funding 290

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 28, 2013

There are other social networks of the 200 or so now recognized by Wikipedia that entrepreneurs use for networking, depending on where you are in the world, like Orkut, Netlog, and Sina Weibo, but talking to friends on Facebook probably won’t help you. Volunteer to help out with entrepreneur activities at your local university.

Networking 100

Networking Entrepreneur Social Network Activity 100

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 20, 2018

Every entrepreneur wants to hear “yes” during the fund-raising process but I would argue that being too risk averse and not pushing hard enough and be willing to hear a “no” is what holds back many people from “yes.” Possibly offend and entrepreneur leading to reputation risk amongst other entrepreneurs.

Funding 189

Funding Software Review Entrepreneur Venture Capital 189

socalTECH

AUGUST 2, 2018

The Los Angeles Dodgers , along with Elysian Park Ventures , the private investment firm created by the ownership group behind the Los Angeles Dodgers specifically for investments in entrepreneurs in the areas of sports, technology, and entertainment, have launched and funded a new venture called E|L1.

Los Angeles 113

Los Angeles Redondo Beach Angel Coach 113

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 18, 2010

When I kicked off Launchpad LA a year ago I had a few objectives: Create an ecosystem where all Southern California VC’s had the chance to work together more actively outside of the boards on which we mutually sit. Find the best and brightest next generation of entrepreneurs and help them to be more successful. I’m excited.

Technical Review 259

Technical Review Venture Capital Southern California Tech Coast Angels 259

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. Because entrepreneurs often went to lawyers at their earliest stages to get their company registration done. They are venture bankers not investment bankers.

Startup 361

Startup Venture Capital Pricing Technical Review 361

socalTECH

AUGUST 10, 2012

At a recent accelerator event on the West Side, a friendly young founder told me that he had been coached by his mentor not to talk to Angel groups. With the VC ranks shrinking, founders need to tap every source of capital out there. With the VC ranks shrinking, founders need to tap every source of capital out there.

Angel 174

Angel Southern California Pasadena Angels Coach 174

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2016

One of the simplest questions I get from aspiring entrepreneurs, and ironically one of the hardest, is “How do I start?” They just aren’t prepared for the life they want, and are really asking me how to learn to be an entrepreneur. Help entrepreneurs with constant learning. Utilize business content curators and coaches.

Entrepreneur 58

Entrepreneur Startup Education Tool 58

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 28, 2012

You’re on a first date with a VC – how much should you tell them? When is it appropriate for a VC to call your customers? There is no universal answer and my discussions with various VCs on these topics have yielded many differing opinions. When I was raising money I pitched to several VCs. The First Meeting.

Technical Review 316

Technical Review Venture Capital Customer Custom 316

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2012

Business groups like TiE-The Indus Entrepreneurs and EO-Entrepreneurs Organization are places to meet people you can help, as well as people who can help you. Volunteer to help out with entrepreneur activities at your local university. Join and actively participate in local business organizations.

Activity 97

Activity Networking Entrepreneur Startup 97