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. At the time I pointed out: “If I had realized exits almost certainly it would be because I invested in a company that failed. “Ok, so this guy can write a blog and source deals but can he make any money?”

Venture Capital 387

Venture Capital Downey Writing Press 387

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 see two common mistakes in companies (not just in startups, in fact). By going on sales calls you pick up directly the feedback of what customers want and also what they’re telling you about competition.

Startup 308

Startup CTO Coach Technical Review CTO Hire 308

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 23, 2015

One of the questions we discussed is, “How much capital should a startup raise?” In his words, [in some instances] “because lots of capital is available, the company takes on the capital and that ends up resulting in no constraints on decision making and so the company decides to do five things in stead of just one.”

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Startup Writing Blogging 150

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

There is one source that was always problematic for me – intros from investment bankers. This is no criticism of the investment banking industry (although I’m sure some will read it this way) for which there are very useful purposes. They are venture bankers not investment bankers. start-ups are overvalued.

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Startup Pricing Invest 347

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

Let me start out with my premise: “Data rooms are where fund-raising processes go to die.” I have to back up and give you more context. These collective sets of documents form the basis of what somebody looking at investing would call “financial due diligence.” It doesn’t. The data room is where your process goes to die.

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

There is one source I never liked and no early-stage VC should – investment bankers. This is no criticism of the investment banking industry (although I’m sure some will read it this way) for which there are very useful purposes. They are venture bankers not investment bankers. start-ups are overvalued.

Startup 361

Startup Venture Capital Pricing Technical Review 361

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

So I thought I’d write about out with what I would look for in a VC knowing what I know now and why. VCs should be more of a coach than proscriptively telling you what to do. In the end it will be up to you to figure out what to do. Nothing blows up great opportunities faster than founders who are constantly fighting.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 1, 2016

Having time to think about “leadership” at most startups feels like a luxury. The reality of most startups is about survival. If people don’t know the mission there is no way to achieve the objective and you end up with a team pulling in 100 different directions – even if only by small amounts.

Startup 150

Startup Coach Course Invest 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2018

Millennials have come a long way in business since I started writing about them almost ten years ago. They started out as that spoiled generation of kids, born between about 1982 and 2004, who had everything, and could care less about business. Think of these strategies as an investment in your own future, as well as theirs.

Mentor 60

Mentor Coach Guide Startup 60

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2019

In addition, the discipline of producing it, like writing a business plan, will help you immensely in understanding the key elements that drive you and your business. Yet, most good business people I know agree, but don’t know where to start. What’s holding you back from starting today?

Writing 19

Writing Technical Review Entrepreneur Advertising 19

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

This insight follows closely the conclusions from the previous declaration, that professional investors negotiate tough terms, from provisions of control over asset acquisition, eventual sale of the company, future investments, forced co-sale when others attempt to sell their shares and more.

Resource 149

Resource Startup Invest Entrepreneur 149

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2011

They have totally changed the way you run a VC firm, investing heavily in systems & events for their founders that are pushing the boundaries of the way our industry works. As a courtesy if you enjoyed his write-up please check out his startup company, ChannelStack. Investing Strategy. and Half.com.

Capital 284

Capital Venture Capital Startup Technical Review 284

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 25, 2013

In the original version of his post, Andy writes. Most top tier VCs return about 3x invested capital and outlier funds (the best of a vintage) might return 6-8x. But Mark, many of the great firms are $500 million and up! You invest across many funds just as VCs invest across many companies. And Coach Campbell.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 25, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series Startup Advice. I write this post as a warning to pick your VC’s carefully. In these many exchanges similar questions crop up. Either you’re not a good leader and he shouldn’t be investing at all, or he has no clue what it takes to build a startup.&#.

Venture Capital 297

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur 297

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

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2013

Understanding where your VC partner sits in their respective fund and where their fund is in the cycle of its investment lifecycle will help you understand your VCs behavior. Each of your angels or seed investors may have 20-30 investments. He is very pleasant when he calls and writes. You start to act cohesively as a group.

Tips 365

Tips Email Venture Capital Blogging 365

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 30, 2012

million in a new round of financing from Peter Thiel, FF Angel , Siemer Ventures , 500 Startups , Andrej Henkler (former Bertelsmann executive), and Alexsis de Raadt-St. million which was raised from Thiel, David Sacks (CEO of Yammer), and Joe Lonsdale (co-founder of Palantir), 500 Startups and 7th Rig. 25 Years of Writing Code.

Technical Review 88

Technical Review Software Review Bertelsmann Technology 88

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 6, 2014

I would start by asking the candidate, “How did you decide on these five people” as part of your review process. I usually start with, “Obviously Stacy has made it far into the process or I wouldn’t be calling you. By the way, I also strongly advise that entrepreneurs reference VCs. You expected no less.

Startup 302

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Report 302

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 ;-). But first I’d like to start with a story. We helped the write out their requirements for a system.

Startup 151

Startup Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review 151

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 16, 2010

We had a training session from somebody who put up the four-quadrant graph you see above. This is really important as extroverts like to have the answers presented to them up front. For extroverted people I recommend that entrepreneurs have an “executive summary&# slide up front that cuts to the chase. Drain in quickly.

Slides 358

Slides Venture Capital Startup Summary 358

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 7, 2013

Men have dominated the world of investment. There were only 22% women who invested in 2012. Natalia Oberti Noguera is on a mission to help change the demographic of investment with her Pipeline Fellowship. TechZulu speaks with Natalia about Pipeline Foundation and her goals to change the face of business and investment.

Mentor 84

Mentor Invest Entrepreneur Startup 84

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2010

Bockerstette, Main Street Venture Fund Angel investing in most parts of the country remains a relatively informal and unstructured process. Professional angel investing takes time, knowledge, skills and resources. Professional angel investing takes time, knowledge, skills and resources. Emotional maturity.

Entrepreneur 83

Entrepreneur Mentor Invest Angel 83

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

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. Let me start with an example. She told me, “start with the price you want but the move in date he wants.&#. I said, “If I start with your position I have nowhere to go but down.

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Pricing Startup Outsource 319

Berkonomics

APRIL 3, 2014

First, angel investment groups come in all sizes from a few organized angels to large groups of three hundred or more. Angel groups invest from $250,000 to $1,000,000 or more in qualified investments. You will be given a “term sheet” during the process, calling out the terms proposed for the investment.

Equity 232

Equity Startup Invest Organization 232

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 29, 2011

This led to an explosion in startups. Amazon in turn led to the formation of an earlier stage of venture capital now led by what I call “micro VCs&# who typically invest $250-500k in companies rather than the $5-7 million that VCs used to invest. The Blurring of Investment Lines. Will public investments come next?

Venture Capital 296

Venture Capital Capital Software Startup 296

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 17, 2020

We’ve worried together about the moral obligation implicit in taking such investments from people so close, even with their promise never to expect a return. There is an exemption from the requirements that these investors be accredited with net worth or income minimums to qualify legally to invest in your company.

Equity 156

Equity Technical Review Class Organization 156

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 3, 2011

We’ve hung out periodically over the past few years and I have enjoyed debating many startup topics. They switched to a flat rate model and sharing went up immediately. to $12 conversion went up! Sign me up.&# Awesome. All viral adoption starts with one thing – great content. Gregg says at $9.99

Startup 303

Startup Venture Capital Pricing Writing 303

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 2, 2010

As a VC I’m acutely that a “yes&# decision to support an entrepreneur can do just that, yet I only write 2-4 of them per year and maybe another 3-4 as an angel. I’m not a saint who wakes up every day trying to make the lives of other people better. I started blogging because Brad Feld blogged.

Startup 352

Startup Help Blogging Entrepreneur 352