Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 19, 2018

I often wonder how many more startups would succeed if their founders could master the art and science of delegation. He has spent many years coaching and consulting with over 200 organizations, and he has helped me articulate the benefits of delegation, and better understand some of the key barriers. You need to divide and conquer.

Technical Review 96

Technical Review Ideas Startup Entrepreneur 96

socalTECH

DECEMBER 22, 2020

Every year, we feature the year end reflections of founders, CEOs, investors, and others in Southern California's high tech community. Despite the challenges that COVID has presented to the broader economy and startup ecosystem, we remain optimistic about (and in awe of) the resilience of our portfolio companies and their Founders.

Capital 124

Capital Technical Review Truecar Southern California 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2013

Young entrepreneurs and startups, in particular, often remain naively unfocused, despite their passion, of what it takes to provide the high-quality service expected. It’s a tough job, and inexperienced entrepreneurs just don’t know where to start, and how to do it. Train and coach continuously.

Customer 92

Customer Custom Startup Services 92

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

We caught up with Fuel50 founder and CEO Anne Fulton to learn more about the startup. Anne Fulton: Fuel50 is a career pathing startup, part of the HR technology landscape. We're a disruptor, the third wave in human resources technology. How did you start the company? Los Angeles-based Fuel50 (www.fuel50.com)

Help 100

Help Southern California Startup Technical Review 100

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2022

I will summarize these here, with my insights, for your review and implementation: Physical health. Other studies have shown a return of up to 400 percent for this approach. Let your team members feel that they are constantly learning new things, and allow them to share their talents through coaching and mentoring assignments.

Technical Review 141

Technical Review Mentor Social Media Customer 141

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 13, 2018

During my early years of managing in business, I always assumed that if I hired and trained the smartest and most experienced people I could find, I would get outstanding productivity. New team members in a new startup, coming from different backgrounds, may have quite different standards for excellent performance from previous experiences.

Technical Review 51

Technical Review Startup Training Netflix 51

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2015

If an entrepreneur can’t build a culture of excitement and commitment at a startup, the chances of long-term success are negligible. That’s why they insist on spending a day with your team as part of the due diligence process. Mentoring and training programs need to be put in place early. Every investor knows this.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Training 102

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 5, 2010

Jason Calacanis started this initiative in response to the pay-to-play network of angel events that he despised. I suppose I should keep it to myself but I guess Jason will be helping to hype up all the companies anyways. Marco Zappacosta served up an cogent, business focused and nicely demo’d pitch of their product.

Angel 254

Angel Technical Review Software Review Platform 254

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2016

If you can’t provide a memorable customer experience, your startup won’t survive very long these days. According to many observers , we can thank or blame technology for these higher expectations, providing information at the speed of light, leading everyone to expect more. Provide coaching and mentoring as well as training.

Customer 55

Customer Custom Startup Coach 55

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

Most technology startups seem to be funded by product people or business people. My first startup was no different. I had never had any sales training so everything we did for the first couple of years was instinctual. So I did want any rational person who wants to improve does – I hired a coach.

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Customer 316

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2010

The Founder Institute (www.founderinstitute.com), an entrepreneurial training program that originally launched by Adeo Ressi in Silicon Valley, recently announced that it is setting up shop in Southern California, with branches both in San Diego and Los Angeles. Ken Rutkowski is the man making happen here. As President of the L.A.

Mentor 185

Mentor Class Entertainment Technical Review 185

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. I came several times to NorCal (where I grew up, actually) and went and met several partners from each Silicon Valley firm.

Outsource Development 328

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 328

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. They hired a consultant to help them with the review. I hate it.

Startup 151

Startup Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review 151

Tech Coast Venture Network

AUGUST 11, 2015

While the culture that works for one company might not work for another , you can learn a lot from companies who are doing it right, and get started on company culture hacks of your own. It starts with a cultural fit interview, which carries half the weight of whether the candidate is hired. What does that culture look like?

Examples 100

Examples Company Companies Google 100

Tech Coast Venture Network

AUGUST 11, 2015

While the culture that works for one company might not work for another , you can learn a lot from companies who are doing it right, and get started on company culture hacks of your own. It starts with a cultural fit interview, which carries half the weight of whether the candidate is hired. What does that culture look like?

Examples 100

Examples Company Companies Google 100

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. I came several times to NorCal (where I grew up, actually) and went and met several partners from each Silicon Valley firm.

Outsource Development 333

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 333

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 7, 2013

Natalia not only wants to increase the number of women in investment, but bring more people in total to help startups and other businesses get the capital they need. In mentoring, we match experienced angel investors with, what I like to call them, “angels-in-training” so they can share the lessons learned.

Mentor 84

Mentor Invest Entrepreneur Startup 84

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 17, 2020

In most cases, these applicants for equity funding must be rooted in technology to apply to this limited discussion. If you have a virtual company with your employees working from home locations, as many startups do, it should be the location of the founder. Friends and family investors. Accelerators.

Equity 156

Equity Technical Review Class Organization 156

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2022

In any business, accountability ideally starts at the top. In my experience, developers can be so committed to a technology, such as hydrogen engines for cars, such that they may be unwilling to change as the business pivots for market reasons. Generously give credit to others where credit is due.

Activity 109

Activity Organization Mentor Training 109

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2016

A question I often get asked as an advisor to startups is how to recognize and attract the best people to grow the business. First, you need to carefully define and advertise your requirements in terms as specific as possible to your startup. Get it reviewed and approved by peers, including salary and perks.

Technical Review 56

Technical Review Coach Training Screening 56

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2017

As an entrepreneur advisor and startup investor, it always amazes me how obvious these alignment issues are from the outside, and how hard it is to make them visible inside and get them corrected. You must provide your team with constant training and support on what good execution looks like, and a follow-up process.

Company 54

Company Companies Technical Review Coach 54

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2012

Start by trying to narrowing the list of total prospective VCs. I get approached about clean tech or biotech periodically – I don’t focus on these. In ad tech there’s Seth Levine at Foundry Group and both Dana Settle & Ian Sigelow at Greycroft. Tell a friend! And now, the details … 1.

Develop 366

Develop Development Funding Venture Capital 366

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2017

Starting and running a business is hard. As an angel investor in startups, I often find myself looking harder at the quality of the team and the leadership, than at the details of the product and business model. For your own business, the right time to address expected norms is during coaching and before hiring.

Funding 55

Funding Satisfaction Customer Custom 55