Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 3, 2013

Between 7-10 she was busy seating guests so had to put your on hold. As long as they didn’t lose the book or make a mistake. and there was certainly less competition from everybody pitching local merchant solutions. and then took the lid off of the product by announcing the company – I wrote about that here.

Development Team Review 324

Development Team Review Course Mobile Writing 324

Jason Nazar

JULY 1, 2016

Entrepreneurs often lament big companies, but most of us hope we’ll create just that. Add in public company demands, lawsuit targets, & millions of customers to continually satisfy, and you have to have great respect for those doing it well. Decisions that take entrepreneurs an hour, often take months at large companies.

Entrepreneur 55

Entrepreneur Company Companies Outsource Development 55

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 7, 2018

I literally have a Google Sheet for nearly every portfolio company who is in the process of raising a round. As you work deals they might move up or down in the priority list but when you start you should have no more than 8–10 priority A’s (more is unrealistic) and no more than 8–10 priority B’s. The third-pass is geography.

Funding 215

Funding Startup Venture Capital News 215

TechCrunch LA

JUNE 3, 2022

billion company in the brutally competitive beauty industry, especially one with such broad appeal. The following year, she stepped down as CEO, and by 2016, her company filed for bankruptcy and was purchased by Boohoo. Then, Amoruso started a company called Girlboss that was likened to “Linkedin for Women.”

Startup 280

Startup Netflix Los Angeles Innocal 280

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 22, 2011

But one theme in pervasive in all my thinking about investing in Internet-based companies: Deflationary economics. In the simplest form, new startups have a product that is INFERIOR to that offered by the competition but at a dramatically lower price with the seller opting for a very thin margin on their product. This was a mistake.

Startup 386

Startup Pricing Marketing Product 386

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 26, 2013

I think many board members (including VCs) were trained 10+ years ago when life was very different and their advice often comes from an outdated lens. In stead of doing my typical big long post with 10 PR tips (like I did there), I’m going to break them up into individual (I hope more digestible) chunks. But trust me on this.

Startup 355

Startup Funding News Press 355

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

An alternate outcome that I also unfortunately observe in some cases are companies who had extreme early success with an initial product adoption but failed in key areas that limited the growth and therefore the ultimate financial outcomes. How long does it take me to pay back my original customer acquisition costs?

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Custom Customer 286

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

If you truly believe that you, your company and your products are exceptional and your company will be valuable then you’re actually doing them a FAVOR by helping them invest in your startup. an investment in your company. Then begin your process in earnest with up to 8–10 firms. Why 8–10 and not just 3–4?

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332

InfoChachkie

MAY 11, 2015

Hey, everyone makes a mistake. After first denying it had made a mistake, the USPS was sued by the sculpture of the Vegas replica for copyright infringement. In other words, “if we had known it was a mistake, we wouldn’t have done it.” Angelou with one of her more memorable verses. <break here> Twice Isn’t Charming.

Startup 100

Startup Sales Custom Customer 100

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 3, 2019

This can be customer acquisition cost, revenue growth, profit, or whatever other parameters are key to your success. The depth in which connections can be made with the “audience” or “customers” is far greater than it possibly can be with any other medium. See some recent examples in the The 10 Best Social Media Campaigns of 2018.

Social Media 96

Social Media Media Marketing Metrics 96

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

“Learn from the mistakes of others. As an entrepreneur and startup investor, I have helped create companies which achieved two IPOs which collectively raised over $100 million, as well as two acquisitions which totaled $385 million. During those same 25-years, I also made innumerable mistakes. 3) Attempt To License An Idea.

Startup 242

Startup Outsource Development Outsource Sales 242

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2018

In top current companies, such as Google, Apple, and Netflix, cultural strategies that include greater employee freedom and fostering creativity are the norm. Thus creating the right company culture must be a top priority of every entrepreneur and business leader. Solidity team member trust by admitting your own mistakes.

Metrics 57

Metrics Startup Netflix Custom 57

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2013

illustrates this with humor for each of fifty dumb mistakes that smart managers don’t make. Criticize others and the company. Managers who speak critically of team members, customers, friends or family members, have something going on within them that needs to be examined. Do 10 things at a time in a mediocre fashion.

Startup 105

Startup Examples Organization Entrepreneur 105

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 4, 2011

One of the things I discuss the most with the portfolio companies I’m involved with is that “you manage what you measure.”. Make them widely available inside the company and share your most important goals with your board. My experience has proven that even some well known companies are under-whelming in this department.

Metrics 346

Metrics Startup SEO Custom 346

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 11, 2011

If they did they would be in constant violation because VCs often see 3-4+ companies in every market that they operation. One big mistake is to bring a team and then not have them speak. Bio of top 3 people in the company. Competition. Here’s the deal: ultimately you’re likely to sell your company, not IPO.

Venture Capital 340

Venture Capital Slides Doc Startup 340

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2012

illustrates this with humor for each of fifty dumb mistakes that smart managers don’t make. Criticize others and the company. Managers who speak critically of team members, customers, friends or family members, have something going on within them that needs to be examined. Do 10 things at a time in a mediocre fashion.

Examples 98

Examples Organization Entrepreneur Course 98

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 31, 2010

In the first part of this post I talked about how sales in a startup is often evangelical , requires as consultative sale and needs constant adjustments based on customer feedback. Or the sales decks will all be customized by your “feet on the street&# and won’t resemble the way you THINK your company is being positioned.

Sales 286

Sales Newsletter Technical Review Activity 286

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 23, 2015

However, they seldom acknowledge their mistakes. This latest round valued the company in excess of a billion dollars, entering them into the overly-hyped Unicorn Club. What’s The Worst Mistake? Mistakes can be categorized as “false positives” or “false negatives.” Jeff Lawson < *@twilio.com> 10/5/15.

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Technical Review Software Review Southern California 100

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 6, 2015

The first of question is about qualifying your potential customers aka leads. People new to sales make the mistake of assuming that just because you have a buyer talking with you or even somebody who clearly wants to do business with you that it means you’ll get an order. I recently wrote about the three rules of sales.

Sales 150

Sales SaaS Startup Venture Capital 150

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2017

This can be customer acquisition cost, revenue growth, profit, or whatever other parameters are key to your success. The depth in which connections can be made with the “audience” or “customers” is far greater than it possibly can be with any other medium. Pick the ones that fit your desired outcome. This is not trial and error.

Social Media 62

Social Media Media Metrics SEO 62

Jason Nazar

APRIL 2, 2016

Make the culture about something bigger than business ( watch : 10 Lessons Startups Can Learn From Superheroes ). Product / Customer Evangelist. Regularly talk with customers to see what can be improved. Make their product different and better than the competition. Fierce competitiveness, hate to lose. Sales / BD.

Entrepreneur 46

Entrepreneur Tips Organization Sales 46

SoCal Delicious

JANUARY 9, 2014

Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle framework “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” Simon Sinek If your customers believe in your mission, then they’ll warm to you and listen to what you offer and how. No clear vision or purpose This should be the starting point for any startup founder, but it’s often overlooked. It’s that simple.”

Startup 78

Startup Design Custom Customer 78

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

It’s insanely competitive to get into our industry so most have degrees from institutions like Stanford, Harvard, Wharton and University of Chicago (blatant plug ;-). I’ve seen too many companies go off track by a VC hell bent on the team pursuing the VCs strategy which at times is about chasing the next shiny object.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 13, 2011

Bijan Sabet – investor & board member in some small companies you might have heard of like Twitter, Tumblr, Boxee & OMGPOP – took issue with the whole notion that you even need a Powerpoint deck anymore. First, if it’s an early stage company, I don’t need to see a powerpoint deck. I funded them 8 weeks later.

Venture Capital 299

Venture Capital Slides Technical Advisors Startup 299

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 1, 2016

That’s why it’s important to revisit your company’s mission from time-to-time. If you have a team of 10 people then by definition 90% of the time spent on activities is not put in by you and on a team of 100 it’s 99%. In fact, 90% of our investments are either Seed or A-round investments (10% are B-round).

Startup 150

Startup Coach Course Invest 150

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. . I believe that it is part of the DNA of an entrepreneur – being so competitive that you’re practically sick when you lose. They’re competitive. 15 companies North of $1 billion exit.

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. . I believe that it is part of the DNA of an entrepreneur – being so competitive that you’re practically sick when you lose. They’re competitive. 15 companies North of $1 billion exit.

Outsource Development 328

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 328

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

You’ll learn about competitive products that exist or are being built. This is going to be fairly specific to the company. Beyond that, I want lots of conversations with experts, users, customers, VCs, partners, etc. I like how Mark Suster handles the question in 10 Marketing Lessons for Early-Stage Tech Startups.

Startup 211

Startup IP Ideas Patents 211

InfoChachkie

APRIL 6, 2015

The world’s largest skateboard company, Skate One produces many of industry’s best-selling brands, including Powell•Peralta Skateboards , BONES Wheels and Mini•Logo Skateboards. George spent the first ten years of his career, gaining experience in the aerospace industry, before founding his skateboard company in 1976 at the age of 33.

Mentor 100

Mentor Pacific Palisades Startup Class 100

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

You’ll learn about competitive products that exist or are being built. This is going to be fairly specific to the company. Beyond that, I want lots of conversations with experts, users, customers, VCs, partners, etc. I like how Mark Suster handles the question in 10 Marketing Lessons for Early-Stage Tech Startups.

Startup 198

Startup IP Ideas Patents 198

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 11, 2009

I also recently wrote a post about a company that came in for a presentation and never even got the slides out or presented a demo. I called the meeting a 10/10 because we had a great 90-minute discussion in which we had great rapport. Who are your key customers? Talk about the customer problem and how you solve it.

Venture Capital 238

Venture Capital Slides Startup Sales 238

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2013

I have long advised startup companies that if you don’t control your messaging somebody else will and your potential customers will form impressions of you shaped by somebody else or by nobody at all. Yet as obvious as it is to create messaging for your company, many people don’t consider their personal brands.

Technical Advisors 385

Technical Advisors Marketing Startup Venture Capital 385

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 21, 2010

When to get a lawyer - If you plan to be a venture or angel backed technology company (what I mostly write about) the best time to start meeting and getting to know lawyers is long before you ever start your company. Many people start companies arse backwards. I write about some of the lessons in my post on Startup Mistakes.

Startup 318

Startup IP Southern California Entrepreneur 318

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 12, 2017

And when it’s time to apply to an accelerator, making sure your company is presented in the best way on the application can significantly improve your chances. Admittedly, that last part is an exaggeration but they were bad enough that I am writing this essay in the hopes that you will read it and not make these mistakes.

Tips 70

Tips Startup Statistics Metrics 70

Alon Schwartz

MARCH 30, 2012

Like most people who have lead teams and companies for many years, I have interviewed hundreds of people. It always amazes me to see the same mistakes repeated time and time again. Two short pages is the max, and always make sure you customize it for the job you’re applying to. The first 10 seconds. Credit: Fotolia.

Blogging 76

Blogging Startup Google Course 76

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 22, 2010

When you are selected you share the stage with 49 other companies (in the case of TechCrunch50. Most people pay attention to the first 5 companies. Maybe 10. By company 22 it’s hard to remember what any of them did. Many other great companies are not. - Oh, and Demo charges the startups $18,000.

Tips 307

Tips Startup Press Blogging 307

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. ” But focusing on too many is a mistake. I’ve raised seed rounds and A-D rounds.

Develop 366

Develop Development Funding Venture Capital 366