Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2020

As an angel investor, I see plenty of startups focusing on building an innovative product, but I’m looking for the few who are also leading with an exponential growth strategy, to put them in the category of the next Amazon or Google. Produce memorable product demonstrations or videos.

Marketing 170

Marketing Startup Examples Customer 170

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2020

One of the quickest ways to become an entrepreneur these days is to develop and publish a smartphone app. Through a free base product, you give the first taste of the service or game away for free, get users hooked, and then convert as many as possible to paying customers. Commoditize complementary products.

Mobile 126

Mobile Develop Development Platform 126

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2015

For example, if it’s getting harder to charge a price premium for the product you’re marketing, or others are offering your subscription service for free, it may be time to start thinking in a new box. Another example is seeing substitute versions of a product, like eBooks, for a low price displacing hardcover books. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur eBook Metrics Startup 106

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2022

For example, if it’s getting harder to charge a price premium for the product you’re marketing, or others are offering your subscription service for free, it may be time to start thinking in a new box. Another example is seeing substitute versions of a product, like eBooks, for a low price displacing hardcover books.

eBook 111

eBook Metrics Examples Startup 111

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 31, 2018

Just ask former big brand companies, like Blockbuster, Kodak, Lehman Brothers, and Sears, what happened to them. Specific measures that go beyond the traditional linear thinking include the following: Develop new products for your existing segment. Too many businesses only think of new products when in crisis mode.

Examples 99

Examples IP Acquisition Social Media 99

TechCrunch LA

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Last month, the product launched with $1.2 Creators and influencers like Bernstein are forging a path from content creator to full-fledged business, with multiple revenue streams via podcasts, licensing deals, branded merchandise and even software products. “A million in funding from Rebecca Minkoff and other unnamed investors.

Platform 170

Platform Marketing Tool Venture Capital 170

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2022

Most entrepreneurs I know admit to a poor first media interaction, and many are still waiting for the instant replay. He provides 101 two-page lessons divided into eight learning categories that I like as follows: Learn the ground rules for traditional media. People judge you and your company in the first few seconds.

Media 118

Media Tips Social Media Startup 118

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 23, 2011

I took the opportunity this past week to publish summary notes of some of the VCs and entrepreneurs I had interviewed on This Week in VC. One of my goals in doing the show was not only to educate entrepreneurs but also to put a human face on many of the VCs in our industry as VCs can be hard to get to know. We’re a busy bunch.

Capital 265

Capital Venture Capital Veoh Startup 265

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 16, 2013

Turn on your phone and look at the productivity folder. Okay I’m exaggerating, but if you’re still with me, I feel your pain; of not knowing what keyword to search your inbox for to find your favorite cat video. You’ll be more productive within three weeks time. We’ve been there. Introducing Fetchnotes.

Product 99

Product Ideas Email Organization 99

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2012

Most entrepreneurs I know admit to a poor first media interaction, and many are still waiting for the instant replay. He provides 101 two-page lessons divided into eight learning categories as follows: Learn the ground rules for traditional media. People judge you and your company in the first few seconds.

Training 93

Training Media Entrepreneur Social Media 93

socalTECH

JUNE 9, 2014

Viral videos are great -- attracting millions and millions of views, and spreading far and wide--but how do you monetize those viral videos? And, even more, how to do you manage the jump on the viral video train again, and keep those viral hits coming? We then acquire those videos directly from content owners.

Media 235

Media Content Startup IP 235

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 17, 2011

Len Short is truly an online marketing pioneer, heading up marketing at Charles Schwab, AOL and then (PRODUCT)RED. Before his career moved online, Len worked on major marketing campaigns for credit card companies and rolled out MCI’s highly successful “Friends and Family” marketing campaign.

Google 220

Google Technical Advisors Technical Review Equity 220

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

There were many moments in each space when pioneers were funding startups and the press hadn’t written much about them and if you were a typical investor you were still funding the last trend while some VCs were trailblazing into new categories. The company has an R&D pipeline of similar food allergy areas it will address.

Funding 362

Funding Technical Review Ideas Startup 362

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 4, 2013

On Saturday February 9, Demo Video Lab is holding a one-day event to teach secrets to successfully launching a crowdfunding campaign. Geared towards artists, entrepreneurs and innovators, crowdfunding is a great way to get any projects off the ground, be it startup, movie, music or invention. Technological Product. Web Series.

Statistics 90

Statistics Entertainment Google Web 90

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 21, 2010

My firm, GRP Partners, invested in the company that innovated this entire category – Overture (formerly known as GoTo.com). But of course Google eventually became the massive winner in this category. This led to my investment in RingRevenue , a company that allows you to track phone calls the way people track clicks.

Advertising 284

Advertising Invest RSS CPC 284

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2015

*. If you are a 20-something tech entrepreneur you could be forgiven for thinking that seed-stage investors, Angellist Syndicates and widely available angel money always existed. By fund II (2007) he was able to raise $15 million (if you watch the video you’ll hear an interesting story of how he did this) and he had a proper fund.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Startup Invest Cloud Computing 150

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2015

One of the quickest ways to become an entrepreneur these days is to develop and publish a smartphone app. Through a free base product, you give the first taste of the service or game away for free, get users hooked, and then convert as many as possible to paying customers. Commoditize complementary products.

Startup 98

Startup Platform Pricing Netflix 98

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

I’m super excited to announce that GRP Partners led the investment in Ethan Anderson’s new company MyTime (link has LA-based merchants but will give you a good feel for the product). BuildOnline (the company I founded) has just announcement plans to be more aggressive in growing in the US. Let me not bury the lede.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

socalTECH

MAY 30, 2019

Richards--a serial entrepreneur who has been involved in a number of technology companies here, including NTI Group (sold to Blackboard), Internships.com, MP3.com, Our interview this morning is with Robin Richards , the CEO of Los Angeles-based CareerArc (www.careerarc.com). com, and Vivendi Universal Net USA, where he was also CEO.

Content 193

Content Social Network Coach Help 193

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

From left to right above is Tristan Walker (founder of Walker & Co), Magic Johnson (successful NBA basketball player and successful business man – his two life goals), Beatriz Acevedo (founder of Mitu, the largest Latino digital media company) and Troy Carter (founder of Atom Factory and Cross Culture Ventures).

Technical Review 150

Technical Review Startup Course Entrepreneur 150

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2020

Topics we covered: B2B Companies You haven’t seen the full extent to how the correction is going to affect you. I pointed out that throughout history building companies has always taken time and we as a market have put an urgency to rush growth rates. A seed company hasn’t ramped up its cost base. Harry posed these questions.

Venture Capital 263

Venture Capital Marketing Startup Writing 263

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

If you have time check out the video (or download on iTunes – Episode 27 - and listen at the gym or on your commute!). And I would rather, even before the executive summary, have something to play with (a demo)…” It falls in the category of show don’t tell. Or, as always, summary notes available below. was starting.

Venture Capital 288

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Software Review 288

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 21, 2011

Are we seeing a time in which pre-revenue companies are more valuable than our offline institutional brands? The era of cheap cloud computing plus open-source software plus digital natives unleashed upon society is creating some truly amazing products that will challenge the way we do business and the way we live our lives.

Startup 309

Startup Cloud Computing Venture Capital Marketing 309

socalTECH

OCTOBER 14, 2019

Los Angeles-based BiasSync (www.biassync.com) was founded by three, very experienced serial entrepreneurs-- Michele Ruiz (broadcast journalism), Robin Richards (CareerArc, Internships.com, NTI Group, MP3), and Dan Gould (former VP of Technology for Tinder). Most companies have not been able to address unconscious bias in a meaningful way.

Content 150

Content Training Education Outsource Development 150

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 18, 2015

I rarely talk to any startup entrepreneur or VC who doesn’t feel it and somehow long for simpler times despite the benefits we all enjoy from increased enthusiasm for our sector. For entrepreneurs there’s too much money sloshing around. We are experiencing a frenetic time. “Yeah, we think about going every year.

Software Review 150

Software Review Startup Venture Capital Invest 150

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 23, 2015

Last week Fred Wilson and I sat down in Santa Monica for an hour+ discussion with the video cameras rolling. ” Here is a three-minute video with Fred answering this question. ” Here is a three-minute video with Fred answering this question. You are defined by how you serve the companies that are struggling.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Startup Writing Blogging 150

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2010

It was especially fun for me because we got the chance to talk about the VC industry and how entrepreneurs should think about the VC industry in addition to discussing deals. If you want to watch just parts of the video we went exactly in this order so you can more easily orient yourself to what you want to hear.

Clearstone 236

Clearstone Venture Capital ReachLocal Google 236

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 15, 2013

For example, if it’s getting harder to charge a price premium for the product you’re marketing, or others are offering your subscription service for free, it may be time to start thinking in a new box. Another example is seeing substitute versions of a product, like eBooks, for a low price displacing hardcover books. Marty Zwilling.

eBook 95

eBook Metrics Startup Examples 95

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 14, 2014

It’s why the first company I ever invested in as a VC – Invoca – just announced a $20 million funding by Accel Partners. This 1-minute video shows exactly what Invoca does. It’s why opt-in marketing databases can be so incredibly valuable for companies like Gilt Groupe, One King’s Lane and AdoreMe.

Email 339

Email SaaS Venture Capital Google 339

SoCal Delicious

MAY 6, 2012

where entrepreneurs share their stories. 63 Los Angeles Entrepreneurs To Be Proud Of By mario on May 2, 2012 in Features , grid. Free Corporations For First-Time Entrepreneurs. Right now they’re setting up 500 free corporations for first time entrepreneurs. Here are 62 63 Los Angeles entrepreneurs we can be proud of.

Los Angeles 78

Los Angeles Entrepreneur Angel Fractional CTO 78

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2017

The new strategy here is to focus on unmet new customer needs, rather than enhancing the offering you have – product, price, promotion, and place (4Ps). One approach is reverse positioning, or “dumbing down” your product for a new audience. Focus on different performance attributes. Substantially change the what, where, and how.

Examples 67

Examples Customer Custom Product 67

socalTECH

JANUARY 9, 2014

The company recently raised a $750,000 seed round of funding. We spoke to CEO Brian Nickerson --an Internet veteran with time at Yahoo and Internet Brands--about the company and its goals. All of them offer the same kind of coupon information for a store or category, but many of those sites that show up have very poor results.

Internet Brands 257

Internet Brands Content Startup Sites 257

InfoChachkie

APRIL 9, 2012

These entrepreneurs do not risk everything, work outrageous hours and put themselves under extreme pressure because they want to. If it were a decision to be an entrepreneur, then most right-minded individuals would decide to turn back when they encountered the first inevitable startup crises. Entrepreneurs want to matter.

Startup 243

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Statistics 243

SoCal CTO

APRIL 8, 2010

Death By Competitive Analysis - Steve Blank , March 1, 2010 Trading emails with a startup CEO building an iPhone app, I asked him why potential customers would buy his product. The 10 Most Tempting Software Startup Categories - OnStartups , March 1, 2010 I’ve been in the software startup business for a long time. And it made me sad.

Startup 150

Startup Software Review Competition SoCal 150

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2011

This was an audience of mostly first-time entrepreneurs. I spoke about how Amazon Web Services deserves far more credit for the last 5 years of innovation than it gets credit for and how I believe they spawned the micro-VC category. It is great for entrepreneurs and great for VCs. If you are interested the Vimeo is here.

Pricing 309

Pricing Marketing Startup Venture Capital 309

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2017

For example, if it’s getting harder to charge a price premium for the product you’re marketing, or others are offering your subscription service for free, it may be time to start thinking in a new box. Another example is seeing substitute versions of a product, like eBooks, for a low price displacing hardcover books.

eBook 52

eBook Metrics Examples Startup 52

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2011

I invested in LA-based Gogii , one of the fastest growing, most exciting mobile social networking companies you’ve never heard of and maker of a product called textPlus. I quietly watched their success from the sidelines and kept spending time with and telling the CEO, Scott Lahman, that I wanted to invest in his next company.

Gogii 310

Gogii Invest Blogging Startup 310