Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2021

Of course, this kind of leadership has a big risk, since you have no one to blame if you get it wrong. The challenge is how to develop that self-leadership in every aspiring entrepreneur and business professional role. This may mean attending industry conferences, taking college courses, or reading some key books.

Entrepreneur 132

Entrepreneur Course Satisfaction Guide 132

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 13, 2020

If you have a software development background like mine, I’m sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. Outsourcing is defined as contracting the work to another company, usually located in a developing country, like India, China, or Eastern Europe.

Outsource Development 122

Outsource Development Outsource Software Review Technical Review 122

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 30, 2018

I thought I’d write a post about how to talk about valuation at a startup and give you some sense of what might be on the mind of the person considering funding you. Of course, unlike cars there is no direct comparison across each startup so these are just some general guidelines to try and even the information field.

Venture Capital 324

Venture Capital Pricing Startup Invest 324

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2020

Stegmaier recommends that you start by writing a regular blog, joining a few related campaigns, building a high-quality video, and completing up to a hundred additional lessons before you even launch your own project. Of course, if the campaign does not meet or exceed the funding objective, you get nothing. Startup revenues come later.

Startup 151

Startup Equity Funding Demand 151

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 6, 2018

As a VC with scores of startups in our portfolio we have ringside seats to many, many fund raising processes plus I had to raise money across about 5 different rounds of capital as an entrepreneur so I’ve developed some thought on the process that I hope can be helpful to some of you before you start. Remind me why I love you?

Funding 236

Funding Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur 236

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2014

But of course it’s hard to advise people that they should do PR without a guide to how to do it on the cheap or how to do it at all. It’s why in this article I advise that people “market today not futures” because you don’t want your playbook in the hands of the competition. When to start PR?

Press 319

Press Startup Writing Training 319

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Capitalism is fundamentally about timing, since market competition is about finding opportunities before others. It’s obvious that we can be too late to these decisions of course. Start writing down predictions about people, companies, and markets. When should you start a company? What company should you start?

Venture Capital 202

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Invest 202

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 4, 2016

I find the over-introducers especially corrosive around first-time founders who often struggle with the balance of their time between tasks like building product versus tasks like speaking at conferences or meeting with potential business development partners. Focus is almost always the right answer.

Innocal 255

Innocal Conference Help Study 255

Berkonomics

MARCH 14, 2019

Of course, we are speaking of increased valuation of your company when we speak of “wealth.” This risk can be mitigated by finding a customer willing to purchase as soon as a proven model is completed, and willing to state this in writing. And fifth: Competitive risk. . So, let’s examine them and mitigate them.

Outsource Development 120

Outsource Development Ideas Resource Patents 120

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 14, 2013

.” Here’s what I mean … Let’s start with what it takes for a journalist to want to write a story. Do I have an “angle” from which to write the story (first company to do X, company does biggest X, consumer behavior is doing X)? ” Of course not. They’re different. More strategic.

Marketing 389

Marketing Press Blogging Startup 389

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Of course it happens all the time?—?especially This is the norm and unless you have a hugely competitive round it’s not worth fighting. This is not true in the majority of cases but rather when you have competition in your round and feel confident in using your leverage. What happens at the A-round of venture capital?

Startup 236

Startup Venture Capital Tips Capital 236

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 26, 2013

I will add to this as I write more in the coming weeks on the topic. The funding rounds will also build customer confidence and they’ll help journalists feel air cover in writing your more important pieces when you brag about customers, traction, revenue or whatever. ” Funding IS the story. Funding is news.

Startup 355

Startup Funding News Press 355

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2020

Some entrepreneurs love to talk and produce videos, but hate to write anything down. Of course, previous successes provide more direct evidence of a network of the right people. Others send investors email and business plans in all uppercase or no punctuation. Effective communication requires real listening, as well as talking.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 126

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 20, 2013

In my first enterprise software company we developed a methodology for sales that we called PUCCKA , which I wrote about previously. So I often work with teams to get them to codify the key things they do well that the competition does not. The first post covered the topic of “P” or pain.

Sales 336

Sales Startup Competition Customer 336

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 2, 2010

As a tech startup grows it needs to develop more process & management if it is to scale. As a founder, when you’ve been dealing with these kinds of objections for a couple of years it becomes natural and you easily handle objections on price, product & competition without much thought. It is tacit knowledge.

Sales 289

Sales Startup Training Pricing 289

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2014

The VC market has right-sized (returned back to mid 90′s levels & less competition). Just 3 years ago there was talk of institutional investors “not being able to write small enough checks.” Of course strongest industry players don’t stand still. Why is this? and hasn’t abated.

Venture Capital 398

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Seed Funding 398

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

Of course, there are no guarantees, but I still see otherwise smart entrepreneurs taking shortcuts in their hiring, or jumping into business relationships based on emotion or low cost. One of the pitfalls of optimism is the expectation for early customer growth, and understating the real costs of design, development, and inventory.

Startup 131

Startup Entrepreneur Examples Customer 131

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. 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 ;-). VCs, how to select a VC, etc.) Most VCs are book smart.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2013

For much of 2013 I watched the press write articles about how the YouTube “MCNs” (multi-channel networks) were doomed and tried to square that with the data I was watching at the one I invested in, Maker Studios, who has had one hell of a year. Developing O&O (owned & operated) businesses (outside of YouTube).

Networking 366

Networking Media Content Customer 366

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 31, 2021

Tech companies have spent the past decade or more developing innovations that can be applied to old-world industries like agriculture, construction, energy, education, manufacturing and transportation and logistics. A Biden presidency doesn’t need a Green New Deal to make progress on climate change. ” Climate resiliency .

Startup 229

Startup Technical Review Invest Research 229

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 9, 2012

You may have already found several articles, web pages, or books about writing the perfect executive summary. They all offer a list of requirements that might take 50 pages to address, but of course they ask you to write concisely. Your competitive advantage. Don’t kill your credibility by saying you have no competition.

Summary 97

Summary Writing Competition Sample 97

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2014

If you have a software development background like mine, Im sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. Outsourcing is defined as contracting the work to another company, usually located in a developing country, like India, China, or Eastern Europe.

Outsource Development 95

Outsource Development Outsource Offshore Software Review 95

InfoChachkie

JULY 23, 2012

They basically said, ‘Anybody who is a developer, come hang out here at Trada and we’ll give you coffee and food and a desk and Internet and you can plant here… and of course, some of those people (became) optimizers. We write blogs, we do music videos, we show up, we engage with people…we love our product.

Marketing 233

Marketing Blogging Startup Venture Capital 233

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 3, 2012

Even though he is not process oriented, he has developed a simple, yet methodical approach to identifying, cataloging and vetting his entrepreneurial ideas. In my UC Santa Barbara Entrepreneurial course, I require the students to submit a venture idea every week. The more you play around with ideas and you write them down, the better.

Ideas 266

Ideas Guide Startup Santa Barbara 266

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 1, 2013

Aspiring creators learn by connecting with top web filmmakers and YouTubers on a topics specific to the web: developing a web series, producing web series, writing for genres like comedy & sci-fi, directing, editing, camera, Kickstarter funding, show hosting, distribution, and marketing. How does it work?

Web 93

Web USC Course Guide 93

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2011

You may have already found several articles, web pages, or books about writing the perfect executive summary. They all offer a list of requirements that might take 50 pages to address, but of course they ask you to write concisely. Your competitive advantage. Don’t kill your credibility by saying you have no competition.

Summary 90

Summary Writing Competition Sample 90

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2014

Some entrepreneurs love to talk and produce videos, but hate to write anything down. Of course, previous successes provide more direct evidence of a network of the right people. Others send investors email and business plans in all uppercase or no punctuation. Effective communication requires real listening, as well as talking.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Angel Social Media Patents 107

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 18, 2013

Of course you know Gangnam Style , which is now the most viewed video in history at 1.3 For those who still don’t know the origins, the Harlem Shake started as a small skit from a YouTuber named Filthy Frank (10 million views as of this writing) on January 30, 2013. Gangnam Style Meets Torso TV. billion views. Harlem Shake.

Startup 380

Startup Media Content Platform 380

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2016

If you have a software development background like mine, I’m sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. Outsourcing is defined as contracting the work to another company, usually located in a developing country, like India, China, or Eastern Europe.

Outsource Development 53

Outsource Development Outsource Software Review Technical Review 53

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2015

I must admit I discuss this very frequently with portfolio companies but hadn’t thought to write about it. The initial Apple/AT&T deal was of course limited to the geography in which AT&T operated and thus after its initial success Apple had a template for exclusivity agreements in other countries.

Outsource Development 150

Outsource Development Startup Customer Custom 150

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

Of course there’s no exact number of VCs you should meet?—?these If you’re raising a round where a new lead investor would invest $5 million the VC fund must have no less than $100 million and if you’re looking for them to write $15–20 million as the lead their fund realistically should be at least $400 million.

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 1, 2016

But of course all of these things are intertwined. Obviously you need to be mentally flexible enough to spot if your instincts were wrong and a change of course is necessary. Of course it’s great to bring in outside experience to complement your team but it must be done judiciously. Know what you believe is important.

Startup 150

Startup Coach Course Invest 150

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 10, 2010

Patents held by startups generally have a limited ability to reduce competition. In addition, a BDC may have developed derivative IP that on a standalone basis infringes on the startup’s IP. This approach makes sense for the following reasons: You gain a year to write a thoughtful, defensible patent without delaying your filing date.

IP 256

IP Patents Company Companies 256

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

The questions that a VC mulls before writing a check are precisely the questions you should be asking yourself. If you look at the structure of the travel industry above – of course we know that the hotel industry is fragmented while the airline industry is reasonable consolidated. Market Size.

Startup 150

Startup Marketing Study SEO 150

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. I write about some of the lessons in my post on Startup Mistakes. Many people start companies arse backwards.

Startup 318

Startup IP Southern California Entrepreneur 318

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 16, 2015

Stegmaier recommends that you start by writing a regular blog, joining a few related campaigns, building a high-quality video, and completing up to a hundred additional lessons before you even launch your own project. Of course, if the campaign does not meet or exceed the funding objective, you get nothing. Startup revenues come later.

Startup 53

Startup Equity Entrepreneur Demand 53

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2010

You may have already found several articles, web pages, or books about writing the perfect executive summary. They all offer a list of requirements that might take 50 pages to address, but of course they ask you to write concisely. Your competitive advantage. Don’t kill your credibility by saying you have no competition.

Summary 55

Summary Writing Competition Metrics 55