Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 28, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series Startup Lessons. I started my first company in 1999 in London at the height of the dot com craze. We went through the euphoria of massive exposure at the time of our launch due to an article that ran in the Financial Times. Our software wasn’t fully baked. We were unprepared.

Startup 331

Startup Press Customer Custom 331

Tech.Co

MAY 9, 2024

There are thousands of grants up for grabs through government website portals, but since this type of financing is designed to support the public, their eligibility criteria tend to be quite specific. We also offer some advice for writing your application, to make sure your proposal is as competitive as possible.

Outsource Development 207

Outsource Development Technical Review Research Writing 207

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Nearly every successful tech startup I’ve observed over the past 20 years has gone through a similar growth pattern: Innovate, systematize then scale operations. Innovate In the early years of a startup there is a lot of kinetic energy of enthusiastic innovators looking to launch a product that changes how an industry works.

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286

Tech.Co

MAY 25, 2018

Fortunately, the Startup of the Year program aims to make it easier for founders to connect with resources. In 2006, a passion to help startups grew into Tech Cocktail , a company whose mission was to showcased burgeoning companies in bars around the country. Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation (Fargo, ND).

Startup 140

Startup Technical Review Competition Software Review 140

socalTECH

JUNE 4, 2014

However, Egg Baby--the title from newly funded Nix Hydra (www.nixhydra.com)--seems to have cracked the code for how to get new, young, female consumers to become game players. How did the company start? Most of the reviews rant about how cute the game is, so they probably like that too. Plus, we love this demographic!

Software Review 113

Software Review Startup Mobile HTML 113

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 31, 2021

The sweeping infrastructure package put forward today by President Joe Biden comes with a price tag of roughly $2 trillion (and hefty tax hikes) but gives startups and the broader tech industry about $1 trillion worth of reasons to support it. A Biden presidency doesn’t need a Green New Deal to make progress on climate change.

Startup 229

Startup Technical Review Invest Research 229

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

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2019

If both of you are experts at software development, even though one loves design and the other loves coding, that still won’t get the marketing done. Look at the big picture first of development, finance, and marketing/sales. Look impartially from all angles and do the follow-up on all relevant previous roles.

Software Review 88

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 88

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 30, 2014

As I’ve written about recently, at Upfront Ventures we started talking a couple of years ago about wanting to fund stuff with more meaning. I seldom hire patent attorneys during due diligence but this was too important. We hired IP specialists to review prior art. We hired OSHA regulatory lawyers. It was impressive.

Technical Review 418

Technical Review Software Review CTO Hire IP 418

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

I find it amusing when a journalist writes an article about a prominent startup (either privately held or preparing for an IPO) and decries that, “They’re not even profitable!” Exec Summary: Most companies (98+%) in the world (even tech startups) should be very profit focused. What makes up revenue?

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

Many startup businesses – tech or otherwise – fail. Trying outrageous new things or even trying mundane things but in new ways but with extreme quality & innovation is what fuels the tech startup industry. But today I want to give you advice on how to decrease your odds of failure in a startup.

Startup 150

Startup Marketing Study SEO 150

socalTECH

APRIL 29, 2014

A number of teams have recently been looking to turn that vision into reality, as a result of the Qualcomm Tricorder Prize , a $10M competition being run by the X Prize Foundation to create a real life Tricorder. Mike Outmesguine: We''re one of about thirty teams left in the challenge, out of more than 300 that signed up last August.

Startup 262

Startup Competition Software Review UCLA 262

Tech.Co

MARCH 8, 2018

Getting face time with VCs or people of influence is an ongoing challenge for startup founders, and it may take layers of introductions to get to the right person. She launched the iTech program within NASA to reach out to startups with innovative technology that have an Earth and space travel application.

Technical Review 70

Technical Review Startup Software Review Entrepreneur 70

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 15, 2011

Article first published as Why Selling To The Government Can Downgrade Your Startup on Technorati. Now, more than ever, government agencies in the US and abroad are lousy startup customers. Some startups opt to partner with larger companies which have pre-established relationships with government customers.

Startup 207

Startup Outsource Development Software Review Sales 207

socalTECH

DECEMBER 12, 2013

We caught up with CEO Simon Anderson to learn more about the big debt funding round and how it came about, the complexities of providing founder liquidity in a bootstrapped company--and how the company is looking to use those funds to take the company to the next level. Our target market is entrepreneurs, creatives, and developers.

Software Review 238

Software Review Cloud Computing Technical Review Platform 238

socalTECH

JUNE 11, 2018

For our interview this morning, we caught up with Scot Lawrie , the President and technical Co-founder of Los Angeles-based Coverfly (www.coverfly.com), and John Rhodes , Coverfly's head of Marketing and Business Development, to learn a bit more about the early stage, bootstrapped startup focused on Hollywood script writers.

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Hollywood Platform Competition 100

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 18, 2019

The company started the year with no revenue and at it’s peak had a run rate well in excessive of $100 million / year. As drivers we look out for them, as pedestrians we might be annoyed if they steer in our way but the riders themselves have developed better norms as happens in all forms of transportation. they were highly visible.

Santa Monica 250

Santa Monica Venice Competition Software Review 250

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 29, 2011

A while back I talked about how and where to find a co-founder in “ Ten Steps in Choosing the Right Startup Partner ”. The feedback was good, but some readers asked me to be a bit more specific on attributes that might indicate an ideal startup partner. Look at the big picture first of development, finance, and marketing/sales.

Software Review 96

Software Review CTO Hire Startup Outsource Development 96

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2014

A while back I talked about how and where to find a co-founder in “ For a Startup, Two Heads are Always Better Than One ”. The feedback was good, but some readers asked me to be a bit more specific on attributes that might indicate an ideal startup partner. Look at the big picture first of development, finance, and marketing/sales.

Software Review 107

Software Review Entrepreneur CTO Hire Outsource Development 107

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

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 1, 2009

This is part of my ongoing posts on Startup Advice. The world has changed much since I started my first company in 1999. Tim started to change our processes. Tim encouraged us to set up a blog and start talking openly about what we were doing as a company and inviting comments. Back then it seemed foreign.

Organization 280

Organization Customer Custom Tips 280

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2016

Whether you are talking to peers, competitors or investors, you as an active entrepreneur will be judged on your familiarity with today’s startup and funding jargon. This term is currently applied to recent startups who profess a current valuation which exceeds $1 billion. Could your startup be the next one? Sweat equity.

Startup 57

Startup Software Review Equity Invest 57

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2011

I’m a very big proponent of the “lean startup movement&# as espoused by Steve Blank & Eric Ries. In the initial phases of any new market you’re developing a product (hopefully with a minimal set of features), getting feedback from customers, refining your product based on user feedback and then re-launching your product.

Development Team Review 374

Development Team Review Technical Review Startup Resource 374

socalTECH

MARCH 20, 2015

Los Angeles-based ClickTripz (www.clicktripz.com), is a startup developing ad solutions for travel publishers, and thought we''d learn more, so we spoke with Ross Weber , co-founder and CEO of ClickTripz, to hear more about the company. How did you guys start the company? What''s the story behind the company?

Advertising 100

Advertising Startup Software Review Platform 100

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 6, 2013

TechZulu caught up with co-founder Calvin Schemanski chat about their upcoming launch, their product and why Long reviews suck. myfab5 is a platform that reinvents the restaurant review. Unlike typical review sites, our platform does not use star ratings or long reviews. What is myfab5?

Software Review 79

Software Review Technical Review Writing Startup 79

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2013

A while back I talked about how and where to find a co-founder in “ For a Startup, Two Heads are Always Better Than One.” The feedback was good, but some readers asked me to be a bit more specific on attributes that might indicate an ideal startup partner. Look at the big picture first of development, finance, and marketing/sales.

Software Review 103

Software Review Equity CTO Hire Outsource Development 103

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 28, 2012

Fred Wilson wrote two posts in 2010 that were very influential with the startup community. I know that they really impacted an entire cohort of startups because every company that was coming to pitch me businesses was (is) saying, “I’m a ‘mobile first’ company.” Try writing long reviews of a restaurant.

Web 334

Web Mobile Startup Software Review 334

socalTECH

DECEMBER 23, 2019

What new technology area, startup, service, or app did you find most interesting or useful this year, and why? Due to this, seed rounds have become more competitive, with more expensive valuations and more oversubscribed rounds. What are you most looking forward to in the technology/startup world in 2020?

Capital 100

Capital Technical Review Truecar Venture Capital 100

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

socalTECH

OCTOBER 4, 2010

The company provides SAT, ACT, and other similar test preparation courses and related software. How did Revolution Prep start? We started in 2000. I had worked as a tutor for Princeton Review, and Jake for Kaplan. We started that in 2002, and it's actually our eight year anniversary, on the 20th of September.

Software Review 178

Software Review Technical Review Education Startup 178

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2017

If both of you are experts at software development, even though one loves design and the other loves coding, that still won’t get the marketing done. Look at the big picture first of development, finance, and marketing/sales. Look impartially from all angles and do the follow-up on all relevant previous roles.

Software Review 56

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development CTO Coach 56

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 1, 2012

Smart technology doesn’t work without clever software to make it useful. But where do you start? Do you need to take the time to learn coding or should you search out a firm to help bring your idea into reality? When you get down to the nitty of the gritty, creating an app is the same as starting any other business.

Marketing 97

Marketing Startup Software Review Competition 97

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2012

Start with great credentials, and focus on the culture fit. Most employers, due to fear of lawsuits, will only confirm employment data and give you positive feedback over the phone. Sometimes brain teasers are a good start. This is the technical equivalent of an “executive recruiter.”

Technical Review 92

Technical Review Technology Startup Outsource Development 92

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2010

A week ago I talked about how and where to find a co-founder in “ How to Select an Ideal Startup Co-Founder ”. If you team with a Gen-Y type who likes to start work in the late morning, and reserves the weekend for other activities, the partnership will likely not work. Look impartially from all angles and do the follow-up.

Software Review 92

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 92

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

On December 2nd, 2006 I wrote the blog post published later in this post when I was CEO of startup Koral about my experiences in pitching VCs. This blog post ended up on Valleywag (which had much bigger presence back then). Anyway, the starting point for this blog entry is a cartoon I remember reading in the New Yorker.

Venture Capital 274

Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274

socalTECH

MAY 21, 2013

One of the largest concentrations of technical talent in Los Angeles is in Glendale, at YP -- staffed with a surprising number of Los Angeles startup vets. What''s your background and how did you end up at YP? How is it you managed to build such a large technical team here--and attract many Internet and startup veterans?

Technical Review 223

Technical Review Glendale Advertising Google 223

socalTECH

MAY 21, 2013

One of the largest concentrations of technical talent in Los Angeles is in Glendale, at YP (www.yp.com) -- staffed with a surprising number of Los Angeles startup vets. What''s your background and how did you end up at YP.com? We also know we''re not a startup, and don''t have equity to offer.

Technical Review 211

Technical Review Glendale Advertising Google 211