Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2021

Anyone who works with entrepreneurs will tell you that all are different. I’ve always wondered if there was some way that I could quickly deduce a new entrepreneur’s “sweet spot,” and optimize my mentoring to those strengths and weaknesses, maybe similar to the Myers-Briggs type indicator for business professionals. Specialist.

Entrepreneur 134

Entrepreneur Framework Mentor Web 134

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2021

It seems like everyone wants to be an entrepreneur and get rich these days. Find out if something very similar is already selling, and who your competition would be if you proceed. Pitching” is the insider term for presenting your product idea to people who could conceivably buy it or fund your efforts. Now get real (cook it).

Ideas 136

Ideas Entrepreneur Mentor Resource 136

InfoChachkie

MAY 26, 2016

Should millennial entrepreneurs go to college? Like James and Bryant, these talented players opted to skip college, in favor of a professional career. I asked them to devise reasons an entrepreneur should remain in college. A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. In sports, outliers generate headlines.

Entrepreneur 150

Entrepreneur Case Study Education Seed Funding 150

TechCrunch LA

MAY 29, 2019

The company raised $46 million last year—its first year operating—with the vision that owning the infrastructure for competitions and expanding it to encompass other social elements of gaming can make it the largest gaming company in the world. Eric P: You have a fascinating background as a serial entrepreneur while you were a teenager.

Startup 204

Startup Coach Competition Los Angeles 204

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2021

Most entrepreneur that fail are quick to offer a litany of constraints that caused their demise – not enough money, time, customers, or support from the right players. The result, called resourcefulness, allows entrepreneurs to create opportunities in the face of scarcity. Rethink or reframe the challenge.

Startup 164

Startup Resource Entrepreneur Competition 164

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

Something happened in the past 7 years in the startup and venture capital world that I hadn’t experienced since the late 90’s — we all began praying to the God of Valuation. It wasn’t always like this and frankly it took a lot of joy out of the industry for me personally. What happened? A LOOK BACK I started my career as a programmer. It was 1991.

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2021

These things change so fast these days that the primary role of the entrepreneur as CEO is to be the Master of Realignment. The basic alignment framework of strategy, customers, people, and processes hasn’t changed, but the pace of technological, competitive, and social change has increased at an amazing rate.

Social Media 143

Social Media Startup Framework Course 143

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2015

Most entrepreneur that fail are quick to offer a litany of constraints that caused their demise – not enough money, time, customers, or support from the right players. The result, called resourcefulness, allows entrepreneurs to create opportunities in the face of scarcity. Rethink or reframe the challenge.

Resource 98

Resource Entrepreneur Competition Startup 98

InfoChachkie

JULY 18, 2011

Along with Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham and Marcia Brown’s Stone Soup , the seemingly innocuous board game Monopoly has played a pivotal role in the edification of several generations of entrepreneurs. The players who go first have a higher probability of landing on an available property during their initial trips around the board.

Entrepreneur 216

Entrepreneur Startup Outsource Development Paramount 216

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Tech Coast Venture Network is rounding up the finest entrepreneurs to compete for $25,000 in cash prize in their Survivor 7 Pitch Competition this Thursday, November 15th. In the past, the competition allowed anyone to participate in the initial round of 30-second pitches to investors and experts.

Competition 65

Competition Networking TCVN Southern California 65

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2020

The rate of new entrepreneurs increased between 2013 and 2019, from 280 out of 100,000 to 310 out of 100,000 of the adult population. Of course, that’s both the good news and the bad news for aspiring entrepreneurs, since it means more competition, and the business landscape is changing faster than ever.

Tips 161

Tips Startup Social Media News 161

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 29, 2022

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Angel investors, like me, have long figured out that asking to see the prototype is a quick way to separate the ‘wannabes’ from serious players. Quantify the implementation challenges.

Outsource Development 110

Outsource Development Ideas Tool Outsource 110

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 28, 2018

My friend Michael Broukhim, founder & co-CEO of FabFitFun and I recently had a catch-up meeting for 3-miles on the Santa Monica “Bird Trail” No company has ever elicited so many questions by friends, colleagues, entrepreneurs, fellow VCs and journalists as has Bird, the company that pioneered the electronic scooter as a service market.

Santa Monica 256

Santa Monica Funding Startup Course 256

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 15, 2012

One the most frequent questions asked of me by entrepreneurs is, "How can I become a Venture Capitalist?" The inquiry is common because being a VC is (to an entrepreneur, at least) a sexy job. I define a "VC" as, "a professional investor who deploys third-party funds into relatively early-stage companies."

Venture Capital 242

Venture Capital Technical Review Invest RSS 242

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

For the elite startups and entrepreneurs who manage to attract the investor they dream of, and survive the term sheet negotiation, there is still one more hurdle before the money is in the bank. This is the mysterious and dreaded due diligence process, which can kill the whole deal. My best advice is to stick to the middle ground.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 118

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2023

As a startup advisor and investor, I’ve heard and seen hundreds of pitches from entrepreneurs, and the majority of founders are convinced that if you will just give them an hour or more time, you will love their business. A smaller market sizing may make a good family business, if you have the funding.

Startup 96

Startup Education Ideas Customer 96

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2012

These things change so fast these days that the primary role of the entrepreneur as CEO is to be the Master of Realignment. The basic alignment framework of strategy, customers, people, and processes hasn’t changed, but the pace of technological, competitive, and social change has increased at an amazing rate.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Social Media Startup Framework 93

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2020

As a startup advisor and investor, I’ve heard and seen hundreds of pitches from entrepreneurs, and the majority of founders are convinced that if you will just give them an hour or more time, you will love their business. A smaller market sizing may make a good family business, if you have the funding.

Startup 166

Startup Education Ideas Customer 166

socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2019

Every year, at the end of the year, we share some reflections on the past year from our readers, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, sponsors, and others in the local technology community. Today, we share the thoughts of Andy Wilson , Managing Director of the Alliance for SoCal Innovation (www.alliancesocal.org).

SoCal 140

SoCal Southern California Startup Venture Capital 140

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 2, 2020

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Angel investors, like me, have long figured out that asking to see the prototype is a quick way to separate the ‘wannabes’ from serious players. Quantify the implementation challenges.

Outsource Development 124

Outsource Development Ideas Tool Outsource 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Unless you are a serial entrepreneur with a string of successes behind you, you need a business plan to convince investors that you can build a business out of the dream that has been driving your passion to change the world. Opportunity segmentation and competitive environment. The details can be added later.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2014

The rise of “micro VCs” or seed-stage funds. The rise of alternative sources of capital (crowd funding and the like). The VC market has right-sized (returned back to mid 90′s levels & less competition). ” The new narrative is “will my seed funds be able to fund the prorata of their winners?”

Venture Capital 398

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Seed Funding 398

Tech.Co

AUGUST 22, 2016

That’s right, Kobe Bryant has just launched a brand new $100 million venture capital fund. Along with tech entrepreneur Jeff Stibel, Bryant’s aim with the new venture is to invest in media, technology, and data companies. But when it comes to the entrepreneurial world, sports stars haven’t always panned out.

Venture Capital 70

Venture Capital Journal Competition Invest 70

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2015

" Investors want to buy into an entrepreneur with a startup that can provide evidence of an ability to double customer productivity, at half the cost, with patented technology. Include your sustainable competitive advantage. Show you have a large and growing market opportunity. Clearly define your business model.

Summary 101

Summary Patents Technical Review Competition 101

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2013

These things change so fast these days that the primary role of the entrepreneur as CEO is to be the Master of Realignment. The basic alignment framework of strategy, customers, people, and processes hasn’t changed, but the pace of technological, competitive, and social change has increased at an amazing rate.

Startup 94

Startup Social Media Entrepreneur Framework 94

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 1, 2009

As stated in its official rules, the object of Monopoly is to, “become the wealthiest player through buying, renting and selling property”. A more negative way of looking at this objective is to “drive all the other players into complete and utter bankruptcy”. This is a reposting of a ‘classic’ popular post.

Outsource Development 154

Outsource Development Entrepreneur Training Startup 154

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 21, 2010

I recently read a post over on VentureHacks titled, “ Top Ten Reasons Entrepreneurs Hate Lawyers &# written by Scott Walker (who blogs on legal issues for entrepreneurs ). So eventually you have your company funded but only 2 of the 5 people who started the company are still around. the link is here.

Startup 318

Startup IP Southern California Entrepreneur 318

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 ;-). Picking a VC is hard. You don’t really have much to go on to decide who would make a good fit. Reputation of firm? Of partner? Deals done in your industry?

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2016

After many years of working with angel investors seriously trying to find new ventures worthy of their hard-earned money, I find their frustration often exceeds that of entrepreneurs sincerely looking for financial help. Non-credible funding request or unreasonable valuation. Naïve expectations on funding terms and process.

Entrepreneur 57

Entrepreneur Invest Funding Patents 57

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

The VC industry has different segments in it that have different fund sizes, different investment amounts and different risk / return expectations. We need people at all stages of the funding lifecycle and not just VCs. These days that’s not the case and it’s a great outcome for entrepreneurs and for innovation.

Venture Capital 308

Venture Capital Training Startup Entrepreneur 308

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2015

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Angel investors, like me, have long figured out that asking to see the prototype is a quick way to separate the ‘wannabes’ from serious players. Quantify the implementation challenges.

Ideas 107

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Tool 107

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2019

If you are looking for funding and customers for your new business, you need to identify your “unique selling proposition” (USP) right up front, in 30 seconds or less, to differentiate yourself in today’s information overload. Ideally the solution embodies intellectual property that you own, giving you a sustainable competitive advantage.

.Net 73

.Net Examples Customer Custom 73

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. The company just raised a $5M funding round for its efforts, from Foundry Group and a number of angels. How did the company start?

Software Review 113

Software Review Startup Mobile HTML 113

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 10, 2010

For entrepreneurs who want to learn about how to work with investment banks, how to position yourself to be acquired and what the IPO markets look like this is the episode to watch. A bank can help you balance fund raising with running your company. They have relationships that are hard for entrepreneurs to build.

Venture Capital 242

Venture Capital Mission Ventures Capital Help 242

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 16, 2010

The VC industry grew dramatically as a result of the Internet bubble - Before the Internet bubble the people who invested in VC funds (called LPs or Limited Partners) put about $50 billion into the industry and by 2001 this had grown precipitously to around $250 billion. So the people who invest in VC funds have two problems.

Venture Capital 311

Venture Capital Startup Seed Funding Rustic Canyon 311

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 1, 2016

Having time to think about “leadership” at most startups feels like a luxury. It feels like something you could turn your attention to once you have tens of millions of dollars and a large staff to run operations and you could step back from it all and think about how to lead. The reality of most startups is about survival.

Startup 150

Startup Coach Course Invest 150

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2015

It seems like everyone wants to be an entrepreneur and get rich these days. Find out if something very similar is already selling, and who your competition would be if you proceed. Pitching” is the insider term for presenting your product idea to people who could conceivably buy it or fund your efforts. Now get real (cook it).

Ideas 104

Ideas Mentor Resource Entrepreneur 104