Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 29, 2010

One of the most important questions you will be asked by potential investors is how your solutions beats the competition, not just today, but over the three to five year life of their investment. The concept is called “sustainable competitive advantage.” That implies competitive now, and the potential to stay in the lead.

Competition 89

Competition Patents IBM IBM 89

socalTECH

DECEMBER 23, 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. Due to this, seed rounds have become more competitive, with more expensive valuations and more oversubscribed rounds. Since 2010, $6.3B

Capital 100

Capital Technical Review Truecar Venture Capital 100

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 8, 2019

Responding to Elizabeth Warren’s call to regulate and break up some of the nation’s largest technology companies, the venture capitalists that invest in technology companies are advising the presidential hopeful to move slowly and not break anything. This is not a new model, and it makes no sense,” says Narasin. ”

Technical Review 144

Technical Review Startup Chief Technology Officer Social Media 144

Tech.Co

MAY 25, 2018

If you’re an early-stage entrepreneur, technology has served you well. BlackTech Week was created in 2014, and in four short years, they’ve gained over 2700 participants, 150 speakers, and 3 pitch competitions. The Case Foundation invests in people and ideas that can change the world. BlackTech Week (Miami, FL).

Startup 141

Startup Technical Review Competition Software Review 141

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2019

In the entrepreneur world, it’s still a popular misconception that the “idea” is everything. Even though investors, like myself, have long made it clear that we invest in people, not ideas, new venture owners insist on talking about their latest “ million dollar idea ,” rather than their “ million dollar team.”

IBM 87

IBM IBM Ideas Technical Review 87

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2012

Bill Gates started producing software solutions, like his Basic Interpreter and MS DOS, but quickly focused on adding thousands of small partners for applications, and major partners like IBM and other hardware manufacturers. These relationships need not require cash investments; often they are done with exchanges of equity or assets.

Entrepreneur 99

Entrepreneur Organization Startup Competition 99

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2022

In the old days, every entrepreneur planned on taking their startup public, and making it big. Smart entrepreneurs are now starting to look at this option again, as well as the challenges of running a public company. Thus, there is tremendous pressure to increase current earnings, and little appetite for strategic investments.

Startup 98

Startup Report IBM IBM 98

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 7, 2017

Entrepreneurs will have a relative willing to devote time, a school friend with business experience, professionals who charge for the service, investors with a reason to promote your success and more. Photo courtesy IBM Business Coaching. Business coaches come in all sizes and shapes.

Coach 243

Coach Organization Resource IBM 243

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2015

The new paradigm, driven by disruptive technologies, cloud-served supercomputing, and the new generation of young adults with global empathy, is partnering and giving something now for a competitive advantage in the future. Too many companies and entrepreneurs find it hard to stop a bad project. This is the new world of prototyping.

Startup 100

Startup IBM IBM Examples 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 21, 2019

Conventional business wisdom tells us that entrepreneurs are today’s main source of innovation. In fact, a Wharton Business School study in this decade of the “Top 30 Innovations of the Last 30 Years,” concluded that only eight were first conceived by entrepreneurs, and twenty-two were conceived by employees.

IBM 53

IBM IBM Java Google 53

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 3, 2014

The new paradigm, driven by disruptive technologies, cloud-served supercomputing, and the new generation of young adults with global empathy, is partnering and giving something now for a competitive advantage in the future. Too many companies and entrepreneurs find it hard to stop a bad project. This is the new world of prototyping.

IBM 100

IBM IBM Startup Examples 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2020

In my experience working with entrepreneurs, once they feel they have a winning formula for their business, they are often hesitant to change or update it. Don’t be the next Xerox who totally missed the personal computer market, even though they had the technology and the processes well before Apple, IBM, and others.

Customer 143

Customer Custom Examples IBM 143

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2010

Things that make it investment-grade for outside investors will also benefit you, since you are the ultimate investor. Many entrepreneurs scare away potential investors by claiming that their technology represents “truly disruptive technology.” Competition and sustainable advantage. Competition and sustainable advantage.

Invest 74

Invest Tips Competition Metrics 74

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2016

Every entrepreneur and business executive knows that continuous innovation is required to survive, but most struggle with this more than any other challenge they face. Sponsor experiments and measure like new investments. A business that relies on static skill replacement is falling behind, and ripe for the next competitive crisis.

Framework 59

Framework Competition Ideas IBM 59

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2015

Bill Gates started producing software solutions, like his Basic Interpreter and MS DOS, but quickly focused on adding thousands of small partners for applications, and major partners like IBM, Intel, and other hardware manufacturers. These relationships need not require cash investments; often they are done with exchanges of equity or assets.

Organization 100

Organization Startup Competition IBM 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2019

In the old days, every entrepreneur dreamed of easily taking their startup public, and making it big. Smart entrepreneurs are just now starting to look at this option again, due to its unpredictability and the challenges of running a public company. Startups going public are laid open to competitors and critics.

Startup 84

Startup Technical Review Report IBM 84

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 13, 2015

Entrepreneurs and startups often ask if they should select only social media for marketing, or stick with digital media, or just count on traditional media. None should be considered competitive mutually exclusive to any other. None should be considered competitive mutually exclusive to any other. Marty Zwilling.

Social Media 108

Social Media Media Marketing Resource 108

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2018

I will suggest to you as a business owner and entrepreneur that focus on certain key behaviors will drive innovation without waiting for the next competitive crisis: Be outspoken in communicating proactive required change. IBM, for example, regularly buys about a dozen companies a year to supercharge their own innovation efforts.

Metrics 58

Metrics IBM IBM Competition 58

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

Things that make it investment-grade for outside investors will also benefit you, since you are the ultimate investor. Many entrepreneurs scare away potential investors by claiming that their technology represents “truly disruptive technology.” Competition and sustainable advantage. Competition and sustainable advantage.

Competition 113

Competition Metrics Startup Invest 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 9, 2010

Helping entrepreneurs succeed. Middle Market Investment Banking. An on-line community for entrepreneurs. Key Information Systems (www.keyinfo.com) Providing IBM Storage Solutions. www.pitchtheangels.com) Join Tech Coast Angels members and other start up investors at the 5th Annual Los Angeles Fast Pitch Competition.

Southern California 113

Southern California Tech Coast Angels IP Orange County 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 20, 2018

The stalwarts should be making the big leaps to be competitive, rather than the other way around. For example, Kodak invested billions of dollars into technology for mobile phones and other digital devices, but didn’t recognize the impact of digital cameras on their core film business. Acquire and cultivate new knowledge disciplines.

Startup 59

Startup Competition IBM IBM 59

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2017

In the old days, every entrepreneur dreamed of easily taking their startup public, and making it big. Smart entrepreneurs are just now starting to look at this option again, due to its unpredictability and the challenges of running a public company. Startups going public are laid open to competitors and critics.

Startup 87

Startup Technical Review Report Entrepreneur 87

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2012

One of the most important questions you will be asked by potential investors is how your solutions beats the competition, not just today, but over the three to five year life of their investment. The concept is called “sustainable competitive advantage.” A sustainable competitive advantage is not a destination, but a journey.

Patents 90

Patents Competition IBM IBM 90

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2015

In the old days, every entrepreneur dreamed of easily taking their startup public, and making it big. Smart entrepreneurs now avoid this option like the plague, due to its unpredictability and the challenges of running a public company. entrepreneur IPO m&a startup Stock Exchange' The image of large public companies is negative.

Startup 98

Startup Technical Review Report Entrepreneur 98

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

Things that make it investment-grade for outside investors will also benefit you, since you are the ultimate investor. Many entrepreneurs scare away potential investors by claiming that their technology represents “truly disruptive technology.” Competition and sustainable advantage. Competition and sustainable advantage.

Competition 116

Competition Metrics Startup Sales 116

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 18, 2010

Venture Capital funds: the different between “closed funds&# (which typically have a 10-year time horizon) and “evergreen funds&# which re-invest profits back into the fund. industry investors rather than VCs) a good idea for entrepreneurs. His view: sometimes entrepreneurs expect too much value from the partner.

Venture Capital 225

Venture Capital Google Web Sites 225

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 23, 2015

In the startup world, the former happens when a VC makes a bad investment, and the latter occurs when they miss a great opportunity. In contrast, low-volume, high-conviction investors like Rincon only invests in a handful new companies each year, making it much more costly (in dollars and effort expended) to invest in a loser.

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Technical Review Software Review Southern California 100

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

In the old days, every entrepreneur dreamed of someday taking their startup public, and making it a multi-national powerhouse. The reasons here are a lot more complex than the meltdown of key investment banks in the US a few years ago, so don’t expect a big recovery anytime soon. Public companies are always at risk for takeovers.

Startup 97

Startup Report Entrepreneur Statistics 97

socalTECH

MARCH 31, 2014

Bitvore is based in Irvine, and is backed by serial entrepreneur Yuri Pikover, as well as other angels. Whether that''s for competitive analysis or market analysis, our product is basically able to monitor--on a very large scale--things that are important to your particular company. It''s designed for business people.

Orange County 245

Orange County Startup News IBM 245

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

Bill Gates started producing software solutions, like his Basic Interpreter and MS DOS, but quickly focused on adding thousands of small partners for applications, and major partners like IBM and other hardware manufacturers. These relationships need not require cash investments; often they are done with exchanges of equity or assets.

Startup 93

Startup Organization Competition IBM 93

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2017

Entrepreneurs and startups often ask if they should select only social media for marketing, or stick with digital media, or just count on traditional media. None should be considered competitive mutually exclusive to any other. How integrated is your marketing, and how carefully are you measuring your marketing investment?

Media 59

Media Marketing Social Media Resource 59

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 7, 2011

and a seed investor ISS (sold to IBM, $1.3B). In light of his love/hate public relations history, I asked Kevin if he has any tactical advice for emerging entrepreneurs seeking press coverage for their ventures. Not necessarily those who went to the best schools, but who are really street-smart…and we want competitive people.

Press 260

Press Software Review Startup IBM 260

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 26, 2010

Bill Gates started producing software solutions, like his Basic Interpreter and MS DOS, but quickly focused on adding thousands of small partners for applications, and major partners like IBM and other hardware manufacturers. These relationships need not require cash investments; often they are done with exchanges of equity or assets.

Acquisition 85

Acquisition Startup Organization Competition 85

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 8, 2014

I quickly learned, after moving StrongMail, is all of that is true--but there sure is a lot more competition for those resources and capital. It was all over, geographically, and we did not have a strong community of entrepreneurs. It was a similar reactio to when IBM started putting computers on desktops.

Startup 176

Startup Advertising Los Angeles Southern California 176

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2012

It’s a great survival strategy for small companies or entrepreneurs, and a good expansion strategy for even the largest companies. They may have the finances you need and are ready to invest in a business area they know. As an example, a few years ago I worked for small software company selling an expensive enterprise workflow product.

Company 96

Company Companies Startup Examples 96

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2011

It’s a great survival strategy for small companies or entrepreneurs, and a good expansion strategy for even the largest companies. They may have the finances you need and are ready to invest in a business area they know. As an example, a few years ago I worked for small software company selling an expensive enterprise workflow product.

Startup 90

Startup Examples Customer Custom 90

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

My friends who “grew up” with lifetime careers in General Motors, Exxon Mobil, or even IBM, are now often too embarrassed to even mention it. On the other hand, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur. His focus is on entrepreneurs in America, but what he says applies to every other country as well. Next wave of economic expansion.

Entrepreneur 87

Entrepreneur Offshore Technical Review Outsource 87