Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 10, 2016

My partner Greg Bettinelli (worth following on Twitter) was recently named by The LA Business Journal as the “ Top deal maker in Los Angeles in Venture Capital.” I created an accelerator & mentor network (Launchpad LA). ” Numero uno. I was nowhere to be found. From 2007-2012 I scoured LA constantly.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Journal Invest Santa Monica 150

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 31, 2018

The most successful entrepreneurs and business owners I know are humble, and they don’t have an inflated sense of self. The only “sustainable competitive advantage” in business is self-awareness. I come from the same world, with an additional decade advising entrepreneurs, and I enthusiastically confirm his view.

Competition 81

Competition Startup Examples Coach 81

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 24, 2015

I recently interviewed Matt Mazzeo of Lowercase Capital. By now most of you know that Chris Sacca invested in what is now thought to be one of the best performing VC funds of all time having invested an $8.4 We spoke at length about seeking out mentors and how to get the most out of them. Beat the s**t out of me.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Funding RSS Technical Review 150

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 138

Technical Review Startup Innocal Offshore 138

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2020

Most aspiring entrepreneurs look to their alma mater, or any university, as a source of classes that can help them, but neglect to think outside the box or take advantage of all the other resources to be found there. Access to entrepreneurs-in-residence, business mentors. Access to intellectual property and current research.

Class 124

Class Startup Resource Mentor 124

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2022

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. Finally I realized that venture capital and angel investors are actually humans, despite some views to the contrary. Exudes integrity, humility, and stability.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 111

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2022

In my experience as an advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs in business, one of the biggest failures I see is a lack of self-leadership. For example, I often hear from aspiring entrepreneurs that “I had that idea first, and he stole it, and is now making money on my idea.” Marty Zwilling.

Capital 114

Capital Coach Satisfaction Ideas 114

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2020

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I often feel the frustration of someone trying to build a startup in the wrong place and time, and wrongly attributing their struggle to personal limitations. A commitment to constant learning will raise your intellectual capital. Financial capital – revenue, equity, debt, funding.

Resource 131

Resource Startup Capital Mentor 131

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2021

As an angel investor to startups, I’m still surprised to find entrepreneurs who expect investors to give them money, and assume no strings attached. If the entrepreneur wants total control of their own venture, with no one looking over their shoulder, they should work within the limits of their own resources, a process called bootstrapping.

Funding 173

Funding Startup Entrepreneur Report 173

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 15, 2014

I then got my MBA at University of Chicago so I secretly pull for local entrepreneurs as long as they don’t make me visit in the Winter any more. Local capital matters. Local mentors matter. People often say, “Great entrepreneurs will build a community and the capital will follow.”

Company 369

Company Companies Startup Snapchat 369

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2014

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. Finally I realized that Venture Capital and Angel investors are actually humans, despite some views to the contrary. Exudes integrity, humility, and stability.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Angel Social Media Patents 107

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2020

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. Finally I realized that venture capital and angel investors are actually humans, despite some views to the contrary. Exudes integrity, humility, and stability.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 126

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2016

Most aspiring entrepreneurs look to their alma mater, or any university, as a source of classes that can help them, but neglect to think outside the box or take advantage of all the other resources to be found there. Access to entrepreneurs-in-residence, business mentors. Access to intellectual property and current research.

Entrepreneur 55

Entrepreneur Capital Class Startup 55

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2020

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Funding Innocal Offshore 124

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 3, 2015

What Jason has achieved in no time flat in VC is astounding. Without inventing the browser he has single-handedly created a personal VC brand on a shoestring. And as I’ve written about before – building a personal brand is extremely important in today’s competitive job market. Here’s how he did it.

SaaS 150

SaaS Venture Capital Conference Technical Review 150

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

Want to be an entrepreneur? In addition, Entrepreneur Magazine recently included UCSB in its Top 50 Schools For VC Backed Entrepreneurs at number 37. A decent showing, but well below a number of larger schools, as the ranking is based on the number of graduates who secured VC funding. Techpreneurs.

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

Tech.Co

MAY 25, 2018

If you’re an early-stage entrepreneur, technology has served you well. The barriers to entry when it comes to launching a company require less tension and a lot less capital. BlackTech Week was created in 2014, and in four short years, they’ve gained over 2700 participants, 150 speakers, and 3 pitch competitions.

Startup 141

Startup Technical Review Competition Software Review 141

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2013

It’s always painful when a startup fails, but as a mentor to founders, I would hope that you can learn from these failings and not stumble on the same issues. Entrepreneurs who utter this line are kidding themselves. That’s probably the soft way of saying, we don’t have a patent or any “secret sauce” for a competitive advantage.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Startup Social Network IBM 111

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 20, 2011

I was having a chat with an entrepreneur who I really like and who I try to mentor from time-to-time. This is extra frustrating in an era in which all you read about is how frothy the VC / funding market is these days. Also, if you combine 2 VCs that want 20% each you might get to 40% de facto. One problem.

Pricing 284

Pricing Venture Capital Competition Startup 284

From the Venture Trenches

APRIL 30, 2013

As a fourteen-year veteran of the venture industry I have often heard the phrase, “value added investors”, which is usually touted by certain VC’s as their biggest differentiating quality. The value that is being “added” is often at arms length or via a specialist who interacts with the entrepreneur.

Web Design 103

Web Design Social Media Seed Funding Design 103

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 3, 2015

It spoke to me because it so resonates with my nearly daily advice to entrepreneurs and VCs alike. I am often asked how we make decisions on investments at Upfront Ventures. Every VC firm works differently but when asked about our process I always reply the same way, We’re a “high conviction” shop.

Startup 150

Startup Venture Capital Invest Framework 150

socalTECH

MAY 2, 2013

Despite a growing technology industry here in Southern California, local investors and entrepreneurs tell us there''s still a shortage of local, venture capital. What''s the best way for entrepreneurs to approach you? Any advice you would give entrepreneurs? That''s true in the Bay Area, and that''s true here.

Invest 159

Invest Technology Startup Venture Capital 159

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 19, 2015

Entrepreneurs could learn about loneliness of success: nobody talks about. The Yo-Yo Life of a Tech Entrepreneur. Advisors / Coaches / Mentors. But needed to be seen. Mark Suster (@msuster) July 19, 2015. And the immediate reaction was obvious – that failure can be pretty lonely, too. Of course that’s true.

Press 150

Press Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2016

I find that this type offers the most value to new entrepreneurs or startups in the early idea stage. Here are some of the key parameters that will help you decide where you fit in this spectrum: Your commitment to the entrepreneur lifestyle. Direction, mentoring and resources required.

Incubator 58

Incubator Startup Seed Funding Equity 58

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

In my experience as an advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs in business, one of the biggest failures I see is a lack of self-leadership. For example, I often hear from aspiring entrepreneurs that “I had that idea first, and he stole it, and is now making money on my idea.” Marty Zwilling.

Coach 70

Coach Satisfaction Ideas Entrepreneur 70

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 7, 2013

We also want to create more capital for women entrepreneurs to increase the chances of being funded and connected to a bigger network. Entrepreneurs are everywhere and capital isn’t. We have three main components: education, mentoring, and practice. Is Pipeline Fellowship national or global?

Mentor 84

Mentor Invest Entrepreneur Startup 84

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 103

socalTECH

DECEMBER 10, 2010

venture funding and business deals, technology develops, and more from Santa Barbara. It's the source for keeping a pulse on the dynamic world of technology, reaching venture capitalists, angel investors, entrepreneurs, CEOs, social media. Clearstone Ventures (www.clearstone.com). Venture capital for innovators.

SoCalTech 127

SoCalTech Advertising Rustic Canyon Glendale 127

Tech.Co

MARCH 2, 2018

You’ll have the chance to enjoy a startup lunch on the rooftop , panels, mentor sessions, VC sessions, a special Startup Pitch Jam, and finally, the big party and “must attend” event known as Startup Night SXSW 2018. “ Hey startups and tech enthusiasts!

Startup 70

Startup Organization Networking Venture Capital 70

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 19, 2015

Yet I can’t remember the last time any entrepreneur asked me to assess personal potential, despite the fact that most investors will admit they invest in the person more than the product. These people are the ultimate chess players in the game of startups, always looking to be two or three moves ahead of the competition. Specialist.

Startup 106

Startup Incubator Entrepreneur Metrics 106

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

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. I offer the same advice for many of my friends who are newer VCs.

Software Review 150

Software Review Startup Venture Capital Invest 150

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2015

As an angel investor to startups, I’m still surprised to find entrepreneurs who expect investors to give them money, and assume no strings attached. If the entrepreneur wants total control of their own venture, with no one looking over their shoulder, they should work within the limits of their own resources, a process called bootstrapping.

Funding 106

Funding Entrepreneur Startup Report 106

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2017

In my experience as an advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs in business, one of the biggest failures I see is a lack of self-leadership. For example, I often hear from aspiring entrepreneurs that “I had that idea first, and he stole it, and is now making money on my idea.”

Coach 59

Coach Satisfaction Ideas Entrepreneur 59

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 63

Tech.Co

MARCH 8, 2018

Also at Startup Night will be 25 diverse and innovative startups showcasing their latest products, competing for prizes including: $1K from LaunchKC , Business Extra Points from American Airlines , and a fast tracked spot to the Startup of the Year semifinals competition at Innovate Celebrate 2018. As the President of Start Co.,

Technical Review 70

Technical Review Startup Software Review Entrepreneur 70

From the Venture Trenches

APRIL 30, 2013

As a fourteen-year veteran of the venture industry I have often heard the phrase, “value added investors”, which is usually touted by certain VC’s as their biggest differentiating quality. The value that is being “added” is often at arms length or via a specialist who interacts with the entrepreneur.

Web Design 40

Web Design Social Media Seed Funding Design 40