Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2014

The VC market has right-sized (returned back to mid 90′s levels & less competition). Limited Partners or LPs (the people who invest into VC funds) have taken notice as 2014 is by all accounts the busiest year for LPs since the Great Recession began. We’re all socially connected (so great businesses spread faster).

Venture Capital 398

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Seed Funding 398

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 20, 2013

The reason for this is that the executives who founded the company have so much tacit knowledge of how to position their product relative to the competition that they can easily win campaigns when they’re involved. So I often work with teams to get them to codify the key things they do well that the competition does not.

Sales 336

Sales Startup Competition Customer 336

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2010

Here are some tips which will signal traction to investors, as well as your team: Document your business plan. Forcing yourself to write down a plan is actually the only way to make sure you actually have a plan. It’s also the keystone to convincing investors that you have a “sustainable competitive advantage.”

Tips 88

Tips Startup CTO Hire Press 88

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2017

Let me be clear – a product or consulting startup today without a blog, even with a static website, risks not being competitive in cost and time to reach and hold that critical mass of online customers. Here are some tips I’ve gleaned from experience: Lead with your blog. An informal writing style is generally recommended.

Blogging 69

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Web Writing 69

InfoChachkie

JULY 21, 2011

He offers a number of worthwhile tips and tricks that I was not able to capture in the textual summary, so the 14-minute audio file is well worth your time. You decide how much you want to invest in your employees and then you give your employees the control to build a custom perk package for themselves.

Summary 246

Summary Tips Sales Entrepreneur 246

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 15, 2010

If you want some tips on getting access I wrote a post on how to access VCs but the same logic applies to angels. In my next post I will write about one of the five companies. I think most great angel investing is done at a local level. The event last night in Los Angeles was great.

Angel 254

Angel Startup Tech Coast Angels MyShape 254

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Let me be clear – a product or consulting startup today without a blog, even with a static website, risks not being competitive in cost and time to reach and hold that critical mass of online customers. Here are some tips I’ve gleaned from experience: Lead with your blog. An informal writing style is generally recommended.

Blogging 95

Blogging Startup Search Engine Optimization Writing 95

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2012

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. A dysfunctional team, or even one naysayer in a critical position can stall your investment.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Startup Writing Competition 94

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2012

Let me be clear – a product or consulting startup today without a blog, even with a static website, risks not being competitive in cost and time to reach and hold that critical mass of online customers. Here are some tips I’ve gleaned from experience: Lead with your blog. An informal writing style is generally recommended.

Blogging 96

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Writing Social Network 96

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2010

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. A dysfunctional team, or even one naysayer in a critical position can stall your investment.

Technical Review 90

Technical Review Writing Competition Tips 90

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2011

Let me be clear – a product or consulting startup today without a blog, even with a static website, risks not being competitive in cost and time to reach and hold that critical mass of online customers. Here are some tips I’ve gleaned from experience: Lead with your blog. An informal writing style is generally recommended.

Blogging 91

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Services Writing 91

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. But make it competitive.

Startup 318

Startup IP Southern California Entrepreneur 318

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

Here are some tips which will signal traction and fundability to investors, as well as to your team: Document your business plan. Forcing yourself to write down a plan is actually the only way to make sure you actually have a plan. It’s also the keystone to convincing investors that you have a “sustainable competitive advantage.”

Funding 112

Funding Entrepreneur Startup CTO Hire 112

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2010

Let me be clear – a product or consulting startup today without a blog, even with a static website, risks not being competitive in cost and time to reach and hold that critical mass of online customers. Here are some tips I’ve gleaned from experience: Make your blog your website. An informal writing style is generally recommended.

Blogging 48

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Startup Writing 48

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 9, 2010

Competition analysis. Here is where you pick a few of these, characterize what they do, and position your own product to show your competitive advantage. Skip the acronyms, write at an eighth-grade level, and talk in terms of “benefits” rather than “features.” Market research and competition. Development and rollout.

Product 48

Product Outsource Development Competition High Tech 48

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2012

Here are some tips which will signal traction and fundability to investors, as well as to your team: Document your business plan. Forcing yourself to write down a plan is actually the only way to make sure you actually have a plan. It’s also the keystone to convincing investors that you have a “sustainable competitive advantage.”

Startup 104

Startup CTO Hire Press Customer 104

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 22, 2010

. - Journalists don’t know enough about your company before the show, don’t have time for proper research, and you will be competing for their time afterward with 49+ other companies that want them to write about you. - Given a choice of your marketing person or talking to you (the founder) there’s no competition.

Tips 307

Tips Startup Press Blogging 307

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2011

Here are some tips which will signal traction and fundability to investors, as well as to your team: Document your business plan. Forcing yourself to write down a plan is actually the only way to make sure you actually have a plan. It’s also the keystone to convincing investors that you have a “sustainable competitive advantage.”

Startup 101

Startup CTO Hire Press Customer 101

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 19, 2010

I’m writing this post as part of my series with Advice on Raising Venture Capital but will file it under Sales Tips as well since it applies equally to both scenarios. Here are some tips to keep in mind for the big day. In our current portfolio 3 or his 4 investments are in the Fin Svcs space. Congratulations.

Venture Capital 318

Venture Capital Startup Sales Writing 318

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

We had to write a CRM to keep track of them all. How I Think About Seed Investing As A VC - Feld Thoughts , August 2, 2010 Last week saw an explosion of discussion around seed investing, including plenty of negative comments around VCs as seed investors. There is no competition. What’s going to happen in the future?'

Startup 191

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Hire 191

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 25, 2014

In all seriousness, though, an extra tip to the good work being done at Breathometer, in light of a hugely saddening and tragic drunk driving incident that marred the positive festival feel of SXSW Music Week. Mike Norman – WeFunder , bringing crowd investing to the world. A hit with the SXSW party crowd). Big ups to the Twitch.TV

Entertainment 99

Entertainment Google Entrepreneur Course 99

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 1, 2010

aka: An Open Letter to the Next Big Social Network) - 500 Hats , November 1, 2010 I've held off writing this post for a long time, because I couldn't quite get my head around all the issues. But I didn’t write it for you; I wrote it for myself. How to Take Down Facebook -- Hint: It Ain't Twitter. but: Something is Still Missing.

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Startup Product Technology 175

InfoChachkie

JUNE 25, 2009

If you are charged for every nanosecond you spend with your lawyer, consider finding one who is willing to “invest” more aggressively in your success. Just as you would not ask your family physician to perform a coronary bypass, do not ask your corporate lawyer to help you write your patent application. but They Make Great Guard Dogs.

Technical Advisors 124

Technical Advisors Technical Review IP Patents 124

Frank Addante

JANUARY 23, 2007

► August (1) Invest in Transparency & Active Communication ► July (1) The Fear of Success ► May (2) Optimized for Speed = 30% Waste Happy 1st Birthday Rubicon Project! There are a lot of people out there who can "write code", but very few good engineers. ► October (1) New Video! Scrappy versus Steady 2.

Outsource Development 40

Outsource Development Develop Development Product 40

SoCal CTO

AUGUST 3, 2010

10 Blogging Tips. Think Different: How To Make Your Tagline Stand Out From The Crowd - crowdSPRING Blog , July 2, 2010 As I wrote last week in 10 Tips for Startups and Small Businesses on Naming Your Company , coming up with a great company name for your new small business or startup can be challenging and time consuming. Here’s why.

Startup 217

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Software Review 217