Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 15, 2014

Local mentors matter. I figured if we couldn’t fund every company locally we should at least embrace them as a community and show that we’re willing to mentor them whether they raise their money in town or not. No – I’m not worried about the competition. Local capital matters. Photo Credit from 500px.

Company 369

Company Companies Startup Snapchat 369

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. In particular, funding for companies developing deep technology--software and cloud, as opposed to content and media--seems to be lacking.

Invest 159

Invest Technology Startup Venture Capital 159

Tech.Co

MAY 31, 2017

When you’re in a competition and on the spot, answering questions to industry experts can be a nerve-wrecking process. This competition required the team to answer “…questions on a Food and Nutrition data set that contained 28 features and 30,000+ rows. This article is courtesy of the Galvanize blog.

Competition 88

Competition Slides Artificial Inteligence Tips 88

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 17, 2010

Then we do our very best to make sure that they build a broad set of relationships that will be continuing sources of interpreted information, that they have a full complement of Mentors to assist them as they make tough decisions Well, here’s an important follow-on story. The entry screenings are tough.

Incubator 80

Incubator Mentor Capital Startup 80

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

In fact, I think the evidence is clear that many entrepreneurs started their journey while still in college, and capitalized on all the resources there, before moving on: Extend your technology focus with business basics. Take advantage of free startup programs and mentors. Write a business plan and pitch deck for learning.

Entrepreneur 157

Entrepreneur Mentor Class Resource 157

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2014

He’s an incredibly smart investor and somebody that I actually consider to be a mentor to myself. He wanted to know what I thought of his technology deal. Competition is fierce. I reviewed a deal for a friend of mine tonight. I outlined here my views on “ proprietary dealflow.”

Venture Capital 333

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Email 333

socalTECH

OCTOBER 14, 2010

The group--which was started by Richard Koffler and John Morris , two well known investors in Los Angeles--has been trying to help connect CEOs with interesting university and other technology projects. We're looking for inventors interested in commercializing and spinning out their technology into a company. Thanks for the time today.

Networking 215

Networking Research Startup USC 215

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

For example, Mark McClain, cofounder and CEO of SailPoint Technologies , created an employee growth culture resulting in growth of forty percent a year, with more than $100 million in revenues. Utilize outside expertise and mentoring. Track competition to stay ahead of copycats. Track competition to stay ahead of copycats.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 31, 2018

The only “sustainable competitive advantage” in business is self-awareness. I was struck by this assertion in a new book, “ The Messy Middle ,” by Scott Belsky, who has spent more than a decade leading in the worlds of technology, design, and startups. It’s a recipe for disaster.

Competition 81

Competition Startup Examples Coach 81

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

According to a recent Forbes article , UC Santa Barbara''s Technology Management Program offers students a superior startup education over the University of Pennsylvania (home of Wharton), as well Harvard, Northwestern and even its acclaimed southern neighbor, the University of Southern California. Want to be an entrepreneur?

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 26, 2010

I’ve been having discussions with several people recently about the role of the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) in very early stage companies. How do we need to structure the systems to get ahead and stay ahead of the competition? What technology research is required? What technologies will we use? Others will not.

Fractional CTO 225

Fractional CTO CTO CTO Hire CTO Coach 225

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2021

Ironically, as a startup investor and mentor, I have seen too many failures caused by just the opposite – too much money spent too soon, taking time to get product perfection, and assuming customers will wait. Using the solution technology that you already have, in new ways, takes fewer resources than inventing or sourcing new technologies.

Startup 164

Startup Resource Entrepreneur Competition 164

socalTECH

DECEMBER 10, 2010

California's technology industry possible. venture funding and business deals, technology develops, and more from Santa Barbara. venture funding and business deals, technology develops, and more from Santa Barbara. Venture Partners , Rustic Canyon Partners , Binary Pulse Technology. Technology. professionals?

SoCalTech 127

SoCalTech Advertising Rustic Canyon Glendale 127

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2020

These often lead to angel investors and venture capital investments later, or connections to local company venture funds for selected focus and technology areas. Access to entrepreneurs-in-residence, business mentors. Most schools have a rich pipeline of real-world executive volunteers available for mentoring.

Class 124

Class Startup Resource Mentor 124

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2016

We have have been funding agriculture technologies, water conservation, wireless electricity, aquaponics and so forth in addition to our standard investment themes in software, data, video and retail innovation. They have raised $14 million to date. It seems that many others were impressed as well.

Company 207

Company Companies CTO Coach Funding 207

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Most of these are non-profits, set up by a university to commercialize new technologies, or a municipality to foster business development for the local economy. I believe their competitive advantage is their top on-site leadership, exclusivity, and connections to investors. Health, life, and other insurance at group rates.

Resource 159

Resource Startup Incubator Seed Funding 159

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2022

I call this linear thinking , and it’s a sure way to be ultimately overrun by your competition. One way to do this is to nurture mentoring relationships with experts in other disciplines, as Bill Gates did with Warren Buffet. You need to see these as opportunities for growth and a chance to get ahead of competition.

Competition 139

Competition Examples Customer Custom 139

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 29, 2022

One of the things I’ve learned over my years as a business mentor and investor is that life isn’t fair when it comes to succeeding in business. These authors speak from their own wealth of experience in creating and growing technology startups, marketing, and fundraising. Use friends and mentors with extensive experience to gauge both.

Help 130

Help Mentor Paramount Technical Review 130

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2022

Thus, in my mentoring of potential technical entrepreneurs who have a real passion for their technology, I often recommend that they find a co-founder who can manage the marketing and execution elements of the new venture. The competition will improve, the market will change, and your customers will demand more.

Mentor 133

Mentor Startup Customer Custom 133

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2020

Based on my experience and a business advisor and mentor, this is the ideal time to get back to the basics of business leadership and innovation. Elon Musk , as an example, is impressive in his broad knowledge and interest in electric vehicles, getting humans into space, and new energy technologies.

Mentor 122

Mentor Ideas Competition Examples 122

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2023

These often lead to angel investors and venture capital investments later, or connections to local company venture funds for selected focus and technology areas. Access to entrepreneurs-in-residence, business mentors. Most schools have a rich pipeline of real-world executive volunteers available for mentoring.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Class Startup Resource 110

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 4, 2023

Ironically, as a startup investor and mentor, I have seen too many failures caused by just the opposite – too much money spent too soon, taking time to get product perfection, and assuming customers will wait. Using the solution technology that you already have, in new ways, takes fewer resources than inventing or sourcing new technologies.

Resource 112

Resource Ideas Competition Entrepreneur 112

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

In my role as a mentor to business professionals and entrepreneurs over the years, I have found that it’s important to take a hard look at the relationships around you on a regular basis. But, like most other skills, you can learn from these priorities: Everyone benefits from active mentoring.

Tips 95

Tips Mentor Coach Activity 95

socalTECH

JULY 13, 2009

Mark has also been quite active mentoring entrepreneurs, We caught up with Mark to hear about what kinds of investments GRP is looking at nowadays, his view on the software-as-a-service market, and how best to approach him with a pitch. The new fund is focused entirely on technology companies. That was quite a prominent exit for us.

GRP Partners 157

GRP Partners Southern California Santa Barbara Rustic Canyon 157

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. While winning pitch competitions is great, it’s not the most important thing about Startup of the Year.

Startup 137

Startup Technical Review Competition Software Review 137

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. You need partners, mentors, and investors who can complement your own resources to make it a win-win for all involved.

Resource 131

Resource Startup Capital Mentor 131

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2021

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Find out if something very similar is already selling, and who your competition would be if you proceed.

Ideas 136

Ideas Entrepreneur Mentor Resource 136

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2021

I often think of the scope of this example in my role as mentor to a struggling entrepreneur who is quick to blame his problems on employee mistakes, or even changing customer expectations. In today’s world, every organization needs to be in a constant state of change to stay competitive. Don’t wait for a crisis to test accountability.

Training 173

Training Examples Startup Social Media 173

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2022

Today’s pace of change in the market and in technology is unprecedented. Priority is placed on employee mentoring and coaching. Mentoring and coaching tend to improve commitment, motivation, decision making, and creative talents, which are required for a competitive business and career.

Coach 128

Coach Mentor Organization Startup 128

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2020

We all face pressure in our lives, but there’s nothing like that of an entrepreneur facing customer crises and the competitive challenges of a new business. Thus, here is my own reframing of the authors generalized rules into some specifics for an entrepreneur or business leader: Reframe competitive threats to opportunities.

Startup 134

Startup Entrepreneur Competition Press 134

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 23, 2013

The second annual USC Silicon Beach event, hosted by the four professional schools at USC, featured a pitch competition and a conference filled with informational panels and interviews. Startup Pitch Competition. I tried to treat it as a learning experience and refined my pitch for this competition.”.

USC 98

USC Cornerstone OnDemand Southern California Netflix 98

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

Based on my recent experience as an angel investor, and advisor to new business owners, I now recommend that all entrepreneurs, especially introverts, learn and practice the discipline they need to build and nurture relationships with key constituents through the following activities: Formalize a mentoring relationship with someone you trust.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Mentor Activity Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2022

Offense, for entrepreneurs, means leading with a new business model, new marketing, and new technology. This knowledge is required for you to turn quickly or pivot based on new input from the market, without loss of competitive position. Leverage the resources of mentors, investors, and peers. Set your targets high.

Startup 150

Startup Entrepreneur Mentor Training 150

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2022

In my role as a business mentor and advisor, I now always look for a culture and recommend team roles that nurture collaboration rather than contention, communities rather than silos , and transparent communication at all levels. Discourage internal team competition and silos. Look for opportunities to highlight individual strengths.

Organization 105

Organization Mentor Startup Training 105

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2020

In this world of constant change, new technologies, and a thousand cultures, it’s evident and somehow comforting to me that the basic rules for business prosperity really haven’t changed in the last hundred years. Business success is still more about the people than the technology or idea involved. Master-mind alliance. Applied faith.

Technical Review 126

Technical Review Ideas Entrepreneur Customer 126

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

Yet, as a business consultant, I still find many of you business leaders relying primarily on your technology, word-of-mouth , or location to attract necessary customers. For example , Bill Gates shared a mentoring relationship with Warren Buffett that increased the credibility of both, although their business domains were quite different.

Marketing 133

Marketing Customer Custom Outsource Development 133

From the Venture Trenches

APRIL 30, 2013

Amplify Mentor Panel in full swing. Amplify’s close mentoring is by design. Like good mentors Paul, Jeff, Richard, Oded and David as well as Chris and Kris create an atmosphere in which the motivated founders can take advantage of the knowledge base to which they are exposed. Jeff Solomon holding court in the kitchen.

Web Design 103

Web Design Social Media Seed Funding Design 103