Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2020

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Investors invest in the jockey, more than the horse.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Statistics Startup Social Media 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2019

In my work with new and aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that most struggle with putting together a written business plan, often pointing out that someone they know started a business without anything written down. You really need at least a prototype product or customer to make the video come alive. Make it light, but factual.

Ideas 126

Ideas Slides Sample Examples 126

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 22, 2011

By early 2010, I found my stylistic voice and identified my audience of emerging entrepreneurs and thus dropped my penname. In addition, my role as Partner at Rincon Venture Partners provided me with a business reason to invest additional time and effort into my humble blog. Appeared on Reddit’s front page. All Time Rank.

Newsletter 205

Newsletter Blogging Santa Barbara Content 205

InfoChachkie

JUNE 3, 2013

Upon graduation from Wharton, John and Kyle launched a startup based upon a simple, pedestrian product: a computer mouse shaped like the head of a golf driver. Putting their expensive educations to good use, they aptly named their novelty product a "MouseDriver". It was really no longer than a page um. Do you care to hear more?

Newsletter 233

Newsletter Startup Entrepreneur Writing 233

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2013

If you want people to invest in your idea, then my best advice is first write a business plan, and keep it simple. For minimum content, see my article “ These 10 Key Elements Make a Business Plan Fundable.” You can cover everything you need to convey in 20 pages of text. Use page breaks to separate sections.

Writing 95

Writing Content Summary Entrepreneur 95

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2017

If you want people to invest in your idea, then my best advice is first write a business plan, and keep it simple. For minimum content, see my original article “ These 10 Key Elements Make a Business Plan Fundable.” You can cover everything you need to convey in 20 pages of text. Use page breaks to separate sections.

Writing 56

Writing Tips Content Summary 56

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 23, 2011

I took the opportunity this past week to publish summary notes of some of the VCs and entrepreneurs I had interviewed on This Week in VC. One of my goals in doing the show was not only to educate entrepreneurs but also to put a human face on many of the VCs in our industry as VCs can be hard to get to know. (5:00 5:00 – 5:55).

Capital 265

Capital Venture Capital Veoh Startup 265

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Build a prototype product. A conundrum for many frustrated entrepreneurs is that they need money from investors to design and build a prototype product, yet most angel investors expect to see at least a prototype before they invest. Remember to aim the content of both of these at investors, not customers.

Invest 99

Invest Angel Technical Review Summary 99

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 10, 2011

In my ongoing quest to get you good transcripts of the wonderful interviews we’ve done in the past, I present you with one amazing interview here with Tom McInerney – a friend, co-investor, former entrepreneur turned angel investor and “wizard of Oz&# behind the scenes at the uber hot startup Klout.

Angel 302

Angel Startup Ideas .Net 302

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2015

More important, if someone does find your site, the content better be enticing enough for them to come back. Blogging is one of the best ways to do this and build a brand, even before you have a product or service. Every entrepreneur should count on at least a couple of adjustments or pivots before they get it right.

Blogging 110

Blogging Startup Search Engine Optimization Social Media 110

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2012

If you want people to invest in your idea, then my best advice is first write a business plan, and keep it simple. For minimum content, see my article “ These 10 Key Elements Make a Business Plan Fundable.” You can cover everything you need to convey in 20 pages of text. Use page breaks to separate sections.

Tips 101

Tips Writing Content Summary 101

InfoChachkie

JUNE 3, 2013

Upon graduation from Wharton, John and Kyle launched a startup based upon a simple, pedestrian product: a computer mouse shaped like the head of a golf driver. Putting their expensive educations to good use, they aptly named their novelty product a "MouseDriver". It was really no longer than a page um. Do you care to hear more?

Newsletter 133

Newsletter Startup Entrepreneur Writing 133

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2011

If you want people to invest in your idea, then my best advice is first write a business plan, and keep it simple. For minimum content, see my article “ Investors Expect Ten Essentials in a Business Plan.” You can cover everything you need to convey in 20 pages of text. Use page breaks to separate sections. It won’t work.

Writing 104

Writing Content Summary Entrepreneur 104

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2015

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Investors invest in the jockey, more than the horse.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup Statistics 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2010

If you want people to invest in your idea, then my best advice is first write a business plan, and keep it simple. For minimum content, see my article “ Ten Tips to an Investment-Grade Business Plan.” You can cover everything you need to convey in 20 pages of text. Use page breaks to separate sections.

Tips 93

Tips Writing Content Summary 93

socalTECH

JULY 20, 2011

She also has served at DoubleClick, had a stint as an investment banker at JPMorgan, been a venture capitalist at Bertelsmann Ventures, and started with an Electrical Engineering degree before her MBA. How have you managed the high cost of creating content? It was the fall of 2008, when Lehman Bros. We've done two things.

News 173

News Entertainment Startup Bertelsmann 173

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 5, 2018

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Investors invest in the jockey, more than the horse.

Funding 62

Funding Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup 62

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2015

Few investors these days have the time or patience to read a full business plan, so a better way to catch their eye is with a tightly written and well formatted two-page executive summary. Once you have their attention, content is key. Professional investors look for the right people more than the right product.

Summary 101

Summary Patents Technical Review Competition 101

socalTECH

DECEMBER 19, 2011

Last week, San Diego-based Kidzui --the kid's website and kid-friendly browser developer, announced another round of funding, and also launched Zui Studios, a new effort to create original content for the portal. It looks like you now have a search engine, a browser, and now a content studio? Give us an overview on KidZui.

Content 165

Content Startup Web Technical Review 165

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 12, 2013

In the online world, you need a solid connection between your domain name and your product, brand, or business. Content is king of the road. The site must have more and better content (information presented) than your competitor. The site must have more and better content (information presented) than your competitor.

Social Media 93

Social Media Content Startup Web 93

socalTECH

APRIL 2, 2014

Our clients are retail, technology, consumer product goods, and other companies who are trying to address challenges with a very complex, digital marketing mix they face every day. As you might imagine, I started as a brand manager in the consumer product goods market. What''s your background, and how did you get into this?

Marketing 196

Marketing Pasadena Platform Email 196

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

There was no viral social networking products back then like Twitter where people could easily discover your content. We started building the product 18 months ago so we are in better shape than 99% of start-ups. Page 1: Market Size. $3 It was sort of like Twitter’s list of who you follow but much, much smaller.

Venture Capital 274

Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2017

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. You should start blogging about your business before you have a product, to test interest and establish your credibility. Add content regularly. Leverage blog content.

Blogging 69

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Web Writing 69

SoCal Delicious

SEPTEMBER 13, 2012

Skip to primary content. Skip to secondary content. The Startup UCLA Accelerator Is About Entrepreneurship Not Investment Returns. Program head Robert Jadon describes Startup UCLA as more of a pre-accelerator than anything, meaning the the ideas are typically earlier stage and the entrepreneurs less experienced.

UCLA 47

UCLA Invest Startup Class 47

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

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

If you’re a technology startup you need to excel at product, of course. The starting point of product IS marketing, which is what a lot of young entrepreneurs that never studied business don’t realize. But being best-in-class at online marketing is also a sine qua non to standout from your peer group.

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

SoCal CTO

AUGUST 3, 2010

Some great content around the intersection of startups and being a Startup CTO in June this year. Wannabe entrepreneur symptoms and cures - Gabriel Weinberg , July 25, 2010 I was once a wannabe entrepreneur. At some point it will be quite obvious whether the super angels’ investments and strategy succeed or fail.

Startup 217

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Software Review 217

InfoChachkie

APRIL 25, 2011

Although many are entertaining, most fail to provide entrepreneurs with a sufficient return on their time investment. If you are a leader at a startup and you are reading a business book, you are not closing customers, raising capital, improving your product, or spending time with your loved ones. Things I Liked.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Blogging Class Entrepreneur 279

socalTECH

APRIL 14, 2010

Working with brand partners and viewers, they find that we're providing the content they need in terms of readers and brand partners, such as getting to moms interested in the green movement, moms specifically interested in beauty products, etc--where they can create a more intimate relationship with readers. READ MORE>>.

Networking 230

Networking Social Media Startup Search Engine Optimization 230

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2012

For example, I have had rigorous debates about the need to crack down on explicit online content – even in the face of lower growth. What websites one visits, what pictures they look at, whose FB page they checking out – are not fair game in a world where you care about trust. But many implicit actions are NOT fair play.

Blogging 328

Blogging Content Press Startup 328

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2012

But many entrepreneurs don’t realize that Angels are also extremely discerning in the projects that they will invest in, rejecting approximately 97% of the proposals submitted to them, according to the California Investment Network. Build a prototype product. Prepare an investment-grade business plan.

Angel 104

Angel Screening Summary Startup 104

SoCal Delicious

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

Skip to primary content. Skip to secondary content. Ten Tech Entrepreneurs Who Are Putting LA on the Map. Tech startup accelerators dot the landscape, feeding investments into the waiting arms of the nation’s most intelligent and driven entrepreneurs. is a good monthly investment? Post navigation.

Technical Review 75

Technical Review Entrepreneur Riot Games Southern California 75

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 3, 2010

Their computers then cleverly merge your ads with search results only when users search words imply an interest in your products. If you sell widgets, and a user is searching for widgets, your ad will appear on the same page as the search results for widgets. Tags: entrepreneurs startups. Cost per click (CPC). Marty Zwilling.

SEM 90

SEM Marketing Startup Search Engine Optimization 90

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2012

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. You should start blogging about your business before you have a product, to test interest and establish your credibility. Add content regularly. Leverage blog content.

Blogging 96

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Writing Social Network 96

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 19, 2010

As a member of the local angel group Selection Committee, I’ve seen a lot of startup presentations to investors, and I’ve never seen one that was too short - maybe short on content, but not short on pages! A perfect round number is ten slides, with the right content, that can be covered in ten minutes. Opportunity sizing.

Slides 94

Slides Competition Sample Sales 94

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2010

So it’s really hard to draw too many conclusions about whether the investment really makes sense because often you learn stuff in the fund raising about the future strategy of the company that might make you much more excited than somebody on the outside might be. entrepreneur Wil Schroter (I am an angel investor in Affordit).

Venture Capital 265

Venture Capital Capital Email Blogging 265

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 15, 2010

It’s always fun chatting with Jason because he’s knowledgeable about the market, quick on topics and pushes me to talk more about VC / entrepreneur issues. We’re staring to get the hang of how to divide the show up into talking about deals but also talking about issues for entrepreneurs during funding. Short answer: no.

Venture Capital 285

Venture Capital Startup Advertising Redpoint 285