Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2021

Many first-time entrepreneurs find themselves unable to bootstrap their startups, and also unable to find early funding at the venture capital level or even with angel investors. The average amount per startup has been $23,000, usually in the form of a convertible loan, rather than an equity investment.

Funding 138

Funding Startup Equity Invest 138

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2020

Of course, every alternative has advantages and disadvantages, so any given one may not be available or attractive to you. For example, professional investors put great priority on your previous experience in building a business, and they expect to own a portion of the business equity and control for the funds they do provide.

Funding 174

Funding Startup Equity Examples 174

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

We have global opportunities from these trends but of course also big challenges. Of course we can’t. On the one hand, you’re over paying for every investment and valuations aren’t rational. If we wanted to we could have sold > 2x the fund easily in the secondary markets with significant upside remaining.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

For example, Bill Gates founded and grew Microsoft, and Michael Dell built a great technology company, both with no outside funding until they went successful enough to go public years later and sell shares to common stockholders. Many times friends and family have been broken by failed investments.

Funding 107

Funding Startup Satisfaction Venture Capital 107

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 18, 2011

I have been through many months with them but because of lack of funds, I spent lot of time doing non-technical work for first 4-5 months, spending time with them on putting pitches for investors, cash flows, budgets, writing business plans, product prototype setups etc. Of course, that doesn’t help here.

CTO 167

CTO CTO Hire CTO Coach Equity 167

socalTECH

JULY 17, 2012

The California Institute of Technology is backing, Coursera , a startup in the area of online education with an equity investment, plus the promise to put some of its courses online for free, in a deal worth $3.7M, the school announced this morning with Coursera. READ MORE>>.

CalTech 154

CalTech Invest Course Education 154

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 22, 2020

They don’t realize that according to statistics from Startup.co , almost 60 percent are funded with personal savings and credit, and another 25 percent get their money from friends and family. That leaves only about fifteen percent that actually get their funding from investors, through crowdfunding, banks, angels, and venture capitalists.

Funding 173

Funding Tips Startup Statistics 173

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 18, 2011

I have been through many months with them but because of lack of funds, I spent lot of time doing non-technical work for first 4-5 months, spending time with them on putting pitches for investors, cash flows, budgets, writing business plans, product prototype setups etc. Of course, that doesn’t help here.

CTO 150

CTO CTO Hire CTO Coach Equity 150

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 3, 2022

Of course, even though that is your contract with the investors, way over half of those implied contracts never work out that way. Of course, you will find yourself in opposition to your investors and some of most of your board members if you do this after taking outside investment. What if you later decide to just keep control?

Equity 156

Equity Course Sales Invest 156

SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 1, 2010

Understand where they were in terms of being able to pay or was this equity-only (sweat equity only). And he was still in the process of raising additional capital, so it was equity only. There are cases where I will do equity-only deals. who start with small equity percentages don’t end up making very much from startups.

CTO Hire 241

CTO Hire CTO Coach Equity Develop 241

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. Taking on equity investors to fund your company is much like getting married – it is a long-term relationship that has to work at all levels. A sample of three views is adequate.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Funding Innocal Offshore 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 19, 2020

Venture capitalists (VCs) have long been seen as the top of the pyramid for startup funding sources, but in fact angel investors now fund over twice as many companies, according the Crunchbase. Individual angel investors and crowdfunding have been adding to the momentum, some say exceeding VCs in total amount invested.

Funding 125

Funding Venture Capital Startup Class 125

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 9, 2014

Entrepreneurs who require funding for their startup have long counted on self-accredited high net worth individuals (“angels”) to fill their needs, after friends and family, and before they qualify for institutional investments (“VCs”). Thus investing in startups should always be approached as a low odds game.

Invest 111

Invest Angel Funding Startup 111

socalTECH

MAY 4, 2021

Irvine-based e-commerce software developer Kajabi said this morning that it has raised a massive, $550M funding round, which values the company at over $2 billion. The company said the round was led by Tiger Global Management and included TPG, Tidemark, Owl Rock Capital and Meritech Capital, along with existing investor Spectrum Equity.

Commerce 113

Commerce Coach Course Equity 113

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. Taking on equity investors to fund your company is much like getting married – it is a long-term relationship that has to work at all levels. A sample of three views is adequate.

Technical Review 138

Technical Review Startup Innocal Offshore 138

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

The most important advice I could give you before you set out in fund raising mode is to understand that fund-raising a sales & marketing process and needs to be managed. If you don’t believe in your bones that you’re amazing then it’s no wonder you don’t want to sell them on making the investment.”

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2021

As a long-time advisor to entrepreneurs and occasional angel investor, I often see and hear innovative product pitches that sound exciting, but are missing one or more of the key business elements that investors deem critical for funding consideration. Most investors admit that they invest in the people, as much as the solution.

Funding 132

Funding Template Resource Competition 132

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2023

Of course, every alternative has advantages and disadvantages, so any given one may not be available or attractive to you. For example, professional investors put great priority on your previous experience in building a business, and they expect to own a portion of the business equity and control for the funds they do provide.

Startup 106

Startup Capital Equity Funding 106

socalTECH

JANUARY 22, 2013

Last week, Carpinteria-based Lynda.com announced one of the biggest investments in the region in the last few years--a $103M, growth equity investment in the company, which came from Accel Partners and Spectrum Equity. Tell us a bit on the investment? Why did you decide to take investment now?

Funding 164

Funding Calabasas Course Platform 164

socalTECH

JANUARY 22, 2013

Last week, Carpinteria-based Lynda.com announced one of the biggest investments in the region in the last few years--a $103M, growth equity investment in the company, which came from Accel Partners and Spectrum Equity. Tell us a bit on the investment? Why did you decide to take investment now?

Funding 164

Funding Calabasas Course Platform 164

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

The problem is that professional investors (angels and venture capital) want a proven business model before they invest, ready to scale, rather than early projections and product development. Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until real revenue flows.

Startup 136

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 136

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

In reality, crowdfunding has become a major startup funding vehicle, expected to reach $3.62 He points out that the word crowd precedes funding in crowdfunding. Of course, if the campaign does not meet or exceed the funding objective, you get nothing. billion globally by 2030, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

Startup 100

Startup Equity Entrepreneur Demand 100

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 28, 2018

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million dollar investment before they even have a business plan. It’s helpful to think of startups as proceeding through several stages, which I have defined some time ago from a funding perspective. Funding or rollout stage. Growth and exit stage.

Funding 94

Funding Startup Organization Incubator 94

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2018

As an advisor to young entrepreneurs, I find that many are a bit naïve about how the investment process really works. Even with that, you should expect your first seed investment from friends, family, or business associates, who know your capabilities and believe in you more than the idea. This shows respect and professionalism.

Tips 86

Tips Funding Startup Entrepreneur 86

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 25, 2023

Yet one of the first things a potential equity investor asks about is your exit strategy. The answer you give can make or break your ability to get an investment, so you need to have the right answer ready before anyone asks. Here are three important reasons for the question: Good investment paybacks normally require an exit event.

Technical Review 105

Technical Review Equity Invest Startup 105

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2023

They don’t realize that according to statistics from Startup.co , almost 60 percent are funded with personal savings and credit, and another 25 percent get their money from friends and family. That leaves only about fifteen percent that actually get their funding from investors, through crowdfunding, banks, angels, and venture capitalists.

Statistics 98

Statistics Entrepreneur Funding Social Media 98

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2021

This usually means not taking money from equity investors, since investors want fast growth, high profits, and an exit event, to allow investments to be recouped. Of course, even lifestyle entrepreneurs want to be happy, and want their business to be “successful.” Startup funding comes from personal savings and family.

Entrepreneur 148

Entrepreneur Startup Equity Course 148

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2020

In reality, crowdfunding has become a major startup funding vehicle, expected to reach $114 billion globally by 2021, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. He points out that the word crowd precedes funding in crowdfunding. Of course, if the campaign does not meet or exceed the funding objective, you get nothing.

Startup 151

Startup Equity Funding Demand 151

socalTECH

APRIL 12, 2017

Wallach on investments out of a new fund, Inevitable Ventures. How did you end up here in Los Angeles doing investments? Coincidentally, that was the exact same time in 2009 when I moved out, when Ashton Kutcher started first investing. Ron chose me to manage those investments. Chris Hollod: For sure.

Invest 157

Invest Startup Hollywood Echo Park 157

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2020

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million dollar investment before they even have a business plan. It’s helpful to think of startups as proceeding through several stages, which I have defined a long time ago from a funding perspective. Funding or rollout stage. Growth and exit stage.

Resource 171

Resource Startup Organization Incubator 171

TechCrunch LA

JANUARY 29, 2020

Kleiner Perkins , one of the most storied franchises in venture capital, has already invested much of the $600 million it raised last year and is now going back out to the market to raise its 19th fund, according to multiple sources. Kleiner Perkins gets back to early-stage with its $600M 18th fund. We went out to market to LPs.

IBM 164

IBM IBM Venture Capital Invest 164

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Of course, every alternative has advantages and disadvantages, so any given one may not be available or attractive to you. For example, professional investors put great priority on your previous experience in building a business, and they expect to own a portion of the business equity and control for the funds they do provide.

Funding 107

Funding Startup Equity Examples 107

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 1, 2014

But you can’t secure the funding needed to scale. . Today, with the help of the aptly named JOBS act (Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act) and companies like SeedInvest , it has never been easier for companies to gain exposure and enter the investment solicitation process. But of course, this isn’t to be mixed up.

Invest 100

Invest Startup Technical Review Software Review 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2020

Even if you ignore all the hype around crowdfunding, there can be no doubt that it is a real alternative for entrepreneurs to achieve visibility and funding today. In fact, perhaps the most important model, equity crowdfunding for non-accredited investors was only legalized via the SEC in 2016, so its impact is still in the early stages.

Entrepreneur 129

Entrepreneur Outsource Development Satisfaction Equity 129

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2014

The problem is that professional investors (Angels and Venture Capital) want a proven business model before they invest, ready to scale, rather than the more risky research and development efforts. Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow.

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Funding Startup Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

Of course, their answer is that the second intends to get to market faster, but every engine has limits regardless the fuel applied. Count on six months from beginning the funding process until a new check is cashed. Always add 20 percent to your best estimate of funding requirements when approaching investors.

Search Engine Optimization 103

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 103

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2022

Here are some basic principles: Angels invest in people, more often than they invest in ideas. Angels like to “touch and feel” their investments, so they are generally only interested in local opportunities. This is another very popular website for raising equity or debt investments for startups.

Startup 135

Startup Keiretsu Platform Invest 135