Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2013

I have long advised startup companies that if you don’t control your messaging somebody else will and your potential customers will form impressions of you shaped by somebody else or by nobody at all. It is simply the most important way to proactively control your career development and how the market perceives you.

Technical Advisors 385

Technical Advisors Marketing Startup Venture Capital 385

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2013

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Your company has outgrown you.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Technical Review Equity 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2013

In the US, many entrepreneurs see grants as “free money,” since they are not loans and don’t have to be repaid. A grant is not an equity investment, so the entrepreneur doesn’t have to give up a stake in the company either. That is time and resource that you must add to the million other high-priority startup tasks.

Equity 92

Equity Startup High Tech Research 92

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 24, 2011

There has recently been a common theme among the entrepreneurs I have interviewed and the conferences I have attended: despite the relatively weak state of the world economy, now is a great time to create a high-tech startup. You don’t really buy servers anymore…the tools are all open source. Save Your Timing For Comedy.

Company 257

Company Companies Startup Study 257

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Your company has outgrown you.

Technical Review 95

Technical Review Startup Equity Entrepreneur 95

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 10, 2010

If you’re not familiar with the term it’s basically trying to help all of us who are deluged with technology to find ways to cope with the masses of information without having it ruin our lives. You can imagine my reluctance to read a book with a title full of such bluster. So I don’t read too many of them.

Startup 295

Startup Email Technical Review Course 295

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 11, 2014

There are many things that entrepreneurs don’t know about startups—and an equal number of things they think they know, but about which they are wrong. Some common startup myths have frequently been debunked, like how running your own company will give you freedom (yeah, right!) The “truths” that guide entrepreneurs.

Startup 102

Startup Guide Capital High Tech 102

socalTECH

JANUARY 27, 2010

On Thursday, the City of Ventura is formally launching a new incubator, the Ventura Ventures Technology Center (www.v2tc.com), targeted at high tech businesses. The purpose was to deliver high value jobs. The purpose was to deliver high value jobs. So is this just space, or are you doing other things?

Ventura 200

Ventura Incubator Technology Startup 200

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Your company has outgrown you.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup Equity 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2011

Now that President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package has been out for a while, including $50 billion aimed at alternative-energy initiatives, applying for grants has become the rage for high-tech startups. In the US, many entrepreneurs see grants as “free money,” since they are not loans and don’t have to be repaid.

High Tech 88

High Tech Startup Research Entrepreneur 88

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2012

I come from a high-tech software background, and only a few years ago, it would cost at least a million dollars ($1M) for a team of professionals to produce any commercial software product. That’s a burn rate of at least $10K per month that can be eliminated if you are handy with computers and Quickbooks. Facilities and staff.

Startup 102

Startup Search Engine Optimization SEM Social Network 102

socalTECH

JANUARY 5, 2015

Over the last couple of weeks, we''ve featured a number of reflections on the year from movers and shakers in the local high tech community. What was the most significant event for you or your company this year? What technologies are you looking at in 2015? I like events. Watch for more in 2015. READ MORE>>'

Cornerstone OnDemand 100

Cornerstone OnDemand Belkin Entertainment Newsletter 100

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2014

Oh, and of course Bono popped by for a little while. It can’t be underestimated just how influential hosting such an event can be on the future tech economy and jobs in Ireland. He is quintessentially “politely persistent,” which I often describe as one of the most important attributes of an entrepreneur.

Conference 392

Conference Startup Web Truecar 392

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2013

My advice is to pick one, start slow, and spread out as you learn. If you are in consulting, you are the business, so use a professional headshot. Don’t use the same message on Twitter you developed for email blasts and postcard blitzes. Read everything you can about viral marketing. What’s the problem?

Social Media 106

Social Media Media Startup Social Network 106

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 10, 2010

It requires you to expend your two most valuable resources, your time and your money. Yet, it does nothing to help you execute your business model. If you haven’t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for. Even if you are granted a patent, the scope of your claims may be significantly denuded.

IP 256

IP Patents Company Companies 256

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2014

It better be a critical one, because you have a hundred others waiting. I believe you can be much more productive, as well as a more effective leader, if you approach most meetings as mentoring opportunities, and limit them to five minutes. Most people learn best from making mistakes, so you have to let them fail sometimes.

Mentor 101

Mentor High Tech Coach Guide 101

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

I come from a high-tech software background, and only a few years ago, it would cost at least a million dollars ($1M) for a team of professionals to produce any commercial software product. That’s a burn rate of at least $10K per month that can be eliminated if you are handy with computers and Quickbooks. Facilities and staff.

Entrepreneur 94

Entrepreneur Startup Search Engine Optimization SEM 94

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 27, 2013

One of the most frequent questions from high tech startups is: where''s my exit? Certainly, the IPO momentum seems to be back, and even more surprisingly, ad-tech has been lots of those IPOs. What''s interesting, is that in 2011, there were seven large ad-tech firms which had all planned to go public and hired bankers.

Southern California 124

Southern California SoCal Commerce Invest 124

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2010

Like many of you, though, I’m always struggling with productivity drains and in search of improvements. I’d like to offer you two “life hacks&# that I implemented in 2009 and one that I’m test driving in 2010. Like you, I struggle to return everybody’s emails because I get too many.

Product 280

Product Startup Email Technical Review 280

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2010

I come from a high-tech software background, and only a few years ago, it would cost at least a million dollars ($1M) for a team of professionals to produce any commercial software product. That’s a burn rate of at least $10K per month that can be eliminated if you are handy with computers and Quickbooks. Facilities and staff.

Startup 50

Startup High Tech Search Engine Optimization SEM 50

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2010

Taking other people’s money to fund your startup changes your life in ways you cannot predict. I meet with dozens of entrepreneurs a week. When I get funded,” the entrepreneur thinks, “I can build a prototype, hire a development team, go to market, scale more quickly, and beat my competition.” Strange course corrections.

Outsource Development 93

Outsource Development High Tech Outsource Startup 93

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 24, 2010

If you haven’t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for. The ability to objectively critique ones creative output is vital to an entrepreneur. Gordy’s inspiration for Motown’s unique quality control process was the Lincoln-Mercury assembly line, where he worked prior to becoming an entertainment entrepreneur.

Ideas 187

Ideas Resource Technical Review Startup 187

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2010

It better be a critical one, because you have a hundred others waiting. I believe you can be much more productive, as well as a more effective leader, if you approach most meetings as mentoring opportunities, and limit them to five minutes. Most people learn best from making mistakes, so you have to let them fail sometimes.

Mentor 88

Mentor High Tech Coach Guide 88

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 1, 2010

20 Recommended Quora Threads for Startups - ReadWriteStart , November 1, 2010 The Q&A site Quora has become an indispensable trove of knowledge and expertise when it comes to the tech industry. Five Reasons You Haven’t Launched - Software By Rob , November 10, 2010 Photo by stevendepolo. but: Something is Still Missing.

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Startup Product Technology 175