Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2010

One of the first tough decisions that startup founders have to make is how to allocate or split the equity among co-founders. Another common “failure to start” situation I see is one where the “idea person” insists that the idea is 90% of the value (and 90% of the equity). Who will be the CEO, CFO, and CTO?

Equity 91

Equity Startup CTO Hire CTO Coach 91

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 17, 2019

We not only have our Series A funds that can write $500k?—?$15 If you invest early and then pull back in the next 3 rounds your multiples on cash invested are much higher than if you keep writing checks. As I tell our LPs, “if I’m not making you slightly uncomfortable when I’m writing my first check I’m not doing my job.

Venture Capital 223

Venture Capital IP Startup Google 223

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 23, 2012

One of the first tough decisions that startup founders have to make is how to allocate or split the equity among co-founders. Another common “failure to start” situation I see is one where the “idea person” insists that the idea is 90% of the value (and 90% of the equity). Who will be the CEO, CFO, and CTO?

Startup 101

Startup Entrepreneur Equity CTO Hire 101

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 15, 2010

I give a sneak peek at a blog post I’m writing on the topic next week. I spoke about the need of the CEO, CTO and head of Products to be in the same location. Heck, stick around and watch me discuss the seed funding debate that is going on right now and what is happening in the VC industry overall. Great exit. -

Venture Capital 210

Venture Capital Seed Funding Pricing Southern California 210

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2013

But the thing I am most proud of about Rob is that he has taken a company with a uniquely talented founder & CTO – Nick Halstead – and managed to build a very tight working relationship with Nick where we drive world-class product development without having the usual founder / CEO conflicts. .” Rob does it. On steroids.

Tips 365

Tips Email Venture Capital Blogging 365

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

Forcing yourself to write down a plan is actually the only way to make sure you actually have a plan. A CEO who has “been there and done that” is traction, especially if teamed with a financial lead (CFO) and a product lead (CTO). If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient. Build qualified advisory board.

Funding 112

Funding Entrepreneur Startup CTO Hire 112

socalTECH

MARCH 12, 2013

The Internet doesn't work right, and is broken, and without a CDN, you can't do what you need to do if you're the CTO of a large website. Software-as-a-service companies write good software, and network companies build good networks, but rarely do you find both that do that well as the same time. There's complexity in being a CDN.

CTO Hire 248

CTO Hire Content Networking Web 248

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2012

Forcing yourself to write down a plan is actually the only way to make sure you actually have a plan. A CEO who has “been there and done that” is traction, especially if teamed with a financial lead (CFO) and a product lead (CTO). If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient. Build qualified advisory board.

Startup 104

Startup CTO Hire Press Customer 104

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

There’s you and your killer CTO co-founder. I don’t write about LA but I write from LA. I prefer not to do any angel investments because I focus on my VC funds but it was gratifying to write some small checks to support local teams. I’d LOVE to see it become more of a national vehicle.

Venture Capital 317

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Press 317

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2011

Forcing yourself to write down a plan is actually the only way to make sure you actually have a plan. A CEO who has “been there and done that” is traction, especially if teamed with a financial lead (CFO) and a product lead (CTO). If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient. Build qualified advisory board.

Startup 101

Startup CTO Hire Press Customer 101

socalTECH

JUNE 18, 2009

That was the jumping off point for OneCubicle a little over 18 months ago, when we started writing the business plan and code. The strongest executives I can identify can both talk entertainment and at a high level with a CTO, and know code and other things. Talk a bit about your previous experience? How are you backed?

Social Network 100

Social Network Entertainment Startup CTO Coach 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2010

Forcing yourself to write down a plan is actually the only way to make sure you actually have a plan. A CEO who has “been there and done that” is traction, especially if teamed with a financial lead (CIO) and a product lead (CTO). If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient. Build qualified advisory board.

Tips 88

Tips Startup CTO Hire Press 88

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 20, 2014

It was great to relive a moment when I was in my dorm room at Harvard and watching Toy Story 3 on my laptop and seeing something that we built with no cash, just sweat equity. He’s a former President of Sony Pictures Technologies and former CTO of Warner Bros. I wouldn’t have asked people to work for us on sweat equity.

Startup 91

Startup Entertainment CTO Coach Screening 91

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. m writing about how I became our technical co-founder. But I don’t think so.

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Startup Product Technology 175

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

August was a slow month in terms of traffic and I was away for a lot of the month, but there were some really great posts at the intersection of startups, technology, product and being a Startup CTO. We had to write a CRM to keep track of them all. equity debate. m the f%*kin’ boss.”. Have convertible notes really won?

Startup 191

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Hire 191

SoCal CTO

OCTOBER 5, 2010

Great content again in September that meets at the intersection of startups, technology, product and being a Startup CTO. If you asked me to tell you a list of three of the best decisions in my life, I can certainly tell you that regularly writing is one of them. Why You Should Write. Why You Should Write.

Startup 191

Startup Product Technology Venture Capital 191

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 5, 2011

500 Hats , February 1, 2010 When to Use Facebook Connect – Twitter Oauth – Google Friend Connect for Authentication? 500 Hats , February 1, 2010 When to Use Facebook Connect – Twitter Oauth – Google Friend Connect for Authentication? First Principles.

Startup 378

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Coach 378