Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans take too much time, are inaccurate, and rarely add value. Major platforms are available online to find Angel groups or VCs, including Gust and AngelList. On the other hand, your mother probably won’t read one.

Technical Review 126

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 126

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

What's the best way to reach out and recruit diverse candidates for your technology company? is an HR tech platform that makes it very easy for companies to source diverse talent. Companies can get on the platform and set up a company profile, and post jobs, and source candidates for those jobs. is all about?

Technical Review 140

Technical Review Startup Platform Resource 140

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2015

With the advent of social media and the pervasive move to smartphones, even customers who still prefer to purchase in brick-and-mortar stores have dramatically changed their shopping habits. If you refuse to play by their rules, they have the power to easily find alternatives, and actively pull other potential customers away.

Customer 103

Customer Custom Marketing Social Media 103

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2013

Entrepreneurs have no trouble focusing on how to build a product, and the good ones know how to find and nurture those first critical customers. As the end of the year approaches, it’s a good time for every startup to assess the metrics, technology, and platforms they’re using to manage the business.

Metrics 100

Metrics Technical Review Sales Customer 100

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2022

Every business owner and entrepreneur I meet in my consulting rounds dreams of finding that “ disruptive ” innovation that will supercharge their business and move it into the ranks of business unicorns (billion-dollar valuations), such as SpaceX and Apple. Before you act, shut up and listen to employees, customers, and futurists.

Technical Review 101

Technical Review Metrics Resource Software Review 101

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2021

Many aspiring entrepreneurs are looking to the Internet as an opportunity to get rich quick, instead of a place where you can start a business you love, for very little capital and minimal technical expertise. Provide website forums to help customers solve their own problems. Generate revenue around the clock.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Case Study Software Review Startup 124

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Sometimes entrepreneurs are so focused on making change happen for others, that they forget that continually changing themselves and their company is equally important. Use that same technical and business expertise that served you well on this startup to find the next opportunity. Move to a higher platform.

Technical Review 99

Technical Review Marketing Mentor Entrepreneur 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 14, 2013

On a regular basis, I am approached by entrepreneurs who assert that business plans are a waste of time. They cite sources like a recent BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this NY Times article. Major platforms are available online to find Angel groups or VCs, including Gust and AngelList.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Technical Review Writing Slides 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2018

Sometimes entrepreneurs are so focused on making change happen for customers that they forget that continually changing themselves and their company is equally important. Use that same technical and business expertise that served you well on this startup to find the next opportunity. Move to a higher platform.

Technical Review 59

Technical Review Mentor Entrepreneur Customer 59

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2014

Many entrepreneurs fantasize about days longer than 24 hours, convinced that their new venture could change the world, if they just had more time. However, this topic is particularly critical to entrepreneurs, who struggle with challenges and crises every day that they didn’t anticipate.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Technical Review Email Social Media 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 7, 2013

Many aspiring entrepreneurs are looking to the Internet as an opportunity to get rich quick, instead of a place where you can start a business you love, for very little capital and minimal technical expertise. Provide website forums to help customers solve their own problems. Generate revenue around the clock.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Case Study 105

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 2009

This is part of my new series on what makes an entrepreneur successful. I originally posted it on VentureHacks , one of my favorite websites for entrepreneurs. I also wonder about the entrepreneur who would sign a term sheet that came from somebody they hadn’t gotten to know over time. Great entrepreneurs pivot.

Entrepreneur 291

Entrepreneur Startup Google Yammer 291

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 19, 2020

While there have been a number of statements on Twitter from various investors about how they’re doing deals and open for business, Grill is making sure the community can be coordinated so companies no where to turn and investors can find businesses to back in an age of Zoom diligence. PLEASE RT to spread the word.

Venture Capital 135

Venture Capital Capital Technical Review Los Angeles 135

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 11, 2014

There’s an article making the rounds in tech circles titled “ Growth Hacking is Bull ” written by Muhammad Saleem. And if there is a term for that which helps entrepreneurs stay focused on these good and true objectives then I’m all for it. I’d like to make the case that the article is wrong.

Technical Review 384

Technical Review SEM SEO Marketing 384

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

Successful entrepreneurs understand the difference between a good business relationship with more people and having more friends. In fact, the focus on social networking platforms, starting with Facebook, has destroyed the meaning of the word friend and even changed it from a noun to a verb.

Entrepreneur 66

Entrepreneur Social Network Technical Review Social Media 66

socalTECH

JUNE 11, 2018

For our interview this morning, we caught up with Scot Lawrie , the President and technical Co-founder of Los Angeles-based Coverfly (www.coverfly.com), and John Rhodes , Coverfly's head of Marketing and Business Development, to learn a bit more about the early stage, bootstrapped startup focused on Hollywood script writers. What is Coverfly?

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Hollywood Platform Competition 100

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2011

The part of the movement that resonates the most with me (in my words) is that entrepreneurs should keep their capital expenditures really low while they’re experimenting with their product and determining whether there is a large market for what they do. This benefits you, the entrepreneur. It takes options off of the table.

Development Team Review 374

Development Team Review Technical Review Startup Resource 374

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 8, 2012

Building a strong tech industry to rival that of Silicon Valley is definitely no easy feat, but the overall feeling within Cal Tech’s Baxter Hall at last week’s event certainly bodes well for the year. With a scale-able platform ready to expand to different industries (utilities and maintenance services, etc.)

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Idealab Startup Mobile 94

socalTECH

JUNE 8, 2011

It's the biggest portion of our revenues at our company, and our clients include the Buffalo News, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, JDate, Spark network, and many entrepreneurs. They are using DealCurrent as the deal platform for all of their clients. But, with the economy turning south in 2008, lots of those customers went out of business.

Platform 263

Platform Training Software Review Advertising 263

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2020

So mostly we just had to listen to customer feedback from founders, VCs and LPs. And all the platform stuff. Kara will now be really involved with what goes on to successfully create and run a firm but while still handling her core duties of funding great entrepreneurs. Does This Mean You’re Retiring? I’m only 52!

Venture Capital 361

Venture Capital Startup Invest CitySearch 361

socalTECH

MARCH 15, 2016

Cassie Betts: We are a fashion-tech, B2B marketplace in the apparel space. Designers go on to our platform, post a production projet, and contratosr and factories bid on those projects. Based on ratings, reviews, and price, designers are able to hire a factory or contractor from our platform. It's just the thing.

Software Review 100

Software Review Design Technical Review Platform 100

socalTECH

JUNE 23, 2017

The insurance industry today is one of the last industries to fully jump into adopting technology for offering up their products, says Wayne Slavin , CEO and founder of SURE (www.sureapp.com), and just needs some help in getting there. We're here to serve, as a technology distribution platform, to help those insurance carriers become digital.

Southern California 244

Southern California Technical Review Startup Commerce 244

socalTECH

DECEMBER 12, 2013

Simon Anderson: DreamHost offers a web hosting, and now, cloud computing platform and storage. Our target market is entrepreneurs, creatives, and developers. We''re very much a global footprint company, and we have customers from all over the world who fit that type of description. We''ve also managed to grow quite nicely.

Software Review 238

Software Review Cloud Computing Technical Review Platform 238

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 12, 2013

TechZulu & Gadget Review present REACH. A quarterly event series seeking to dive deep into what comes next in technology, and giving you the opportunity to experience it first hand with the gadgets on site. Scot has been an entrepreneur and executive responsible for the launch of several interactive entertainment ventures.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Technology Activision Entertainment 94

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 8, 2011

For those who still might be wondering what Spotlight: LA Tech is all about, It’s a screening room for new technology homegrown in our region. It’s a gathering of friends and tech enthusiasts of all stripes. This Spotlight takes place Thursday, July 14, at The California Institute of Technology (CalTech).

CalTech 100

CalTech Technical Review Company Companies 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 5, 2019

Many aspiring entrepreneurs are looking to the Internet as an opportunity to get rich quick, instead of a place where you can start a business you love, for very little capital and minimal technical expertise. Provide website forums to help customers solve their own problems. Generate revenue around the clock.

Technical Review 97

Technical Review Case Study Software Review Startup 97

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2014

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans are a waste of time. They cite sources like the BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this Forbes article. On the other hand, your mother probably won’t read one.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 109

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Entrepreneurs seeking funding should emulate Addie''s efficient and focused pursuit of perfection. When securing funding, entrepreneurs must balance the desire for perfection with the urgent need to ensure the process is efficient. Better than Amazon''s customer experience for any brand" and "LinkedIn on Steroids.". One-liners.

Product 208

Product Yammer Technical Review Google 208

socalTECH

APRIL 13, 2021

The NSF determined eight to ten years ago that the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants they were funding to academic teams, to commercialize technology, they were losing, because not many academics had the background to understand how to go out and source customers, and did not know how to run a startup.

Marina Del Rey 150

Marina Del Rey Startup USC Incubator 150

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

You’ll get sales information from your VP of Sales, marketing information from your VP Marketing, tech information from your CTO and so on. By going on sales calls you pick up directly the feedback of what customers want and also what they’re telling you about competition.

Startup 308

Startup CTO Coach Technical Review CTO Hire 308

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 23, 2015

We typically do not ask entrepreneurs to visit our offices in Santa Barbara, but Jeff wanted to meet with Kevin, an investor in our Fund who helped us vet opportunities and occasionally invested alongside of us. It also wasn’t clear at the time what types of apps would be built on top of the platform, other than cheaper IVR systems.

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Technical Review Software Review Southern California 100

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2016

Many aspiring entrepreneurs are looking to the Internet as an opportunity to get rich quick, instead of a place where you can start a business you love, for very little capital and minimal technical expertise. Provide website forums to help customers solve their own problems. Generate revenue around the clock.

Startup 107

Startup Technical Review Case Study Software Review 107

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2011

Entrepreneurs always work hard to create an innovative product or service, but often count on standard seller marketing for sales. But the reality is that sellers are no longer in charge of the customer buying process. The best way to do this is with real customer interviews. The Internet and smartphones have changed everything.

Customer 96

Customer Custom Search Engine Optimization Summary 96

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 1, 2014

The very mention of the word fundraising can illicit some powerful emotions among entrepreneurs. On one end, entrepreneurs who have (at minimum) built something customers love and are willing to pay for, and the other hand, investors who are looking for the very companies who fit that profile. ” Crowdfunding with a Focus.

Invest 100

Invest Startup Technical Review Software Review 100

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Anne Fulton: Fuel50 is a career pathing startup, part of the HR technology landscape. We're a disruptor, the third wave in human resources technology. Anne Fulton: I've always been a technology lover, although I'm an organizational psychologist by training. I can't help myself in being an entrepreneur. What is Fuel50?

Help 100

Help Southern California Startup Technical Review 100

socalTECH

AUGUST 8, 2018

Dave Fink: Postie is a building a technology platform with a mission of making direct mail marketing behave as easily and dynamically as your favorite, programmatic channels. However, there just hasn't been the underlying technology to make it possible to pull all of that together. What is Postie? Both of us are purely digital.

CTO Hire 100

CTO Hire Artificial Inteligence Technical Review Marketing 100

Tech.Co

SEPTEMBER 25, 2015

If they come out on top, Mobile Therapy can expect prizes and support from Tech Wildcatters, 500Startups, Consumer Electronics Association, Crowdfunder, Techstars, American Airlines, and more! Clinicians must be convinced that this positively disruptive technology will indeed help them provide better treatment.

Competition 122

Competition Mobile Startup Technical Review 122