socalTECH

MAY 17, 2019

Perspectium recently raised a funding round from TVC Capital. The company is all about data solutions which combine meaningful application frameworks together. So how far along is your software now, and have you rolled this out to customer yet? What is Perspectium? How did you get into this?

SaaS 113

SaaS Startup Customer Custom 113

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 4, 2010

The framework of his book has profoundly altered how I think about the technology market and affects how I thought about building my businesses and how I think about investing in venture capital. This is important because the customers they serve (the red line) demand a product that meets their complex requirements. They can’t.

Startup 376

Startup Framework Marketing Customer 376

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2022

Treasure – Most entrepreneurs assume that treasure means funding. In reality, more important treasures often include intellectual property, the ability to innovate, and well-defined processes that can deliver great products and reach new customers more efficiently and effectively than competitors. The laws of the jungle apply to all.

Startup 112

Startup News Framework Outsource 112

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 17, 2019

.” This historical look at Uber and its self-driving tech unit, Uber ATG, should be considered alongside more recent news, including that it’s in negotiations with investors, including the SoftBank Vision Fund, to secure an investment as large as $1 billion for its autonomous vehicles unit. Deal of the week. Take bike share.

San Fernando 217

San Fernando Los Angeles Commerce News 217

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 17, 2011

A year ago I blogged about one of my most common mantras that applies to sales, biz dev & fund raising alike: “ Time is the Enemy of all Deals.&#. When times are really good for fund raising many teams delay to maximize their valuation. I thought I’d try to offer a framework for thinking about the topic.

Help 303

Help Startup Competition Framework 303

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

Let’s set up a framework. We want money to make some acquisitions (investors would prefer to fund M&A if they know specific deals – not to encourage bad behavior. You are particularly vulnerable if: You have revenue concentration (few customers each providing a large total of percentage of your revenue).

Startup 383

Startup Company Companies .Net 383

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 13, 2012

Lyfe Mobile is a new Southern California startup that combines augmented reality (AR) with traditional ad networks and real-time bidding (RTB) to offer advertisers and brands a unique opportunity to engage customers in an exciting new way. They funded their new company with their own money and started some serious ad testing.

Mobile 102

Mobile Networking Advertising Southern California 102

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

Have you tested the concept with customers using paper? Have you signed some test customers? Don't try to hunting programmers until you've pushed this as far as you can on paper and get early customers. It needs to be funded to be successful. He had a few early customers ready to go. Do you have wireframes?

Guide 349

Guide Startup Mobile Framework 349

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2019

and China, as thought leaders in this area, so their framework for reinventing your business organization, with some of my own insights, is definitely worth a look: Environment: Fund a group to track market changes. Capability: Focus on customer innovation and agility. They focus on anticipating customer needs before the crisis.

Organization 57

Organization Framework Resource Customer 57

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 16, 2015

So operating at a higher level, helping to set the framework for decision making and then sitting down and watching the game be played, is certainly the way to go.” It’s harmful and hurtful to the startup and those that lead it. ” Of course I agree with this. So I would get ANYTHING I wanted within the confines of my budget.

Startup 150

Startup Sales CTO Coach Course 150

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 24, 2018

If you’ve read any of my ongoing series on fund raising from venture capitalist (episode 1?— ?controlling Decision Dynamics Each firm makes decisions in different ways so understanding the firm’s decision framework matters. Building models to evaluate the deal and/or reviewing customer files, company financials, business plans, etc.

Venture Capital 314

Venture Capital Technical Review Invest Slides 314

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 19, 2015

Today I’d like to give that advice in more tangible terms and with a framework to think about your tasks – the funnel. Sales people (and website customer acquisition folks) all think in terms of funnels and yet non-sales professionals seldom do. We all know the type of person who lives in the top end of the funnel.

Startup 150

Startup Framework Sales Venture Capital 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2019

Treasure – Most entrepreneurs assume that treasure means funding. In reality, more important treasures often include intellectual property, the ability to innovate, and well-defined processes that can deliver great products and reach new customers more efficiently and effectively than competitors. The laws of the jungle apply to all.

Startup 94

Startup News Framework Outsource 94

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

Have you tested the concept with customers using paper? Have you signed some test customers? Don't try to hunting programmers until you've pushed this as far as you can on paper and get early customers. It needs to be funded to be successful. He had a few early customers ready to go. Do you have wireframes?

Guide 296

Guide Startup Mobile Framework 296

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 26, 2011

They over think the decision framework. And when we didn’t ship product on time, didn’t get the biz dev deals we wanted competed, didn’t get our market messages out and the founder says, “sorry, I had too many other priorities – like fund raising” they know it will fall on deaf ears with me. Check your legal framework.

Startup 335

Startup Technical Review Framework Entrepreneur 335

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 15, 2013

The KPIs that you monitor will depend somewhat upon your business, but should include such things as revenue, Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), and Life Time Value (LTV) of a customer. Your job is to create a numerical framework that complements and reinforces the vision you’ve painted with words.”. Validate your assumptions.

Startup 85

Startup Acquisition Invest Framework 85

socalTECH

MARCH 12, 2019

We have built an application services platform for vehicles, and our first customer was actually USAA. That's where we started to play with Honda, our next big customer, where we have built out these infotainment and commerce systems in a vehicle, with an ad platform on top of what we started as an incentive for safe driving.

Artificial Inteligence 113

Artificial Inteligence Startup Commerce Platform 113

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2013

Every entrepreneur’s first priority should be the alignment of interests across the range of constituents required for success – partners, investors, customers, vendors, and employees. If you have had to pivot from the consumer market to enterprise customers, that requires new pricing models and new sales channels.

Startup 94

Startup Social Media Entrepreneur Framework 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2012

Every entrepreneur’s first priority should be the alignment of interests across the range of constituents required for success – partners, investors, customers, vendors, and employees. If you have had to pivot from the consumer market to enterprise customers, that requires new pricing models and new sales channels.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Social Media Startup Framework 93

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 15, 2016

There is much talk these days that startup valuations have decreased and may continue to do so and that the amount of time it takes to fund raise may take longer. months for fund raising start to finish and make sure you have at least 6 month’s of cash if it takes longer.

Startup 150

Startup Capital Funding Invest 150

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 1, 2014

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. You’ve built a great business, your customers love you. But you can’t secure the funding needed to scale. .

Invest 100

Invest Startup Technical Review Software Review 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2016

Investors and partners now look only for a framework of your business essentials, within the context of your opportunity, solution, and financials. Building a minimum viable product, with customer validation. Early customer feedback will position your solution, and help you make pivots before critical time and money are lost.

Startup 61

Startup Social Media News Tool 61

socalTECH

APRIL 3, 2012

Last week, the firm announced a funding round and a couple of key advisors, as the company looks to ramp its social gaming efforts and leverage a deal with Zynga. Michael Witz: We've been a customer of Joyent for a number of years, and have developed really good relationships with those folks. How did that happen?

IP 217

IP PHP Design Startup 217

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 16, 2014

Treasure – Most entrepreneurs assume that treasure means funding. In reality, more important treasures often include intellectual property, the ability to innovate, and well-defined processes that can deliver great products and reach new customers more efficiently and effectively than competitors. The laws of the jungle apply to all.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Startup News Framework 105

Xconomy

AUGUST 10, 2016

Just over a year later, Jurvetson led the Series A round of venture funding for Nervana Systems. Earlier this year, Nervana began offering its AI technology in the cloud to business customers , using a software-as-a-service model. In the 2-1/2 years since it was founded, Nervana raised roughly $25 million.

Artificial Inteligence 40

Artificial Inteligence San Diego Framework Venture Capital 40

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2017

Many venture firms go even further, by insisting on investing their own key players in an interesting startup, before they commit any funds. Use your high-level principles to establish behavioral frameworks to guide ways of working, rather than a scorecard enforced by culture vigilantes. Build a culture guided by principles, not rules.

Product 58

Product Startup Guide Framework 58

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

An obvious reason is limited funds, but a more important reason is the need to know and intimately understand what is really going on in the business and the market. Team members and customers expect startup founders to be innovative. Others hire consultants, or outsource much of the real work. CEOs need to do more and observe less.

Startup 103

Startup Entrepreneur Template Mentor 103

SoCal Delicious

JANUARY 9, 2014

Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle framework “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” Simon Sinek If your customers believe in your mission, then they’ll warm to you and listen to what you offer and how. Happy customers tend to spend more, more often and tell their friends. This is where the Golden Circle comes in.

Startup 78

Startup Design Customer Custom 78

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2017

Treasure – Most entrepreneurs assume that treasure means funding. In reality, more important treasures often include intellectual property, the ability to innovate, and well-defined processes that can deliver great products and reach new customers more efficiently and effectively than competitors. The laws of the jungle apply to all.

Startup 57

Startup News Framework Entrepreneur 57

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

Kathy Sierra at Business of Software 2009 - Business of Software Blog , May 4, 2010 "In the old days, getting customers was easy. Putting customers first. Legendary customer support. Instead of making a few dollars per sale and hoping for thousands of sales, you sell to only a few customers, and charge much higher rates.

Startup 248

Startup Venture Capital Conference Social Media 248

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2013

Treasure – Most entrepreneurs assume that treasure means funding. In reality, more important treasures often include intellectual property, the ability to innovate, and well-defined processes that can deliver great products and reach new customers more efficiently and effectively than competitors. The laws of the jungle apply to all.

Startup 99

Startup Competition News Framework 99

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 23, 2011

Audiolife was built on a framework to handle all the back-end work through store fronts allowing musicians to focus on what they do best. GoodThreads goes the extra step with the ability to integrate product purchases on event registration and fund raising pages. Currently Audiolife is at 250,000 members and growing. Online Awareness.

Technology 95

Technology Framework USC Platform 95

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2012

An obvious reason is limited funds, but a more important reason is the need to know and intimately understand what is really going on in the business and the market. Team members and customers expect startup founders to be innovative. Others hire consultants, or outsource much of the real work. CEOs need to do more and observe less.

Entrepreneur 94

Entrepreneur Startup Template Mentor 94

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 1, 2011

We’ve had artists who are just starting up and have funding, startup artist, to rock band called Hell Yeah and everything in between. We ran contests where selected winners won their own custom jingle write by Jes. She actually sat down and wrote custom songs for them, they were great. Cross Promote.

Social Media 99

Social Media Startup Media Writing 99

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 13, 2011

I funded them 8 weeks later. And when you finish the demo you can bring in the other important components such as competition, team, customer acquisition strategy, etc. Use it as a framework for a dialog not a script. Who are your key customers? Talk about the customer problem and how you solve it. Mobile app?

Venture Capital 299

Venture Capital Slides Technical Advisors Startup 299

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 10, 2011

We removed all of the features and bloat that plagues other forum software, and created an addon framework so the forum owner can use Vanilla as the basis on which they can build their vision of how their community should appear and function. Are you Funded? How did your company get its initial funding? We are funded.

Startup 58

Startup Social Media Entrepreneur Framework 58

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

The company recently closed an impressive $19 million in Series B funding led by Sequoia Capital to build out the engineering teams. What’s the most valuable kind of customer? Half of Marmalade’s customers use it as a porting platform, while the remaining 50 percent use it as an app development framework.

Mobile 71

Mobile Technical Review Platform Startup 71