Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 25, 2011

Yesterday I saw a Tweet from Chris Sacca fly by that prompted me to want to write a blog post helping entrepreneurs understand why they should push back against VCs asking for “super pro-rata” rights. They might own 8% of your company after the first funding but demand up to 33-50% of your next round of financing.

Entrepreneur 310

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Writing Invest 310

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2022

Deciding to be an entrepreneur is a lifestyle move, and should be part of a long-term strategic plan. Usually that means writing something down, since it’s hard to maintain something, or track yourself against it, if it’s not written down. If you are thinking nonprofit (social entrepreneur), can you rally the world around your cause?

Startup 115

Startup Resource Training Ideas 115

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 22, 2010

On why you should be an entrepreneur, “A lot of people do what they have to do. As a teenager he experimented with writing & producing his own rap music and received a lot of feedback from elders that he had a talent with words. You want to get yourself to a position where you can do what you want to do&# (Chamillionaire).

Entrepreneur 356

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Startup Email 356

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

As an angel investor and a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m always disappointed to see founders who seem stressed out most of the time, and more annoyed than energized by the abundance of challenges they see in building their startup. Investors and strategic partners look for entrepreneurs who can execute.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Startup Activity Ideas 110

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. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Resource 171

Resource Startup Organization Incubator 171

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

As an Angel investor and a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m always disappointed to see founders who seem stressed out most of the time, and more annoyed than energized by the abundance of challenges they see in building their startup. Investors and strategic partners look for entrepreneurs who can execute.

Entrepreneur 63

Entrepreneur Product Startup Activity 63

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2023

Successful entrepreneurs often start with a “random” idea, but they quickly focus their efforts and follow a “system” to organize their startup and maximize the clout of their activities. If you can’t write it down, you probably don’t understand it. What we all need is trusted advisors who can help us decipher the clutter.

Social Media 94

Social Media Media Ideas Writing 94

InfoChachkie

JUNE 4, 2012

As an entrepreneur, I helped create companies which achieved two IPOs and two trade sales totaling $385 million. Hopefully this article and the accompanying six-minute video will help you avoid learning these mission-critical lessons the hard way. Eleanor Roosevelt – US Diplomat & Wife of President Franklin Roosevelt.

Entrepreneur 272

Entrepreneur Outsource Ideas Technical Review 272

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 19, 2022

One of the most common complaints I hear from entrepreneurs is that they are overwhelmed by the workload and stress of starting their company. Then there are the additional challenges of balancing the demands of family and friends. Some people will tell you to just get a bigger plate, meaning hire some help. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 123

Startup Tips Entrepreneur Mentor 123

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2015

One of the most common complaints I hear from entrepreneurs is that they are overwhelmed by the workload and stress of starting their company. Then there are the additional challenges of balancing the demands of family and friends. Some people will tell you to just get a bigger plate, meaning hire some help. Marty Zwilling.

Tips 107

Tips Entrepreneur Startup Mentor 107

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2013

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million dollar investment before they even have a business plan. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Funding Incubator Startup 102

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2020

Other companies have only seen a slight decline and may be expecting demand to return to normalcy later in the year. The reality is that when unemployment sinks in demand is likely to get worse. There are large sums of money to be invested and if investors can get comfortable with “downside protections” they’ll still write checks.

Venture Capital 263

Venture Capital Marketing Startup Writing 263

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 4, 2013

Deciding to be an entrepreneur is a lifestyle move, and should be part of a long-term strategic plan. Usually that means writing something down, since it’s hard to maintain something, or track yourself against it, if it’s not written down. If you are thinking non-profit (social entrepreneur), can you rally the world around your cause?

Entrepreneur 97

Entrepreneur Startup Resource Training 97

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 30, 2018

One of the hardest things about the fund-raising process for entrepreneurs is that you’re trying to raise money from people who have “asymmetric information.” As an entrepreneur it can feel as intimidating as going to buy a car where the dealer knows the price of every make & model of a car and you’re guessing at how much to pay.

Venture Capital 324

Venture Capital Pricing Startup Invest 324

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2021

Most entrepreneurs avoid setting up a board of directors for their new business unless or until they sign up an investor who demands a seat on the board. Board rules and governance policies should be articulated in writing and voted upon. In my view, nothing could be further from the truth. Fail to establish adequate structure.

Startup 145

Startup Entrepreneur Mentor Writing 145

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2020

Successful entrepreneurs often start with a “random” idea, but they quickly focus their efforts and follow a “system” to organize their startup and maximize the clout of their activities. If you can’t write it down, you probably don’t understand it. What we all need is trusted advisors who can help us decipher the clutter.

Social Media 126

Social Media Media Ideas Writing 126

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 21, 2018

I was recently with an entrepreneur and talking with him about his fund raising process. link] Another entrepreneur was recently in my office. If you don’t act in demand, people will subconsciously know you’re not in demand. This is part of a series I’ve been writing on fund raising. It’s human nature?—?

Funding 217

Funding Newsletter Venture Capital Email 217

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Deciding to be an entrepreneur is a lifestyle move, and should be part of a long-term strategic plan. Usually that means writing something down, since it’s hard to maintain something, or track yourself against it, if it’s not written down. If you are thinking non-profit (social entrepreneur), can you rally the world around your cause?

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Startup Resource Ideas 106

socalTECH

JANUARY 18, 2011

This morning, Pasadena-based Perfect Market (www.perfectmarket.com) announced a new, $9M round of funding for the firm's technology, which is used to help publishers monetize their content. Julie Schoenfeld: When we talked last, we were focusing primarily on helping publisher monetize their archived content. Congrats on funding.

Marketing 232

Marketing Funding Content Writing 232

InfoChachkie

MAY 5, 2011

Just as Batman repeatedly avoids Poison Ivy’s kiss of death, so too must entrepreneurs avoid the Kiss of Death provisions which BDCs attempt to include in their agreements. Insisting to be compensated for your time will also help elicit the necessary respect from the BDC. Agreements are obviously intended to bind both parties.

Outsource Development 244

Outsource Development Entrepreneur Resource Press 244

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2014

For starters some funds are small and thus while they put $750k into your company to own 10% of your company they might not be able to write another $2 million if you then raise a $20 million round (10%). New investors sometimes want older investors NOT to participate so that the new investor can take more of the round.

Guide 336

Guide Venture Capital Startup Writing 336

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

Deciding to be an entrepreneur is a lifestyle move, and should be part of a long-term strategic plan. Usually that means writing something down, since it’s hard to maintain something, or track yourself against it, if it’s not written down. If you are thinking nonprofit (social entrepreneur), can you rally the world around your cause?

Startup 94

Startup Resource Training Ideas 94

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012

One of the most common complaints I hear from entrepreneurs is that they are overwhelmed by the workload and stress of starting their company. Then there are the additional challenges of balancing the demands of family and friends. Some people will tell you to just get a bigger plate, meaning hire some help. Marty Zwilling.

Tips 101

Tips Entrepreneur Startup Mentor 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 2, 2016

Most entrepreneurs avoid setting up a board of directors for their new business unless or until they sign up an investor who demands a seat on the board. Board rules and governance policies should be articulated in writing and voted upon. In my view, nothing could be further from the truth.

Entrepreneur 58

Entrepreneur Startup Mentor Writing 58

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 23, 2011

One of the most common complaints I hear from entrepreneurs is that they are overwhelmed by the workload and stress of starting their company. Then there are the additional challenges of balancing the demands of family and friends. Some people will tell you to just get a bigger plate, meaning hire some help. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Startup Tips Mentor 110

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. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Funding 94

Funding Startup Organization Incubator 94

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

So I thought I’d write about out with what I would look for in a VC knowing what I know now and why. To be clear – I’m not saying huge successes make a VC less likely to be helpful to you – I’m just saying it’s not a guaranteed predictor. I’m not afraid to help make difficult decisions.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

InfoChachkie

MARCH 18, 2013

In order to extract value beyond your Angel investors' cash, you must first assess three important parameters: (i) the relative strength of their personal brand, (ii) their ability to add operational value, and (iii) the amount of care and feeding they will demand from you. Four Common Angel Archetypes. The Beauty Of Low Expectations.

Angel 217

Angel Technical Review RSS Entrepreneur 217

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2019

One of the most common complaints I hear from entrepreneurs is that they are overwhelmed by the workload and stress of starting their company. Then there are the additional challenges of balancing the demands of family and friends. Some people will tell you to just get a bigger plate, meaning hire some help. Marty Zwilling.

Tips 86

Tips Startup Entrepreneur Mentor 86

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 1, 2015

Deciding to be an entrepreneur is a lifestyle move, and should be part of a long-term strategic plan. Usually that means writing something down, since it’s hard to maintain something, or track yourself against it, if it’s not written down. If you are thinking non-profit (social entrepreneur), can you rally the world around your cause?

Startup 109

Startup Resource Ideas Training 109

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2016

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million dollar investment before they even have a business plan. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Don’t waste your resources on the wrong ones.

Organization 93

Organization Startup Incubator Resource 93

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 6, 2016

I even prefer to fund entrepreneurs who have experience some level of set-backs in their careers or startups because I think it brings a humility to decision-making that I find healthy. You also ran the risk that if you hired employees quickly and then demand wasn’t as strong as expected it was incredibility hard to fire people.

Startup 261

Startup Press Blogging .Net 261

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 27, 2011

Or if you’re pinched on time the summary is below and the time coding can help you watch a brief snippet on topics that interest you. 3:35 The real entrepreneurs come out during a down economy. 19:30 A teachable moment for entrepreneurs: HAVE A HYPOTHESIS! 41:00 Transitioning from software to writing.

Social Media 301

Social Media Startup Metrics Media 301

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2015

Successful entrepreneurs often start with a “random” idea, but they quickly focus their efforts and follow a “system” to organize their startup and maximize the clout of their activities. If you can’t write it down, you probably don’t understand it. If you can’t write it down, you probably don’t understand it. Marty Zwilling.

Social Media 104

Social Media Ideas Media Writing 104

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 22, 2011

At the Twiistup panel last week, there was a debate over whether big companies could be created here, which is ridiculous--Demand Media is the latest example there, we've got Cornerstone OnDemand coming out soon, and there is no question there are market leading, large revenue companies coming out of Southern California.

Redpoint 154

Redpoint Southern California Cornerstone OnDemand Invest 154

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 18, 2010

As a startup entrepreneur you’ll have many demands for your time. The problem is that the scarcest resource in any entrepreneur’s life is your time. “Thank you for writing to me – it’s nice to hear from you (or meet you) via email. Everyone will want you to speak at conferences.

Startup 305

Startup Venture Capital Writing Conference 305

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

If you truly believe that you, your company and your products are exceptional and your company will be valuable then you’re actually doing them a FAVOR by helping them invest in your startup. People who believe the former believe that you should see the market demand before too many people know you’re “in market.”

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332