Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 2, 2019

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” Many people with great ideas never make it as entrepreneurs, and true entrepreneurs can make a business out of anything. Few entrepreneurs can assimilate and hone a complete plan in their head.

Entrepreneur 135

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Writing 135

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

She actually IS the prototypical entrepreneur. But Tracy did what entrepreneurs do. Sam is the managing director of Launchpad LA and we were about to pick our 2012 class of entrepreneurs. In the first 5 minutes you’ll realize that she’s a classic entrepreneur. More on that later. That may soon change.

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Startup Entrepreneur SEO Venture Capital 363

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2021

Most entrepreneurs have found by now one or more of the many popular crowdfunding sites , and have the name and contact information for at least one of the big venture capital firms. contributes more than $25 billion to fund 70,000 startups every year. Look to grants and strategic partners for seed funding. Marty Zwilling.

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Angel Funding Venture Capital Seed Funding 126

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2013

I am super excited to announce that today is a day of lots of new things for my partners & me: A new fund, a new office and a new brand. Let’s start with the fund. We have previously raised funds in 1996 ($200 million), 2000 ($400 million) and 2008/9 ($200 million). This month we closed our 4th fund of $200 million.

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Funding Santa Monica Venture Capital Startup 343

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

.” Struck Capital, which is currently investing out of a $55 million second fund, would not disclose the size of DiCaprio’s stake, but said that the investment is significant. In addition to his commitment to the fund, DiCaprio will be making co-investments alongside the Struck Capital team.

Capital 188

Capital Funding Los Angeles Invest 188

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2021

Anyone who works with entrepreneurs will tell you that all are different. The Opportunist is the speculative part of the entrepreneur in all of us. The Specialist entrepreneur will enter one industry and stick with it for 15 to 30 years. Picture the graphic designer, the IT expert, or the independent accountant or attorney.

Entrepreneur 134

Entrepreneur Framework Mentor Web 134

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

the most counter-intuitive fund-raising advice you’ll ever get I’m about to offer you some fund-raising advice that flies directly in the face of what most conventional wisdom will tell you. Let me start out with my premise: “Data rooms are where fund-raising processes go to die.” I have to back up and give you more context.

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Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2020

In my experience with entrepreneurs, there seems to a wealth of self-proclaimed “idea people” who aspire to start businesses, but only a few who are willing and able to dig in and get the job done. Only rare great entrepreneurs, like Bill Gates and Elon Musk, have proven to be both. Detailed product specifications and prototypes.

Ideas 122

Ideas Entrepreneur Startup IBM 122

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 26, 2013

Understanding “The Funding Angle” I sit at enough board meetings to hear conflicting advice given to entrepreneurs about how to handle PR and announcements at startups. Is Funding a Worthy Announcement? There are reasons you may delay funding announcement but rarely reasons not to announce.

Startup 355

Startup Funding News Press 355

socalTECH

OCTOBER 16, 2015

Pasadena-based 17hats , a startup that develops business management software aimed specifically at solo entrepreneurs (solopreneurs), has raised $4M in a Series A funding. The funding was led by Wavemaer Partners, and also included Talmadge O'Neill and Harry Tsao of Mezi Media and Tamim Mourad of PriceGrabber. READ MORE>>.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Tool Coach Pasadena 100

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2014

We are often asked how companies get funded, why VCs make the decisions we make and what we’re looking for in entrepreneurs. At Upfront we’re totally fine funding entrepreneurs who have done multiple businesses in the past – in fact we like it. It is what Seriously was designed to do. The results?

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Funding Technical Review Startup Screening 373

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

MBA’s are an easy target for entrepreneurs’ scorn. I too have taken shots at MBA’s, describing why they are not typically well suited for startup life in Why Entrepreneurs Hate (Most) MBAs. Their venture fund will focus on startups founded by Wharton, Stanford and Harvard students and alumni. “When M.B.A.’s

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Allegis Startup Competition 113

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2019

An entrepreneur is literally “one who creates a new business.” In researching this question, I reviewed a classic book by Bryan Mattimore, “ Idea Stormers: How to Lead and Inspire Creative Breakthroughs ,” which details eight attributes of the most creative people, which seem to match the mindsets of some of the best entrepreneurs I know.

Entrepreneur 91

Entrepreneur Ideas Course Social Media 91

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2012

I raised money as an entrepreneur, like you, in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005 for two different companies. I now observes the fund raising process as a profession. This is the fund raising perspective from both sides of the table. Fund raising (as is much of life) is a sale – pure and simple. Executive Summary.

Develop 366

Develop Development Funding Venture Capital 366

socalTECH

MARCH 28, 2019

Earlier this month, the annual Montgomery Summit conference was held in Santa Monica, including a special portion of the conference dedicated to the Rise of the Female Entrepreneur. I see you were involved in the Rise of the Female Entrepreneur effort at the Montgomery Summit this year, tell me a little about what that is all about?

Capital 162

Capital Entrepreneur Invest Artificial Inteligence 162

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 29, 2023

While the market isn't short of spritely, innovative entrepreneurs, harsh economic headwinds combined with a pullback in investor spending have made it harder than ever for budding businesses to break through. Source: runwayml.com In June, Runway raised $141 million in funding, nudging its market valuation to an envy-inducing $1.5

Startup 210

Startup Generative AI Newsletter Tool 210

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2013

All true entrepreneurs operate off a set of tenets that are built into their psyche, or drilled into them from training and mentors. In a book a while back by Jeanne Liedtka and Tim Ogilvie from the Columbia Business School, “ Designing for Growth ,” the authors encourage managers to think more like designers.

Entrepreneur 103

Entrepreneur Design Ideas Competition 103

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2023

Most entrepreneurs have found by now one or more of the many popular crowdfunding sites , and have the name and contact information for at least one of the big venture capital firms. contributes more than $25 billion to fund 70,000 startups every year. Look to grants and strategic partners for seed funding. Marty Zwilling

Venture Capital 106

Venture Capital Angel Seed Funding Invest 106

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

As an advisor to many entrepreneurs, I still hear frequently the irrational exuberance that crowdfunding is the quick alternative for startups that are passed over by overly demanding angels or venture capital investors. In reality, crowdfunding has become a major startup funding vehicle, expected to reach $3.62

Startup 100

Startup Equity Entrepreneur Demand 100

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 8, 2014

” It’s the most common refrain I hear from investors and even entrepreneurs these days. Over the past 4 years LA’s tech fundings have growing at a 30% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) which is > 4 times the US average VC CAGR (7%). “There’s something going on in LA.” Success begets success.

Entrepreneur 376

Entrepreneur Snapchat Startup Google 376

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2022

An entrepreneur is literally “one who creates a new business.” In researching this question, I reviewed a classic book by Bryan Mattimore, “ Idea Stormers: How to Lead and Inspire Creative Breakthroughs ,” which details eight attributes of the most creative people, which seem to match the mindsets of some of the best entrepreneurs I know.

Startup 141

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Course 141

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2015

An entrepreneur is literally “one who creates a new business.” In researching this question, I found a book by Bryan Mattimore, “ Idea Stormers: How to Lead and Inspire Creative Breakthroughs ,” which outlines well eight attributes of the most creative people, which seem to match the mind-sets of some of the best entrepreneurs I know.

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Ideas Course Social Media 113

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2022

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” Many people with great ideas never make it as entrepreneurs, and true entrepreneurs can make a business out of anything. Few entrepreneurs can assimilate and hone a complete plan in their head.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Writing 124

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 10, 2014

Many entrepreneurs seems to be convinced that the “crowd” of regular people using the Internet will somehow solve their startup funding needs, when they sense a lack of interest from accredited investors. When pitching to consumers, online or offline, the feedback will likely be on features and design.

Funding 101

Funding Equity Entrepreneur Invest 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2011

All true entrepreneurs operate off a set of tenets that are built into their psyche, or drilled into them from training and mentors. In a recent book by Jeanne Liedtka and Tim Ogilvie from the Columbia Business School, “ Designing for Growth ,” the authors encourage managers to think more like designers.

Entrepreneur 103

Entrepreneur Design Ideas Competition 103

socalTECH

MAY 25, 2016

Santa Monica-based March Capital Partners (www.marchcp.com) has just announced a brand new, $240M venture investment fund, led by longtime venture investing veterans Jim Armstrong, Sumant Mandal, Gregory Milken and Jamie Montgomery. What is the investment focus for this fund? It's all about the entrepreneur.

Southern California 113

Southern California Capital Funding Invest 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2015

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” Many people with great ideas never make it as entrepreneurs, and true entrepreneurs can make a business out of anything. Few entrepreneurs can assimilate and hone a complete plan in their head.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 5, 2023

In my experience with entrepreneurs, there seems to a wealth of self-proclaimed “idea people” who aspire to start businesses, but only a few who are willing and able to dig in and get the job done. Only rare great entrepreneurs, like Bill Gates and Elon Musk, have proven to be both. Detailed product specifications and prototypes.

Startup 155

Startup Ideas IBM IBM 155

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 28, 2018

My friend Michael Broukhim, founder & co-CEO of FabFitFun and I recently had a catch-up meeting for 3-miles on the Santa Monica “Bird Trail” No company has ever elicited so many questions by friends, colleagues, entrepreneurs, fellow VCs and journalists as has Bird, the company that pioneered the electronic scooter as a service market.

Santa Monica 256

Santa Monica Funding Startup Course 256

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2020

As an advisor to many entrepreneurs, I still hear frequently the irrational exuberance that crowdfunding is the quick alternative for startups that are passed over by overly demanding angels or venture capital investors. He points out that the word crowd precedes funding in crowdfunding. Startup revenues come later.

Startup 151

Startup Equity Funding Demand 151

SoCal Tech Calendar

JULY 2, 2010

Thursday, July 8, 2010 -- Maverick Angels Boot Camp for Entrepreneurs. Many entrepreneurs have promising business plans, but are not skilled in how to present their ideas to investors. Do you have a great business idea but are not quite ready to present to angel investors? See [link] (more).

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Angel Training Ideas 100

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 3, 2010

In one of the posts I spoke about how the size and vintage of funds might affect you when you’re raising money. This led Roy Rodenstein (whose company Going.com was sold to AOL ) and others to discuss , what happens when VC’s need to invest across multiple funds. invested again) in Fund 2.

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Invest Venture Capital Funding .Net 226

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 13, 2015

According to most definitions, an entrepreneur is one who envisions a new and different business, meaning one that is not a copy of an existing business model. Many entrepreneurs have a passion and an idea, or even invent a new product, but are never able to execute to the point of creating a startup. Funding and rollout stage.

Entrepreneur 109

Entrepreneur Ideas Satisfaction Summary 109

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 18, 2014

In my Twitter bio is says that I’m “ looking to invest in passionate entrepreneurs ,” which almost sounds like I was just looking for a cliché soundbite to describe myself. Yet along with “authenticity” they are two of the key attributes I look for when I meet with companies I may consider funding one day.

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Startup Entrepreneur Design Funding 419

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2023

Entrepreneurs who search for real pain points, and build solutions around them, have the best chance of changing the world. So why do I see some many funding requests for products along these lines? So why do I see some many funding requests for products along these lines? That’s the great thing about being an entrepreneur.

Ideas 118

Ideas Outsource Development Outsource Course 118

SoCal Tech Calendar

APRIL 8, 2009

Friday, April 10, 2009 -- Maverick Boot Camp for Entrepreneurs. Many entrepreneurs have promising business plans, but are not skilled in how to present their ideas to investors. Do you have a great business idea but are not quite ready to present to angel investors? See [link].

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Training Ideas Design 100

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