Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

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. Most entrepreneurs (and VCs raising from LPs) think this means progress. I’m going to start with the reasons and then explain how to use your best data to your advantage. It doesn’t.

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

Every so often I find myself caught up in a really hectic 3-4 week schedule where it seems like I float endlessly betweens meetings. And I get flooded with legal docs, end-of-quarter financial administration, recruiting, whatever. I get sucked up in “Do” mode. Startups Are for Doers. Board Meetings.

Venture Capital 400

Venture Capital Conference Ideas Entrepreneur 400

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 2, 2011

I’m sitting at my computer now at 9.00pm writing this – which is an hour earlier than I normally write (there are about 8 women at my kitchen table having a book club (aka excuse to drink wine & gossip so I’m locked in another room writing. They could start to form an opinion. I enjoy that.

Email 287

Email Blogging Venture Capital Writing 287

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 7, 2011

It was overly intellectual, had too many competing ideas, didn’t have enough catch phrases that would be picked up in the press, emphasized some facts that made us look smaller than we were, was too long and had terrible quotes. I then asked for editing rights to his Google Doc and I rewrote a version of it. VC Pitches.

Press 337

Press Venture Capital Doc Summary 337

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 19, 2011

Yet a critical mistake I see many entrepreneurs make is that they hand over too much control to their third-parties. And a key point is that when it comes down to “negotiations&# you need to turn up your personal heat and dial back the middle man. Let me start with an example. I told my agent. “That’s nuts!

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Pricing Startup Outsource 319

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

My initial reaction to Adeo when we spoke was that while it may have solved some issues (debt versus equity) it didn’t solve the ones that I’ve been warning entrepreneurs about most loudly. A standard entrepreneur retort I heard back then (2008-09) was “I don’t know what my company is worth now.

Startup 354

Startup Pricing Equity Venture Capital 354

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 31, 2015

Let me start the post with three statements. I believe many entrepreneurs have ADD. Many people with ADD don’t work well in corporations & with bureaucracy, people with ADD have a bias towards action, people with ADD often speak up & take action and have strong bursts of creativity. Embrace it. Email twice.

Startup 150

Startup Writing Class Orange County 150