Both Sides of the Table
NOVEMBER 4, 2010
One of the most influential books of my career is The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clay Christensen. I cannot recommend it enough for people in the technology or media sectors. Many people bandy about the definitions of “disruptive technology&# or “the innovator’s dilemma&# without ever having read the book and almost universally misunderstand the concepts.
SoCal CTO
NOVEMBER 1, 2010
I had a recent email dialog with the founder of a company looking for a CTO for their startup. We had several emails back and forth where he provided basic details on the concept. And I tried to evaluate the idea and figure out: What did the founder really need here? Was it a Startup Founder Developer Gap ? Was it a case of needing Homework? Did they really need a Startup CTO or Developer or both?
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socalTECH
NOVEMBER 1, 2010
Hollywood-based Ranker , the online startup headed by Clark Benson, said today that it is now seeing over 1 million unique monthly visitors to its web site. The site, which allows users to create their own ranked lists of products, movies, video games, and anything else users want to, said it now has over 6 million items that can be dragged and dropped into its lists.
Berkonomics
NOVEMBER 1, 2010
Expect a board member to give a meeting a month, emails and phone calls between. Urgent issues require more of all. Board members are usually busy people, often running other companies or serving on multiple boards. Early stage boards usually meet once a month for two to four hours, enough to ruin the rest of a day for those who travel even short distances.
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Both Sides of the Table
NOVEMBER 3, 2010
There is a transition in every company from a “seat of the pants&# kind of entrepreneurial company to a “process driven&# mechanized one. Many people who are successful in the former fare less well in the latter. Frankly, I’m much more of the former kind of guy and I tire of the routine process & politics required to succeed in a big company.
SoCal CTO
NOVEMBER 2, 2010
Google Code just release the API console. It better organizes Google’s APIs and I even discovered a couple new APIs. Right now (more are expected soon) it provides: Buzz API - Google Buzz provides developers with a powerful set of API endpoints for searching, reading, and updating post content and metadata. Custom Search API - Google Custom Search enables you to search over a slice of the web, such as your own website, or a collection of websites.
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SoCal Tech Calendar
NOVEMBER 2, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010 -- paidContent Entertainment. Not too long ago, the fight for control was all about the living room and it was between cable, satellite and telcos with a tech effort here and there. Now that broadband has gone mainstream were talking internet TVs, gaming consoles, indie set-tops, over-the-top and home-wide networks. Connected devicescellphones, smartphones, tabletsand cross-platform content services, portals and apps raise the stakes from the home to anywhere the p
Both Sides of the Table
NOVEMBER 2, 2010
This is part of a series on sales & marketing. The original post of this article on appeared on GigaOm in a more concise version here. I previously covered how early phase sales teams should be “evangelical&# and consultative in nature. As a tech startup grows it needs to develop more process & management if it is to scale. I call this “arming & aiming&# your salesforce.
Startup Professionals Musings
NOVEMBER 1, 2010
Everyone can recognize a great manager a mile away, so why is it so hard to find one? We all remember a few that are “legends in their own mind”, but that doesn’t do it. In fact, the clue here is that the view in your mind is the only one that matters, rather than the other way around. Almost every one of us in business can remember that one special manager in their career who exemplifies the norm, who commanded our respect, and treated us like a friend, even in the toughest of personal or busin
socalTECH
NOVEMBER 1, 2010
Los Angeles-based mobile marketing firm Mogreet , which is headed by James Citron, announced this morning that it has inked a deal with Steve Madden , where it will provide rich media mobile marketing as part of Steve Madden's marketing efforts. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. The two said that Mogreet will power Steve Madden's efforts to reach consumers directly on their mobile devices, including information about news, sales promotions, exclusive content, and more.
SoCal Tech Calendar
NOVEMBER 4, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 -- Energy Empowerment. Plug-in vehicles. electronic devices, each with its own charger. ever-more sophisticated home entertainment centers: We are plugging into a dated infrastructure that cannot continue to handle the load. We are using more and more energy - as much as 40 percent more in the next 20 years. California and the nation are looking to smart technologies to vastly increase efficiency in energy distribution and consumption.
Both Sides of the Table
OCTOBER 31, 2010
This article was originally posted in a much more concise version over GigaOm if you prefer the shorter version. This is part of my ongoing Sales & Marketing Series. In the first part of this post I talked about how sales in a startup is often evangelical , requires as consultative sale and needs constant adjustments based on customer feedback.
Startup Professionals Musings
NOVEMBER 4, 2010
A while back, I wrote about the importance of a “ sustainable competitive advantage ,” and outlined the business plan value and limitations of patents and competitor feature comparisons. But once you start selling products, all of these pale in comparison to your level of customer service. I agree with John Spence, in his book “ Awesomely Simple ,” that in a world of nearly limitless product options and highly educated consumers with instant access to price, features, and benefits of almost ever
socalTECH
NOVEMBER 3, 2010
Santa Monica-based Geodelic , the developer of mobile location information applications headed by Rahul Sonnad, has rolled a new mobile application from Clear Channel. According to Clear Channel Airports, the airport advertising arm of advertising giant Clear Channel, it has launched a new FLYsmart application, a free, mobile application for Android which provides information about airports.
SoCal Tech Calendar
NOVEMBER 4, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 -- 101 Corridor Biotech Celebration Event. Enjoy networking with regional life science companies to exchange ideas and form collaborations; and learn about new cutting-edge technologies and services from local suppliers. Hear about the successes being achieved by biotech companies, along with future outlooks for the biotech/life science community in the 101 Corridor region.
Tech Zulu Event
OCTOBER 31, 2010
On Monday November 1, 2010 TechZulu will present Web TV Workshop Pro-Panel Series live at 9pm PST. You will hear from some of the most successful professionals of the new media space. Visit TechZulu for full story. Tags: Arts & Entertainment Business Development New Media Social Media Video Adam Chapnick Alec Distribber IndieGoGo McBeard Media McNayre Mighty Fresh Richard Frias Web TV Workshop.
Startup Professionals Musings
NOVEMBER 3, 2010
Due diligence should always be a two-way street. A while back, I published an article on “ Understanding the Dreaded Investor Due Diligence ,” describing what investors do to validate your startup before they invest. Here is the inverse, sometimes called reverse due diligence, describing what you should do to validate your investor before signing up for an equity partnership.
socalTECH
NOVEMBER 1, 2010
Agoura Hills-based videogame maker THQ , and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), said this morning they are in a new marketing agreement. The two companies said that WWE-branded video games developed by THQ will be integrated into events, pay-per view and television sponsorships, magazines, and other WWE properties. According to the firms, the deal also includes the addition of interactive gaming kiosks at 40 WWE live events.
SoCal Tech Calendar
NOVEMBER 4, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 -- SUPERMATH: Better Living Through Analytics. SDSIC. Showcase and celebrate the history and innovation of analytics technologies and applications. The invitation-only conference will also include an Expo open to the public, to demonstrate how analytics affect our lives today and tomorrow. See [link] (more).
Tech Zulu Event
NOVEMBER 3, 2010
You won't want to miss this riveting interview with the fiercely candid Mohit, who previously founded BizRate and Shopzilla. Mohit explains how Gri.pe uses social clout to make people powerful in the real world, cutting through the "barrage of brand bullshit" that clutters our lives. It's so simple, based on truth, and on the idea that people are good.
Startup Professionals Musings
OCTOBER 30, 2010
Many of the investors and entrepreneurs I know still don’t realize that they need to use and understand the Internet, even if their business is not e-commerce. Maybe you have also heard a lot of Internet terms, but are not sure you can explain how, when, and why they are relevant to your business success. Here is a quick test of your real Internet savvy.
socalTECH
NOVEMBER 4, 2010
Thousand Oaks-based biotech giant Amgen said today that its nonprofit arm, the Amgen Foundation , is giving $4.5M in a grant to invest in South Los Angeles schools. Amgen said the grant goes to MLA Partner Schools, an effort which looks to prepare children from South Los Angeles for college and life. The effort is being run within the area of West Adaps Prep and Manual Arts.
SoCal Tech Calendar
NOVEMBER 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010 -- PTO's Proposed Three-Track Examination Process. CONNECT. Intellectual property (IP) is essential to the growth and survival of start-up companies. Obtaining a strong patent portfolio provides small businesses with the foundation needed to attract investors, secure early stage funding, and protect their creative ideas.CONNECT is pleased to host this timely Public Policy Forum focused on the proposed Three-Track Examination Process.
Tech Zulu Event
NOVEMBER 4, 2010
The Spotlight: LA Tech event is coming along nicely with tons of companies submitted and most of which I wish could all be part of this amazing night. So to help curate and show off the best that LA has to offer we called in a few friends for backup. Visit TechZulu for full story. Tags: Business Culture Entrepreneurship Events Startup DreamWorks Kline Hawkes Milken Institute Namesake Spotlight UCLA.
Startup Professionals Musings
OCTOBER 31, 2010
In addition to the “green” sector, which I outlined a few weeks ago , I see biotech as one of the places where startups can always go for real opportunities. Recession-proof products with innovation continue to come from the biotechnology industry. Plus, it was the top industry attracting VC money in the most recent quarter of 2010 , with a total of $944 million.
socalTECH
NOVEMBER 4, 2010
Encino-based uSamp , the online panel and survey firm headed by Matt Dusig and Gregg Lavin, said today that it has named a new CFO and promoted two new execs. The firm--citing "record" growth during the year--said it has named John Woolard as Chief Financial Officer, and promoted Dave Gaston to Regional Vice President of Survey Solutions, and Melanie Courtright to Senior Vice President of Client Services.
SoCal Tech Calendar
NOVEMBER 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010 -- UndergroundPDC. The Underground powered by PDC10 is a highly anticipated annual event that is organized by Microsoft for the Southern California technology and startup community. The event will feature a wide range of speakers and activities, including a Question and Answer session with Danl Lewin (Corporate Vice President for Strategic and Emerging Business Development at Microsoft) and Blake Irving (Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer at Yahoo!).
Frank Addante
NOVEMBER 2, 2010
News: - the Rubicon Project Acquires Fox Audience Network for Technology and Team - Closes $18M Growth Financing - Company Reaches Profitability; Ahead of Plan With $100M Revenue - John Carnahan Joins Company as Chief Technology Officer Press Release: [link]
Startup Professionals Musings
NOVEMBER 2, 2010
We all know that every startup is risky. No risk means no reward. Yet every investor has his own “rules of thumb” on what makes a specific startup too high a risk for his investment taste. You need to know these guidelines to set your expectations on funding. Of course, if you intend to fund the business yourself, or have a rich uncle, external investment funding concerns are not a problem.
socalTECH
NOVEMBER 1, 2010
Los Angeles-based ResumeBucket.com , the online resume listing service, said today that it has rolled out a new suite of services geared at human resources managers. The firm said that it has added new search tools, ability to add personal comments on candidat resumes, and new widgets for employer websites. ResumeBucket offers up a web site which allows users to create and track their own, online resumes, and which also allows HR managers to find job candidates.
SoCal Tech Calendar
NOVEMBER 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010 -- LAVA's Annual Private Equity Breakfast. Meet panelists from some of Los Angeles' leading Private Equity firms and find out how the economy has impacted the Private Equity business. Moderated by Laurie A. Allen, Royse Law Firm. Panelists include: Steve Moore, Partner, Brentwood Associates; Mark Rosenbaum, Partner, Aurora Capital Group; Michael LaSalle, Vice President, Shamrock Capital Advisors; Alain Rothstein, Principal, Vicente Capital Partners.
socalTECH
NOVEMBER 1, 2010
Santa Monica-based ShopNation has raised $800,000 in a seed funding, and launched a new fashion discovery site today. The firm, co-founded by Travis Schneider and Luke Kervin, said it aggregates and normalizes product data from fashion retailers, and allows users to find fashion products from their favorite stores. The company--one of the companies in the LaunchpadLA effort--is the second startup for Schneider and Kervin, who founded StarBrand Media, a celebrity shopping startup acquired by Suga
socalTECH
NOVEMBER 3, 2010
Santa Ana-based RealPractice , which develops legal technology products and related services, said today that it has launched a new, software-as-a-service platform aimed at solo attorneys. According to RealPractice, it is now offering My RealPractice, a product which helps those attorneys build their own websites, monitor their practices, manage matter and task management, invoicing, and more.
socalTECH
NOVEMBER 4, 2010
Irvine-based Specific Media , which operates an Internet advertising network, said today that it is one of the first memebers of the IAB to adopt a new "Advertising Options Icon", a new tool to provide web surfers with information about what data is being collected about them by advertisers. Sepcific Media said the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) tool shows on top of each online ad, and will provide a link to Specific Media's privacy information page and opt-out options.
socalTECH
NOVEMBER 2, 2010
Move, Inc. , the online real estate site, said today that it has renewed its content distribution agreement with MSN. Move, which has major operations in the Thousand Oaks area but is now headquartered in Campbell, California, said that the agreement allows MSN visitors to search for real estate property listings from Move's network, under MSN's Money tab on its homepage.
socalTECH
NOVEMBER 3, 2010
Irvine-based WebVisible , the provider of local search advertising services for small businesses, said this morning that it has named Geoff Stevens as its Executive Vice President and General Manager of GLobal Business Development, and Natalie Tarpinian as its Vice President of its National Sales Division. Stevens has previously served at Yahoo!, Overture, InfoSpace, U.S.
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