Sat.Oct 27, 2012 - Fri.Nov 02, 2012

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Arborbridge Helps International Students With Test Prep

socalTECH

Hoping to help foreign students better prepare themselves to get into U.S. colleges, a new, Santa Monica startup, ArborBridge , has recently begun to ramp up its online tutoring service for the standardized SAT and ACT tests. Arborbridge, founded by Tim Urban and Andrew Finn, connects those foreign students with one-on-one, live online SAT and ACT test preparation help from tutors.

Help 238
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Discount your projections. Make surprises positive.

Berkonomics

Lots of people do or will depend upon your leadership in driving growth, stability, and profitability. There will always be times when salespersons or associates provide you with projections for future sales that reflect their inherent optimism. Whether you in turn report to a CEO, a board or just your bank, you must reconcile such projections against the commitment of resources that will drain short term cash in expectation of revenues.

Sales 136
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Five Trick Questions Every Entrepreneur Should Answer Before Asking For Money

InfoChachkie

From a venture capitalist’s point of view, there are no “trick” questions. However, certain questions can be tricky for an entrepreneur to answer. Below are five common questions an entrepreneur will encounter when seeking venture funding. These questions, which manifest themselves in numerous forms, all share a common underlying objective: to divine your motivations, expectations and desires.

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Enhancing User Engagement for Faster Growth

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, November 8, 2012 -- Enhancing User Engagement for Faster Growth. Coloft. You?ve developed your product and you?re ready for growth, or so you think. Growth preparation is one of the most important steps at any startup and failing to properly prep for it can have devastating effects. In this class Sean Ellis, the man behind marketing efforts at Dropbox, LogMeIn, Lookout and Xobni, will explain how you can experience faster growth through enhanced user engagement.

Class 113
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Can You Ask for Office Rent Relief? How to Manage Your Lease During COVID-19

Office leases are one of companies’ largest expenses, and if your whole team is working from home with no clear end in sight, you may be wondering what to do about your lease.

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Decoding The Science Behind The Laughs, With Daniel Altman of Laffster

socalTECH

One of the major growth areas along Silicon Beach has been in the whole area of creating content for digital platforms. But, how do you figure out what actual content will resonate with online consumers? And in particular, if you're developing comedy and humor content -- which is a big segment of the content being created--how to do you help people find the content which will resonate with them.

Content 230
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10 Reality Checks for Entrepreneurs From the Master

Startup Professionals Musings

Most of the time, I’m all about providing encouragement and inspiration to entrepreneurs. They need it and they deserve it, because entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of our economy. But every so often, I try to give them a reality check, just to keep their feet on the ground and their nose to the grindstone. Many years ago, I enjoyed one of Guy Kawasaki’s first books, “ Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition.

More Trending

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Poly Founders Hosts Travelstrings @ Cal Poly Pomona

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, November 7, 2012 -- Poly Founders Hosts Travelstrings @ Cal Poly Pomona. Join Poly Founders as we host Melanie Gin and the co-founders of Travelstrings for a night of stories, questions, and networking.

Pomona 113
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How Enervee Is Making Shopping For Products Energy Smart, with Matthias Kurwig

socalTECH

Are you someone who'd like to save money, energy, and maybe the environment while shopping for your new television, appliance, or other electronic product? If so, how do you figure out what the better choice is when you're making those purchase decisions? In a bid to try to make it easier for consumers to figure that out, Enervee (www.enervee.com) recently rolled out a new tool to provide an "Enervee Score" to help rate products on their energy efficiency and cost--and is now trying to get manuf

Product 227
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10 Keys to Real Entrepreneur Mentoring Satisfaction

Startup Professionals Musings

Every entrepreneur can learn from a mentor, no matter how confident or successful they have been to date. Even one of the richest, Bill Gates , still values his friend Warren Buffett as his mentor. Yet these relationships require special efforts on both sides to be productive and satisfying. Mentoring is not as simple as one person giving the other all the right answers.

Mentor 105
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StoryBots Brings Edutainment to Second Screens | Delighting Kids

Tech Zulu Event

The Spiridellis brother-founder team behind the popular JibJab eCard line featuring personalization Starring You®, (think Elf Yourself )—have grown up and now have children of their own. Children that have iPads, and a need for great content to interact with on those iPads that meet the tough standards of Gregg and Evan Spiridellis. The criteria for this JibJab dad approved content is that it must be fun, engaging, with music that doesn’t suck after the 3 rd play, and also promotes learning.

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Turn Your Software App into SaaS in Days

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, November 7, 2012 -- Turn Your Software App into SaaS in Days! How do you turn your software application into a fully operational, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), without investing a lot of time, programming resources, and money into the effort? Corent Technology, the emerging leader in Software to SaaS transformation is offering a complimentary and informative breakfast session hosted by IBM at IBM La Jolla office on Nov. 1 and IBM Glendale office Nov 7, both from 8:30-10:00.

SaaS 113
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Accelerator To Exit In 14 Months, With Eli Portnoy of ThinkNear

socalTECH

There's been a sudden surge in accelerator in Southern California, looking to help get startups off the ground and funded. But, do they really help? For ThinkNear , it looks like the whole process paid off in less than two years, after the Los Angeles company went from the TechStars accelerator just last June, to a healthy acquisition by TeleNav earlier this month for $22.5M.

Startup 225
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8 Questions Investors Use to Bypass Startup Hype

Startup Professionals Musings

If you really want to impress a startup founder as a potential employee, or you want to be a smart investor, you need to know the right questions to ask. These are the questions that get past the hype of a founder “vision to change the world,” and into the realm of real business strengths, weaknesses, and current health. Some founders try to deflect these questions by talking incessantly, so you often need to be calm, patient, and persistent to get the answers.

Startup 97
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Silicon Beach Fest is Back!

Tech Zulu Event

Who ever said you can only have a beach fest in the summer? After the very successful 3-day Silicon Beach Fest this past June 2012 which attracted over 2,000 attendees from LA, San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Barbara, New York, Toronto, and London, Digital LA is bringing it back for a 1-day packed event on November 9 th. In coordination with io/LA, Wework, FilmBreak, Pagewoo, and TechZulu, this Silicon Beach Fest is a celebration of LA’s tech startup and entertainment community and will be host

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How to Grow your Business in Tough Economic Times

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, November 7, 2012 -- How to Grow your Business in Tough Economic Times. Celebrate after Election Day at our Clean Technology Council workshop. Our keynote speaker is Ken Norland. His organization helped create 67,098 new jobs in 2011. Ken will present break though strategies in business planning, staffing and funding?powerful support services you can use at little or no cost?

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Video: Darth Vader Goes To Disneyland

socalTECH

If you're Darth Vader, what do you do now that you are owned by Walt Disney Co. ? A video just released by Walt Disney Parks imagines the result. (Burbank-based Walt Disney bought LucasFilm , the company started by George Lucas and which owns Star Wars, for $4.05 billion Tuesday). READ MORE>>.

Burbank 204
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Every Good Startup Practices Constructive Conflict

Startup Professionals Musings

Many entrepreneurs are not prepared for conflict, or actively avoid it. Their vision, passion, and focus are so strong that they can’t imagine someone disagreeing, much less fighting them to the death. But the reality is that startups are composed of smart people, with emotions as well as intellects, working in close proximity under much pressure, so conflicts will occur.

Startup 97
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Mix and Mingle | LA Startups Shows Some Bite

Tech Zulu Event

If you weren’t able to make it out to Wokcano to mix and mingle with the hottest startups this week, you missed out. Not to worry because we’ll recap the night with some information on the demos from these up and coming companies located in LA. Want to connect with dog lovers around you? Where my dogs at is a new mobile app that allows you to find the best restaurants, parks, pet stores, vets, hotels, apartments and more for you and your four legged friend.

Startup 73
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Gary Swart, CEO of oDesk:

SoCal Tech Calendar

Monday, November 5, 2012 -- Gary Swart, CEO of oDesk. SCV Meetup. Drawing from what's worked (and what hasn't) for oDesk during the company's rise to becoming the largest global online workplace, Swart will discuss: -What to look for in the best hires to ensure your company's success -How to build the most effective teams -What a good leader owes his organization Among Swart's many tips, he'll cover how most businesses look for the wrong things when hiring, and why companies need to hire differe

Tips 113
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Unusual Perk For SoCal Technology Firm: Unlimited, Paid Vacation

socalTECH

In what might be one of the more unusual perks for a Southern California high tech company, LRN , a developer of enterprise compliance and ethics software, has an unlimited, paid vacation policy. The firm's policy recently came to light in a WSJ article. The firm--which looks to be recruiting Java Developers, project managers, and UX/UI designers in its LA location--apparently lets employees take off as much time as they feel like they need, as one of the perks for working for the company.

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Startup Execution Transcends the Idea From Day One

Startup Professionals Musings

A startup begins with a great idea, but all too often, that’s where it ends. Ideas have to be implemented well to get the desired results. Good implementation requires a plan, and a good plan and good operational decisions come from good people. That’s why investors invest in entrepreneurs, rather than ideas. People and operational excellence have to converge in every business, large or small.

Ideas 94
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LA’s Chewse Joins 500 Startups | A Better Marketplace For Us To Easily Order Great Food

Tech Zulu Event

LA-based company, Chewse has joined 500 Startups in Silicon Valley, making it the first starup from LA to join the prestigious accelerator program and seed fund. According to 500 Startups , it provides early-stage companies with up to $250K in funding and its startup accelerator program , unique events and an experienced network startup mentors around the world plus its creative work space at Silicon Valley not only gives founders a step ahead than founders out of these program but also expose

Startup 68
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Family Day at the Beall

SoCal Tech Calendar

Saturday, November 3, 2012 -- Family Day at the Beall. Children and families of all ages are invited to enjoy free, hands-on art and science activities at UC Irvine?s Family Day at the Beall. The event offers a ?kid-friendly? introduction to new media art relating to the Beall Center?s current exhibit, ?DataViz: Information as Art? as well as presentations, music, and more.

Activity 113
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Chewse Joins 500 Startups

socalTECH

Silicon valley startup incubator program 500 Startups announced its latest batch of startups Wednesday, with a surprise: a local, Santa Monica firm among the fifth batch of companies being backed by the accelerator. 500 Startups said that Santa Monica-based Chewse , which is developing a marketplace for groups to easily order food together, has joined the accelerator, which invests between $25,00 and $250,000 in Internet startups, and helps them get funded and off the ground.

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10 Content Marketing Examples for Entrepreneurs

Startup Professionals Musings

These days every new entrepreneur understands that an innovative product or service is necessary, but not sufficient, to start a business. You have to build a web presence with marketing content to get visibility above the 300 million other new websites created last year, and attract the customers you need. But most entrepreneurs don’t know where to start.

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Storytelling and Startup Fundraising

Steve Reich

Every startup has an elevator pitch, but what comes next? Do potential investors’ eyes glaze over when you get beyond the quick, punchy one liner and try to REALLY describe your company? Successful fundraisers tell a complete, engaging story and close the deal. Last week, the WSJ ran a great article (add link) on the value of college humanities courses, and used comments from a successful entrepreneur to make their case.

Startup 65
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ProductCamp SoCal 2012

SoCal Tech Calendar

Saturday, November 3, 2012 -- ProductCamp SoCal 2012. ProductCamp SoCal is a free, user-driven, collaborative ?unconference? for product managers and marketers in Southern California. A one-day gathering of product folks to share, present, network, learn and discuss.See[link].

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Disney Buys Lucasfilm

socalTECH

Burbank-based The Walt Disney Company has acquired Lucasfilm Ltd. , the film company owned by George Lucas, in a deal worth $4.05 billion, Disney said Tuesday afternoon. Disney said it would pay stock and cash for Lucasfilm, with approximately half in cash and 40M in shares. Lucasfilm owns the rights to Star Wars. According to George Lucas, the move came as it was time to "pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers.

Burbank 196
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Entrepreneur Success is Not Enough for Fulfillment

Startup Professionals Musings

Is it possible to be successful in business and not fulfilled? The answer is a resounding yes today, and I’m convinced that it will be even more true tomorrow, as young idealistic entrepreneurs try to adapt to the long-standing business culture where success is only measured in the money you make for yourself and your business. That isn’t very fulfilling to the growing number of entrepreneurs whose vision and satisfaction comes from making the world a better place, and enjoying a leisurely lifes

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StoryBots Brings Edutainment to Second Screens | Delighting Kids

Tech Zulu Event

The Spiridellis brother-founder team behind the popular JibJab eCard line featuring personalization Starring You®, (think Elf Yourself )—have grown up and now have children of their own. Children that have iPads, and a need for great content to interact with on those iPads that meet the tough standards of Gregg and Evan Spiridellis. The criteria for this JibJab dad approved content is that it must be fun, engaging, with music that doesn’t suck after the 3 rd play, and also promotes learning.

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Marketing Me

SoCal Tech Calendar

Friday, November 2, 2012 -- Marketing ME: Building your book of business by developing YOUR personal Brand. Broads Circle. Join us for this hands-on breakfast workshop specifically geared towards attorneys and accountants to create your strategy for success. Our expert panelists will walk you through crafting your unique message and provide you with tools for implementing your plan.

Marketing 113
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Lowercase Capital Boots Up New LA Investment Fund

socalTECH

Another, Silicon Valley investor-- Chris Sacca --has his eyes on investments in Los Angeles, saying that his super angel fund, Lowercase Capital , has just hired a full time director in Los Angeles to make investments in local startups. The news came at a PandoDaily event Thursday evening. Sacca's apparently has only one Southern California investment so far, an investment earlier this year in Big Frame.

Invest 187
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Adhesive Games Gets $18M For Massively Multiplayer Game

socalTECH

Adhesive Games , the Alhambra-based, independent game publishing studio which is part of Meteor Entertainment has just scored a big, $18M funding round from Rustic Canyon Partners , Chinese game publisher KongZhong, and others to help bring its first title to market, Hawken. Hawken is a first person shooter, combat-based massively multiplayer online game focused on mechanized combat.

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GRP Partners Hits $148.6M In New Fund, GRP IV

socalTECH

GRP Partners , the venture capital firm managed by Steven Dietz, Brian McLoughlin, Yves Sisteron, and Mark Suster, seems to be making good progress on its newest fund, GRP IV, according to a regulatory filing from the firm filed Wednesday. The regulatory filing indicates GRP has raised $148.6M in committments for the $200M fund, which is still open to investors.

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ZapMobi Takes On Mobile Websites

socalTECH

Zapmobi , which is based in Los Angeles, said today that it has launched a new service which helps users create scalable, mobile websites that run on thousands of mobile devices. The new service said it has created a point, click, and drag mobile website builder which makes it easy for users to serve up mobile pages. The firm said it offers up free and premium subscription plans.

Mobile 178
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DogVacay Launches Pack Leader Program

socalTECH

DogVacay , the online peer-to-peer marketplace which lets people find and offer up pet sitting services, is recruiting its pet sitters to help market the service with a new program. The Los Angeles startup, which was founded by Aaron and Karine Nissim Hirschhorn, said its new Pack Leader program lets DogVacay hosts promote their services with their own URL and coupon code.