Sat.Jul 10, 2010 - Fri.Jul 16, 2010

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The Benefits of Top-Down Thinking & Why it is Critical to Entrepreneurs

Both Sides of the Table

For the first 5 years of my career I was a “bottom up&# thinker and worker. I assembled tons of data, grouped things, found results and drew conclusions. It was difficult to make the transition to a “top down&# thinker but as a senior executive – and as an entrepreneur – you’re far less effective without this skill in your arsenal.

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Interview with Mehdi Daoudi, CatchPoint Systems

socalTECH

Mehdi Daoudi is CEO of CatchPoint Systems (www.catchpoint.com), a new Los Angeles startup focused on the web site and web application monitoring industry. Daoudi was previously an executive at DoubleClick. Daoudi spoke to us about how his experience at DoubleClick resulted in starting up CatchPoint. What does CatchPoint's software do? Mehdi Daoudi: The idea is very simple.

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Surround yourself with great, sharing advisors.

Berkonomics

This insight addresses the establishment and maintenance of an advisory board, a formal group with no legal responsibilities, but one able to be called upon to act as business, industry and scientific advisors to the CEO. Usually, such an advisory board is formed carefully by the CEO to fill in the critical areas of need not evidenced in the board of directors or within the company itself.

Patents 159
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Building a Successful Startup Team

InfoChachkie

In this video John Greathouse does a small Q&A about building what traits/roles are needed to create a strong start-up team. If you haven’t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for. free weekly Infochachkie articles! Q&A: Want to learn more on this subject? Read the post about building Tribes: The Tribe. You may not realize it, but your adVenture’s Core Team is akin to a primitive tribe.

Startup 150
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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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Doing the Right Things is More Important than Doing Things Right

Both Sides of the Table

Yesterday I wrote a post about top-down versus bottom-up thinking. There is a corollary to that advice, which is “doing the right things is more important than doing things right.&# Sounds simple but in practice I promise you most organization fall into the latter trap. Here’s how it goes: You have a business development group with two people.

Startup 323
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eHarmony Heads To Santa Monica

socalTECH

Pasadena-based online dating site eHarmony is moving its headquarters from Pasadena to Santa Monica, according to reports from local community papers. eHarmony is reported to be moving to a space in the Yahoo! Center, taking with it 250 employees to the new location. No date for the move was given. eHarmony has been in its current Pasadena location on Walnut street for the last five years.

More Trending

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The Ten Commandments of an Entrepreneur

Startup Professionals Musings

If you expect to succeed in the thrill-a-minute, roller coaster ride of a startup, let me assure you it takes more than a good idea, a rich uncle, and luck. In fact, the idea is often the least important part of the equation. Investors tell me that they look at the people first, the business plan second, and only then at the idea. If you want some tips to beat the insurmountable odds, take a look at the following concepts, adapted from Richard C.

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What’s Really Going on in the VC Industry? What Does it Mean for Startups?

Both Sides of the Table

Lots of discussion these days about the changes in the VC industry. Here’s my take: 1. The VC industry grew dramatically as a result of the Internet bubble - Before the Internet bubble the people who invested in VC funds (called LPs or Limited Partners) put about $50 billion into the industry and by 2001 this had grown precipitously to around $250 billion. 2.

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Goleta Businesses Rally For San Jose Flights

socalTECH

A group of businesses and local organizations in Goleta, California, north of Santa Barbara, are looking to rally more businesses to join in their effort to spur new, direct flight support to San Jose, California, after a loss of the service in February. In an effort supported by the Goleta Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Barbara Airport and local technology firm Citrix Online, the groups said they're trying to reach out to local businesses to try to address the issue in a forum later this month.

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The Original Mixer

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, July 22, 2010 -- The Original Mixer. Casual gathering (jeans, no tie or jacket if you like) for professionals, entrepreneurs and business owners to connect with each other and with people in Finance, Banking, Real Estate and other key sectors. See [link] (more).

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Role Model Entrepreneur: Brad Bergersen Interview

Startup Professionals Musings

A few days ago I met a 26 year-old entrepreneur with an attitude that exemplifies what I believe it takes to succeed in this new economy and new world. After doing well as a teen in the jewelry business, he made his first big jump as an entrepreneur by buying a failing store to begin his entrepreneurial career, but quickly found that the road can be a rocky one.

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How a Tourist Can Help you with Your Startup

Both Sides of the Table

There’s a famous line about consultants that clients love to repeat, “consultants take your watch and then tell you the time.&#. I suppose there’s some truth to that but of course it’s an over simplification. I used to work for Andersen Consulting (for > 8 years) – mostly building computer systems for large companies in the fixed telecoms, mobile and Internet sectors.

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TweetUp Signs Four New Publishers

socalTECH

Pasadena-based TweetUp , the Twitter advertising firm started by Idealab's Bill Gross, is expanding out its network of sites this morning, saying that it has added four new publishers to its roster. The firm said it has signed distribution agreements with Business.com, Netvibes, TheFreeDictionary.com, and several un-named newspapers. All of those sites will serve up search results from TweetUp.

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The Power of Marketing Metrics: Demonstrating Marketing's Value to the Organization

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, July 22, 2010 -- The Power of Marketing Metrics: Demonstrating Marketing's Value to the Organization. Does your marketing pass the so what test? Most marketers today realize they need to demonstrate their value and have established some way to measure something. But the real question is are you measuring what matters? The right metrics and measurement, data, analytics, systems, tools and processes can make all the difference in your marketing measurement and accountability initiati

Metrics 100
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Why Adversity Makes an Entrepreneur Stronger

Startup Professionals Musings

We all know entrepreneurs who have overcome adversity, like this current business recession or personal setbacks, and achieved success. There are famous people like Walt Disney and Nelson Rockefeller, who overcame learning disabilities, and people like J. C. Penney and J. K Rowling who struggled through personal bad times before finding their true legacy.

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I Want My CIC! … The Benefits for Startups to Be Co-Located

Both Sides of the Table

[if you're not old enough to get the reference between this image and the title you can click on the image for a prompter]. This past December I spent a week in Boston to try to get to know some of the local VC’s and entrepreneurs a bit better. One of the meetings I had (organized by my good friend Jeff Yolen ) was with New Atlantic Ventures held the at the CIC, aka the Cambridge Innovation Center (no prizes for guessing where it’s located).

Startup 285
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Four Companies Where Hollywood Is Intersecting With Technology

socalTECH

Despite a perpetual belief that the presence of both high tech companies and Hollywood should be spawning out hundreds of entertainment and technology related startups, it actually happens much less than one might think. However, here are four companies-- not creating content for the Internet--which wouldn't exist without the intersection of both Hollywood and the technology industry. 1.

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Gaining Passion and Engagement From Your Customers and Organization

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, July 21, 2010 -- Gaining Passion and Engagement From Your Customers and Organization. Techbizconnection. Even in tough economic times, it is still tough to retain key employees - never mind maximize their contributions to the organization. They want to work for companies who's purpose is in alignment with their own. Customers no longer just buy products - they purchase the experiences from companyies who engage with them and meet their both spoken and unspoken needs.

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The Internet Has Replaced the Consultant

Startup Professionals Musings

Let’s face it, consultants have a bad image. Businesses want experienced people who get their hands dirty, rather than experts who give presentations, make recommendations, and disappear. Even consultants don’t like their job, since they don’t often get to see results, and too much of their time is spent looking for the next gig. The Internet has changed the world.

Startup 90
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This Week in VC: Michael Montgomery (President, Montgomery & Co.)

Both Sides of the Table

This episode of This Week in Venture Capital featured Michael Montgomery, president of Montgomery & Co. If you don’t know Montgomery & Co it is one of the premier technology & media focused investment banks in the country (and as Michael corrected me they also have a strong Healthcare / Med tech practice). For entrepreneurs who want to learn about how to work with investment banks, how to position yourself to be acquired and what the IPO markets look like this is the episode to

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RingRevenue Powering Google Pay-per-Call Trial

socalTECH

Santa Barbara-based RingRevenue , the provider of pay-per-call technology headed by Jason Spievak, apparently is powering a trial by Google in its Google Affiliate Network. In news leaked out by Affiliate New Review, apparently Google is using RingRevenue on a trial of paying commissions for phone-based traffic. Google--which competes against firms like Commission Junction and others in powering affiliate marketing campaigns--is taking applications from its existing affiliates to get paid for ph

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Reinstate Flights To San Jose Business Forum

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, July 21, 2010 -- Reinstate Flights to San Jose Business Forum. The Goleta Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Barbara Airport and Citrix Online invite area businesses to a forum to discuss the business impacts from the loss of direct flights to San Jose. This is an important issue that impacts the vitality of the South Coast business community.

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Sensitive Payments in the International Arena

Startup Professionals Musings

By Ernst Gemassmer I’ve seen several articles discussing global opportunities for startups, or recommending International expansion for growth. These are positive initiatives, but have some unique challenges, as I have found out personally in dealing with other cultures and bureaucracy in the International arena. Despite all the efforts to harmonize regulations in the different countries, little or no progress has been made in this area.

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This Week in VC with Rick Smith of Crosscut Ventures

Both Sides of the Table

We started this week’s show with a Q&A session where I answered viewer questions about fund raising and the VC industry. If you enjoy this blog I think you’ll enjoy watching the first 14 minutes of this video (just click on the image of me below). Heck, stick around and watch me discuss the seed funding debate that is going on right now and what is happening in the VC industry overall.

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RealD Prices IPO

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based 3D movie technology provider RealD said late Thursday evening that it has priced its IPO, offering 12.5M shares of its common stock at $16.00 per share. The firm said it expects to start trading Friday on the NYSE as "RLD". The IPO priced above the firm's initial estimated IPO pricing of between $13.00 and $15.00 per share. The firm said it is selling 6.0M of those shares, with selling stockholders offering 6.5M shares; the firm also said the underwriters have been been granted

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How Savvy Companies Leverage Brand, Technology and IP Licensing to Leap Ahead of The Competition

SoCal Tech Calendar

Tuesday, July 20, 2010 -- How Savvy Companies Leverage Brand, Technology and IP Licensing to Leap Ahead of The Competition. AccessEN. Ron Vaisbort has 20 years of diverse entrepreneurial and Fortune 50 experience leading technology business strategy, media and entertainment programming and advertising, IP acquisition and licensing.Ron will share a few licensing basics as well as how America's top companies - from Fortune 50 to garage-based startups - are, more than ever before, leveraging licens

IP 100
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Digital LA: Digital Comics Panel Live

Tech Zulu Event

Kapow! Join us live on July 19, 2010 8-9:30pm PST for a pre-Comic Con panel on Digital Comics! Expert speakers from Marvel, comiXology, BOOM! Studios, IGN and more will discuss digital comics, including apps and distribution, social media, and marketing, at Meltdown Comics megastore in Hollywood. Expert speakers will discuss. - What's successful in comics digital distribution: online, mobile, motion comics, apps, etc. - Is the iPad a game changer in how we can download and read comics - How do u

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Video Interview with Brian Lee, Co-Founder of Legalzoom and ShoeDazzle

Jason Nazar

This last week I guest hosted TWIST for Jason Calacanis. I did two shows with Brian Lee the Co-founder of LegalZoom and founder of ShoeDazzle , and the first episode with J.R. Johnson founder of Lunch.com and VirtualTourist. Check out the video interviews below and the great network of This Week In shows. Interview with Brian Lee. Interview with J.R.

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Smith Micro Launches File Delivery Service

socalTECH

Aliso Viejo-based Smith Micro Software , a developer of utility and mobile management software, announced today that it has launched a new file delivery product called SendStuffNow. The firm said the new, software-as-a-service offering allows users to send very large files over the Internet. Smith Micro's new service is aimed at both files which are too big to send via email, as well as files which need closer security and monitoring.

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Algae Biotechnology

SoCal Tech Calendar

Tuesday, July 20, 2010 -- Algae Biotechnology: Transforming Fuel, Food and Medicine. CONNECT. This month, Steve Mayfield, Director of the San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology (SD-CAB) - a consortium of local researchers established in 2008 - will talk about the new field of algae biotechnology and how it has the potential to transform the production of fuel, food and medicine.

San Diego 100
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Samsung Galaxy S Unboxing

Tech Zulu Event

TechZulu has a real special treat for you mobile lovers out there. We will be unboxing the all new Android powered Samsung Galaxy S. The Android smartphone's just keep pumping out and getting better and better for the most part with every release. The Samsung Galaxy S seems to be set as a key player in the Anroid 2010 smartphone market. This thing comes packing with a Super AMOLED display, 720p HD video recording, a 1GHz processor, and Swype technology.

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Top 30 Startup Posts in June 2010

SoCal CTO

Some great content around the intersection of startups and being a Startup CTO in June this year. This continues my series of posts: Top 29 Startup Posts May 2010 Startup CTO Top 30 Posts for April 16 Great Startup Posts from March There was some really great content in June. Here are the top 30 along with a brief snippet from the post. 10 Ways To Be Your Own Boss - A VC : Venture Capital and Technology , June 18, 2010 The folks at Behance and Cool Hunting asked me to talk at their 99% Conferenc

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Sonos Ties Into Music Streaming Service Wolfgang's Vault

socalTECH

Santa Barbara-based Sonos , the developer of user-friendly, multi-room wireless music systems, said today that it has has linked with Wolfgang's Vault , a music streaming service provider focused on live concerts. According to Sonos, it is now offering a 30-day trial to Wolfgang's Vault, starting today. Business terms between the firms was not disclosed.

Services 169
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BlueGlass LA Search and Social Marketing

SoCal Tech Calendar

Monday, July 19, 2010 -- BlueGlass LA Search and Social Marketing. The top West Coast event for web entrepreneurs and search and social media marketing professionals, featuring a lineup of the world's top hands-on leaders. See [link] (more).

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Digital LA: Crowd Source to Curation Panel Live

Tech Zulu Event

Join us live tomorrow July 14, from 6:30-8pm PST for a panel discussion with industry experts on how user-generated content UGC sites are moving from crowd-sourcing (lots of UGC content of varying degrees of quality) to the new model of curation (content that is reviewed/approved by editors, peers, or friends). We will discuss successful curation models for entertainment, including music (The Grammys award-winning We're All Fans campaign, etc) movie and TV / webisode content, news, and other exa

Content 64
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Many Great Entrepreneurs Use Servant Leadership

Startup Professionals Musings

Startups provide leadership in the market. Entrepreneurs provide leadership to their startup. There are many styles of leadership, like dictatorial, bureaucratic, and democratic. One that I will highlight here, which I believe is the most appropriate for startups, is called “servant” leadership. What is servant leadership? The servant leader serves the people they lead through mentoring, direct assistance, listening, and acting on their employees input.