Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

Do they bet on the entrepreneur (jockey) or the business idea and plan (the horse)? If you are looking for money, this question will certainly come up in one form or another when you approach professional or organized angel or VC investors. Early stage investors have been arguing over this for years. This is serious stuff.

Venture Capital 120

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Ideas Summary 120

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

Or if you’re a VC raising from LPs you have to list all of your deals, your investment value, your carrying value, your multiples, your IRRs, TVPIs, DPIs, etc along with net cashflows plus your previous LPAs. So what does a VC do when he or she isn’t ready to say “no” or perhaps might like to talk with you in a year but not now?

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 25, 2013

After all, I am no stranger to the publicly expressing the frustrations of dealing with the downside of this industry as I wrote about in 2006 when I was an entrepreneur. But VC is like congress. “I don’t know the exact math, but I hear it again and again: the top 2% of firms generate 98% of the returns in venture capital.”

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Do they bet on the entrepreneur (jockey) or the business idea and plan (the horse)? My answer always varies as I examine each deal, sometimes deferring and passing on an investment because of an uneasy feeling about the entrepreneur, even if the business plan seems able to capture the market. Email readers, continue here.]

Venture Capital 240

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Summary Incubator 240

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 23, 2011

I took the opportunity this past week to publish summary notes of some of the VCs and entrepreneurs I had interviewed on This Week in VC. One of my goals in doing the show was not only to educate entrepreneurs but also to put a human face on many of the VCs in our industry as VCs can be hard to get to know.

Capital 265

Capital Venture Capital Veoh Startup 265

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 20, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series, “ Pitching a VC.&# Getting a meeting with a prominent angel or VC is difficult enough. Some advice on how to do that was covered in this link – Getting Access to a VC. If you haven’t read how to build VC relationships and demonstrate traction make sure to read it.

Venture Capital 277

Venture Capital Startup Email News 277

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

Or, as always, summary notes available below. Yeah, that was when I changed for me…” “…there was so much positive feedback on demystifying this one element of venture capital. The value of Pitch Decks; Brad’s personal preferences on deal presentation; and Brad’s practice of accepting cold approaches via email.

Venture Capital 288

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Software Review 288

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 23, 2012

This is one of the best episodes of This Week in VC for a long time. And they invest n select VC funds. Here’s the summary and on YouTube the links to skip right to these moments is below the actual video. 4:45 How do young entrepreneurs begin to work with a company like yours? 30:30 Are you investing in email?

Media 285

Media Company Companies Venture Capital 285

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2011

If you read this blog often you'll know that I'm a huge fan of First Round Capital. They have totally changed the way you run a VC firm, investing heavily in systems & events for their founders that are pushing the boundaries of the way our industry works. First Round Capital receives about 2500 submissions each year.

Capital 284

Capital Venture Capital Technical Review Startup 284

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 13, 2011

I know with a title like that I’m going to subject myself to people thinking I’m just being a grumpy, exclusive VC. Here’s my advice: A got an email from a young, super bright entrepreneur today. He responded by emailing the COO and asking him to lunch. It can be great for second VC meetings.

Venture Capital 397

Venture Capital Startup Email Networking 397

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 7, 2009

But so that you finish reading my post first I’ll give you the summary version – when approaching somebody at a show be polite / respectful of time, try to be introduced if possible and never assume the person remembers who you are. Then I get people sending me Twitter comments, blog comments and tons & tons of email intros.

Startup 322

Startup Conference Email Venture Capital 322

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2012

After struggling to create your business plan for months, every entrepreneur likes to think that their document is inspirational and will reach someone who is smart enough to see the brilliance of the idea, intuitive enough to recognize their business acumen, and enthusiastic enough to offer the money required to make it happen.

Summary 97

Summary Technical Review .Net Ideas 97

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

After struggling to create your business plan for months, every entrepreneur likes to think that their document is inspirational and will reach someone who is smart enough to see the brilliance of the idea, intuitive enough to recognize their business acumen, and enthusiastic enough to offer the money required to make it happen.

Summary 97

Summary Technical Review .Net Ideas 97

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

I know because many entrepreneurs I spend time with I can tell are in their own brains when we’re meeting rather than trying to understand what my position is. You’re in sales mode. They don’t handle Twitter feedback, emails or IM. VC’s have a crocodile aversion as much as the next guy.

Sales 314

Sales Startup Venture Capital Customer 314

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2012

For this, you should expect participation in monthly strategy and review meetings, and unlimited access via phone or email for questions, mentoring, and advice. Even more importantly, you should expect these members of your team to be your advocates to angel or VC investors, or even be part of your friends and family financing round.

Startup 95

Startup Technical Review Software Review High Tech 95

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 8, 2010

Since it’s already written (and since I promised not to republish on my blog other than a summary) if you’re interested please have a read over there. Summary notes and then I’ll extend: Should you blog? I was an entrepreneur. Now I’m a VC. And don’t blog drunk. Mostly, have fun.

Blogging 286

Blogging Startup Writing Summary 286

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 5, 2011

For this, you should expect participation in monthly strategy and review meetings, and unlimited access via phone or email for questions, mentoring, and advice. Even more importantly, you should expect these members of your team to be your advocates to angel or VC investors, or even be part of your friends and family financing round.

Startup 95

Startup Technical Review Software Review High Tech 95

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

Or read the quick, informative summary below the image! What better than to have capital from somebody who has actually done it in the trenches? Matt’s commitment to re-investing in tech startups is reminiscent to this great Fred Wilson post of “recycling capital. &#. Here’s a summary of our interview.

Acquisition 304

Acquisition Startup Customer Custom 304

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. And of course I’ve sat on the other side of the table: As a VC. This is not just the perspective of a VC although I can’t say I have zero VC bias. Executive Summary. Tell a friend! Why buy me?

Develop 366

Develop Development Funding Venture Capital 366

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2010

For this, you should expect participation in monthly strategy and review meetings, and unlimited access via phone or email for questions, mentoring, and advice. Even more importantly, you should expect these members of your team to be your advocates to angel or VC investors, or even be part of your friends and family financing round.

Invest 50

Invest Technical Review Software Review High Tech 50

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 23, 2017

The perverse nature of raising capital is that “no’s” almost always precede “yeses” because it’s very easy for a VC to tell you that you’re not a good fit without doing any real work to evaluate your company so you hear “no” far before others start doing more work. The best VCs follow up but then so, too, to the best entrepreneurs.

Funding 238

Funding Venture Capital Startup Course 238

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2011

I was saying that I was happy it was all out in the open because I felt at least everybody could now understand the issues & opportunities from the perspectives of angels, entrepreneurs and VCs. Let’s be clear: AngelList doesn’t scare a single VC I know. It is additive. It is a communication platform.

Startup 292

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Summary 292

InfoChachkie

JUNE 27, 2011

I recently answered the question “ What are good ways to raise your children to be entrepreneurs? ” I believe that you cannot teach someone to be an entrepreneur, but that you can teach entrepreneurs. Plot Summary. Every entrepreneur is faced with making something out of nothing.

Entrepreneur 270

Entrepreneur Startup Venture Capital Resource 270

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 14, 2015

How do you have time for all your entrepreneurs? I do it every morning and many school days I get email and/or blogging out of the way in the early morning so I can cuddle up with them before school. When I was done I had to send an email to Adam Lezack that was urgent and due by the morning. How are you everywhere at once?

Blogging 150

Blogging Writing Email Startup 150

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2018

According to the entrepreneurs I advise, the biggest challenge they typically face in starting a new business is funding. Yet according to recent data compiled by Fundable , 57 percent of successful entrepreneurs end up funding their startup, and that’s a good thing. Request warm investor meetings from peers and advisors.

Startup 56

Startup Equity Funding Slides 56

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 22, 2010

Use the fact that you were on an anointed list to build credibility when you eventually approach journalists (and VC’s, customers, employees). I became quite good friends with a journalist at the Financial Times and eventually helped her as she wrote a book on the venture capital industry. It started socially.

Tips 307

Tips Startup Press Blogging 307

Frank Addante

JUNE 4, 2006

► August (3) Venture Capital - What's the rush? StrongMail Systems (Digital Messsaging Infrastructure Software) Status: VC-backed (Sequoia Capital, Globespan and Evercore) Lesson: Trust your gut. . Venture Capital Funding 7. I'm 30, now will you take me seriously? Zondigo, Inc. Relaxing 2.

Startup 40

Startup Venture Capital Email CTO Hire 40

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2015

Every entrepreneur should do the same due diligence on a potential investor that smart investors do on their startups. Investors are human and subject to human tendencies, whether they are your rich uncle, an angel investor with personal funds or a venture capital investor with institutional money. Pretend investors.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Coach Invest Sample 108

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 18, 2015

There is a lot of uncertainty about the state of the private, high-growth technology markets and the venture capital markets that underpin them. Perhaps I would call it “Mourning in VC” as in mourning for the days of rational behavior. I spoke last week at the annual Cendana VC/LP conference. Are LPs to blame?

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Pricing Platform Marketing 150

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 19, 2012

It’s been nearly a year since I did This Week in VC on a regular basis. I like that people can watch a long-form discussion with VCs and entrepreneurs covering the issues of our day. I’ve wanted to come back but had a busy year on the road meeting with investors and making a few investments of my own.

Yahoo 268

Yahoo Social Media Startup Media 268