Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 17, 2010

And we’re left with a city with idyllic weather, major commerce, the media center of the world, and a great emerging technology scene. We have many seasoned entrepreneurs who have built successful companies here and made a lot of money for investors and themselves. But we have a great city for building technology companies.

Company 290

Company Companies Technology Startup 290

socalTECH

DECEMBER 27, 2018

Editor's note: All this week, and into the start of next year, we'll be featuring reflections on 2018 from notable investors, entrepreneurs, and others from Southern California's technology community. Here, we have the thoughts of Rob Freelen , Los Angeles Market Manager for Silicon Valley Bank (www.svb.com).

Southern California 133

Southern California SoCal Culver City Venture Capital 133

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2023

Yet I still get too many business plans that clearly are looking for money to do research and development (R&D) on a new and unproven technology. In this context, there are at least six stages often included in the scope of R&D to narrow your focus: Search for new technologies. Technology pilots.

Resource 102

Resource Ideas Funding Research 102

InfoChachkie

MAY 6, 2013

Their demise, albeit painful in the short term, frees the employees (and in some cases the underlying technology) to pursue more productive opportunities. Paul Singh, a partner at the seed stage firm 500-Startups, effectively articulates the market forces driving this investment strategy in his Money Ball presentation.

Entrepreneur 246

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Technical Review Capital 246

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 21, 2017

Until the recession a few years ago, market research indicated that as many as 90 percent of the roughly 20 million American small business owners were motivated more by lifestyle than growth and money. Being called a lifestyle entrepreneur should be a point of pride, not an insult. It seems that more people are focused on money today.

Entrepreneur 69

Entrepreneur Startup Equity Course 69

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

I thought I’d try to look at it from a different lens, that of the entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur you should assume that. What is their market traction? Convertible or equity? That was an important part of our “social proof&# that we had built interesting technology. So what is an entrepreneur to do?

Pricing 292

Pricing Entrepreneur Technical Review Venture Capital 292

InfoChachkie

JUNE 4, 2012

As an entrepreneur, I helped create companies which achieved two IPOs and two trade sales totaling $385 million. Once you prove that a substantial number of people are willing to pay more for your solution than it costs you to provide it, you can then consider licensing your underlying technology. “Learn from the mistakes of others.

Entrepreneur 272

Entrepreneur Outsource Ideas Technical Review 272

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 12, 2013

Many entrepreneurs I know don’t realize that the language they learned in the corporate world, or even their recent MBA class, won’t get them ahead in the startup world today. As a reality check, try this quick test of your entrepreneur savvy. As a reality check, try this quick test of your entrepreneur savvy. Super-angels.

Entrepreneur 109

Entrepreneur Startup Web Equity 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2014

My first advice for new entrepreneurs is to pick a domain that doesn’t have the sky-high up-front development costs, like online web sites and smart phone apps. The hottest new way of funding startups is to use online sites, like Kickstarter , to request donations, pre-order, get a reward, or even give equity (coming soon).

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Funding Startup Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2015

The visibility of Google, Facebook and a few others continues to propagate the myth that the ultimate objective of every entrepreneur should be to take their startups public via an initial public offering at the earliest opportunity. Even with private equity and private acquisition transactions, control stays internal to the principals.

Entrepreneur 98

Entrepreneur Startup Report Statistics 98

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

My first advice for new entrepreneurs is to pick a domain, such as online web sites and smart phone apps, that doesn’t have the sky-high up-front development costs. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity. It’s what separates the true entrepreneurs from the wannabes. Solicit funds from friends and family.

Startup 136

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 136

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2014

They couldn’t possibly understand the new social media culture, new technologies, or have the determination to beat their younger counterparts in the market. Gallup says the Boomer demographic is the largest and still growing mainstream pool of experienced talent in the market today (76 million people strong).

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Technical Review Software Review Report 106

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 5, 2023

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million-dollar investment before they even have a business plan. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Early or embryonic stage. Growth and exit stage.

Startup 122

Startup Funding Organization Incubator 122

TechCrunch LA

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

This new capital will help accelerate our mission and deliver value to salons and spas that they never imagined was possible from technology.”. Investors have taken a run at the spa market in the past, with company’s like MindBody valued at over $1 billion for its software services. billion transaction by Vista Equity Partners.

Software 323

Software Beverly Hills Los Angeles Equity 323

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2015

My first advice for new entrepreneurs is to pick a domain, such as online web sites and smart phone apps, that doesn’t have the sky-high up-front development costs. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity. It’s what separates the true entrepreneurs from the wannabes. Solicit funds from friends and family.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Equity 105

socalTECH

JANUARY 14, 2013

Convetro , the online advertising targeting and optimization technology developer headed by serial entrepreneur Jeff Zwelling, has raised $5M in a Series B funding round, the company said this morning. The firm said the funding came from Bessemer Venture Partners and DAG Ventures, and will go towards sales and marketing.

Santa Monica 147

Santa Monica Advertising Equity Entrepreneur 147

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2021

Yet I still get too many business plans that clearly are looking for money to do research and development (R&D) on a new and unproven technology. In this context, there are at least six stages often included in the scope of R&D to narrow your focus: Search for new technologies. Technology pilots.

Help 165

Help Research Startup Funding 165

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2016

Thus the top priority of every entrepreneur who wants funding should be to build and highlight their “dream team” of co-founders, executives and advisers, to attract the biggest and best investors. Solo entrepreneurs rarely find an investor. Investors talk to each other and they love warm introductions to up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

Startup 60

Startup Entrepreneur Software Review Technical Review 60

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

For the elite startups and entrepreneurs who manage to attract the investor they dream of, and survive the term sheet negotiation, there is still one more hurdle before the money is in the bank. A hard look will be taken at the technology maturity, the current development progress, and customer satisfaction with early product shipments.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 118

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2012

I’ve noticed that some entrepreneurs seem to have no trouble attracting investors, while others with a great business plan struggle with it. On the top line, angel investors look to invest in entrepreneurs that have an almost unwavering passion and sense of urgency. The technology or product may be at an embryonic stage.

Entrepreneur 117

Entrepreneur Technical Review Course Patents 117

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2022

My first advice for new entrepreneurs is to pick a domain that doesn’t have the sky-high up-front development costs, like online web sites and smart phone apps. The most effective new way of funding startups is to use online sites, like Kickstarter , to request donations, pre-order, get a reward, or even give equity. Use crowd funding.

Tips 104

Tips Startup Technical Review Equity 104

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

One of the myths I often hear as an advisor to many entrepreneurs is that their lifestyle would somehow be better if they could more easily find other people’s money to build their startup. Most entrepreneurs never forget for a moment that having investors means owing money, even if they can legally argue that equity is not debt.

Funding 107

Funding Startup Satisfaction Venture Capital 107

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2020

They couldn’t possibly understand the new social media culture, new technologies, or have the determination to beat their younger counterparts in the market. Pew says the Boomer demographic is the largest mainstream pool of experienced talent in the market today, and will be for the foreseeable future.

Startup 124

Startup Technical Review Software Review Entrepreneur 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2023

One of the reasons that now is the time to be an entrepreneur is the explosion of startup assistance organizations, usually called incubators or accelerators. Most of these are non-profits, set up by a university to commercialize new technologies, or a municipality to foster business development for the local economy.

Organization 92

Organization Incubator Startup Resource 92

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2022

Yet every entrepreneur I meet wants to talk about the idea, and rarely mentions the team. Thus I was happily surprised when I found the classic book, “ The Tech Entrepreneur’s Survival Guide ,” by Bernd Schoner, PhD, and cofounder of ThingMagic, which leans heavily on the people side of the equation. The industry veteran.

Technical Advisors 123

Technical Advisors Startup Outsource Development High Tech 123

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2013

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million dollar investment before they even have a business plan. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Early or embryonic stage. Growth and exit stage.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Funding Incubator Startup 102

socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2016

All this holiday season, we have been sharing the reflections on 2016 from the movers and shakers in Southern California's technology ecosystem. In 2016, our Santa Monica office more than doubled market share of early-stage companies. What's your favorite technology gadget, device, or innovation you ran across this year?

Santa Monica 124

Santa Monica Southern California Venture Capital SoCalTech 124

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2013

In the US, many entrepreneurs see grants as “free money,” since they are not loans and don’t have to be repaid. A grant is not an equity investment, so the entrepreneur doesn’t have to give up a stake in the company either. Professional help costs money. To the investors, it means less dilution and lower overall risk.

Equity 92

Equity Startup High Tech Research 92

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2020

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million dollar investment before they even have a business plan. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Early or embryonic stage. Growth and exit stage.

Resource 171

Resource Startup Organization Incubator 171

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2023

As the business economy is rebounding from the pandemic, many entrepreneurs are thinking that life will soon get easier, and their opportunity can only grow. In reality, the business world gets tougher every day, with new entrants, new technology, and competitors more easily entering the fray from around the globe.

Competition 88

Competition Startup Framework Pricing 88

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 11, 2013

Together they envisioned a Match.com type of site for entrepreneurs to find each other and make things happen. It provides tools like the Equity Calculator and curates and vets vendors that service startups. He has noticed a lot of newcomers setting up shop to be opportunistic to entrepreneurs. titled “Co-Founders Wanted.”

Entrepreneur 87

Entrepreneur Santa Monica Startup CTO Hire 87

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

One of the reasons that now is the time to be an entrepreneur is the explosion of startup assistance organizations, usually called incubators or accelerators. Most of these are non-profits, set up by a university to commercialize new technologies, or a municipality to foster business development for the local economy.

Resource 159

Resource Startup Incubator Seed Funding 159

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 12, 2014

We spoke with Chance Barnett , the CEO and founder of Los Angeles-based Crowdfunder (www.crowdfunder.com), to learn more about how to make an equity crowdfunding successful, the importance of celebrity in crowdfunding deals, and more. Chance Barnett: Crowdfunder is an equity crowdfunding platform. Explain to us what Crowdfunder does?

Venture Capital 174

Venture Capital Invest Platform Entrepreneur 174

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 12, 2015

Every investor in your startup, even friends and family, normally expects a share of your company (equity), which means your return for all your effort goes down quickly. This is at least double the time required for most equity investments, and may be a delay you can’t afford in keeping up with the market and your competitors.

Pricing 100

Pricing Equity Technical Review Research 100

socalTECH

JANUARY 29, 2013

Rubicon Project , the online advertising technology firm headed by serial entrepreneur Frank Addante, looks like it may just be the next Southern California company to file for an IPO, based on a number of executive appointments made Tuesday. READ MORE>>.

Southern California 180

Southern California Chief Technology Officer Legalzoom OpenX 180

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2019

My first advice for new entrepreneurs is to pick a domain, such as online web sites and smart phone apps, that doesn’t have the sky-high up-front development costs. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity. It’s what separates the true entrepreneurs from the wannabes. Solicit funds from friends and family.

Startup 128

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 128

socalTECH

MARCH 1, 2017

Next week is the Montgomery Summit (www.montgomerysummit.com), one of the longest running technology conferences held in Los Angeles. It's now an internationally recognized showcase for technology here in Los Angeles, and we also get to showcase Southern California companies, as well. We've seen some notable successes.

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Conference Silver Lake Cornerstone OnDemand 100