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.

Tips 104

Tips Startup Technical Review Equity 104

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 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. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Equity 105

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. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Startup 128

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 128

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

For some aspiring to be tech entrepreneurs, I often suggest a two-step process, as I argued in this post that “ The First Startup Founder You Need to Invest in Is You.” He or she has worked at some very successful big technology or media companies and went to a great school. He still has the dream. He has the hunger.

Technical Review 150

Technical Review Startup Venture Capital IP 150

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Need to spread the risk.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup Equity 102

socalTECH

OCTOBER 10, 2012

The firm gave the example of a Pinterest "pin" of a Christmas card, and its tracking that found that a retailer received 6,815 visits and 65 direct sales due to that one "pin". Convertro is trying to better track conversions and visitors, and attribute those to different online advertising and outreach.

Product 145

Product Paid Search Advertising Technical Review 145

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. In fact, they are well-qualified overall, having worked with high technology and computers for at least 20 years, are highly educated, and highly motivated.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Technical Review Software Review Report 106

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. In fact, they are well-qualified overall, having worked with high technology and computers for at least 20 years, are highly educated, and highly motivated.

Startup 124

Startup Technical Review Software Review Entrepreneur 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 27, 2016

As an angel investor, I’ve learned to believe in this approach, since I have seen great ideas go astray, due to poor execution and I have seen apparently marginal ideas make millions, managed by a savvy entrepreneur. Even social entrepreneurs need milestones, quantifiable results, and revenue to sustain their value.

Ideas 53

Ideas Technical Review Entrepreneur Advertising 53

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2019

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.

Startup 87

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 87

SoCal Tech Calendar

MAY 4, 2012

At the inception of a company the entrepreneur typically focuses on product development, RandD, customer relationships and sales and marketing.Often, accounting and taxation are overlooked. Join us to learn how to minimize future headaches and risks and maximize potential future benefit, by taking simple, yet cost-effective measures.

OCTANE 100

OCTANE Startup Equity Sales 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Need to spread the risk.

Technical Review 95

Technical Review Startup Equity Entrepreneur 95

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 4, 2014

I think as a tech industry we have bred a culture that places more emphasis on product excellence than managing human behavior. Yet talk with people at Twitter these days and many seem to feel like they are part of a movement – and that doesn’t just come due to product success. Equity for the future?

Startup 340

Startup Technical Review Course Press 340

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2010

I get paid (well) for interesting people to come in and tell me how they want to change the world – Being an entrepreneur is like having blinders on. At least for the best entrepreneurs. Some people do the conference circuit too much, get involved in lots of side projects and attend every entrepreneur dinner. I love it.

Venture Capital 312

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Entrepreneur 312

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 17, 2020

Let’s take a few minutes to examine the kind of equity financing available to small or early stage businesses. In most cases, these applicants for equity funding must be rooted in technology to apply to this limited discussion. Friends and family investors. Some can supply more when syndicating with other such groups.

Equity 156

Equity Technical Review Class Organization 156

socalTECH

OCTOBER 2, 2012

Southern California's technology community--despite all of the recent excitement around Silicon Beach--continues to be underserved in terms of capital, with a lack of venture capital funds (with money), and other private technology investors. Jeb Spencer: We consider ourselves a private equity firm.

Acquisition 168

Acquisition Software Review Technical Review Equity 168

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2017

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.

Develop 70

Develop Development Product Startup 70

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

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).

Startup 123

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 123

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 12, 2018

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. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Startup 53

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 53

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

Running that effort is Kevin Hell , the founder of DivX, who we caught up with to learn more about EvoNexus and how the group is trying to help grow technology startups in San Dieog. When companies come into our incubator, we take no equity, we take no stake in the company, it's completely free for the participant.

Incubator 212

Incubator San Diego Technical Review Development Team Review 212

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 21, 2016

Others, like Guy Kawasaki , have irreverently called some of these “entrepreneur lies,” but I prefer to think of them as innocent enhancements or omissions that can kill your deal. Even non-profits need money to scale, but their pitch should be to philanthropists, not equity investors. Skip the hype. None of these cases are credible.

Funding 98

Funding Startup Innocal Entrepreneur 98

InfoChachkie

JUNE 11, 2012

For many entrepreneurs, college has little appeal. Academia’s arbitrary, bureaucratic structure, combined with its predominant focus on theoretical issues, causes many entrepreneurs to depart college early. Entrepreneurs are misfits. Others, such as Walt Disney and Richard Branson never even enroll.

Tips 279

Tips Startup Education Entrepreneur 279

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 3, 2010

There is a telltale sign of an inexperienced startup entrepreneur. I can save tons of development time and I think I can buy it for all equity. I’m doing due diligence on a company of another entrepreneur in LA whose company was apparently doing very well. They get premature merge elation.

Technical Review 276

Technical Review Startup Press Pricing 276

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 2, 2011

I was thinking back to a few previous “insider baseball&# blog debates that raged for several weeks: AngelGate (aka Bin38 secret cabal), convertible debt vs. equity, bubble vs. not, and now the AngelList discussion. It sure wasn’t when I was a first-time entrepreneur. But to entrepreneurs can be gold. Same thing.

Email 287

Email Blogging Venture Capital Writing 287

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2009

It’s mostly done by first-time entrepreneurs who want to persuade (bribe?) They are usually offered around 0.25% of the companies equity in exchange for their role and I’ve seen many companies hand out a total of 2% to advisers. My main advice to you if you’re considering it is don’t waste much equity on it.

Startup 306

Startup Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 306

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 16, 2010

But VC is an “illiquid asset&# so funds didn’t disappear quickly - In 2000/01 the stock market quickly adjusted punishing investors in the NASDAQ and in individual public technology stocks. It takes less to start a business these days – We all know that it takes less to start a technology company these days.

Venture Capital 311

Venture Capital Startup Seed Funding Rustic Canyon 311

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2011

This was an audience of mostly first-time entrepreneurs. It is great for entrepreneurs and great for VCs. So here is what I have been telling entrepreneurs privately for the past 6 months. Responses ranged from, “hey, they’re in a HUGE market&# to “it is an amazing company and their technology rocks.&#

Pricing 309

Pricing Marketing Startup Venture Capital 309

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2012

This source often gets overlooked, but it should be a major focus these days due to government initiatives on alternative energy and technology. An investment from a venture capital firm is usually expensive, in equity and control. Bartering services for equity. Small business grants. Startup incubators.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Equity Incubator Venture Capital 103

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 6, 2014

I would start by asking the candidate, “How did you decide on these five people” as part of your review process. By the way, I also strongly advise that entrepreneurs reference VCs. CFOs often know the other CFOs and same for heads of sales, marketing, tech, etc. And they have a general sense of reputation.

Startup 302

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Report 302

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

In a world where the economy only heads in one direction (read: 2009-2014) most investors & entrepreneurs forget to pay attention to gross burn. Gross margin (GM) is the amount of profit you make per sale of your product or service taking into account your total costs of selling that product or service.

Startup 383

Startup Company Companies .Net 383

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 1, 2010

This source often gets overlooked, but it should be a major focus these days due to the Obama administration initiatives on alternative energy and technology. An investment from a venture capital firm is usually expensive, in equity and control. Bartering services for equity. Small business grants. Startup incubators.

Funding 59

Funding Startup Technical Review Equity 59

Berkonomics

JANUARY 16, 2014

JJ is a successful entrepreneur and technologist giving back to the entrepreneurial. community in many ways, including his weekly Internet TV program on entrepreneurism, and participation in several mentoring programs. . Access to new technologies. Example: salary, equity, joint venture, etc… Can the business afford it?

Technical Review 204

Technical Review Startup Examples Metrics 204

InfoChachkie

JUNE 4, 2012

As an entrepreneur, I helped create companies which achieved two IPOs and two trade sales totaling $385 million. Value is created through diligent hard work. Public relations at a startup is a sales process. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”. During those same 15-years, I made innumerable mistakes.

Entrepreneur 272

Entrepreneur Outsource Ideas Technical Review 272

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2009

But any entrepreneurs raising capital should keep in mind that this opening of the markets could possibly be temporary. Three reasons: There is a relative valuation between the price a VC pays and their expectations of what it will exit for in an IPO or trade sale.

Venture Capital 263

Venture Capital Startup Invest Funding 263

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 25, 2023

The last thing a new entrepreneur wants to think about for a new startup is how it will end. Yet one of the first things a potential equity investor asks about is your exit strategy. Equity investments are not loans, so there is no loan payback period or interest payments. Find a private equity firm or friendly individual.

Technical Review 105

Technical Review Equity Invest Startup 105

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 25, 2020

The last thing a new entrepreneur wants to think about for a new startup is how it will end. Yet one of the first things a potential equity investor asks about is your exit strategy. Equity investments are not loans, so there is no loan payback period or interest payments. Find a private equity firm or friendly individual.

Startup 150

Startup Technical Review Equity Statistics 150