Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 4, 2019

By most definitions of the term, an entrepreneur is someone who starts a new business, incorporating innovative changes to existing products, services, business models, and creating new markets. One way of identifying the right characteristics and approaches is to take a hard look at entrepreneurs who have done it. Marty Zwilling.

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Resource Entrepreneur Social Network SpaceX 97

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 28, 2018

Founder: “$8–10 million” VC: “What’s your current burn rate?” VCs want you to raise the “appropriate” amount of capital, which I would define as what is reasonable given your progress to date, your resources and your needs for an 18–24 month period. It goes something like this … VC: “How much money are you raising?”

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Venture Capital Capital Funding Demand 247

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2016

Reflexively founders want to raise as much money as they can because they figure it will give them more resources, better chances of competing and a longer runways before they have to do the often painful job of asking, yet again, for money. Amongst the most often asked questions I get from founders is, “How much money should I raise?”

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Startup Software Review Pricing Entrepreneur 292

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

I made every textbook mistake at my first startup, which is why I believe I was much more effective at my second one. If I can help you avoid some of my first-time mistakes it would be a victory. &# It’s mostly unintentional but tacit knowledge about ideas spreads quickly amongst the chattering elite.

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Marketing Startup Press Technical Advisors 380

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 14, 2018

The idea is simple enough: several female VC partners at top funds will hold 1-hour meetings with 40 promising female entrepreneurs looking to get advice on their business and pitch in a friendly, non-judgmental, safe environment. LA Female Office Hours. So why is this initiative so important for men, women and other gender identities?

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Venture Capital Examples Screening Help 256

Jason Nazar

JULY 1, 2016

Entrepreneurs often lament big companies, but most of us hope we’ll create just that. There’s a lot more the big folks can learn from the millions of entrepreneurs hustling each day, building something amazing from scratch. Decisions that take entrepreneurs an hour, often take months at large companies.

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Entrepreneur Company Companies Outsource Development 55

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

“Learn from the mistakes of others. As an entrepreneur and startup investor, I have helped create companies which achieved two IPOs which collectively raised over $100 million, as well as two acquisitions which totaled $385 million. During those same 25-years, I also made innumerable mistakes. 8 ) Grant Exclusivity.

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Startup Outsource Development Outsource Sales 242

InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 8, 2011

10) Lynda, why does the world need lynda.com? 9) I believe that entrepreneurs who are driven by a compelling mission that is not based on making lots of money have a much higher propensity for success. Our motivation has always been to help people learn. Our motivation has always been to help people learn.

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Entrepreneur Training Startup Web 245

InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 8, 2011

10) Lynda, why does the world need lynda.com? . 9) I believe that entrepreneurs who are driven by a compelling mission that is not based on making lots of money have a much higher propensity for success. Our motivation has always been to help people learn. Our motivation has always been to help people learn.

Entrepreneur 245

Entrepreneur Training Startup Web 245

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 15, 2016

This has led VC & entrepreneur bloggers alike to similar conclusions: start raising capital early and be careful about having too high of a burn rate because that lessens the amount of runway you have until you need more cash. I’m surprised how few entrepreneurs have this open conversation with their investors.

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Startup Capital Funding Invest 150

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 26, 2016

In general I find that raising large amounts of money when you haven’t figured it out ends up papering over problems more then helping solve fundamental issues in the business. The tl;dr version is this: Many have been taught to focus on LTV/CAC ratio and if that number is substantively > 1 said entrepreneur feels great.

Metrics 150

Metrics Startup SaaS Course 150

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 24, 2011

There has recently been a common theme among the entrepreneurs I have interviewed and the conferences I have attended: despite the relatively weak state of the world economy, now is a great time to create a high-tech startup. As noted in Now Is Never Too Early , successful entrepreneurs are not inclined to wait. Christy was correct.

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Company Companies Startup Study 257

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2013

I was 23 and had been programming computers, designing computer networks and selling software for 10 years. We were the team that called in when your local team lacked the technical resources to solve the most difficult problems you had. I got to help a telecom operator decide whether or not to bid on 3G spectrum and how much to pay.

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Technical Advisors Marketing Startup Venture Capital 385

socalTECH

DECEMBER 11, 2017

The top 10 companies only make up 45 percent of the entire space. We help the small independent rental yards. He convinced me to come out of retirement and help. One of the mistakes that most startups make, is they get impatient, and throw lots of capital at something. They've been resistant to technology for a long time.

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Startup Metrics Customer Custom 174

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 8, 2014

Chance was recently featured on Fox News for comments on Facebook’s high profile acquisition of wearable VR company, Oculus, for an impressive $2B – and what that meant for early adopters who initially helped the company get off the ground by funding through Kickstarter. Crowdfunder Was Created With Entrepreneurs In Mind.

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Invest Platform Entrepreneur Paramount 83

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

In that same post Why you shouldn’t keep your startup idea secret where he argues to make things open, he defines only one group of people that you may want to avoid having a conversation with: The handful of people in the world who might copy your idea are entrepreneurs just starting up with a very similar idea. "Good luck with that."

Startup 211

Startup IP Ideas Patents 211

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

In that same post Why you shouldn’t keep your startup idea secret where he argues to make things open, he defines only one group of people that you may want to avoid having a conversation with: The handful of people in the world who might copy your idea are entrepreneurs just starting up with a very similar idea. "Good luck with that."

Startup 198

Startup IP Ideas Patents 198

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 1, 2016

If you have a team of 10 people then by definition 90% of the time spent on activities is not put in by you and on a team of 100 it’s 99%. In fact, 90% of our investments are either Seed or A-round investments (10% are B-round). As a leader you live in a world with limited resources. It’s important to get buy in.

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Startup Coach Course Invest 150

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

I believe that it is part of the DNA of an entrepreneur – being so competitive that you’re practically sick when you lose. Entrepreneurs are neurotic about it. They had a prominent NorCal investor already so I thought a SoCal lead would make sense – that I could help them in a more hands-on way.

Outsource Development 333

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 333

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

I believe that it is part of the DNA of an entrepreneur – being so competitive that you’re practically sick when you lose. Entrepreneurs are neurotic about it. They had a prominent NorCal investor already so I thought a SoCal lead would make sense – that I could help them in a more hands-on way.

Outsource Development 328

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 328

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 4, 2011

Having a set of metrics that you watch & that you feel are the key drivers of your success helps keep clarity. 4 times / 100 means if a customer uses your app frequently (say 10-20 times / day) then they are crashing nearly every day. I see this mistake all the time, actually. That’s not acceptable. Is it 4/1,000?

Metrics 346

Metrics Startup SEO Customer 346

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 13, 2010

TechZulu is helping the startup community out by listing all the great startup/entrepreneur oriented panels. Publicity and positive word-of-mouth can help grow your start-up into a successful venture. Bootstrapping advice, entrepreneur, startups. . Bootstrapping entrepeneurship, entrepreneur, startups. .

Guide 69

Guide Startup Venture Capital Entrepreneur 69

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 23, 2017

Knowing that now will help you greatly in your dark moments to know that you’re not the only one struggling. Start Early The single biggest mistake founders make is waiting until they have too little cash in the bank before fund raising. The best VCs follow up but then so, too, to the best entrepreneurs.

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Funding Venture Capital Startup Course 238

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. As with any sales campaign you need to: Qualify your buyers early so you focus your scarce resources on people likely to buy your product. I never suggest that entrepreneurs just randomly pitch VCs. Meet in person.

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Develop Development Funding Venture Capital 366

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 27, 2010

I think this can also be a great resource for others to chip in with other suggestions since I clearly don’t corner the market on recruiting advice. And on this form score everybody 1-10. Don’t do a “world tour” of resume – Here is the biggest mistake interviewers make. BEFORE YOU START. Dedicate enough time to this.

Startup 301

Startup Examples Sales Pricing 301

Frank Addante

MAY 15, 2006

I am extremely passionate about what we accomplished at L90 in a short period of time with very little resources. Leaving 10. They had products that were already in the market, piles of cash, tons of customers and revenue, seemingly endless resources and lots of employees. Bootstrap 2. 7th Horse in a 7 Horse Race 3. Acquirer 9.

Advertising 40

Advertising Startup Chief Technology Officer Technical Review 40