Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2014

Even in this age of videos and text messages, the quickest way to kill your startup dream with investors, business partners, or even customers, is embarrassingly poor writing. You have to be able to communicate effectively in all the common forms, including business writing, as well as talking, presenting, and producing videos.

Writing 109

Writing Entrepreneur Summary Email 109

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 25, 2011

Yesterday I saw a Tweet from Chris Sacca fly by that prompted me to want to write a blog post helping entrepreneurs understand why they should push back against VCs asking for “super pro-rata” rights. Read: it’s an option for that investor and a super expensive one to you, the entrepreneur. Why should you care?

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Entrepreneur Venture Capital Writing Invest 310

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 16, 2009

This is part of my new series on what makes an entrepreneur successful. I originally posted it on VentureHacks , one of my favorite websites for entrepreneurs. Well obviously that’s meaningless if your startup idea sucks. Thinking out loud – I’m sure that’s important for entrepreneurs as well.

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Entrepreneur Startup Outsource Development Customer 306

InfoChachkie

JUNE 4, 2012

As an entrepreneur, I helped create companies which achieved two IPOs and two trade sales totaling $385 million. Attempt To License An Idea. Rationale: My idea is so mind-blowingly fantastic, I can sit back and collect licensing fees while someone else does all the work required to turn my idea into a successful business.

Entrepreneur 272

Entrepreneur Outsource Ideas Technical Review 272

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

In the early days you don’t really want 3 extra teams hearing your ideas and gearing up to compete before you feel you’ve got a solid head start. They think that only by being open and testing your ideas in an open marketplace can you be successful. But once a VC has heard your idea he can’t “un-think&# it.

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Marketing Startup Press Technical Advisors 380

InfoChachkie

JUNE 3, 2013

Consistent with the statistics cited in Why Entrepreneurs Hate (Most) MBAs , the large majority of John and Kyle''s classmates accepted positions at investment banks and consulting firms upon graduation. We''re motivated, passionate, excited, terrified and at many times, have absolutely no idea what we are doing. everybody opted in.".

Newsletter 233

Newsletter Startup Entrepreneur Writing 233

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 8, 2014

” It’s the most common refrain I hear from investors and even entrepreneurs these days. What was Bill Gross’s heretical idea as portrayed to the tech elite? And of course we have great public companies that have spanned content & communications like J2 Global whose market cap as of this writing is a cool $2.5

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Entrepreneur Snapchat Startup Google 376

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

Now, I’m pretty on the record that being an entrepreneur is about being great at The Do. I can feel the ideas needing to come out and I know if I get distracted I will lose them. Or people who think all sorts of ideas about how they want to quit their job and try a startup. I get sucked up in “Do” mode.

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Venture Capital Conference Ideas Entrepreneur 400

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 5, 2011

Steve Blank , January 25, 2010 10 Tips for Adding Game Mechanics to a Non-Gaming Service - ReadWriteStart , September 21, 2010 Startups & VCs: Learn How to Design, Market, & Eat Your Own. -

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Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Coach 378

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 27, 2011

But should you actually write one if you’re a startup, an industry figure (lawyer, banker) or VC? This is a post to help you figure out why you should write and what you should talk about. Or “I’m a new entrepreneur, why would I offer advice on how to run a startup?&#. By definition, you read blogs.

Blogging 373

Blogging Startup Writing Venture Capital 373

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 17, 2009

I often talk with entrepreneurs who are kicking around their next idea. Sometimes they’re working full time at a company or sometimes they’ve already left their employer and they’re bouncing around ideas with friends. Even if you keep it dormant for 2 years while you work on your idea. Not worth it.

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Startup Technical Advisors IP Ideas 365

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

A continuing question I hear from young entrepreneurs is whether a university degree is important to startup success, or just a distraction in achieving their purpose in the world. Most colleges have now added classes in entrepreneurship to include the necessary business focus to technical majors that usually drive innovative ideas.

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Entrepreneur Mentor Class Resource 157

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 5, 2014

Last week a company we enthusiastically backed, uBeam , led by a very special entrepreneur, 25-year-old Meredith Perry , announced a $10 million round of financing. Here I make the case that entrepreneurs must stay focused on the prize, not the doubters. Entrepreneurs. ” **. It can be one of the strongest motivators.

Technical Review 417

Technical Review Startup Software Review Course 417

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2014

This blog started from a series of conversations I found myself having over and over again with founders and eventually decided I should just start writing them.It I’ve even written about the Top 12 attributes of an entrepreneur here (each number is clickable). The desire to be better than anybody else in one’s field.

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Competition Startup Writing Marketing 394

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 18, 2014

In my Twitter bio is says that I’m “ looking to invest in passionate entrepreneurs ,” which almost sounds like I was just looking for a cliché soundbite to describe myself. Passion is also the featured heavily in nearly every presentation I give to entrepreneurs or on college campuses or in talks with MBA students.

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Startup Entrepreneur Design Funding 419

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2013

I’m very excited to be finally be able to announce that this week we’ve added Sam Rosen to our ranks at GRP Partners in the role of entrepreneurs-in-residence – EIR. I thought Sam might know some talented young entrepreneurs to apply. ” He had two ideas. We never got to the second idea.

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Startup Course Ideas Invest 372

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

I would write the email and be as scathing as I wanted to be. I knew that the fact that I was sending it to Stuart meant it was likely a bad idea. Truthfully, it’s a great idea to write it if you can be disciplined and not send it. Two to three times a year I get a flaming email from an entrepreneur.

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Writing Email Startup Ideas 292

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2020

One thing I have learned the hard way in business is that implementing new ideas is usually much more difficult than conceiving the idea in the first place. That’s why I caution my aspiring entrepreneur clients against proclaiming to investors that they are a great “idea” person. For example, I have a friend with a Ph.D.

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Ideas Writing Examples Outsource 126

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 11, 2011

It was a pleasure to write them myself. He presented the idea at the TED conference in the mid 90′s and was literally boo’d while he was on stage. The idea actually came to him from the Yellow Pages business. He came up to Bill after the event and said, “clever idea, we should do that with you.&#

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Competition Idealab Product CitySearch 350

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 1, 2011

But they weren’t there in 2009 when you were up late nights shitting yourself whether you really were smart for pursuing this idea. I hope to offer experiences from being an entrepreneur and being a VC.&#. I started by writing 3-4 times / week. That was back when VCs weren’t so quick to respond to emails.

Startup 391

Startup Blogging Venture Capital Writing 391

Eric Greenspan

OCTOBER 22, 2018

I looked at it for a bit and started thinking about writing it. All she sent was a cover, an idea, in my inbox. An idea so powerful, it made me get busy, and now I’m an author. Why did I write a book? I’m going to keep writing books; many of them. Give it a read, a review, help me write more books.

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Pricing Writing Social Media Ideas 186

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2021

Some people even believe that entrepreneurs must be born with the right genes, and no element of education is relevant. In my view, the most effective entrepreneurs are those with a background of an array of real-life experiences, both positive and negative, as well as good academic and coaching activities.

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Entrepreneur Tips Writing Coach 149

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 8, 2010

I was an entrepreneur. Don’t just write a carbon copy of what somebody else is doing. OK, well, actually the first thing I did is come up with a list of 50 posts that I wanted to write. OK, well, actually the first thing I did is come up with a list of 50 posts that I wanted to write. Some search.

Blogging 286

Blogging Startup Writing Summary 286

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

Of course these are great places to network with other investors, meet great entrepreneurs and keep your connections strong with senior execs at larger companies like Yahoo!, I know I can’t be in every deal and I know that the easy part of being a VC is writing the first check in a deal. And there’s conferences. Web Summit.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Invest Press Startup 374

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2019

What every entrepreneur needs more than anything else, after they have built an innovative new product or service, is visibility, credibility, and trust by customers, potential employees, and future business partners. Yet, most good business people I know agree, but don’t know where to start.

Writing 19

Writing Technical Review Entrepreneur Advertising 19

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 2, 2019

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” The obvious answer is that you need an idea first, but I’ve come to realize that the process is really much more complex than that. Few entrepreneurs can assimilate and hone a complete plan in their head.

Entrepreneur 135

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Writing 135

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

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 21, 2010

I recently read a post over on VentureHacks titled, “ Top Ten Reasons Entrepreneurs Hate Lawyers &# written by Scott Walker (who blogs on legal issues for entrepreneurs ). I write about some of the lessons in my post on Startup Mistakes. Shame about not getting it in legal writing that you owned the original IP.

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Startup IP Southern California Entrepreneur 318

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2021

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. For aspiring entrepreneurs, or if your last startup failed, it’s all about standing out above the crowd of others like you, and demonstrating your readiness.

Entrepreneur 156

Entrepreneur Tips Funding Startup 156

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 8, 2011

I concluded that it is an effective tool for leveling the playing field between sophisticated investors and emerging entrepreneurs. I have subsequently recommended the book to number of students as well as emerging entrepreneurs, all of whom expressed positive feedback. . Writing a book is very different from writing a blog.

Venture Capital 224

Venture Capital Writing Entrepreneur Blogging 224

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

It should help some entrepreneurs to better access early-stage capital and should allow some angel investors better access to deal flow. If you know, VCs end up writing sizable checks into their own funds, which is important in better aligning interests. million round I might write $1.8 – 2.2 So What’s the Big Deal?

Venture Capital 356

Venture Capital Invest Course Technical Review 356

InfoChachkie

APRIL 25, 2011

Although many are entertaining, most fail to provide entrepreneurs with a sufficient return on their time investment. Unfortunately, most business books do not offer entrepreneurs an adequate payoff. At the beginning of the index, Guy writes, “I hope Robert Cialdini checks this index.” No doubt, he did. Ask For Mentoring.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Blogging Class Entrepreneur 279

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

Because entrepreneurs often went to lawyers at their earliest stages to get their company registration done. Entrepreneurial lawyers like Don Lee , Dave Young or Ted Wang are good at sussing out which entrepreneurs are high potential. I asked for intro’s from entrepreneur friends. Real life entrepreneurs are messier.

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Venture Capital Startup Pricing Invest 347

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. Even if an established leader in your industry does not see the wisdom in your ideas, do not waiver.

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Tips Startup Education Entrepreneur 279

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 27, 2011

3:35 The real entrepreneurs come out during a down economy. 19:30 A teachable moment for entrepreneurs: HAVE A HYPOTHESIS! 27:45 Eric: The thing that is supposed to fail fast is your bad ideas, not your company. 41:00 Transitioning from software to writing. 41:00 Transitioning from software to writing. 34:00 Imvu.

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Social Media Startup Metrics Media 301

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2021

You can’t win as an entrepreneur working alone. I hope all this seems obvious to you, but I still get a good number of notes from “entrepreneurs” who have been busy inventing things all their life, but can’t find a partner to start their first business, and others trying to find an executive, an investor, or a lawyer.

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Entrepreneur Startup Social Network Mentor 140

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I tend to see many of the same obstacles appearing in every new startup, and since I don’t want to appear to be a downer , I’m not sure how to properly warn people ahead of time to be on the alert for these challenges. Too many entrepreneurs think that expert external advisors are suspect, or will slow them down.

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Startup Entrepreneur Examples Customer 131