socalTECH

JULY 20, 2011

Earlier this month, Los Angeles-based HitFix (www.hitfix.com) an online news site focused on entertainment, announced it had raised $2M in a funding round. We spoke with Jennifer about what HitFix is looking to do, her own background, and how HitFix is different from the many celebrity gossip and news sites out there.

News 173

News Entertainment Startup Bertelsmann 173

SoCal CTO

MARCH 11, 2013

Yesterday, I was talking to a startup founder about their MVP and they said something that finally got me to write this post: "I have a few investors interested but they want to see a product." Yes, they are happy that you have your product built and that does make it much more investable. Sorry, but that's the reality.

Metrics 264

Metrics Venture Capital News Product 264

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 13, 2013

What I love about writing is that you inadvertently say what many others are thinking and just knowing that somebody else is thinking something similar can be reassuring. Example: Fred Wilson writing his end of 2012 post wrote. “I’ve wanted to write a year end post for days. And your favorite bloggers stop writing.

Writing 313

Writing Venture Capital Blogging Startup 313

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 14, 2013

.” Here’s what I mean … Let’s start with what it takes for a journalist to want to write a story. Do I have an “angle” from which to write the story (first company to do X, company does biggest X, consumer behavior is doing X)? So how exactly do you break out then? Think about Luma Partners.

Marketing 389

Marketing Press Blogging Startup 389

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

We led a $4 million investment along with Thrive Capital, GLG and Sound Ventures. The news blogs will cover the what, how and how much but I want to focus on the “why” and try to be instructive of what I think makes for a great A-round startup. It’s rare that I feel so inspired by one entrepreneur and his or her vision.

Design 150

Design Ideas Startup Writing 150

socalTECH

APRIL 14, 2011

Through Howards investment in betaworks, he also owns early shares in Twitter. Howard Lindzon: In 2007, Fred Wilson had offered me some share in Twitter, when they were putting together their first round of venture capital investments. Luck has it, I'm also a small investor though an investment in BetaWorks. It's fun, I guess.

Ideas 248

Ideas Web Startup Content 248

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.” Deliver Bad News Early.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Blogging Class Entrepreneur 279

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

If you truly believe that you, your company and your products are exceptional and your company will be valuable then you’re actually doing them a FAVOR by helping them invest in your startup. If you don’t believe in your bones that you’re amazing then it’s no wonder you don’t want to sell them on making the investment.”

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2019

Image via Wikipedia As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. As a startup, you as the entrepreneur are the brand, the brand builder, and the major lead generator.

Entrepreneur 87

Entrepreneur Customer Custom Guide 87

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

2: As expected at least one person accused me of writing this post because I want to see lower valuations. I have conversations with entrepreneurs and other VCs on a daily basis about fund raising, the prices of deals, how much companies should raise, etc. I acknowledged this in the article. I’m just making the commentary.

Startup 336

Startup Pricing Technical Review Marketing 336

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2017

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. As a startup, you as the entrepreneur are the brand, the brand builder, and the major lead generator.

Company 97

Company Companies Entrepreneur Customer 97

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 1, 2010

There is a structural reason that VCs are investing at early stages, 2. Many (Union Square Ventures, Foundry Group, True Ventures, GRP Partners, Mike Hirshland at Polaris Ventures) do it the right way – we treat it as a normal investment and we don’t have a “options&# strategy with our investment.

Seed Funding 298

Seed Funding Funding Venture Capital GRP Partners 298

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 22, 2011

By early 2010, I found my stylistic voice and identified my audience of emerging entrepreneurs and thus dropped my penname. In addition, my role as Partner at Rincon Venture Partners provided me with a business reason to invest additional time and effort into my humble blog. Hacker News and LinkedIn gave it some love.

Newsletter 205

Newsletter Blogging Santa Barbara Content 205

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 29, 2013

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. As a startup, you as the entrepreneur are the brand, the brand builder, and the major lead generator. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 116

Startup Entrepreneur Customer Custom 116

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. Last year I lost a deal in a company that I wanted to invest in and that I thought I should have won. Write things down. I hate losing. Be gracious.

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. Last year I lost a deal in a company that I wanted to invest in and that I thought I should have won. Write things down. I hate losing. Be gracious.

Outsource Development 328

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 328

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

Matt was one of my inspirations behind Launchpad LA (yes, we’re going to have a program in 2011 – news very, very soon). Matt’s commitment to re-investing in tech startups is reminiscent to this great Fred Wilson post of “recycling capital. &#. Big thank you to Darius Vasefi , of EyeOnJewels for the write up.

Acquisition 304

Acquisition Startup Customer Custom 304

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 1, 2016

We want to invest in early-stage technology enabled startup businesses – upfront in the funding cycle. In fact, 90% of our investments are either Seed or A-round investments (10% are B-round). We’re a national venture capital investment firm but with our roots firmly in Los Angeles. That’s healthy.

Startup 150

Startup Coach Course Invest 150

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 14, 2014

Tech news keeps proclaiming “phone calls are dead,” which is useful except that the data suggests the exact opposite. It’s why the first company I ever invested in as a VC – Invoca – just announced a $20 million funding by Accel Partners. Calls are changing but not dying. Much more data in the full post.

Email 339

Email SaaS Venture Capital Google 339

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 14, 2012

…” I’ll write soon on my views of why I believe Instagram took off as a social network and what I think comes next. ” In this week’s discussion with entrepreneurs I think the word impending wasn’t used often enough. .” It’s understandably on everybody’s mind these days.

Venture Capital 316

Venture Capital Pricing Social Network Acquisition 316

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

The starting point of product IS marketing, which is what a lot of young entrepreneurs that never studied business don’t realize. You might write a piece now and then that catches fire but there is nothing repeatable that would be useful for a business. Simply write a great book? How do people drive SEO growth?

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 6, 2014

By the way, I also strongly advise that entrepreneurs reference VCs. In this instance my personal style is to have entrepreneurs in whom I’m considering investing to call my good references and those where we have gone through some tough times so in that sense I end up in the 0.05% but I tell entrepreneurs I’m doing this and why.

Startup 302

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Report 302

Steve Reich

AUGUST 15, 2015

” Everyone has a vision that one or two “Super Angels” will write million dollar checks and all will be well. Put yourself in their shoes–they are busy and have multiple investments. There actually was a tremendous amount of good news, but unless you heard it in context it could be easily misconstrued.

Angel 40

Angel News Pasadena Angels Seed Funding 40

socalTECH

JANUARY 8, 2020

TV is having a terrible time at that, and unless you're looking at sports and news, when was the last time you actually watched a show in real time, as opposed to time shifting it and zapping commercials? For an advertiser, you have to look at whether or not the message is even available to the audience. That's what we want to be here.

Media 150

Media Report Advertising Content 150

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2009

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. We helped the write out their requirements for a system. Write things down. I hate losing. I don’t want to lose next time. Be gracious.

Startup 151

Startup Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review 151

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

I’m an entrepreneur at heart so I’m always inspired when I hear stories about innovation. It’s why my investment philosophy is called, “ the entrepreneur thesis.&#. Passionate Entrepreneurs & Ambassadors. You need to have passionate tech entrepreneurs who want to build businesses locally.

Venture Capital 317

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Press 317

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 4, 2010

Bruce Sallan (@BruceSallan) - I'm a former showbiz guy who writes a dad's column. Cash Warren (@cash_warren) - producer, entrepreneur, president of Verso Entertainment. Dan Gillmor (@dangillmor) - A life in media — music, newspapers, online, books, investing and education. Jon Lansner (@jonlan) - Columnist/blogger for O.C.

Social Media 40

Social Media Journal Media Education 40

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 14, 2015

How do you have time for all your entrepreneurs? I just write. I told her I need “20 minutes” to write a blog post. Keep on writing. I took 2 of those morning to write blog posts and then read. I didn’t want to get into that debate – just share the news. How do you stay balanced?

Blogging 150

Blogging Writing Email Startup 150

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 3, 2011

If you have or are thinking about a business in the video space you’ll enjoy hearing from Gregg but even more broadly this is a great conversation for entrepreneurs, investors or industry analysts. They never did any PR or marketing to get their videos to first get shown on the news during the 2000 election.

Startup 303

Startup Venture Capital Pricing Writing 303

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 22, 2010

. - Journalists don’t know enough about your company before the show, don’t have time for proper research, and you will be competing for their time afterward with 49+ other companies that want them to write about you. - If you’re Yammer , Mint or RedBeacon (all winners) you’re knighted with wonderful coverage.

Tips 307

Tips Startup Press Blogging 307

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

He blogs to 10,000 web entrepreneurs at Software by Rob and co-hosts the podcast Startups for the Rest of Us. We had to write a CRM to keep track of them all. They are: Fred Wilson: Lead Investors, Dipshit Companies, and Funding Every Entrepreneur. was once a wannabe entrepreneur, and then I was a first-timer.

Startup 191

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Hire 191

SoCal Delicious

SEPTEMBER 22, 2008

As featured in technology and news publications: Are you new? Heres 5 steps to start exploring: View the "Best Of" list with 50+ essays on viral marketing, gaming, and ads » Get introduced: About this blog, why entrepreneurs and marketers recommend it » Receive updates by email or RSS feed or Twitter. as you go.

Startup 29

Startup IP Email Report 29

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 31, 2010

So I thought I’d write a piece on how to not suck when you give a presentation. I spoke about this yesterday on Fox Business News. Don’t write sentences on the – only key words to help you remember what you’re going to say. It is not sufficient to write yourself notes and read them before hand.

Startup 362

Startup Twiistup Slides Screening 362

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 5, 2010

As I write these words I’m aware that I could practically change the words AOL and Facebook for much of this section and with a few factual tweaks it might not be noticeable to the reader which of the firms I was talking about. In most instances news is now breaking on Twitter and then being picked up by news organizations.

Social Network 318

Social Network Networking Web 2.0 Startup 318

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2010

My advice to entrepreneurs was and is “ when the hors d’oeuvres tray is being passed take two ” (e.g. So I agreed to offer my current thinking on the economy and what it portends for the VC industry & fund raising for entrepreneurs. and has recently come back down to 122% (said David Brooks on The PBS News Hour).

Entrepreneur 298

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Technical Review Startup 298

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 10, 2011

Today I’m announcing that GRP Partners is doubling down on the Twitter ecosystem by investing in DataSift , a company who provides a real-time data platform and tools to third-party developers and corporations. Some will cite my investment two years ago in social-media advertising company Ad.ly So with DataSift I’m doubling down.

Platform 307

Platform News Startup Invest 307

SoCal CTO

AUGUST 3, 2010

Welcome to the Lost Decade (for Entrepreneurs, IPO’s and VC’s) - Steve Blank , July 15, 2010 If you take funding from a venture capital firm or angel investor and want to build a large, enduring company (rather than sell it to the highest bidder), this isn’t the decade to do it. The good news: There are good answers to these questions!

Startup 217

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Software Review 217