Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 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. Ability to Pivot – I don’t like to invest in people that I’ve never met before who come through my office wanting to have a term sheet within 30 days.

Entrepreneur 291

Entrepreneur Startup Google Yammer 291

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. Since investors tend to invest in people, more than the idea, the personnel review is normally the highest priority item.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 118

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2022

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Investors invest in the jockey, more than the horse.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Startup Statistics Social Media 109

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 12, 2010

“Hi [entrepreneur], I hope all is well. It's big, well known & we've invested in all of these really cool companies]. I know the firm well and I know the entrepreneur & his business well. There is no chance they’re going to invest and it’s not even a close match. What fits your schedule?

Venture Capital 294

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Email Equity 294

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Investors invest in the jockey, more than the horse.

Entrepreneur 119

Entrepreneur Technical Review Statistics Startup 119

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

Jim Semick: I’ve been launching and managing software products for 15 years now, going back to when you and I worked together at Expertcity before it was acquired by Citrix. I have always worked on early stage products. Some of the products I’ve helped validate and launch include GoToMyPC, GoToMeeting and AppFolio.

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

Entrepreneurs who are looking to attract investors need to develop and pitch a plan -- preferably written -- that answers every potential investor question about your startup before it is asked. Investors will be looking for a sizing validated by industry analysts large enough for good investment returns.

Invest 108

Invest Startup Slides Equity 108

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2011

I invested in LA-based Gogii , one of the fastest growing, most exciting mobile social networking companies you’ve never heard of and maker of a product called textPlus. I only recently invested and I only got here through persistence. The opportunity came up to invest in this one and I pounced. More on that later.

Gogii 310

Gogii Invest Blogging Startup 310

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

(In case it’s not obvious it’s a play on the Nike slogan, “Just Do It.&# ) I believe that being successful as an entrepreneur requires you to get lots of things done. Entrepreneurs make fast decisions and move forward knowing that at best 70% of their decisions are going to be right. This paralyzes most people.

Entrepreneur 414

Entrepreneur Technical Review Slides CTO Coach 414

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

Traction is evidence that your product or service has started that “hockey- stick” adoption rate which implies a large market, a valid business model, and sustainable growth. Free and freemium products need a solid base. What does traction really mean to investors, and how much is enough? First of all, a definition.

Startup 121

Startup Metrics Custom Customer 121

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 21, 2010

One of the investment themes I’ve been focused on in the past 3 years has been Performance-Based Marketing. When I started investing the US advertising market was $300 billion with only 10% of it ($30 billion) of it being online and measurable. The configuration of the team was: 1 CEO, 1 Product Lead and a tech team of 6 people.

Advertising 284

Advertising Invest RSS CPC 284

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2021

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. Since investors tend to invest in people, more than the idea, the personnel review is normally the highest priority item.

Technical Review 151

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 151

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2020

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Investors invest in the jockey, more than the horse.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Statistics Startup Social Media 124

InfoChachkie

JULY 16, 2012

In addition, a number of advertisers have invested significant resources into creating libraries of video content which effectively communicate brand and product attributes but are incapable of eliciting a particular action, such as: clicking to a landing page, completing a lead form, or initiating a purchase. Share and Enjoy.

Custom 226

Custom Customer Entrepreneur Advertising 226

InfoChachkie

JUNE 3, 2013

Upon graduation from Wharton, John and Kyle launched a startup based upon a simple, pedestrian product: a computer mouse shaped like the head of a golf driver. Putting their expensive educations to good use, they aptly named their novelty product a "MouseDriver". It was really no longer than a page um. Do you care to hear more?

Newsletter 233

Newsletter Startup Entrepreneur Writing 233

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

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2022

Yet many aspiring entrepreneurs I know approach it as a fun project, get-rich quick scheme, or perhaps an expensive hobby. As an entrepreneur, you need to start early to implement the discipline and business practices that will lead to success. Hedge your bets by starting several initiatives or products.

Startup 122

Startup Ideas Framework Entrepreneur 122

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 10, 2011

In my ongoing quest to get you good transcripts of the wonderful interviews we’ve done in the past, I present you with one amazing interview here with Tom McInerney – a friend, co-investor, former entrepreneur turned angel investor and “wizard of Oz&# behind the scenes at the uber hot startup Klout.

Angel 302

Angel Startup Ideas .Net 302

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 3, 2015

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.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Resource Social Network SpaceX 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 12, 2014

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.

Entrepreneur 114

Entrepreneur Resource Social Network SpaceX 114

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

InfoChachkie

JULY 5, 2012

Coull Entrepreneurs Get More Customers. We develop products that contextually engage the user at the moment at which they are most actively engaged with a given concept. You can also check out my blog for emerging entrepreneurs HERE. . Coull Offers Advertisers Video Skimlinks. <JG Stitching Content With Commerce.

Custom 133

Custom Customer Entrepreneur Advertising 133

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2015

Every entrepreneur needs to keep a priority focus on these big-picture business issues, well before he commits his resources and his future to a technology that he loves. Good entrepreneurs know they have to be experts in business as well as technology. Develop written business plans as detailed as product plans.

Technical Review 54

Technical Review Product Activity Technology 54

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2019

In my work with new and aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that most struggle with putting together a written business plan, often pointing out that someone they know started a business without anything written down. You really need at least a prototype product or customer to make the video come alive. Make it light, but factual.

Ideas 126

Ideas Slides Sample Examples 126

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2014

Sponsored by VISA Business If you have a unique product or service, and you are not selling it around the world on the Internet, now is the time to start. Anyone can be an entrepreneur today, without a huge investment, bank loans, lawyers, venture capitalists, or Angels. The cost of entry has never been lower.

Startup 100

Startup Commerce Sites Blogging 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2014

Yet many aspiring entrepreneurs I know approach it as a fun project, get-rich quick scheme, or perhaps an expensive hobby. As an entrepreneur, you need to start early to implement the discipline and business practices that will lead to success. Hedge your bets by starting several initiatives or products. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Framework 106

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2014

Micro payments, micro loans, micro investments. The latest is “crowd funding” your startup with thousands of tiny investments. A portal is a “home page” which you can partition to be the entry to a dozen others, with a single login to minimize the “yellow stickies” on your computer. Portals and single sign-on sites.

Ideas 110

Ideas Entrepreneur Sites Yahoo 110

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Build a prototype product. A conundrum for many frustrated entrepreneurs is that they need money from investors to design and build a prototype product, yet most angel investors expect to see at least a prototype before they invest. Prepare an investment-grade business plan. Close at least one initial customer.

Invest 99

Invest Angel Technical Review Summary 99

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 25, 2017

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.

Entrepreneur 56

Entrepreneur Resource Social Network SpaceX 56

InfoChachkie

JUNE 3, 2013

Upon graduation from Wharton, John and Kyle launched a startup based upon a simple, pedestrian product: a computer mouse shaped like the head of a golf driver. Putting their expensive educations to good use, they aptly named their novelty product a "MouseDriver". It was really no longer than a page um. Do you care to hear more?

Newsletter 133

Newsletter Startup Entrepreneur Writing 133

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

As is often said if you don’t get at least a few fellow VCs (and entrepreneurs) scratching their heads you may not be funding ideas with enough upside. This was certainly the case when I invested in a small YouTube video production company called Maker Studios that recently sold to Disney for just shy of $1 billion.

Funding 362

Funding Technical Review Ideas Startup 362

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2020

As an aspiring entrepreneur, one of the most important things you need is a memorable “ elevator pitch ,” to communicate your startup value proposition and leave a great first impression on friends, investors, employees, and future customers. Customers still buy from people, and investors invest in you and your team, more than the solution.

Sample 127

Sample Summary Startup Slides 127

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans take too much time, are inaccurate, and rarely add value. The size of the document should be based on your style, but 10-20 pages or slides are usually more than adequate to outline even a complex business.

Technical Review 126

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 126

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 14, 2013

On a regular basis, I am approached by entrepreneurs who assert that business plans are a waste of time. They cite sources like a recent BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this NY Times article. A business plan may be a small investment to get a shot at that opportunity.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Technical Review Writing Slides 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Thus, I’m more impressed with entrepreneurs who ask me to review their implementation plan, rather than listen again to their idea. For inspiration, I recommend you watch a few episodes of the Shark Tank TV series, where entrepreneurs pitch their wares, looking for an investment and national visibility for their product or service.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2010

For example, my personal interest is entrepreneurs, and MySpace is for tweens. Every social network, including MySpace, claims to be a mecca for business people to network and sell products. Here is my characterization of the social networking scene, as it relates to business networking for entrepreneurs and startups: Twitter.

Social Network 102

Social Network Networking Entrepreneur Statistics 102

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

Many entrepreneurs still dream of “going public,” making billions of dollars, and playing with the big boys. Sure, there are examples of founders who have survived and prospered, such as Bill Gates and Larry Page, but these guys are the exception, not the rule. Consider the recent example of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg.

Entrepreneur 95

Entrepreneur Startup Report Summary 95