Berkonomics

JUNE 29, 2017

If you have been following our recent insights, you’ll be up to speed knowing that professional investors negotiate tough terms, from provisions of control over asset acquisition, eventual sale of the company, future investments, forced co-sale when others attempt to sell their shares and more.

Invest 243

Invest Entrepreneur Sales Startup 243

Berkonomics

AUGUST 3, 2023

Bootstrapping: This term describes your ability to start a business with little investment and grow it using internally generated funds. And even with the significant cost of credit card debt, many entrepreneurs aggressively use existing cards to finance a startup. There is a lot to say about retaining control.

Venture Capital 295

Venture Capital Startup Class Invest 295

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

I was having dinner with a friend last night and we were chatting about venture capital and a bit about what I’ve learned. I started in 2007 with a thesis that my primary investment decision would be about the team (70%) and only afterward about the market opportunity (30%). Don’t even get me started on Demo Days.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Invest Press Startup 374

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2023

Most aspiring entrepreneurs look to their alma mater, or any university, as a source of classes that can help them, but neglect to think outside the box or take advantage of all the other resources to be found there. Access to entrepreneurs-in-residence, business mentors. Online or evening entrepreneurship classes for anyone.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Class Startup Resource 110

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2016

During the Q&A I was asked about how I make investment decisions in early-stage businesses. I know that sounds trite but it’s the best way I can describe my early-stage investments. If I don’t do both then it’s highly unlikely I will invest. I answered in the same way I always do so I thought I’d just write it publicly. “I

Invest 254

Invest Writing Pricing Metrics 254

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 12, 2021

Sometimes entrepreneurs are so focused on making change happen for customers that they forget that continually changing themselves and their company is equally important. Negative advice on an unknown is easy and safe to give, so every entrepreneur hears it over and over. In his classic book “ Invent, Reinvent, Thrive ,” Lloyd E.

Entrepreneur 167

Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Customer 167

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

Raising capital for a female-led startup can be very diffiult--which is what Justine Lassoff and Melinda Moore found out when they started their own company, LovingEco, in Los Angeles. What is TuesdayNights? What is the most difficult challenge that women entrepreneurs face? We actually started the organization in 2013.

Help 224

Help Entrepreneur Capital Startup 224

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 20, 2021

But what if you are an introvert, or new to this game, and don’t know where or how to start? Business groups like TiE-The Indus Entrepreneurs and EO-Entrepreneurs Organization are places to meet people you can help, as well as people who can help you. Volunteer to help out with entrepreneur activities at your local university.

Entrepreneur 143

Entrepreneur Social Network Activity Networking 143

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2022

After many years of working with angel investors seriously trying to find new ventures worthy of their hard-earned money, I find their frustration often exceeds that of entrepreneurs sincerely looking for financial help. The most investable ventures stem from painful needs by customers who have money to spend.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Invest Funding Patents 108

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 14, 2023

But what does that really mean? Investors don’t invest in services startups. Here are some pragmatic tips on how to make your startup more scalable and investable: If you need investors, start with a scalable idea. These are more likely scalable and investable. Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage.

Tips 135

Tips Invest Startup Outsource 135

Berkonomics

JANUARY 20, 2022

Dave’s note: This is a reprint of a 2015 insight that seems to have struck a chord with investors and entrepreneurs. None of this advice has changed… Let me tell you a few short hair–raising stories of entrepreneurs who have raised money and regretted it later. The problem, of course, comes if the business fails.

Startup 317

Startup Entrepreneur Invest Course 317

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 29, 2014

This week I wrote about obsessive and competitive founders and how this forms the basis of what I look for when I invest. I had been thinking a lot about this recently because I’m often asked the question of “what I look for in an entrepreneur when I want to invest?” To invest in your future.

Startup 409

Startup Invest Venture Capital Writing 409

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 15, 2023

As an advisor to entrepreneurs and active angel investor, I often get questions about the realism of the Shark Tank TV series, compared to professional investor negotiations. Yet the process is eerily realistic, and every entrepreneur can glean some important lessons. Investors invest in people, more than ideas.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Sample Ideas Customer 111

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 4, 2021

An entrepreneur lifestyle that continues to gain in popularity these days is being a “social entrepreneur.” Think Bill Gates, with his current investments in energy management, or Blake Mycoskie with TOMs Shoes, as opposed to the leaders of the American Cancer Society or Goodwill Industries.

Entrepreneur 138

Entrepreneur Funding Invest Activity 138

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2021

Being called a lifestyle entrepreneur should be a point of pride, not an insult. This usually means not taking money from equity investors, since investors want fast growth, high profits, and an exit event, to allow investments to be recouped. A lifestyle business becomes an integral part of an entrepreneur’s identity and their life.

Entrepreneur 148

Entrepreneur Startup Equity Course 148

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

What Has Changed in Financing? On the one hand, you’re over paying for every investment and valuations aren’t rational. What used to be an “A” round in 2011 is now routinely called a Seed round and this has been so engrained that founders would rather take less money than to have to put the words “A round” in their legal documents.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

socalTECH

JANUARY 22, 2019

This morning's interview is with Kevin O'Connor , a longtime investor and serial entrepreneur, who is now running venture capital investment firm ScOp Venture Capital. Just this past September was a year with Amazon, when I left, and we started investing in September under the new name, ScOp Venture Capital.

Venture Capital 145

Venture Capital Startup Invest Capital 145

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2021

Therefore, the least you can do is take advantage of some of the self-assessment tools and guides around, like the classic book “ The Entrepreneur Equation ,” by Carol Roth, which highlights personal characteristics and skills required. Business comes down to not what you know, but whom you know. Say hello to multiple new bosses.

Entrepreneur 169

Entrepreneur Startup Statistics Guide 169

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2022

Most entrepreneurs believe they are “different,” but they can’t quite understand how. The classic book, “ Hunting in a Farmer's World: Celebrating the Mind of an Entrepreneur ,” by serial entrepreneur and business coach John F. Dini makes the case that entrepreneurs are hunters, while the rest of us (large majority) are farmers.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Marketing News Slides 124

Berkonomics

MAY 9, 2024

What can you prove as a barrier to entry for competitors? Your success must be based upon data that is solid and sometimes flexible enough to pass several critical tests if it is to guide a business enterprise to greatness. Here in brief are ten tests for your successful vision. Where in industry life cycle? How large is your total market?

Patents 156

Patents Pricing Ideas Marketing 156

socalTECH

JANUARY 29, 2020

This week, Los Angeles-based Crosscut Ventures announced a brand new effort to provide health and wellness to the founders of companies it invests in, helping those founders with well being, mental health, stress management, coaching, and leadership development. Tell us about this new program? That's the framework we've build with Evolution.

Invest 113

Invest Framework Coach Startup 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 10, 2022

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. What does it take to get to that level? What does it take to get to that level? Persuasive and empowering. Marty Zwilling.

Examples 131

Examples Entrepreneur Technology Resource 131

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

With the appearance of do-it-yourself services on the Internet, entrepreneur curriculums at every university, and a wealth of new books on the subject, the need for expensive consultants and business advisors has also been mitigated. Minimize investment in prototypes and tooling. Savings here can easily reach another $10K per month.

Entrepreneur 162

Entrepreneur Startup Social Media Outsource Development 162

socalTECH

DECEMBER 31, 2018

Editor's note: As we head into the new year, we've been featuring reflections on 2018 from notable investors, entrepreneurs, and others from Southern California's technology community. Here's Alon Goren , founder of 805 Startups and the Crypto Invest Summit. What was the biggest lesson you learned this year?

Invest 154

Invest Southern California Startup Incubator 154

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 22, 2021

Most entrepreneurs have learned that it’s almost always quicker and easier to get cash from someone you know, rather than angel investors or professional investors (VCs). In fact, most investors “require” that you already have some investment from friends and family before they will even step up to the plate. Be upbeat and respectful.

Invest 135

Invest Technical Review Startup Ideas 135

TechCrunch LA

JANUARY 18, 2019

With an inaugural investment into the Los Angeles-based entertainment startup Culture Genesis , Clifford Harris Jr., ”, has launched a new syndicated investment vehicle called Tech Cypha. And that’s by coming together to pool our resources so we can invest more.” who’s better known as “T.I.”,

Invest 187

Invest Los Angeles Resource Venture Capital 187

Berkonomics

APRIL 20, 2023

We have years of real data to call upon: data that impacts both investors and entrepreneurs. Fortune Magazine and Harvard studies Attempting to get to the number of real failures for all startups, not just those with angel group investments, Fortune Magazine published an article claiming that 90% of these startups do fail.

Statistics 156

Statistics Startup Study Invest 156

socalTECH

APRIL 24, 2020

Carey tells us a bit about what OC4 is doing, how it invests and works with companies, and also gives startups some advice about how to approach moving forward in light of the pandemic. What is OC4? What were you doing before OC4? I've also invested in those companies. Carey Ransom: I think there area few we see.

Invest 124

Invest Startup Ideas Examples 124

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2020

And what does that really mean for the firm? Or, maybe it’s just about getting out of the way and watching what they can achieve. The fact that Kara doesn’t have what my wife likes to refer jokingly as my “Y chromosome problem” is beside the fact. So What Does All This Mean? So why now? Does This Mean You’re Retiring?

Venture Capital 361

Venture Capital Startup Invest CitySearch 361

Berkonomics

JUNE 22, 2023

What can you prove as a barrier to entry for competitors? Your success must be based upon data that is solid and sometimes flexible enough to pass several critical tests if it is to guide a business enterprise to greatness. Here in brief are ten tests for your business success. Where in industry life cycle? How large a total market?

Patents 286

Patents Pricing Ideas Marketing 286

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Even though I’m a big proponent of becoming an entrepreneur, it is definitely not for everyone. In my view, entrepreneur roles need to be planned carefully rather than made on the spur of the moment. Adopt the Silicon Valley entrepreneur family model. Test your entrepreneur instincts through crowdfunding.

Sample 126

Sample Entrepreneur Ideas Startup 126

Berkonomics

MAY 11, 2023

So, what do you think is more important? The quest for a great management team is not a fluke, but rather a result of backward looks at the failure rate from past investments by those same angel investors and venture capitalists. None of this is to say that an inexperienced entrepreneur cannot lead a great new business.

Statistics 156

Statistics Startup Ideas Entrepreneur 156

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 30, 2021

Several times in my investing life, as the final board member making the arrangements to dispose of remaining assets, I have literally been the one to turn out the lights, carry out the documents, books and records to my car, and become the only remaining contact between the failed business and the investors, bankruptcy court, or creditors.

Entrepreneur 156

Entrepreneur Training Invest Email 156

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 21, 2019

I cannot tell you how many times I have seen executive summaries of business plans in which the entrepreneur seeks $5,000,000 to build the business. The investors want a motivated entrepreneur, and it is certainly more difficult to motivate a twenty percent owner than a sixty percent owner. Four reasons you should reconsider.

Startup 120

Startup Invest Summary Resource 120

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 27, 2020

Investors love to see entrepreneurs who have used their own money to ignite their businesses. But often, entrepreneurs turn to others for initial capital. And now that “crowd sourcing” has been enabled using the Internet – seeking many investors at a small amount per investment. So, what is the problem?

Company 156

Company Companies Invest Entrepreneur 156

Berkonomics

JANUARY 7, 2021

Think of startups and early stage businesses whose entrepreneurs you know. One: The entrepreneur. First, there is the entrepreneur , the visionary, and force behind the venture from start to finish. Nearly none, if statistics and experience are key to the answer. Two: Co-management. Reward for early risk.

Startup 240

Startup Equity Statistics Entrepreneur 240

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 8, 2014

What is a principal at a VC firm and how does it work at Upfront Ventures? Most associates need some entrepreneurial experience before actually making investments. Great networking skills, which are critical when you want to be about to reference entrepreneurs & concepts and bounce your ideas off of other people in the industry.

Help 365

Help Invest Venture Capital Technical Review 365