Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 25, 2021

Contrary to what you might guess, the highest rate of small business and entrepreneurial growth over the last few years is not Gen-Y upstarts, but Boomers over the age of 50, now called encore entrepreneurs. One new incentive is the falling transaction costs and barriers to entry for entrepreneurs of every age. In the U.S.,

Technical Review 126

Technical Review Technical Support Entrepreneur Startup 126

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2015

If an entrepreneur can’t build a culture of excitement and commitment at a startup, the chances of long-term success are negligible. As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I often get asked what you can do to build the right culture. Mentoring and training programs need to be put in place early. Every investor knows this.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Training 102

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2021

As a new business advisor, I am no longer surprised that every new entrepreneur believes the hard part is creating the first product and the business. New and existing companies today need to press beyond what was, through what is, to what will be. Your task is follow-up in support, mentoring, and setting goals.

Tips 170

Tips Startup Mentor Press 170

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

She actually IS the prototypical entrepreneur. It represents the great majority of entrepreneurship and eschews the fairytale rags-to-VC-riches stories we so often read about in the press. But Tracy did what entrepreneurs do. Sam is the managing director of Launchpad LA and we were about to pick our 2012 class of entrepreneurs.

Startup 363

Startup Entrepreneur SEO Venture Capital 363

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2023

We all face pressure in our lives, but there’s nothing like that of an entrepreneur facing customer crises and the competitive challenges of a new business. Thus, here is my own reframing of the authors generalized rules into some specifics for an entrepreneur or business leader: Reframe competitive threats to opportunities.

Entrepreneur 82

Entrepreneur Competition Press Commerce 82

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2020

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Funding Innocal Offshore 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2019

Contrary to what you might guess, the highest rate of entrepreneurial growth over the last few years is not Gen-Y upstarts, but Boomers over the age of 50, now called encore entrepreneurs. With longer life expectancies and greater health in later life, older generations are moving to start new firms -- and mentor young entrepreneurs.

Startup 119

Startup Technical Review Technical Support Entrepreneur 119

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2020

We all face pressure in our lives, but there’s nothing like that of an entrepreneur facing customer crises and the competitive challenges of a new business. Thus, here is my own reframing of the authors generalized rules into some specifics for an entrepreneur or business leader: Reframe competitive threats to opportunities.

Startup 134

Startup Entrepreneur Competition Press 134

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!, And when the press releases and the attaboys wear off it still comes down to real work. And there’s conferences. Oh, the conferences. Web Summit.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Invest Press Startup 374

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

We have significant VC commitments (listed below) – every entering company will get $50,000 in funding, mentorship from top VCs and successful entrepreneurs plus free office space. One senior mentor to Launchpad LA recently said, “I got more out of Launchpad LA than I even put in. For the past 2.5

Venture Capital 287

Venture Capital Funding Startup GRP Partners 287

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 15, 2011

Are you an entrepreneur hoping to startup a company in the Los Angeles area? Southern California apparently has no shortage of investors, entrepreneurs, and others eager to help budding entrepreneurs. Howard Marks: We're a startup accelerator, which will help entrepreneurs become successful in 90 days. Howard Marks: Yes.

CTO Coach 194

CTO Coach Startup Mentor Activision 194

socalTECH

JANUARY 23, 2017

Anna Barber: Before this, I hadn't been involved with Techstars as a mentor, however, I'd been an entrepreneur and mentored at other accelerators. However, I always wanted to get into a broader role in the startup ecosystem, where I could help other entrepreneurs work on their ideas. What are your goals at Techstars?

Startup 100

Startup Claremont Los Angeles Press 100

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 18, 2010

Full press release with more details is here. Find the best and brightest next generation of entrepreneurs and help them to be more successful. Encourage the most successful LA tech entrepreneurs who had previously started companies to get involved as mentors, instructors or just informal advisors. The rest is history.

Technical Review 259

Technical Review Venture Capital Southern California Tech Coast Angels 259

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 24, 2014

Working with early-stage teams : coaching, mentoring, setting strategy, rolling up sleeves: 9/10. “I think the best VCs help drive exits alongside their entrepreneurs. I divided success into the phases of venture capital and 18 months into writing my first check here was my view (details on each in the link above). Since then?

Venture Capital 387

Venture Capital Downey Writing Press 387

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2012

We live in an era where the press espouses the entrepreneurs who have five startups. I think it’s been tremendously helpful to us because the founder of Awe.sm ( Jonathan Strauss ) has a mentor who is going through similar issues but is a few years ahead in terms of company development.

Startup 294

Startup Carson Summary Press 294

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 2012

But a couple of people replied with responses of such lack of comprehension that I thought it was worth expanding on for first-time entrepreneurs. Successful entrepreneurs achieve much through their personal leadership traits that inspire others to do great things with them – sure. Not possible. ” Or there was this one.

Startup 363

Startup Venture Capital Coach Press 363

Xconomy

AUGUST 5, 2016

It’s a question that often circulates in the business press and on tech blogs. Entrepreneurs and venture capitalists have weighed in from time to time and their answers tend to fall into two camps. High school students also make great entrepreneurs because of their natural open-mindedness and drive to take risks.

Entrepreneur 40

Entrepreneur Startup Education Course 40

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 19, 2015

Entrepreneurs could learn about loneliness of success: nobody talks about. He suffered publicly as the press called his wife fat and begged people at concerts to be kinder to his wife. Success can be lonely because it is only a heartbeat away from failure and the press love a rise-and-fall story. Advisors / Coaches / Mentors.

Press 150

Press Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur 150

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 7, 2013

According to SGL, developers can now submit their apps for review and have their press releases and updates distributed on the Stained Glass Labs website, which gives them the quick feedback from other developers and the ability to submit press releases, which are sent to members of the media interested in Google Glass and wearable technologies.

Google 87

Google Technical Review Press Software Review 87

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I often get asked for the magic that has made Amazon the world's most valuable brand , from a total unknown only twenty years ago. Most entrepreneurs who have built thriving companies settle into a protective and defensive mindset, clinging to core competencies of the past.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Custom Customer 123

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

I actually like finding entrepreneurs who are more circumspect, less braggadocios and generally more planned about their actions. Where Stealth is Bad – I do meet entrepreneurs who clearly fall on the other side of spectrum and are totally closed. That’s fine if entrepreneurs are your target market. They come and go.

Marketing 380

Marketing Startup Press Technical Advisors 380

socalTECH

DECEMBER 27, 2012

We asked the same four questions of a variety of top technology entrepreneurs, investors, and others, to hear what they're thinking about, and are sharing it here over the next week. We launched a Digital LA - Women series with four panels starring female founders, entrepreneurs, developers and PR, which will also continue into the new year.

Dollar Shave Club 272

Dollar Shave Club Technical Review Santa Monica Southern California 272

Tech.Co

JULY 12, 2017

In a press release The Disney Accelerator highlights the success of Sphero and announced: “They have a multi-property lineup for this year including the App-enabled Ultimate Lightning McQueen, the voice interactive Spider-Man, and more.”. “And Meet the 11 startups for 2017: Ambidio.

Artificial Inteligence 109

Artificial Inteligence Startup Entertainment Press 109

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 103

InfoChachkie

JUNE 9, 2015

My Forbes co-contributor Geri Stengel concurs that something is happening in the Volunteer State, writing last month about that state’s emerging women entrepreneurs. Savvy entrepreneurs - seek out programs which incorporate these post-graduation activities. Convert Graduate-Founders Into Mentors. No program can work miracles.

Startup 100

Startup Class LAMP Santa Barbara 100

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 25, 2013

After all, I am no stranger to the publicly expressing the frustrations of dealing with the downside of this industry as I wrote about in 2006 when I was an entrepreneur. The best VCs don’t try to help entrepreneurs. And hard for me to imagine the Fred Wilson and Albert Wenger weren’t instrumental mentors to David.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 63

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2017

As a new business advisor, I am no longer surprised that every new entrepreneur believes the hard part is creating the first product and the business. New and existing companies today need to press beyond what was, through what is, to what will be. Your task is follow-up in support, mentoring, and setting goals.

Company 55

Company Companies Startup Mentor 55

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 2, 2011

Here’s the thing: entrepreneurs who aren’t at all of our private meetings really didn’t know what do think about the situation. They could chat about it with their peers or mentors. It sure wasn’t when I was a first-time entrepreneur. Should entrepreneurs have convertible debt or priced equity?

Email 287

Email Blogging Venture Capital Writing 287

Tech.Co

NOVEMBER 28, 2017

The aim, according to the private college’s press release, is to provide “mentoring, advising and access to resources for up to 15 student- and community-run companies with a philanthropic twist.” Salt Lake City, Utah’s Westminster College debuted it’s Social Impact Incubator on August 30 of this year.

Incubator 70

Incubator Santa Clarita Technical Advisors FAQ 70

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 28, 2017

We all face pressure in our lives, but there’s nothing like that of an entrepreneur facing customer crises and the competitive challenges of a new business. Thus, here is my own reframing of the authors generalized rules into some specifics for an entrepreneur or business leader: Reframe competitive threats to opportunities.

Entrepreneur 56

Entrepreneur Competition Press Mentor 56

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

We have some great mentors now. Thanks to TechStars, we've got an awesome mentor who's co-habitating with us now, and we're learning something daily from him. The other reason for building it, is LA is crapped on all the time from a press perspective and entrepreneur perspective.

Startup 242

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2017

Many business executives and entrepreneurs I know are convinced that business success is all about having the right solution for the right price. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Thus most investors I know claim to invest in the person, rather than the product.

Software Review 57

Software Review Technical Review Startup Coach 57

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 6, 2017

In that context, we all have to deal with a huge information overload, which can stifle creativity, just by the sheer weight of trying to consume all the data bombarding us daily from the Internet, social media, and press. The best mentors in business often find themselves learning as much as their mentees.

Ideas 60

Ideas Social Media Press Mentor 60

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

Get connected to the right mentors and your business may catapult to the next level. I figured if Matt was on the verge of bankruptcy and one mentor changed his trajectory, what if we had a formalized, community-wide program? o Huge on PR, “Be Everywhere” is his motto – fly to NY, proactively everywhere he could get press.

Acquisition 304

Acquisition Startup Customer Custom 304

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

I admit that I haven’t yet read it but I’ve had numerous discussions with Brad over the years about board structure & conduct and consider him a mentor on the topic. And here’s an important point that I think modern entrepreneurs often forget: Investors are “co-owners” of your business. Mentorship.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 9, 2014

This was a chance to blow open the story on their companies, to address a room full of potential investors, mentors, partners, customers, and press. After the event, we caught up, Parker Thompson , Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) charged with leading Batch 8. First, A Look Inside 500 Startups. A Huge Thank You!

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Startup Mobile Commerce Education 111