Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 29, 2012

If your startup is great enough to get a term sheet from angel investors or a venture capitalist, the next step for the investor is to complete the dreaded due diligence process. Some startups do nothing to prepare for the due diligence process, assuming the people and business plan documents will speak for themselves.

Technical Review 98

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Training 98

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 28, 2010

If your startup is great enough to get a term sheet from angel investors or a venture capitalist, the next step for the investor is to complete the dreaded due diligence process. Some startups do nothing to prepare for the due diligence process, assuming the people and business plan documents will speak for themselves.

Technical Review 91

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Summary 91

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2021

Some pundits argue that the E-Myth principle is now outdated, due to the instant access to information via the Internet, pervasive networking via social media, and courses on entrepreneurship at all levels of education. The Technician’s Perspective envisions the business in parts, constructed from the bottom up, based on technical tasks.

Technical Review 136

Technical Review Startup Social Media Satisfaction 136

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

We thought today for our interview, that we'd get an update on the angel investment environment here in Southern California from Scott Sangster , the incoming President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Tech Coast Angels , the biggest angel investment group in Southern California. It was actually a really good year last year.

Tech Coast Angels 182

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 182

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2021

If your startup is great enough to get a term sheet from angel investors or a venture capitalist, the next step for the investor is to complete the dreaded due diligence process. Some startups do nothing to prepare for the due diligence process, assuming the people and business plan documents will speak for themselves.

Technical Review 152

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Summary 152

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

JUNE 8, 2010

Entrepreneurs always walk away with new relationships, knowledge, deal discussions and enthusiasm. And it’s his mantra for successful entrepreneurs, “you need to be extremely focused on the details.” The Greycroft event was a 10 out of 10 so I’ve diligently taken notes. I felt the same way.

Startup 279

Startup Venture Capital Tips Custom Development 279

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. The short version of my review is: “Enchanting? Pithy – Guy is the Steven King of business books. Things I Liked.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Blogging Class Entrepreneur 279

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

My initial desire to blog came from something that’s always been my approach to investing – I’m a nerd and I love to play with the technology and part of my approach has really been to understand things both at a user level and at a reasonably deep tentacle level. Very few people can do a good job with a presentation that is emailable.”.

Venture Capital 288

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Software Review 288

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2016

Most entrepreneurs work long and hard to get a handshake agreement from an investor, and then tend to relax and wait for the check to clear. What they don’t realize is that about half the investment deals fail to close at this stage, including mergers and acquisitions , during the due-diligence process. Skeletons in the closet.

Technical Review 55

Technical Review Help Innocal Startup 55

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

You’ll get sales information from your VP of Sales, marketing information from your VP Marketing, tech information from your CTO and so on. Similarly I liked to keep myself apprised of the technical decisions we were making. Dipping: As a decision maker you rely on information being passed to you by the people who report to you.

Startup 308

Startup CTO Coach Technical Review CTO Hire 308

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 18, 2010

It also applies to other parts of my life such as presentations. I’m a pretty natural public speaker so I can write my presentation the day before and do just fine. So things that have to be done early get done early, but only at the last possible moment that the early task is due. Internally I was a wreck.

Slides 374

Slides Email Entrepreneur Startup 374

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 8, 2011

For those who still might be wondering what Spotlight: LA Tech is all about, It’s a screening room for new technology homegrown in our region. It’s a gathering of friends and tech enthusiasts of all stripes. This Spotlight takes place Thursday, July 14, at The California Institute of Technology (CalTech). RSVP: AGENDA.

CalTech 100

CalTech Technical Review Company Companies 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2013

Or they get sidetracked by a technical glitch due to poor preparation. Equally bad is an extended pitch on your new disruptive technology. Investors are more interested in your solution and your business, rather than your technology. Some entrepreneurs seem to think that their product pitch is also their investor pitch.

Angel 102

Angel Funding Slides Technical Review 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2012

I’ve noticed that some entrepreneurs seem to have no trouble attracting investors, while others with a great business plan struggle with it. On the top line, angel investors look to invest in entrepreneurs that have an almost unwavering passion and sense of urgency. The technology or product may be at an embryonic stage.

Entrepreneur 117

Entrepreneur Technical Review Course Patents 117

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 9, 2011

I thought about things I never had to as an entrepreneur: check size, ownership percentage, deal stage, portfolio construction and risk. Let’s review all of our existing investments. So I encouraged entrepreneurs to think about raising their funds as quickly as they could because. On Mar-6 it hit 6,626 or 53% off its peak.

Marketing 305

Marketing Venture Capital Funding Technical Review 305

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 6, 2013

” I wrote about this movement in the link to the left and also published this widely read presentation on the topic. They can read reviews, see pictures and even talk to the family before confirming. I then clicked on reviews, looked at pictures and read the owners descriptions of what they were looking for. I registered.

Venture Capital 344

Venture Capital Technical Review Software Review San Diego 344

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 12, 2013

TechZulu & Gadget Review present REACH. A quarterly event series seeking to dive deep into what comes next in technology, and giving you the opportunity to experience it first hand with the gadgets on site. Scot has been an entrepreneur and executive responsible for the launch of several interactive entertainment ventures.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Technology Activision Entertainment 94

SoCal Tech Calendar

SEPTEMBER 27, 2009

IEEE San Fernando Valley Section and Entrepreneurs Consortium of Southern California. Tom O'Toole and Brandon Villery will cover issues on licensing, due diligence, NDA, different types of IP (trade secret, patent, trademark, copyright), etc. See https://www.123signup.com/event?id=jmphg. 123signup.com/event?id=jmphg.

San Fernando 100

San Fernando Technical Review IP Southern California 100

InfoChachkie

JUNE 4, 2018

I decided to tweak this exercise for the Techstars entrepreneurs, using the format described below. There were twenty four Founders present, representing nine startups. However, Techstars requires its entrepreneurs to narrow down their pitch to twenty seconds. 90-Second Is Long Enough. Image credit: Anna Barber.

Technical Review 133

Technical Review Entrepreneur Class Examples 133

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 25, 2009

I like to say to first-time entrepreneurs, picking a VC is more permanent than marriage. Keeping a blog has been great because so many entrepreneurs have written me with questions about their companies and I’ve gotten to know many of you personally through the process. There are many great VCs. Let me explain.

Venture Capital 297

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur 297

InfoChachkie

MAY 7, 2012

Skilled entrepreneurs bring ideas and money together by building a bridge of trust. If you are fortunate to pitch a sophisticated investor in person, assume they already believe in the veracity of your idea, the market and the underlying technological trends. A miserly approach to spending was a prized Grubstakee trait.

Ideas 251

Ideas Venture Capital Education Entrepreneur 251

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2010

I’ve noticed that some entrepreneurs seem to have no trouble attracting investors, while others with a great business plan struggle with it. On the top line, angel investors look to invest in entrepreneurs that have an almost unwavering passion and sense of urgency. The technology or product may be at an embryonic stage.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Angel Technical Review Course 96

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 26, 2014

Some pundits argue that the E-Myth principle is now outdated, due to the instant access to information via the Internet, pervasive networking via social media, and courses on entrepreneurship at all levels of education. The Technician’s Perspective envisions the business in parts, constructed from the bottom up, based on technical tasks.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Startup Social Media Technical Review 107

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2019

During the holiday season, our tradition over the last few years has been to post reflections on the past year and some predictions for 2019 from Southern California's technology industry. And, many of the presenting companies received sizable funding commitments and offers of ongoing help.

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Software Review Startup Coach 157

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 12, 2010

until the technology matures?&#. I saw it as my job to probe, challenge, question, analyze, present facts and summarize options but in the end to leave it do the client to own the results. Find ways to get friendly people to do peer reviews on parts of your business and offer the same in return. And don’t limit it to VCs.

Help 288

Help Startup Venture Capital Framework 288

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2010

Bill Gates once famously said that people tend to overestimate the impact of technology in the 1-year timeframe and underestimate its impact in the 10-year timeframe. I tend not to go into heat when I hear the latest buzz on the tech blogs about the latest gadgets. 5 companies presented and all were talented.

Technical Review 278

Technical Review Software Review Startup SoCal 278

SoCal Tech Calendar

JULY 30, 2020

Monday, August 3, 2020 -- Fixing the Top Fundraising Mistakes Startup Entrepreneurs Make. Join JJ Richa in a fireside chat with Scott Fox, CEO of the OC Startup Council, for a discussion of the top mistakes that early stage entrepreneurs make when pitching their startups for funding. See [link] (more)

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Slides Startup Venture Capital 100

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 23, 2012

I have been close to the tech & startup sectors for more than 20 years and I can’t think of a period in which I felt more optimistic about the innovation and value creation I see in front of us. The movie, “The Social Network” might have had more of an impact on creating future entrepreneurs than any other event of the past 5 years.

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Capital Technical Review Startup 347

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 8, 2019

Responding to Elizabeth Warren’s call to regulate and break up some of the nation’s largest technology companies, the venture capitalists that invest in technology companies are advising the presidential hopeful to move slowly and not break anything. This is not a new model, and it makes no sense,” says Narasin.

Technical Review 144

Technical Review Startup Chief Technology Officer Social Media 144

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 1, 2013

The final episode of Bravo’s Start-ups: Silicon Valley aired recently, wrapping up an 8-episode run of what could be considered the most bizarre depiction of entrepreneurs and start-ups to date. If you caught the firestorm of protest from the tech sector against it, I am here to tell you, believe the hype — this show stinks.

Startup 90

Startup Technical Review Software Review Outsource Development 90

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014

I wrote a version of this post four years ago but given the hectic nature of today’s tech markets I thought it was worth revisiting and updating. A couple of years ago an entrepreneur had requested a meeting with me to present his business. Canceling meetings is a part of modern day life. Let me give you an example.

Conference 369

Conference Startup Century City Email 369

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 8, 2012

Building a strong tech industry to rival that of Silicon Valley is definitely no easy feat, but the overall feeling within Cal Tech’s Baxter Hall at last week’s event certainly bodes well for the year. Our next company to present was Danger Room Gaming and their Rapid Fire Trivia games.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Idealab Startup Mobile 94

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 26, 2013

Some aspiring entrepreneurs are so desperate for funding, or naïve, that they ignore the obvious signs of scams and rip-offs on the Internet, praying for a windfall. But people are still begging for more technology or laws, often to protect them from themselves. entrepreneur funding investors business' Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 80

Entrepreneur Technical Review Funding Email 80

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 22, 2014

My plea to entrepreneurs is to recognize these concerns as an opportunity, to make people’s life better, rather than stoke the fires. Market your solution and user benefits, not the mysterious technology behind it. business entrepreneur identify theft opportunity privacy startup' Why is everyone so paranoid these days?

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup Social Network 100

socalTECH

MARCH 1, 2017

Next week is the Montgomery Summit (www.montgomerysummit.com), one of the longest running technology conferences held in Los Angeles. Jamie Montgomery: We have companies from 56 cities and 22 states presenting, as well as a few from countries like England and France, investors from China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and India.

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Conference Silver Lake Cornerstone OnDemand 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 21, 2023

Or they get sidetracked by a technical glitch due to poor preparation. Equally bad is a full tutorial on your new disruptive technology. Investors are more interested in your solution and your business, rather than your technology. Some entrepreneurs seem to think that their product pitch is also their investor pitch.

Slides 147

Slides Funding Technical Review Startup 147