Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

In my experience, even in startups, longer-term strategy often gets pushed off the agenda due to current challenges. Overtly connect every operational problem to your strategy, rather than putting strategy on a different plane and making it only an annual event. Don’t make growth a big-bang event.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

socalTECH

JANUARY 2, 2019

During the holiday season, our tradition over the last few years has been to post reflections on the past year and some predictions from Southern California's technology industry. One company that we have mentored, invested in and serve on the board of, is in lending and has hit a very exciting tipping point.

Capital 113

Capital Southern California Technical Review SaaS 113

Tech.Co

MARCH 8, 2018

Fortunately, for those headed to SXSW, Startup Night SXSW 2018 , presented by the Kauffman Foundation and TechCo, will be filled with investors from a multitude of industries who are looking to discover and fund startups building the latest solutions and tech innovations. Lisha Bell, Deal Flow Lead for Pipeline Angels.

Technical Review 70

Technical Review Startup Software Review Entrepreneur 70

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 18, 2010

Applications are due April 6th, 2010, the form is on the website and the Twitter address is @launchpadlad. Encourage the most successful LA tech entrepreneurs who had previously started companies to get involved as mentors, instructors or just informal advisors. We will be selecting 10 startup companies to participate.

Technical Review 259

Technical Review Venture Capital Southern California Tech Coast Angels 259

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2020

In my role as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that most have the technical challenges well understood, but many are a bit short on some basic street smarts , or basic business realities. Planning for the future must be a regular activity, not just an early-stage or once-a-year event. Survival requires regular updates.

Entrepreneur 173

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Technical Review 173

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

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2020

The core of the investing job of course is investing dollars into startup companies and helping as a mentor, advisor and board member on the companies in which you’ve invested. Marketing, recruiting, building data products & tools, event management, analyzing the portfolio, etc. So What Does All This Mean? Wait, What About Yves?

Venture Capital 361

Venture Capital Startup Invest CitySearch 361

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). Event Details.

CalTech 100

CalTech Technical Review Company Companies 100

socalTECH

AUGUST 28, 2017

Looking for someone who can put together that perfect wedding or corporate event? PartySlate (www.partyslate.com)--which is backed by a slate of LA area investors--offers up a place to browse photos on events, find venues, and most importantly, planners who put those events on, so your next big event can be an unforgettable one.

Technical Advisors 100

Technical Advisors Technical Review Metrics Startup 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 1, 2022

In my role as a mentor, I challenge every business leader to be more open-minded as they face the challenges of change and new competitors entering their space. Technology, competitors, and customers are changing every day, so the “ tried and trusted ” ways you do things need to be reviewed and updated regularly.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Customer Custom Social Media 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2023

Inside the organization, it also pays to offer some of your time for coaching and mentoring to less experienced team members, as an entrée to a supportive relationship. I have seen too many careers and businesses fail due to projects that went off the rails. Hone your project management skills above all others.

Startup 121

Startup Satisfaction Technical Review Ideas 121

Tech.Co

MAY 25, 2018

If you’re an early-stage entrepreneur, technology has served you well. In 2006, a passion to help startups grew into Tech Cocktail , a company whose mission was to showcased burgeoning companies in bars around the country. The Foundation was created in 1997 by tech pioneers, Jean and Steve Case.

Startup 140

Startup Technical Review Competition Software Review 140

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2015

That’s why they insist on spending a day with your team as part of the due diligence process. 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. Sponsor internal events to build team synergy.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Training 102

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

Based on my recent experience as an angel investor, and advisor to new business owners, I now recommend that all entrepreneurs, especially introverts, learn and practice the discipline they need to build and nurture relationships with key constituents through the following activities: Formalize a mentoring relationship with someone you trust.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Mentor Activity Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 16, 2018

As the rate of change continues to increase in business and technology, the more I’m convinced that marketing is the primary key to success for a new venture. Yet I find that many technical founders don’t feel they need it at all, or at best point to one person on the team who is marketing.

Marketing 71

Marketing Tips Technical Review Social Media 71

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2010

chapter of the Media, Entertainment and Technology Alliance (METal) and the voice of KenRadio's World Technology Roundup on CBS Radio, Rutkowski has recruited a roster of mentors to coach entrepreneurs who enroll in the institute's programs in LA. What role do the mentors play? The mentors at the L.A.

Mentor 185

Mentor Class Entertainment Technical Review 185

socalTECH

APRIL 12, 2013

To be fair (and as other accelerators in town are eager to point out), Launchpad LA has had a head start, with a number of companies which joined the accelerator before it was an accelerator, and was a mentoring group for a mix of both funded and non-funded companies. which had thirteen funding events in the time period.

Southern California 222

Southern California Incubator Report Startup 222

Tech.Co

JANUARY 10, 2018

In the Harvard Business Review Female Economy 2009 report, women purchasing power was predicted to control about $28 trillion in annual global consumer spending, if not more. Rose has purposefully targeted her customers by holding local events focused on women’s health. Final Thoughts.

Tips 71

Tips Customer Custom Dollar Shave Club 71

InfoChachkie

APRIL 25, 2011

The short version of my review is: “Enchanting? Ask For Mentoring. Field Manual – Enchantment is a practical how-to book that entrepreneurs can repeatedly refer to when tackling specific issues, such as; “How To Overcome Resistance”, “How To Use Push Technology” or, “How To Enchant Your Employees.”. Underpromise, Overdeliver.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Blogging Class Entrepreneur 279

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 29, 2011

This concentration is partly due to natural causes – successful startups spawn other successful startups. If the tech community believes that a certain area is the epicenter of a particular industry, motivated entrepreneurs will start their ventures in such locations, thus reinforcing the geography’s perceived advantageousness.

Venture Capital 233

Venture Capital Capital Funding Technical Review 233

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 7, 2013

We have three main components: education, mentoring, and practice. In mentoring, we match experienced angel investors with, what I like to call them, “angels-in-training” so they can share the lessons learned. At the end of the Pitch Summit, our concept is to teach them diligence and how to invest in one company as a group.

Mentor 84

Mentor Invest Entrepreneur Startup 84

socalTECH

APRIL 10, 2012

One of the most original, subscription startups to come out of Southern California's tech accelerator boom emerged last week, looking to disrupt not just another retail sector or e-commerce category, but something else entirely: the airline industry. Tickets are for concerts, ballgames, and events, but you don't use it for going to a gym.

Startup 240

Startup Mentor Technical Review Santa Barbara 240

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. Reviewing financial & operational performance. Planning and dealing with extra-ordinary events: M&A, fund raising, crises. Mentorship.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 2, 2011

The ambitiously competitive teams were as follows: The Brownies, with Epic Tunes, an app aimed at live concert goers, to provide information, show reviews, and access to ticket purchases. Tech Nerds, with Tab Attack, a game-based learning system to help teenagers play drums & guitar with the use of tablatures.

Technical Review 82

Technical Review Entrepreneur Software Review USC 82

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 8, 2013

There is a mentor program that accompanies the class. You’ll learn how to pitch to potential customers and investors, and we will prepare you to interview at least 50 prospective customers over the 5 weeks in a collaborative environment through workshops, presentations and peer reviews.

Class 98

Class Mentor Startup UCLA 98

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 23, 2014

I reviewed an email from Kara Nortman, the CEO of Moonfrye who is working on putting together venture debt. I then traded emails with two former senior tech professionals in LA. Let’s say your a junior developer, marketer, product manager, biz dev person at a startup or well-established technology company. Ask Sparingly.

Networking 366

Networking Startup CTO Coach Email 366

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 22, 2011

After 10 minutes I felt like we were old buddies because we had both been through the trenches of startup tech land and had had similar experiences. He has built an amazing facility, has established a design-centric credo, has assembled great mentors and certainly gets access to great talent.

Startup 418

Startup Yahoo Ideas Technical Review 418

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 2, 2011

They could chat about it with their peers or mentors. I get many requests from recent graduates asking if I’d meet for a coffee or be a mentor. I sometimes have 7 meetings in one day and an evening event that night. By having 5 or 6 blog posts with different points of view they could draw more inferences.

Email 287

Email Blogging Venture Capital Writing 287

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 8, 2011

I’m an event planner turned lawyer turned entrepreneur. Back in college, I started throwing large events for charities and such. Soon after launching, we started doing crazy monthly singles events and match making and I began to realize that what I had enjoyed as a hobby could now be a full business.

Startup 75

Startup Technical Review Blogging Demand 75

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 18, 2015

There’s too much PR and too many tech blogs and too many newsletters and aggregators and Twitter summarizers to even try to catch everything that’s going on and equally there’s so much noise that it becomes harder to be heard. We always look like it’s only fun in our Instagram photos, don’t we? Year in, year out.

Software Review 150

Software Review Startup Venture Capital Invest 150

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 26, 2012

The startup has come up with an app now fully integrated with the giant social network and can be used to comment ,like, tag, browse through events, statuses, comments or swipe through videos as you rank them relevant or unwanted without leaving Facebook. Any mentors or VC’s? Even e commerce is becoming social. Of course not.

Social Network 89

Social Network Startup CTO Coach Social Media 89

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

Due to the language and culture issues in Europe we opted for a country structure with an MD in each country and local sales, marketing & customers support staff. As virtually anybody in our company will tell you I was the last person to leave almost all of these events.

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Startup Sales Customer 319

Frank Addante

MAY 12, 2007

► 2009 (3) ► May (1) A Tour of the Rubicon Project Headquarters ► April (1) "Pay it Forward" Event for Students & Aspiring Ent. the Rubicon Project (Internet Advertising Technology) Status: Pre-Launch Visit the Rubicon Project Website Startup 5.0: Visit StrongMail Website Startup 4.0: Zondigo, Inc.

Outsource Development 40

Outsource Development Outsource Software Review Startup 40

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 3, 2015

We had just gotten over the dot com crash and return to normalcy where nobody seemed to give a s**t about tech companies any more. My long-time mentor – Yves Sisteron – brought me on board and was gracious enough to give me the space to build out my own personal brand without overshadowing his amazing accomplishments.

SaaS 150

SaaS Venture Capital Conference Technical Review 150