Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2013

I’ve always wondered if there was some way that I could quickly deduce a new entrepreneur’s “sweet spot,” and optimize my mentoring to those strengths and weaknesses, maybe similar to the Myers-Briggs type indicator for business professionals. Ultimately, most get the best help from business advisors and mentors.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Mentor Framework Web 96

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2011

One of the great joys of doing the web series This Week in VC every week is that I get to spend time with great people debating the issues of our day including how our industry is evolving as well as insights into how companies got started, got their initial traction and dealt with adversities. Oh, yeah. Positive feedback feeds the idea.

Startup 286

Startup Venture Capital Web Ideas 286

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

I acted as the occasional mentor, advisor and coach to Ethan. We generally have a policy to only fund entrepreneurs once the first version of a product has shipped or it near to shipping. So I asked Ethan to build his product first and then we would fund. The company was called Red Beacon. We like to be able to see the concept.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

Tech.Co

MAY 25, 2018

Still though, when founders are seeking funding, “ 75 percent of the venture capital goes to three states: Massachusetts, New York, and California,” said Steve Case in an interview with Recode. Indiegogo is a platform for ground breaking technology and where you can find interesting products that haven’t hit the mainstream market.

Startup 140

Startup Technical Review Competition Software Review 140

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 8, 2014

Over the past 4 years LA’s tech fundings have growing at a 30% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) which is > 4 times the US average VC CAGR (7%). Both are massively funding other LA tech companies through what Fred Wilson once defined as “recycled capital.” In the last month alone (ie not captures in the $1.5

Entrepreneur 376

Entrepreneur Snapchat Startup Google 376

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Using his connections, he was able to raise funding from his family and other investors to co-found Appboy , a customer relationship management platform for mobile app developers and marketers. Do you have any mentors that have been an integral part of your success? Spend time with family, get out, music, play hockey.

Startup 82

Startup Mobile Platform Ideas 82

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

SocialEngine is a white-label, community platform. That's funding our new product, FanMix, which is a a social media tool. 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. We have a licensing business with that.

Startup 242

Startup CTO Coach Blogging Social Media 242

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 30, 2012

Mobile Web America, Inc. Leftronic is a real-time data visualization platform for startups. Start Engine offers a team of mentors who have proven themselves as successful entrepreneurs – not professional investors – ensuring that its startups are guided by the right people for the right reasons. Co-Host & Venue Sponsor.

CalTech 91

CalTech Company Companies Idealab 91

Xconomy

OCTOBER 30, 2016

Alex Roudi, the San Diego investor backing the Plug and Play program here, has described the local effort as a bridge to Silicon Valley, by enabling the San Diego companies to make connections and raise funding in the Bay Area. billion under management. Cohen described Downtown Works as a “hyper-connector.”. Downtown Works Interior.

San Diego 40

San Diego Incubator Avalon Mentor 40

From the Venture Trenches

APRIL 30, 2013

Amplify Mentor Panel in full swing. Amplify’s close mentoring is by design. Like good mentors Paul, Jeff, Richard, Oded and David as well as Chris and Kris create an atmosphere in which the motivated founders can take advantage of the knowledge base to which they are exposed. Unwinding at an Amplify party.

Web Design 40

Web Design Social Media Seed Funding Design 40

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 13, 2012

People can now add notes to the board – using Twitter, SMS, Rich web, WAP, Android and Java supported devices. So imagine you are a Radio Station- now for the first time you can create and sustain a community conversation on your website – which will increase your traffic on your website and provide a very innovative platform for your users.

Advertising 91

Advertising Media News Content 91

SoCal CTO

AUGUST 3, 2010

Welcome to the Lost Decade (for Entrepreneurs, IPO’s and VC’s) - Steve Blank , July 15, 2010 If you take funding from a venture capital firm or angel investor and want to build a large, enduring company (rather than sell it to the highest bidder), this isn’t the decade to do it. They ignore/disrespect the platform. What do you think?

Startup 217

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Software Review 217

socalTECH

OCTOBER 14, 2019

Michele Ruiz: Robin Richards and I formed the company, after he approached me, after having been a business mentor for me for fifteen years. The key to the LA tech scene is finding people who really understand content, and funding pepole in content who understand technology, and getting together. How did the three of you connect?

Content 150

Content Training Education Outsource Development 150

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 20, 2011

Earbits is an online radio platform where artists, labels and concert promoters bid for airtime on a per-song-played basis, and use the exposure to sell their music, event tickets and more. It’s the first performance-based marketing platform specifically designed for the music industry. mt) Media Temple, Inc.

UCLA 102

UCLA Company Companies Idealab 102

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 28, 2011

Please join us in congratulating this quarter’s Spotlight companies: Earbits is an online radio platform where artists, labels and concert promoters bid for airtime on a per-song-played basis, and use the exposure to sell their music, event tickets and more. Tech Coast Angels is actively seeking great startups to fund.

Idealab 77

Idealab Tech Coast Angels Startup Platform 77

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 18, 2013

The 3-6 month program had several hundred applications from all over the country and abroad vying for the chance of $21,000 in initial funding, office space, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities with other startups. The YouTube platform helps influencers build a massive audience but makes monetization challenging.

Class 100

Class Startup Tech Coast Angels CTO Coach 100

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 18, 2013

Think about how many images are on the web. Photos that are prime real estate and have never been monetized before, until one very ambitious Silicon Beach startup, GumGum , recognized the opportunity and created the first and largest in-image advertising platform, and an entirely new market. Millions, billions, trillions?

Advertising 98

Advertising Santa Monica Startup Content 98

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 26, 2011

Tech Coast Angels is actively seeking great startups to fund. Providing more than just money, TCA brings connections, knowledge, mentoring and operational assistance to bold early-stage entrepreneurs with game-changing ideas. is a web hosting and virtualization service provider headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

Tech Coast Angels 80

Tech Coast Angels Southern California Los Angeles Santa Monica 80

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 28, 2011

Please join us in congratulating this quarter’s Spotlight companies: Earbits is an online radio platform where artists, labels and concert promoters bid for airtime on a per-song-played basis, and use the exposure to sell their music, event tickets and more. Tech Coast Angels is actively seeking great startups to fund.

Idealab 49

Idealab Tech Coast Angels Startup Platform 49

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 8, 2011

IPPLEX researches and develops pioneering cross-platform applications and services focused on interactive communication – between people and the information, contacts and places they need to access through their mobile phone, PC, and other devices. Tech Coast Angels is actively seeking great startups to fund. mt) Media Temple, Inc.

CalTech 100

CalTech Technical Review Company Companies 100

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 17, 2011

a perks platform for small medium businesses. After the acquisition, MyMiniLife became the common technology platform at Zynga and powers 150M monthly users including games like Cityville, Farmville, and Frontierville. Tech Coast Angels is actively seeking great startups to fund. sold to Zynga Game Networks, Inc.).

Tech Coast Angels 100

Tech Coast Angels Idealab Angel Design 100

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

A serial Internet entrepreneur, Mike has founded and sold numerous businesses, including agency PBJ Digital, application platform Userplane, which he led from startup to its acquisition by AOL, Tsavo Media and Myspace. Tech Coast Angels is actively seeking great startups to fund. mt) Media Temple, Inc.

Tsavo 76

Tsavo Idealab Tech Coast Angels Userplane 76

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

A serial Internet entrepreneur, Mike has founded and sold numerous businesses, including agency PBJ Digital, application platform Userplane, which he led from startup to its acquisition by AOL, Tsavo Media and Myspace. Tech Coast Angels is actively seeking great startups to fund. mt) Media Temple, Inc.

Tech Coast Angels 96

Tech Coast Angels Idealab Angel Startup 96

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 26, 2010

Most often at the earliest point in the life of a startup, the dominant need is certainly to produce product to get something in the market, get funding, etc. What existing systems will we leverage, what programming languages, software development methodologies, web application frameworks, revision control systems, etc.? Accounting?

Fractional CTO 225

Fractional CTO CTO CTO Hire CTO Coach 225

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 20, 2012

Start Engine offers a team of mentors who have proven themselves as successful entrepreneurs – not professional investors – ensuring that its startups are guided by the right people for the right reasons. We leverage our network in the Los Angeles community to provide members with access to potential employees, mentors and investors.

Idealab 84

Idealab Tech Coast Angels CalTech Startup 84

SoCal Delicious

AUGUST 23, 2010

Demand Media is an online media company operating two strategically-linked businesses: an integrated content and social media platform, and registrar solutions. The CitizenNet platform helps you measure, analyze, and automate social media marketing and engagement. Why should a startup thinking about moving to a new place choose LA?

Guide 42

Guide Startup Mahalo GRP Partners 42

SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 10, 2009

We are creating a platform that enables users to play instant games and apps directly on the computer desktop. Fascinating that you are going against the trend of trying to make everything a web application. What are you working on now? I know you are still in stealth, but what can you tell us.

Product 150

Product Entrepreneur Social Media Google 150