Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 5, 2010

Being tenacious without the mental flexibility to pivot based on market feedback is a disaster. But when I’m looking to write my check I need to look in the eyes of the captain — the maestro who brings the whole orchestra together. He and his partner told me about this new idea over the course of nearly a year. It was May.

Entrepreneur 293

Entrepreneur Startup Venture Capital CTO Hire 293

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 2, 2010

I’m writing this series because if you better understand how VC firms work you can better target which firms make sense for you to speak with. I’m writing this post to explain to entrepreneurs what you should be thinking about in terms of the VC’s you approach and the size and stage of their funds.

Venture Capital 269

Venture Capital Funding Invest GRP Partners 269

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2011

They have seen one side of a market where many of us have seen the ebb and flow multiple times. Still, market amnesia by ordinarily rational actors always surprises me. I will write more about this in the next 2 weeks. I believe a bubble occurs when a market is willing to pay greater than intrinsic value for an asset class.

Pricing 309

Pricing Marketing Startup Venture Capital 309

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 29, 2009

My firm GRP Partners recently funded a young LA based company named Ad.Ly so compelling (other than the fact that the CEO Sean Rad is a great young technology leader and his advisers – Brian Norgard , Dan Gould and Evan Rifkin - are some of the guys I respect most in the LA tech market.). 30% is the market opportunity.

Ideas 286

Ideas Advertising Google Technical Review 286

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

He writes with a great perspective and is well worth reading. I just completed an exercise where I went out to hire a new associate for my VC firm, GRP Partners. You’d get a lot more experience from reading about marketing online or in books and then testing out the concepts for yourself.

Startup 337

Startup Venture Capital Study Course 337

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 27, 2011

But should you actually write one if you’re a startup, an industry figure (lawyer, banker) or VC? This is a post to help you figure out why you should write and what you should talk about. I know that I have not yet earned these kudos based on investment returns (although my partners have. Absofuckinglutely. accessibility.

Blogging 373

Blogging Startup Writing Venture Capital 373

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2010

I’m very pleased today to announce that I invested, on behalf of GRP Partners, in Burstly alongside Rincon Venture Partners , an early stage VC in Southern California whith whom we love to work (and were our co-investors on RingRevenue ). I’ll explain in detail below. Yeah, that’s me.

Mobile 282

Mobile Invest Company Companies 282

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 29, 2011

This will continue while we’re in a tech bull market and I predict will wane when we’re not. I would put my firm, GRP Partners in with the group working with teams in different ways. I believe some VCs have entered the early-stage market as simply an option on future financing rounds. There are also others.

Venture Capital 296

Venture Capital Capital Software Startup 296

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2011

I’m still planning to write some in depth pieces on the topic but I thought, “given that this is about how video will consume the Internet over the next 5 years, what better way to exemplify this than with a 10-minute video.” And where GRP Partners , the VC firm in which I’m a partner, is based.

GRP Partners 371

GRP Partners Content Technical Review Press 371

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

awards dinner on Thursday night I started reflected on what it would take to “change the trajectory&# for Seattle or for any regional market, really. Who’s going to help you with improving your marketing / positioning to become a clear platform category leader like Twilio? Marketing Muscle. No Dave S. =

Venture Capital 317

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Press 317

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

If you are talented, of course, you can get funded in any region with enough venture capital and obviously in markets outside of the Valley it is easier to get noticed and get access. That’s convenience when your VC is hoping to write the next $20 million check. In our regions? Fuggetaboutit – show me the money !

Venture Capital 313

Venture Capital Southern California Google Startup 313

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 1, 2010

I’m not talk about the age old debate amongst investors whether you back entrepreneurs, markets or products (or as people like to hedge – product / market fit). I’m on the record as saying I’m 70% management, 30% market. GRP Partners had also funded my first company. I’m unequivocal on that topic.

Entrepreneur 321

Entrepreneur GRP Partners Venture Capital Invest 321

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 10, 2011

Today I’m announcing that GRP Partners is doubling down on the Twitter ecosystem by investing in DataSift , a company who provides a real-time data platform and tools to third-party developers and corporations. Real-time information drives decisions about marketing spend on movie releases. Real-time information drives commerce.

Platform 307

Platform News Startup Invest 307