Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 15, 2013

Here is my edited summary of their ten principles, which I like and may convince you that you don’t need a business plan at all, or at the very least will help you write a better one later: A new venture is a means, not an end. Carry out reality checks and make appropriate plans. The only reliable test is a real one.

Writing 102

Writing Startup Entrepreneur Capital 102

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 23, 2020

The LIHEAP money is critical for the over 12 million Americans who have recently lost their job, the consortium argues and could also help finance the Department of Energy’s Weatherization program. “Startups and small businesses are the engine of every local and regional economy,” writes Peterson.

Southern California 261

Southern California Los Angeles Rosemead Incubator 261

Xconomy

OCTOBER 11, 2016

There are a lot of factors involved in drug pricing that don’t enter my head when I’m seeing a patient. The three letters “PBM,” for example (pharmacy benefit manager), have never crossed my mind when I’m writing a prescription. Simplistic as this framework is, it goes a long way to describing how we should think about drug pricing.

Pricing 40

Pricing Framework Research Examples 40

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2021

Don’t forget business writing and communication. Most universities have formal incubator and business development organizations that focus on coaching, grant writing and technology licensing. Writing a business plan is the only way to determine if you even understand what your dream is all about. Get real experience early.

Entrepreneur 149

Entrepreneur Tips Writing Coach 149

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2020

In a bear market executives are paid to: consolidate the number of contracts and renegotiate prices. A seed deal hasn’t already been “priced up” to a range where a new investor might be concerned about the valuation relative to performance. Valuations may have changed and “price discovery” in private markets is harder to determine.

Venture Capital 263

Venture Capital Marketing Startup Writing 263

TechCrunch LA

JULY 19, 2022

The process for retailers and brands to liquidate excess inventory hasn’t changed very much, if at all, and while some retailers were able to build operational infrastructure to service the off-price channels, it continues to be a constant pain point. She went on to write, “Dee and Josh are the exact right team to tackle it.

Product 191

Product Funding Technical Review Equity 191

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2016

I answered in the same way I always do so I thought I’d just write it publicly. “I I think I’m better at the product stage of a business and helping with strategy, marketing, pricing, feature sets and so forth than I am at evaluating later-stage businesses based on financial results and business metrics and priced accordingly.

Invest 254

Invest Writing Pricing Metrics 254

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2014

For starters some funds are small and thus while they put $750k into your company to own 10% of your company they might not be able to write another $2 million if you then raise a $20 million round (10%). New investors sometimes want early investors to put in money to “prove” they have confidence in the new price.

Guide 336

Guide Venture Capital Startup Writing 336

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 12, 2015

Every organization willing to give you money is looking for specifics on what you will do with it and how it will help the grantor and expects answers to every detailed bureaucratic question. Grant providers may not require a seat on your board to help you make decisions, but your spending processes will be carefully monitored and audited.

Pricing 100

Pricing Equity Technical Review Research 100

Berkonomics

MAY 8, 2014

I am chairman of a company that, as I write this, is twelve years old and has not yet taken a dollar of outside investment. Grant writing takes skill and immense amounts of time. First, here’s a link to my recent TEDx talk, “Smiling at success; laughing at failure.”

Company 166

Company Companies Writing Education 166

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

I know I can’t be in every deal and I know that the easy part of being a VC is writing the first check in a deal. You have to decide how hard to help with downstream marketing for your deals. A little Groucho Marx always helps. If an accelerator is writing you they’re also writing 25 other VCs.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Invest Press Startup 374

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 7, 2013

Traveling has changed so much, especially with the help of a smartphone. With tens of thousands of apps available for helping you travel, costs can range from free to up to $9.99. Giving users every flight information and pricing details available. To help your kid be on good behavior, the Beep & Boop app is there to help.

Help 72

Help Google Activity Mobile 72

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

2 preamble issues having read the comments on TC today: 1: I know that the prices of startup companies is much great in Silicon Valley than in smaller towns / less tech focused areas in the US and the US prices higher than many foreign markets. You can be pissed off, but I don’t set prices. That’s stupid.

Startup 336

Startup Pricing Technical Review Marketing 336

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 10, 2023

Here is my edited summary of their ten principles, which I like and may convince you that you don’t need a business plan at all, or at the very least will help you write a better one later: A new venture is a means, not an end. Carry out reality checks and make appropriate plans. The only reliable test is a real one.

Startup 142

Startup Capital Resource Research 142

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2013

.” In the article I discussed the downside of raising capital at a too high of a price and referred people to a previous article I had written encouraging founders to raise “ At the Top end of Normal ” as opposed to stratospheric prices. In the comments section Siqi Chen wrote a great question. Startup Advice'

Pricing 302

Pricing Seed Funding Invest Venture Capital 302

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 16, 2017

Every tech or major news journal in the country is preparing to write their Snap, Inc (creators of Snapchat, Spectacles, etc) stories and many of them seem to want a “How does it feel to have missed this investment story.” Of course that was a wrong narrative for both companies. Mostly kidding.

Snapchat 214

Snapchat Invest Technical Review Dollar Shave Club 214

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 8, 2011

Writing a book is very different from writing a blog. One, I wanted to know what it was like to write a book. One of the most helpful aspects of Venture Deals is that it dissects the typical venture term sheet, provision by provision, and highlights which relate to (i) economics, (ii) control, and (iii) other.

Venture Capital 224

Venture Capital Writing Entrepreneur Blogging 224

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

What price? Before I tell you the reasons I’m concerned about investment banking intros, I should start by saying I think bankers are enormously helpful for entrepreneurs in raising money. The only way for a company to be overvalued is if there’s someone willing to pay that price. What kind of deals should I be doing?

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Startup Pricing Invest 347

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

It should help some entrepreneurs to better access early-stage capital and should allow some angel investors better access to deal flow. Social proof can be helpful. AngelList Syndicate leads don’t take any fees on the investment, which should help with returns. They will have to negotiate price and terms.

Venture Capital 356

Venture Capital Invest Course Technical Review 356

Berkonomics

JUNE 29, 2017

Their investment should be structured with the help of a good attorney who understands the mutual goal of maximum leverage of funds with minimum interference in your business decisions. The rest of us were shocked and disappointed that after weeks of work and a fair price, we were left with nothing but to follow his lead and disengage.

Invest 243

Invest Entrepreneur Sales Startup 243

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

What price? Before I tell you my reasons for never doing a deal that a banker intro’d I have to preface by where I think bankers are enormously helpful on VC deals. The only way for a company to be overvalued is if there’s someone willing to pay that price. What kind of deals should I be doing? What stage?

Startup 361

Startup Venture Capital Pricing Technical Review 361

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 22, 2018

As BCG writes in its report: The good news for SoCal and any region with tech ambitions is that the Bay Area has in some ways been too successful. In fact, as is well-reported, the luster of Silicon Valley is fading.

Southern California 224

Southern California Dollar Shave Club SoCal Develop 224

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2021

The issue in these cases was usually not the technology per se, but the bigger business picture of marketable prices, ease of use, and support infrastructures. You don’t really understand a new idea, until you try to write it down and succinctly communicate it to peers and critics. Network in the industry as well as outside.

Mentor 139

Mentor Entrepreneur Ideas Networking 139

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2020

His challenge is to focus on one market, with a specific design, cost, and price. I have found that the process of writing down your idea, with a plan for implementation, and reviewing that plan with a business advisor, will force you to learn and acknowledge the real requirements for implementation.

Ideas 126

Ideas Writing Examples Outsource 126

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2022

If you can explain the problem to a mentor, or even write it down, you will more likely get to the root cause quickly, and avoid emotional and blame-infused responses. Whether you are charting new territory for pricing models or technology, there is rarely a perfect solution. Explore solutions, outcomes, and options calmly.

Startup 135

Startup Mentor Entrepreneur Technical Review 135

InfoChachkie

MAY 26, 2011

I was inspired to write this entry after reading Scott Dinsmore’s 11 Quick Actions article. Write about it. Help someone. Put a price on it. I appreciate students who seek help, but those who wait until two weeks before graduation make it difficult for me to give them a strong recommendation. Make it fun.

Entrepreneur 211

Entrepreneur Santa Barbara Startup Writing 211

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2021

Yet there are big challenges to hyperlocal, at least for consumer-focused hyperlocal startups, according to Sean Barkulis, Founder of UPlanMe, whose initial consumer-focused business model was an early casualty, writing in Street Fight : Every site requires real curated local content to engage users. Look for new ways to sell.

Startup 144

Startup Sites Content Sales 144

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 2, 2010

Some objections are real and they end up becoming changes to your product, your service plan or your pricing / bundling. As a founder, when you’ve been dealing with these kinds of objections for a couple of years it becomes natural and you easily handle objections on price, product & competition without much thought.

Sales 289

Sales Startup Training Pricing 289

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 14, 2012

…” I’ll write soon on my views of why I believe Instagram took off as a social network and what I think comes next. Did raising money at a $500 million valuation help secure the $1 billion deal? Raising a large round at whatever price will almost certainly take many potential buyers off the table.

Venture Capital 316

Venture Capital Pricing Social Network Acquisition 316

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 2, 2011

I’m sitting at my computer now at 9.00pm writing this – which is an hour earlier than I normally write (there are about 8 women at my kitchen table having a book club (aka excuse to drink wine & gossip so I’m locked in another room writing. Should entrepreneurs have convertible debt or priced equity?

Email 287

Email Blogging Venture Capital Writing 287

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 17, 2020

Here is my edited summary of their ten principles, which I like and may convince you that you don’t need a business plan at all, or at the very least will help you write a better one later: A new venture is a means, not an end. Carry out reality checks and make appropriate plans. The only reliable test is a real one.

Startup 143

Startup Capital Resource Research 143

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

I’ve started writing up some of those sales & marketing lessons and I plan to continue to build that section out over time. They like a solid product, well defined pricing, good references to sell against, a clear quota and well defined competitors. there is a nascent industry to try and help you with this, too.

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Customer 316

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 28, 2018

Don’t forget business writing and communication. Most universities have formal incubator and business development organizations that focus on coaching, grant writing and technology licensing. Writing a business plan is the only way to determine if you even understand what your dream is all about. Get real experience early.

Startup 97

Startup Writing Coach Incubator 97

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 31, 2021

The sweeping infrastructure package put forward today by President Joe Biden comes with a price tag of roughly $2 trillion (and hefty tax hikes) but gives startups and the broader tech industry about $1 trillion worth of reasons to support it. ” Climate resiliency . Given the steady drumbeat of climate disasters that hit the U.S.

Startup 229

Startup Technical Review Invest Research 229

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 25, 2011

Yesterday I saw a Tweet from Chris Sacca fly by that prompted me to want to write a blog post helping entrepreneurs understand why they should push back against VCs asking for “super pro-rata” rights. So you’re stuck with an internal financing and no leverage to drive a fair price for yourself.

Entrepreneur 310

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Writing Invest 310

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2017

And of course we help with business development introductions and with fund raising events. Sometimes it comes because investors believe the company needs more experienced leadership to run the company or more often to help run the company. I will work evenings or weekends to help a founder in need. What prompted this post?

Startup 217

Startup Technical Review Equity Report 217

socalTECH

DECEMBER 4, 2012

Los Angeles-based Ebyline , the online marketplace which connects publishers with freelance journalists, has rolled out a new offering today, which it says can help publishers produce their own, custom news feeds. Pricing on the new product was not disclosed.

Services 147

Services News Hollywood Entertainment 147