Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 21, 2010

One of the investment themes I’ve been focused on in the past 3 years has been Performance-Based Marketing. When I started investing the US advertising market was $300 billion with only 10% of it ($30 billion) of it being online and measurable. I believe that many social networks confused this idea. Thus, we click!

Advertising 284

Advertising Invest RSS CPC 284

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

Either of these qualms can ultimately sidetrack your startup as not worthy of investment, so it pays to do your homework on what you say and how to communicate effectively. Investors are looking for a concise description of your product or service without technical jargon or fuzzy marketing terms with value quantified in customer terms.

Invest 108

Invest Startup Slides Equity 108

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2011

I invested in LA-based Gogii , one of the fastest growing, most exciting mobile social networking companies you’ve never heard of and maker of a product called textPlus. I only recently invested and I only got here through persistence. The opportunity came up to invest in this one and I pounced. More on that later.

Gogii 310

Gogii Invest Blogging Startup 310

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

Traction is evidence that your product or service has started that “hockey- stick” adoption rate which implies a large market, a valid business model, and sustainable growth. Free and freemium products need a solid base. Market penetration. Market penetration. First of all, a definition. Customer acquisition cost.

Startup 121

Startup Metrics Customer Custom 121

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

If there are conflicts within the team, or differing views of the strategy, or evidence of missing processes and tools, the investment process will likely be terminated. Make yourself available to answer any questions, show your enthusiasm, and explain both the positives and negatives of the external investment process.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 118

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 24, 2022

As a business consultant and angel investor, I often ask for your own assessment of marketing ROI , or customer acquisition cost (CAC). Are you making the proper investment, and is it paying off? I paraphrase here the key challenges he identifies, adding my own insights: Marketing ROI requires cross-enterprise information.

Customer 100

Customer Custom Acquisition Technical Review 100

InfoChachkie

JULY 14, 2011

Value Prop Twitter Style : “Ringrevenue’s call performance marketing platform enables ad networks, agencies, advertisers & publishers to generate more inbound sales calls.”. In today’s market, so much focus is placed on transacting business online. 10) Rob, why does the world need RingRevenue? . “In

Marketing 209

Marketing Advertising Paid Search Startup 209

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

Sometimes that’s venture capital generally (like last year’s conversation with Reid Hoffman ) and sometimes it’s in a space where I’ve invested (like mobility and city innovation with Bird’s Travis VanderZanden , one of our portfolio founders.) And so it is with video. Quibi = “quick bites”).

Content 244

Content Netflix Platform Mobile 244

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2021

If there are conflicts within the team, or differing views of the strategy, or evidence of missing processes and tools, the investment process will likely be terminated. Make yourself available to answer any questions, show your enthusiasm, and explain both the positives and negatives of the external investment process.

Technical Review 151

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 151

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 13, 2022

In school, you're taught to stretch weak ideas to reach your document page limit. The challenge is to communicate your idea in one page, and close the deal quickly. Throughout a career lifetime, just think of the return on that investment. Maximizing Business Productivity. The business world expects exactly the opposite.

Class 140

Class Course Email Social Network 140

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2015

In the last few years, Southern California has been a key market in launching mobile applications and services, due to a huge, mobile-savvy consumer population. San Diego is a great market for us, because it has strong smartphone usage, and a great, mixed demographic. We operate our site differently, here and in other markets.

San Diego 100

San Diego Mobile Marketing Sites 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 3, 2010

Probably every one of you who has a business and a website have been approached through email or personal contact, and asked to spend money on Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Search engine marketing is simply buying advertising for your business from Google or another search engine company. Cost per click (CPC).

SEM 90

SEM Marketing Startup Search Engine Optimization 90

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 10, 2022

By most definitions of the term, an entrepreneur is someone who starts a new business, incorporating innovative changes to existing products, services, business models, and creating new markets. Yet very few achieve that great aspiration of really driving economic, social, and environmental changes on a global scale.

Examples 131

Examples Entrepreneur Technology Resource 131

socalTECH

AUGUST 10, 2012

If you head up marketing for an Internet company, you're undoubtedly used to having to work--or fight--with your IT department to help maintain your web site and manage all of the changes you need done. funding round for tag management, helping marketing departments with that effort. First off, what is tag management?

Startup 171

Startup Marketing Customer Custom 171

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

This was certainly the case when I invested in a small YouTube video production company called Maker Studios that recently sold to Disney for just shy of $1 billion. But if it’s a very obvious deal to a group of strong-minded & cynical investment professionals you probably need to think a bit harder as to why.

Funding 362

Funding Technical Review Ideas Startup 362

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2020

In that critical first minute, no one needs to hear that you have a passionate dream of changing the world, introducing new disruptive technology, or a product with more features than competitors. Lead with your best marketing pitch and conviction. What they want to hear is quantified value to them.

Sample 127

Sample Summary Startup Slides 127

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2016

They thought it was like MySpace and why did I need a MySpace page? In 2015 I opened up my Facebook page to the public. Here’s the thing: If you never try new product and new networks you’ll never learn anything. But how can you invest in technology unless you’re going to use the tools and understand them?

Snapchat 150

Snapchat Product Startup AMA 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2021

As a simple example, the Wal-Mart website now shows shoppers more products that they may like, based on previous purchases. The Wal-Mart home page is customized for each shopper based on location, local weather, and the customer search and purchase history. Algorithms and data are required to compete.

Competition 142

Competition Software Review Social Media Customer 142

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Build a prototype product. A conundrum for many frustrated entrepreneurs is that they need money from investors to design and build a prototype product, yet most angel investors expect to see at least a prototype before they invest. Prepare an investment-grade business plan. Close at least one initial customer.

Invest 99

Invest Angel Technical Review Summary 99

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2014

Sponsored by VISA Business If you have a unique product or service, and you are not selling it around the world on the Internet, now is the time to start. Anyone can be an entrepreneur today, without a huge investment, bank loans, lawyers, venture capitalists, or Angels. The cost of entry has never been lower.

Startup 100

Startup Commerce Sites Blogging 100

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

We raised this capital in what has increasingly become a difficult market for fund raising so I’d like to share with you some details on how we get it done. Fragmented markets can be a great target for disruption. And it’s easy to run circles around them as our product differentiation shows. Why is it so valuable?

Startup 150

Startup Pricing Marketing Product 150

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 2009

Ability to Pivot – I don’t like to invest in people that I’ve never met before who come through my office wanting to have a term sheet within 30 days. VCs often tell entrepreneurs that they want to see “traction&# before they’re ready to invest. I then covered Street Smarts. Not so much.

Entrepreneur 291

Entrepreneur Startup Google Yammer 291

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2022

The Critical 90 Days From Idea To Market ,” on the first steps that determine long-term success. It is better to risk less and be on the same page than to risk more and have your spouse worried and resentful day after day. Hedge your bets by starting several initiatives or products. Mix personal and business funds.

Startup 122

Startup Ideas Framework Entrepreneur 122

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2010

Things that make it investment-grade for outside investors will also benefit you, since you are the ultimate investor. Every plan must start with the problem you are solving, not a description of your company and product. Industry & market sizing. Avoid any statements like “All we have to do is get 1% of the market.”

Invest 74

Invest Tips Competition Metrics 74

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2015

Few investors these days have the time or patience to read a full business plan, so a better way to catch their eye is with a tightly written and well formatted two-page executive summary. Skip the fuzzy marketing terms, such as "easier to use," "lower cost" and "disruptive technology."

Summary 101

Summary Patents Technical Review Competition 101

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 18, 2010

Chartbeat is a relatively young company and product. I’m not a shareholder and I’m not even actively looking at making an investment. I’m only writing about the product because I’m passionate about it. Let’s start with what I like most about the product. Basically, it rocks!

Blogging 287

Blogging Google Screening Mahalo 287

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 30, 2011

In the IAB study that revealed the graph above, brand advertisers indicated that their number one objective in online advertising was “creating awareness&# followed by “creating purchase intent&# or “likelihood to recommend&# the product. We are investing heavily in these changes. It has for decades.

Advertising 352

Advertising Media Social Media Screening 352

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 5, 2014

When I think about the people in our generation I most respect: Elon Musk, Larry Page, Richard Branson – they are optimists to a fault. It was really gratifying to read Larry Page’s interview in the FT this past week. But “what is wrong with tech investing today?” When we ship product.

Technical Review 417

Technical Review Startup Software Review Course 417

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2015

Blogging is one of the best ways to do this and build a brand, even before you have a product or service. In this age of relationships, you, the entrepreneur, are a very important element of your new brand, and it’s never too early to start marketing the value of your expertise, insights and ideas. Let that ideal co-founder find you.

Blogging 110

Blogging Startup Search Engine Optimization Social Media 110

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

I love good causes and social entrepreneurs, but a recent pitch to me about eliminating world hunger with a new product (harvesting algae at low cost) seemed to forget that really hungry people don’t have any money. Prepare your marketing story for customers and investors. Make the product or service come alive.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 18, 2011

Anyone can be an entrepreneur today, without a huge investment, bank loans, venture capitalists, or Angels. Here are the key steps for a personal home-based business website selling a few products (as an alternative to Ebay): Go online to reserve a website domain name. Personalize a simple web site.

Commerce 99

Commerce Startup Sites Tool 99

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

In school, you're taught to stretch weak ideas to reach your document page limit. The challenge is to communicate your idea in one page, and close the deal quickly. Throughout a career lifetime, just think of the return on that investment. Maximizing Business Productivity. The business world expects exactly the opposite.

Course 96

Course Email Social Network Ideas 96

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 21, 2011

When I first got into VC I decided I better have some investment themes. That strikes me as an attractive market for disruption over time. They recommend up-sells and cross-sells of products. Purchasing high-value or complex products is still way more effective person-to-person. “People still want calls …&#.

Mobile 329

Mobile Advertising Media Marketing 329

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 10, 2013

Anyone can be an entrepreneur today, without a huge investment, bank loans, venture capitalists, or Angels. Here are the key steps for a personal home-based business website selling a few products (as an alternative to Ebay): Go online to reserve a website domain name. Personalize a simple web site.

Sites 78

Sites Commerce Startup Tool 78

Tech Coast Venture Network

MARCH 31, 2010

It is not that they lack a good product! Current owner investment. Marketing Plan. This can be a competent of your business plan or a separate document, but in either case it need only be a couple of pages long. It should discuss the different strategies you intent to utilize to market your product.

Sample 140

Sample Social Media Incubator Marketing 140

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Traction is evidence that your product or service has started that “hockey- stick” adoption rate which implies a large market, a valid business model, and sustainable growth. Free and freemium products need a solid base. Market penetration. Market penetration. First of all, a definition. Customer acquisition cost.

Startup 106

Startup Metrics Customer Custom 106

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

There was no viral social networking products back then like Twitter where people could easily discover your content. We started building the product 18 months ago so we are in better shape than 99% of start-ups. Page 1: Market Size. $3 I hadn’t thought about the fact that he would become aware of my link.

Venture Capital 274

Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274