Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2013

For much of 2013 I watched the press write articles about how the YouTube “MCNs” (multi-channel networks) were doomed and tried to square that with the data I was watching at the one I invested in, Maker Studios, who has had one hell of a year. I agree with YouTube (that they provide more (hosting, ad sales, etc.)

Networking 366

Networking Media Content Customer 366

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 17, 2019

At Upfront, our partners have been fortunate enough to be part of 18 companies that have reached north of $1 billion and the average tenure of an investment that exits at this scale is more than 10 years. We not only have our Series A funds that can write $500k?—?$15 15 million first checks but we also have three growth funds.

Venture Capital 223

Venture Capital IP Startup Google 223

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2020

On the product side, once you have a proven product and business model, all you need is money to build inventory, and a sales and marketing operation to drive the business. Even artisan-based services, like graphic design and writing good ad copy, have innovative processes and principles. Capture your “secret sauce.”

Startup 174

Startup Training Services Writing 174

InfoChachkie

JUNE 3, 2013

Along the way, they created a supportive community of emotionally attached stakeholders that would be the envy of any Social Media Manager. Consistent with the statistics cited in Why Entrepreneurs Hate (Most) MBAs , the large majority of John and Kyle''s classmates accepted positions at investment banks and consulting firms upon graduation.

Newsletter 233

Newsletter Startup Entrepreneur Writing 233

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

Professional investors and even customers invest in people, rather than just a product. Include marketing, sales, and customer rollout plans. Set specific targets on the sales channels and marketing initiatives you need, including the use of social media, brand building, franchising, trade shows, affiliates, and distributors.

Product 169

Product Summary Startup Examples 169

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2022

Those requests will always be rejected, since investors invest in people, rather than ideas, and want to look the top decision maker in the eye and gauge their ability and conviction. In her book, Jan devotes a whole chapter to speaking to the media, as a key aspect of public speaking.

Marketing 113

Marketing Entrepreneur Customer Custom 113

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2019

Equally important, if someone does find your site, your content must stand out above all similar sites, to keep visitors engaged, close a sale, and get customers to return. These days, customers want two-way relationships, and people who follow your writing will feel this bond. Hone your writing style for all communication.

Blogging 85

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Writing SEO 85

InfoChachkie

JUNE 3, 2013

Along the way, they created a supportive community of emotionally attached stakeholders that would be the envy of any Social Media Manager. Consistent with the statistics cited in Why Entrepreneurs Hate (Most) MBAs , the large majority of John and Kyle''s classmates accepted positions at investment banks and consulting firms upon graduation.

Newsletter 133

Newsletter Startup Entrepreneur Writing 133

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 16, 2011

After college Joanne worked for 4 years in retail apparel at Macy’s where she initially managed sales reps on the floor and then worked as a buyer of clothing. This is where she first developed sales skills. She doubled her salary by going into sales. to $12m in sales. “A lot of sales is innate.

Startup 311

Startup Sales Venture Capital Entrepreneur 311

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2014

I invest heavily in relationships with journalists both because I like them and respect their profession and I know that there is a benefit to me in the long run if I’m not transactional in my relationships. And you need somebody who is committed to keeping up your presence in blogs, social media and other online forums.

Press 319

Press Startup Writing Training 319

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 27, 2011

We all read them to get a sense of what is going on in the world, peeling back layers of the old world in which media was too scripted. 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.

Blogging 373

Blogging Startup Writing Venture Capital 373

socalTECH

JANUARY 18, 2011

We caught up with Julie Schoenfeld , the firm's CEO, to hear about how the firm's offerings have evolved, an interesting comparison of the firm's software to what Demand Media is doing, and what this new funding will go towards. It's some of the kinds of things Demand Media does, except, for the newsroom. Congrats on funding.

Marketing 232

Marketing Funding Content Writing 232

TechCrunch LA

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Next she took to Instagram, a new social media platform that quickly became the most effective tool in a blogger’s toolkit. We are in phase three of the influencer economy,” Bain Capital Ventures senior principal Jamison Hill, who led the firm’s investment in the influencer shoutout marketplace Cameo , tells TechCrunch.

Platform 170

Platform Marketing Tool Venture Capital 170

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 17, 2011

So I thought I’d write a post about how I drive my personal creativity. (A The key is channeling what you learn when you drive onto paper for retention purposes so you have to write it down soon afterward. When I write a blog post I often see the words before I write them. These are all creative processes.

Writing 356

Writing Startup Ideas Summary 356

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 14, 2014

If you follow the tech media you would be subject to a lot of narrative biases that are completely off base – and this includes the value of email and phone calls. All the data actually suggests with the growth of mobile, inbound sales calls will double from 30 billion to 60 billion in 3 years (source: Kelsey). PHONE CALLS.

Email 339

Email SaaS Venture Capital Google 339

InfoChachkie

JUNE 4, 2012

As an entrepreneur, I helped create companies which achieved two IPOs and two trade sales totaling $385 million. Fallacy: The sad reality is that PR Firms value their relationships with media and industry gatekeepers more than their relationship with any single client. Public relations at a startup is a sales process.

Entrepreneur 272

Entrepreneur Outsource Ideas Technical Review 272

socalTECH

AUGUST 27, 2014

We had worked at another organization together in online marketing, and learned every aspect of the business, from closing new deals, on-boarding new clients, to building media plans. We worked together for four years, and I ended up heading up media buying at that company, and he headed up sales.

Startup 239

Startup El Segundo Marketing Media 239

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

In my last post I pointed out that many of the media commentators who have criticized the YouTube video network companies as not having strong businesses were mistaken. People aren’t going to fundamentally change their media consumption patterns just as consumers don’t fundamentally change their diets.

Company 339

Company Companies Technical Review Content 339

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

1) Expect Independent Channel Sales Reps To Perform Missionary Sales. Rationale: I cannot afford to hire a direct sales force. Fallacy: Third-party, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) representatives succeed once the sales process is defined, proven and documented. 5) Allow Partners To Write Your Agreements.

Startup 242

Startup Outsource Development Outsource Sales 242

Xconomy

APRIL 23, 2018

Unit sales rose 279 percent from 2016 to 2017, according to the association. “We We have entered the era of voice ,” Jim Harris, a management consultant writes on the CTA’s website. The Consumer Technology Association estimates that nearly 44 million voice-enabled assistants will be sold this year in the United States.

Writing 66

Writing Sales Technology Social Media 66

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 19, 2010

I’m writing this post as part of my series with Advice on Raising Venture Capital but will file it under Sales Tips as well since it applies equally to both scenarios. This is true whether your at a sales meeting or at a VC firm. In our current portfolio 3 or his 4 investments are in the Fin Svcs space.

Venture Capital 318

Venture Capital Startup Sales Writing 318

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 12, 2010

Spark Capital is relatively new to VC (founded in 2005) yet has become one of the hottest new VCs having invested in Twitter, Tumblr, AdMeld, Boxee, KickApps and many more companies. We both felt that the critical reasoning skills and writing skills were critical to our career development. Our guest was Mo Koyfman of Spark Capital.

Venture Capital 217

Venture Capital Capital Metrics Competition 217

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

On the product side, once you have a proven product and business model, all you need is money to build inventory, and a sales and marketing operation to drive the business. Even artisan-based services, like graphic design and writing good ad copy, have innovative processes and principles. Capture your “secret sauce.”

Services 72

Services Startup Training Writing 72

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 22, 2010

File this under both Startup Adivce and Sales & Marketing Advice. Journalists don’t know enough about your company before the show, don’t have time for proper research, and you will be competing for their time afterward with 49+ other companies that want them to write about you. - Many other great companies are not. -

Tips 307

Tips Startup Press Blogging 307

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

I suggest you use social media, blogging, crowdfunding, or documented research to quantify a real demand from people who can afford it, and don’t have a better alternative already out there. Writing down key parameters will force you solidify the specifics, and mentally commit to them. Make the product or service come alive.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 15, 2009

This includes writing product specs, going on sales calls, handling customer complaints, building the financial model and a host of other activities that will ultimately owned by functional experts. I did all of the sales myself. I always encourage young entrepreneurs now to flip burgers for as long as they can.

Startup 299

Startup Venture Capital Technical Review Training 299

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2019

Those requests will always be rejected, since investors invest in people, rather than ideas, and want to look the top decision maker in the eye and gauge their ability and conviction. In her book, Jan devotes a whole chapter to speaking to the media, as a key aspect of public speaking.

Entrepreneur 87

Entrepreneur Customer Custom Guide 87

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2017

Those requests will always be rejected, since investors invest in people, rather than ideas, and want to look the top decision maker in the eye and gauge their ability and conviction. In her book, Jan devotes a whole chapter to speaking to the media, as a key aspect of public speaking.

Company 97

Company Companies Entrepreneur Customer 97

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

Matt’s commitment to re-investing in tech startups is reminiscent to this great Fred Wilson post of “recycling capital. &#. Big thank you to Darius Vasefi , of EyeOnJewels for the write up. o Their strong skill was online media buying and optimization – they rarely would do CPA deals – mostly buying CPM.

Acquisition 304

Acquisition Startup Customer Custom 304

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2014

On the product side, once you have a proven product and business model, all you need is money to build inventory, and a sales and marketing operation to drive the business. Even artisan-based services, like graphic design and writing good ad copy, have innovative processes and principles. Capture your “secret sauce.”

Services 105

Services Startup Training Writing 105

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 29, 2018

Customer conversations are easy today, through responding to customers on social media, web live chats, and interactive applications on mobile devices. Try to close on a sale transaction too early. Old-fashioned marketers feel the pressure to produce an immediate return on investment (ROI), and prefer the billboard approach to closing.

Marketing 91

Marketing Examples Startup Customer 91

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 25, 2013

In the original version of his post, Andy writes. Most top tier VCs return about 3x invested capital and outlier funds (the best of a vintage) might return 6-8x. But the larger funds usually have lower returns because they are often investing bigger dollars at later stages with less risk and therefore lower returns. Yeah, true.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 24, 2012

Those requests will always be rejected, since investors invest in people, rather than ideas, and want to look the top decision maker in the eye and gauge their ability and conviction. In her book, Jan devotes a whole chapter to speaking to the media, as a key aspect of public speaking.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Media Customer Custom 126

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 5, 2011

Grade A Entrepreneurs , September 5, 2010 Why Krispy Kreme failed in Australia - Start Up Blog , November 3, 2010 Mellow Johnny’s: Retail Stores as Community Hubs - IDDICTIVE.COM , July 14, 2010 Is crowdfunding an option for my business?

Startup 378

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Coach 378

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2016

On the product side, once you have a proven product and business model, all you need is money to build inventory, and a sales and marketing operation to drive the business. Even artisan-based services, like graphic design and writing good ad copy, have innovative processes and principles. Capture your “secret sauce.”

Services 61

Services Startup Training Writing 61

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

In my LA I often see computer screens open with entrepreneurs talking about digital media. When you’re one fund and have $600 million to invest it’s easier to take that kind of risk. That’s convenience when your VC is hoping to write the next $20 million check. million in SF Bay Area ). In our regions?

Venture Capital 313

Venture Capital Southern California Google Startup 313

Tech.Co

JANUARY 29, 2018

This is the startup epicenter of CES 2018, where over 900 startups from around the world showcase their latest innovation to over 170,000 people including distributors, investors, leaders, analysts, media and potential partners looking for the next big thing. Invest in your company’s future by joining CTA. Get Your Playbook Together.

Startup 87

Startup Mentor Artificial Inteligence Research 87