Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day. Waiting until you have something to sell before bringing on a sales and operations staff. Social media is not rocket science.

Search Engine Optimization 103

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 103

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2021

In addition, current investors want to see every startup go public or be acquired, as an exit event, so they can get their due return for that investment which has been tied up for the last few years. For these reasons, I always look for an overt exit strategy in every startup I might consider for an angel investment.

Startup 173

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 173

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 24, 2014

At the time I pointed out: “If I had realized exits almost certainly it would be because I invested in a company that failed. Working with early-stage teams : coaching, mentoring, setting strategy, rolling up sleeves: 9/10. I have done 6 VC investments – all within the past 20 months. ” Still. Since then?

Venture Capital 387

Venture Capital Downey Writing Press 387

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2021

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Investors learned this a long time ago, so most will tell you that they invest in people, not ideas.

Ideas 136

Ideas Entrepreneur Mentor Resource 136

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2014

Many startups now go through accelerators and have mentors passing through each day with advice – usually it’s conflicting. When I meet other VCs I’m constantly asking how they decide which investments to make, when to pass, when to do follow-on rounds, when to sell a company vs. when to go long, etc.

Startup 407

Startup Framework CTO Coach Sales 407

Berkonomics

MAY 22, 2014

Bill Payne has been actively involved in angel investing since 1980, funding over 50 companies and mentoring over 100 more. The sale of equity in private companies is regulated by the Securities Act of 1933, which requires that the company either register with the SEC or meet one of several exemptions (Regulation D).

Writing 199

Writing Invest Entrepreneur Equity 199

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

I admit that I haven’t yet read it but I’ve had numerous discussions with Brad over the years about board structure & conduct and consider him a mentor on the topic. how much energy to put into channel partners vs. direct sales. how to build an initial sales organization. In the Early Days.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

Tech.Co

JANUARY 29, 2018

“[Through] CTA, you have access to wealth of consumer research reports, discounts for seminars and conferences such as CES, and networking opportunities with industry professionals through the CTA Mentor program,” Koduri said. Add Mentors to Your Roster. Regardless of one’s stage, mentors are a must have for any founder.

Startup 87

Startup Mentor Artificial Inteligence Research 87

Frank Addante

OCTOBER 12, 2021

We build and invest in startups with impact. We have a Startup Studio and Early Stage Investment Fund. We provide a startup studio which incubates and accelerates businesses and a pre-seed / seed investment fund. We call it TinkerBarn Ventures. Doing good is good business! Those zoom meetings and calls got me fired up!

Startup 105

Startup Case Study Ideas Invest 105

socalTECH

JUNE 20, 2012

There is a large menu of startup accelerators in the Los Angeles, but one of more established efforts in the area is LaunchpadLA ([link] The effort actually started as an informal mentoring program, but has grown and expanded to follow the accelerator model. We're not investing in ideas and trying to turn them into companies.

Class 261

Class Mentor Startup Santa Monica 261

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

With the current volatile economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. Most public shells ready for sale are not listed on a national securities exchange, but are instead traded in a less glamorous setting, such as the OTC Bulletin Board.

Funding 104

Funding Summary Entrepreneur Acquisition 104

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2022

Dini, tied together several threads I have often seen in my own experience of mentoring and helping aspiring entrepreneurs. They love the continuous hunt, for investment capital, resources, talent, and new markets. Farmers have a narrower view of what is required, to optimize quality production, customer satisfaction, or close a sale.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Marketing News Slides 124

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2020

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day. Waiting until you have something to sell before bringing on a sales and operations staff. Social media is not rocket science.

Search Engine Optimization 124

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 124

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

They've provided a completely free facility, furniture, Internet access, mentoring, sponsorship--all of those things are provided for free. Kevin Hell: Yes, we have a selection committee, comprised of folks who are venture capitalists and also have been in the investment arm of large companies. It's a unique, community supported model.

Incubator 212

Incubator San Diego Technical Review Development Team Review 212

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2019

If you require an investment for scaling, you need to attain this stage, with a prototype and an overall business plan, to assure credibility with investors. You now need help, rather than helpers, who can not only do their job independently, but can teach you the finer points of sales or finance, which may not be your strong suite.

Company 99

Company Companies Technical Review Startup 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2022

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. The other four are: new product development, writing, time management, and sales/marketing.

Marketing 113

Marketing Entrepreneur Customer Custom 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 17, 2017

He eventually founded and sold consumer health firm ViSalus to a public company and is now back making investments, in technology companies, as a venture capitalist here at Los Angeles-based HashtagOne (www.hashtagone.com). What's the theme of your investments? That's why we have investments in Heal, Saucey, and FragMob.

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Technical Review Software Review 100

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2016

We have have been funding agriculture technologies, water conservation, wireless electricity, aquaponics and so forth in addition to our standard investment themes in software, data, video and retail innovation. It’s still in pre-sale, but reception from beta testers, previews and the industry ( tech and consumer ) has been enthusiastic.

Company 207

Company Companies CTO Coach Funding 207

socalTECH

JUNE 1, 2012

My other co-founder, Rusty Jenkins, was also with that company, doing sales. The big thing for us has been those connections to investors and mentors. The feedback, mentors, and connections are amazing. My cofounder, Steven Elliott, was CTO of a company doing artificial intelligence and automated chat technology.

CTO Coach 223

CTO Coach Startup Mobile Artificial Inteligence 223

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2019

With the current strong economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. Most public shells ready for sale are not listed on a national securities exchange, but are instead traded in a less glamorous setting, such as the OTC Bulletin Board.

Summary 121

Summary Startup Entrepreneur Funding 121

Berkonomics

MAY 29, 2014

Richa is a successful entrepreneur and technologist giving back to the entrepreneurial community in many ways, including his weekly Internet TV program on entrepreneurism, and participation in several mentoring programs. . I’m not seeking a bank loan or investment. Business planning is a crucial part of a successful business.

Startup 166

Startup Guide Help Mentor 166

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 8, 2021

This is an incredibly rewarding milestone and an apt tribute to the vision of my late mentor, Norman Rostoker,” said TAE’s current chief executive officer, Michl Binderbauer, in a statement announcing the company’s achievement. Vulcan, Venrock, NEA, Wellcome Trust, Google, and the Kuwait Investment Authority are all backers.

Technology 354

Technology Artificial Inteligence Google Orange County 354

Frank Addante

OCTOBER 12, 2021

We build and invest in startups with impact. We have a Startup Studio and Early Stage Investment Fund. We provide a startup studio which incubates and accelerates businesses and a pre-seed / seed investment fund. We call it TinkerBarn Ventures. Doing good is good business! Those zoom meetings and calls got me fired up!

Startup 52

Startup Case Study Ideas Invest 52

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

Get connected to the right mentors and your business may catapult to the next level. I figured if Matt was on the verge of bankruptcy and one mentor changed his trajectory, what if we had a formalized, community-wide program? Backstopping is when banks feel they are protected by VC’s investing in the company. The answer?

Acquisition 304

Acquisition Startup Customer Custom 304

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

There are lots of resources available for the challenge of that activity, including the Internet and mentors like me. For inspiration, I recommend you watch a few episodes of the Shark Tank TV series, where entrepreneurs pitch their wares, looking for an investment and national visibility for their product or service.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day. Waiting until you have something to sell before bringing on a sales and operations staff. Social media is not rocket science.

Startup 89

Startup Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 89

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 30, 2011

A serial Internet entrepreneur, Mike has founded, advised, invested and sold numerous businesses, including application platform Userplane, which he led from startup to its acquisition by AOL, Tsavo Media, Movoxx, PeopleMedia, Brizzly and Myspace. Dan Dato , Mentor at upStart.LA. His passion has always been working with startups.

Tech Coast Angels 105

Tech Coast Angels Startup Angel Southern California 105

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 17, 2019

I don’t feel like canceling LinkedIn just because occasionally a well-meaning but slightly not-clued-in person from a faraway place wants me to be their personal mentor, answer 3-questions for their high-school entrepreneurship project or take a sales pitch for their recruiting services. I need one quick answer from you.”

Email 250

Email Writing Conference Mobile 250

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 25, 2013

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. That would mean 6 firms drive $24.5 billion in returns. Yeah, true.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day. Waiting until you have something to sell before bringing on a sales and operations staff. Social media is not rocket science.

Startup 108

Startup Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 108

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 20, 2019

Dini, tied together several threads I have often seen in my own experience of mentoring and helping aspiring entrepreneurs. They love the continuous hunt, for investment capital, resources, talent, and new markets. Farmers have a narrower view of what is required, to optimize quality production, customer satisfaction, or close a sale.

Entrepreneur 95

Entrepreneur News Slides Startup 95

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2015

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Investors learned this a long time ago, so most will tell you that they invest in people, not ideas.

Ideas 104

Ideas Mentor Resource Entrepreneur 104

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 8, 2013

” In an early trial of MailLift, Granite MedSystems reached out to potential customers that had ignored all previous sales campaigns. Well, besides it being founded by infamous tech start-up icon Dave McClure, in just 3 years 500 Startups has invested $50 million in more than 500 startups in the past few years.

Startup 86

Startup CTO Coach Mentor Class 86

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

in sales last year, what he learned from his experience at TechStars, and where he's going with Fanmix. million in sales last year, with great margins, and it's profitable, with a team of ten people. We have some great mentors now. We heard form Alex to learn how SocialEngine was bootstrapped to $1.4M Thanks for the time!

Startup 242

Startup CTO Coach Blogging Social Media 242

InfoChachkie

JULY 21, 2016

A number of my UC Santa Barbara entrepreneurial students initially model their investment pitches on the show's contrived format. I am not alone in my opinion that Shark Tank is not representative of real-world tech investing. Experienced entrepreneurs have no issues parsing where reality stops and entertainment begins.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Entertainment Technical Review Ideas 100

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

In addition, current investors want to see every startup go public or be acquired, as an exit event, so they can get their due return for that investment which has been tied up for the last few years. For these reasons, I always look for an overt exit strategy in every startup I might consider for an angel investment.

Startup 98

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 98

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2014

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Investors learned this a long time ago, so most will tell you that they invest in people, not ideas.

Ideas 107

Ideas Mentor Entrepreneur Resource 107