Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 22, 2015

What Cham rarely tells people – he’s both private and humble – is that he started making some small co-investments with me in tech firms starting with Maker Studios where he was one of the earliest investors. We started hanging out a bit and discussing technology and entrepreneurship. They make a great pair.

Conference 150

Conference Slides Social Media Summary 150

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 25, 2010

Rincon is part of the new breed of Seed Stage VCs and with the leadership of Jim Andelman has charted out the most authentic early-stage investment strategy in Southern California. The book is a layman’s guide to understanding how we as humans make decisions and is underpinned by data-oriented studies to prove his claims.

Guide 293

Guide Funding Venture Capital Technical Review 293

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2017

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. You should start blogging about your business before you have a product, to test interest and establish your credibility. An informal writing style is generally recommended.

Blogging 69

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Web Writing 69

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

If you truly believe that you, your company and your products are exceptional and your company will be valuable then you’re actually doing them a FAVOR by helping them invest in your startup. If you don’t believe in your bones that you’re amazing then it’s no wonder you don’t want to sell them on making the investment.”

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2010

In writing anything positive about any of the companies I’m not suggesting that it means that I prefer them to any of their competitors. Also, some of the deals I write about I have actually seen as part of their fund raising process. I just cover the companies that were funded that week. Others I have not. Really!).

Venture Capital 265

Venture Capital Capital Email Blogging 265

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

The main thrust of the post is that with YouTube taking a 45% of revenue and talent taking 70% of the remaining revenue, YouTube Networks didn’t have sustainable businesses unless they invested heavily in technology as a tool to increase margin and provide defensibility. margin range to more sustainable 50-60% margin businesses.

Company 339

Company Companies Technical Review Content 339

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

The questions that a VC mulls before writing a check are precisely the questions you should be asking yourself. So when Sam Rosen came to me with the idea of disrupting storage with a product that is priced cheaper than existing incumbents and he could build a product that is a better service I was intrigued. Market Size.

Startup 150

Startup Marketing Study SEO 150

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 18, 2013

Before this South Korean wonder spread across the globe I had written about a trend in global audiences that exists when the costs of production are nearly zero and the costs of distribution are also nearly free. think Amazon) and therefore hits with high production costs were more suited to the medium. billion views. think Apple.

Startup 380

Startup Media Content Platform 380

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 10, 2011

When I meet with Tom offline it’s obvious that he immediately is thinking about product issues, technology trends, funding rounds, etc. The best proof of a soft circle is whether an angel will email someone else (refer another investor) and start off that email with “I’m investing in…”. How investors’ risk differ (0:22:45).

Angel 302

Angel Startup Ideas .Net 302

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. You should start blogging about your business before you have a product, to test interest and establish your credibility. An informal writing style is generally recommended.

Blogging 95

Blogging Startup Search Engine Optimization Writing 95

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Providing your product or service free to customers may sound attractive in marketing materials, but you need revenue sources to survive. Professional investors look for the right people, more than the right product. Project revenues, costs and investment needs. Provide details on the business model and cash flow.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2014

They cite sources like the BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this Forbes article. In fact, they are probably in such a hurry to give you money that they don’t want you to waste time writing anything down and passing it along to new investors. Clemson University professor William B.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 109

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 29, 2018

For example, it’s easy to get so focused on selling the product you have, that you miss the customer desire for free shipping, or personalization, or colors you don’t have. Talk about your products, not your customer. Talk about your products, not your customer. Don’t let your conversation marketing do the same thing.

Marketing 91

Marketing Examples Startup Custom 91

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

We led a $4 million investment along with Thrive Capital, GLG and Sound Ventures. Incumbents launch products, VCs throw cash at other competitors, team members quit, the economy dips — whatever. As leaders we intuitively know that while basic skills in math, science, reading & writing are necessary — they are not sufficient.

Design 150

Design Ideas Startup Writing 150

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

Huge thank you to Steve De Long for the write up. My initial desire to blog came from something that’s always been my approach to investing – I’m a nerd and I love to play with the technology and part of my approach has really been to understand things both at a user level and at a reasonably deep tentacle level. “My Brad on blogging.

Venture Capital 288

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Software Review 288

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2012

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. A dysfunctional team, or even one naysayer in a critical position can stall your investment.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Startup Writing Competition 94

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

If you’re a technology startup you need to excel at product, of course. The starting point of product IS marketing, which is what a lot of young entrepreneurs that never studied business don’t realize. But being best-in-class at online marketing is also a sine qua non to standout from your peer group.

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2012

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. You should start blogging about your business before you have a product, to test interest and establish your credibility. An informal writing style is generally recommended.

Blogging 96

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Writing Social Network 96

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. It’s true this was much bigger in the dot com era but I’ve studied the data and know that over the past decade these numbers are right. billion in returns.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

I have been writing a series on how startup boards get selected, who sits on them and what to avoid. I also find this as an invaluable source of future deal flow, future recruiting and future decisions about whom I want to co-invest with. I promise you that electronics are the single biggest drag on board productivity.

Startup 251

Startup Help Technical Review Writing 251

socalTECH

MAY 25, 2016

Santa Monica-based March Capital Partners (www.marchcp.com) has just announced a brand new, $240M venture investment fund, led by longtime venture investing veterans Jim Armstrong, Sumant Mandal, Gregory Milken and Jamie Montgomery. What is the investment focus for this fund?

Southern California 113

Southern California Capital Funding Invest 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 14, 2013

They cite sources like a recent BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this NY Times article. In fact, they are probably in such a hurry to give you money that they don’t want you to waste time writing anything down and passing it along to new investors. Clemson University professor William B.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Technical Review Writing Slides 100

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 5, 2011

Some really great stuff in 2010 that aims to help startups around product, technology, business models, etc.

Startup 378

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Coach 378

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

He writes with a great perspective and is well worth reading. But in the end we selected David Lin , a superstar who did 4 years at the technology investment banking firm Montgomery & Co and 4 years as Director of Strategy at the comparison shopping site PriceGrabber where he dealt with many operational issues.

Startup 337

Startup Venture Capital Study Course 337

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2010

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. A dysfunctional team, or even one naysayer in a critical position can stall your investment.

Technical Review 90

Technical Review Writing Competition Tips 90

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2011

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. You should start blogging about your business before you have a product, to test interest and establish your credibility. An informal writing style is generally recommended.

Blogging 91

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Services Writing 91

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

In terms of where we offer to our customers, we have 250 different areas, from early childhood to studying for an MCAT or the bar. We were able to boot strap the company on only $800, and scaled it to millions in revenues without investment, because of the efficiency of our marketing. The second thing, is tools. That's the Visa round.

Startup 113

Startup Venture Capital Beverly Hills Acquisition 113

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2010

The result is that the Main Street Venture Fund consistently has more money available than good opportunities for investment. After considering about 200 investment opportunities over the past two years, we have established a decision making process to identify trophy entrepreneurs and startups. Participation. Partnership.

Funding 106

Funding Startup Entrepreneur Activity 106

InfoChachkie

APRIL 25, 2011

Although many are entertaining, most fail to provide entrepreneurs with a sufficient return on their time investment. If you are a leader at a startup and you are reading a business book, you are not closing customers, raising capital, improving your product, or spending time with your loved ones. No doubt, he did. Prototype Your Work.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Blogging Class Entrepreneur 279

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 16, 2010

Did you have any prior background in this, and what were you two studying? We think we've really gotten the product validated by the market, particularly with Cyber Monday. People in the blogosphere were writing that this product was what they were looking for, and was another point of affirmation.

USC 207

USC CPC Sites Startup 207

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2009

Product : You should build a product or a prototype. You cannot be just a biz dev type, salesperson, marketing genius or whatever and divorce yourself from product. Great companies are built by having great products. And a great product starts with the founder. They know that the money they invest may be lost.

Angel 291

Angel Funding Venture Capital Startup 291

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 23, 2015

In the startup world, the former happens when a VC makes a bad investment, and the latter occurs when they miss a great opportunity. In contrast, low-volume, high-conviction investors like Rincon only invests in a handful new companies each year, making it much more costly (in dollars and effort expended) to invest in a loser.

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Technical Review Software Review Southern California 100

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2010

My original thinking from Oct ’09 was, while I didn’t (and still don’t) have a crystal ball I worried that: consumers were over-stretched with debt (and make up 77% of the economy), unemployment would continue to rise, which in turn would drive the stock market south and cut the rate of M&A activity and VC investment even further.

Entrepreneur 298

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Technical Review Startup 298

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 28, 2011

Some investors are team focused, others market focused, others seems to look for product / market fit. I’m in the team centric sphere so every investment decision I make first & foremost centers on this plane. Only then can I even care about product, market or their nebulous “fit.&#. ON LEADERSHIP. Dig deeper.

CTO Hire 363

CTO Hire Technical Review Startup Demand 363

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

Tracy studied SEOMoz and several other online sources of SEO tips. Tracy is knowledgeable enough to talk tech and swap design & product stories with other founders, but she realized early that networking amongst this group and reading and writing in their journals would not bring her more customers.

Startup 363

Startup Entrepreneur SEO Venture Capital 363

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2010

Let me be clear – a product or consulting startup today without a blog, even with a static website, risks not being competitive in cost and time to reach and hold that critical mass of online customers. You should start blogging about your business before you have a product, to test interest and establish your credibility.

Blogging 48

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Startup Writing 48

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 23, 2009

San Diego-based Newsforce (www.newsforce.com) is a startup which is looking to take advantage of the hunger of the newspaper and media business for revenue, and has created a product which takes press releases and commercial content, and inserts them onto news sites in "sponsored content" blocks. How long has this new product been available?

News 124

News Advertising Press Sites 124