Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans take too much time, are inaccurate, and rarely add value. You’ve built a successful startup before, and plan to use the same investors. A business plan may be a small investment to get a shot at that opportunity.

Technical Review 126

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 126

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

Let me start out with my premise: “Data rooms are where fund-raising processes go to die.” I have to back up and give you more context. These collective sets of documents form the basis of what somebody looking at investing would call “financial due diligence.” It doesn’t. The data room is where your process goes to die.

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

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.”

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Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 19, 2010

Yesterday I wrote a post about the " Urgency Addiction ” and how many people start important tasks late and then motivate with a huge wave of productivity and inspiration driven by deadlines and commitments to others. “A study by Microsoft showed just how lethal interruptions are to productivity. Tags: Startup Advice.

Product 301

Product Writing Email Tool 301

Berkonomics

MAY 29, 2014

I’m not seeking a bank loan or investment. Studies found that people who write plans are more likely to put their goals in action and increases your likelihood of success. Starting up Positioning' Helps you to be more focused. Forces you to be more objective. Determines feasibility. Serves as management tool.

Startup 166

Startup Guide Help Mentor 166

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 17, 2019

Should Jeff Bezos be required to address every written complaint that shows up in Seattle or Satya Nadella at Microsoft? I know it may feel this way since I’m writing this tongue in cheek. I try to speak at universities, high schools, startup accelerators?—?as The sort of thing I’m guessing you’ve studied for some time.

Email 250

Email Writing Conference Mobile 250

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

Huge thank you to Steve De Long for the write up. How did you start blogging? “My In 2004 / 2005 I was starting to get intrigued with user-generated content. was starting. If you have time check out the video (or download on iTunes – Episode 27 - and listen at the gym or on your commute!). 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. The start of marketing is figuring out a market need and a way to solve that need better than anybody else.

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Don’t believe that Silicon Valley myth that all you have to do is sketch your idea on the back of a napkin, and investors will line up to give you money. Let me be quick to say that a plan doesn’t have be a book, and probably should start as a “pitch deck” of maybe a dozen slides which cover all the right bases.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

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

FEBRUARY 18, 2013

I have started thinking about what the future might look like and I’ve started imagining what I call, “MMOV” or massive multiplayer online video. Maker’s talent started commenting on it and sharing it. Why would it? Sure, the revenue & margin will be significantly lower than traditional TV.

Startup 380

Startup Media Content Platform 380

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Today Upfront Ventures is announcing that we’ve backed Rebecca Kantar ’s startup Imbellus , a company designed to assess human potential and ultimately change the way we teach children. We led a $4 million investment along with Thrive Capital, GLG and Sound Ventures. How does one come up with the right idea to start a company?

Design 150

Design Ideas Startup Writing 150

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? That's when you start meddling in the company.

Southern California 113

Southern California Capital Funding Invest 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Skyler Lucci is co-founder and CEO of Los Angeles-based HeyTutor (www.heytutor.com), a startup which has created an online platform which connects and matches students with in-person tutors. We caught up with Skyler to hear about HeyTutor, which already has 25 employees and is growing rapidly. The second thing, is tools.

Startup 113

Startup Venture Capital Beverly Hills Acquisition 113

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 22, 2015

We started hanging out a bit and discussing technology and entrepreneurship. 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. Startup Lessons'

Conference 150

Conference Slides Social Media Summary 150

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 24, 2016

The Affordable Care Act, often referred to as “Obamacare,” has enacted major changes for healthcare providers since it was enacted at the start of President Obama’s first term. The first place to start is likely the cost of employer-sponsored health insurance plans.

Startup 49

Startup Competition Study Writing 49

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2009

Good idea & plan: You must start with a good idea and a PowerPoint deck (my outline is here , scroll down mid way). And a great product starts with the founder. If you can’t get product released and validated then do user studies. They know that the money they invest may be lost. I get that.

Angel 291

Angel Funding Venture Capital Startup 291

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2014

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans are a waste of time. They cite sources like the BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this Forbes article. You’ve built a successful startup before, and plan to use the same investors.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 109

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

As of today, I will have published an article here for entrepreneurs and startups every day for the last 1001 days, since I started Startup Professionals Musings near the close of 2008. Studies show that anyone can be an entrepreneur, but many won’t be happy as entrepreneurs. Don’t plan to get rich from your startup.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Startup Blogging Social Media 96

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

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 16, 2010

How did the company start? Noah Auerhahn: We got started right out of USC. The site started as a concept that Jeff Nobbs, my co-founder, and myself developed while we were operating a cash-back and coupon website while we were attending USC. We then went out to raise money, and got started on development.

USC 207

USC CPC Sites Startup 207

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. Proposition. Participation.

Funding 106

Funding Startup Entrepreneur Activity 106

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

socalTECH

JULY 20, 2011

She also has served at DoubleClick, had a stint as an investment banker at JPMorgan, been a venture capitalist at Bertelsmann Ventures, and started with an Electrical Engineering degree before her MBA. Jennifer Sargent: HitFix started two and a half years ago. It was an opportunity I didn't want to pass up.

News 173

News Entertainment Startup Bertelsmann 173

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. You have built a successful startup, and plan to use the same investors. A business plan may be a small investment to get a shot at that opportunity. loan entrepreneur startup investor business plan'

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Technical Review Writing Slides 100

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

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. Fan, Not A Fan Boy. No doubt, he did.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Blogging Class Entrepreneur 279

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 8, 2011

Brad is also the Co-Founder of TechStars , an acclaimed startup boot camp which has spawned a number of promising companies. At one level it’s a terrible return on time investment, but on another level, it’s a really positive one. Writing a book is very different from writing a blog. There were a couple motivations.

Venture Capital 224

Venture Capital Writing Entrepreneur Blogging 224

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

MAY 6, 2015

Perhaps sparked by the recession recovery, I’m seeing a new era of the entrepreneur, with startups springing up all around. Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. Problems will occur in every startup, simply because you are stepping into uncharted territory.

Mentor 105

Mentor Entrepreneur Technical Review Satisfaction 105

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 28, 2014

Perhaps sparked by the recent recession, I’m seeing a new era of the entrepreneur, with startups springing up all around. Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. Problems will occur in every startup, simply because you are stepping into uncharted territory.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Mentor Technical Review Satisfaction 102

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. Tell us a little bit about Newsforce?

News 124

News Advertising Press Sites 124

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

InfoChachkie

JULY 14, 2011

But, when it comes to tracking what ad placement or publisher was responsible for getting a consumer to pick up the phone and call, that’s pretty difficult. 9) In Getting The Band Back Together , I write about the power of serial Founding teams. Why aren’t there a half-dozen well-funded startups running up your tailpipe?

Marketing 209

Marketing Advertising Paid Search Startup 209

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 22, 2017

Perhaps sparked by the now forgotten recession, I’m seeing a new era of the entrepreneur, with startups springing up all around. Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. Problems will occur in every startup, simply because you are stepping into uncharted territory.

Satisfaction 53

Satisfaction Marketing Mentor Entrepreneur 53