Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2010

My advice to entrepreneurs was and is “ when the hors d’oeuvres tray is being passed take two ” (e.g. So I agreed to offer my current thinking on the economy and what it portends for the VC industry & fund raising for entrepreneurs. raise money now to weather any storms). Such is the case with advanced batteries. We took $2.3

Entrepreneur 298

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Technical Review Startup 298

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 28, 2022

Many entrepreneurs still don’t understand that building a business culture today of doing good, like helping people (society) and planet (sustainability), is also a key to maximizing profit. Employees and customers alike are looking for meaning, not simply employment and commodity prices.

Organization 143

Organization Startup Pricing Custom 143

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2022

For example, if it’s getting harder to charge a price premium for the product you’re marketing, or others are offering your subscription service for free, it may be time to start thinking in a new box. Another example is seeing substitute versions of a product, like eBooks, for a low price displacing hardcover books.

eBook 111

eBook Metrics Examples Startup 111

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2015

For example, if it’s getting harder to charge a price premium for the product you’re marketing, or others are offering your subscription service for free, it may be time to start thinking in a new box. Another example is seeing substitute versions of a product, like eBooks, for a low price displacing hardcover books.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur eBook Metrics Startup 106

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 31, 2018

In this age of constant market evolution and new technology, there is no such thing as a static business that is self-sustaining. Competitors tend to focus on price and other variations to existing offerings. Populating new domains to sustain your market. Redefine your product to reach a new category.

Examples 99

Examples IP Acquisition Social Media 99

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2011

This was an audience of mostly first-time entrepreneurs. They have seen one side of a market where many of us have seen the ebb and flow multiple times. Still, market amnesia by ordinarily rational actors always surprises me. It is great for entrepreneurs and great for VCs. If you are interested the Vimeo is here.

Pricing 309

Pricing Marketing Startup Venture Capital 309

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2022

Thus, in my mentoring of potential technical entrepreneurs who have a real passion for their technology, I often recommend that they find a co-founder who can manage the marketing and execution elements of the new venture. Many smart people I know fall into the category of “idea” people.

Mentor 133

Mentor Startup Custom Customer 133

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2017

Not so long ago, every business assumed that the keys to success were the highest quality product, the best value for the buck, and the best customer service. Exactly what is that customer experience that every modern marketer is talking about, and how do you measure it? Entrepreneur of the Year” finalist.

Custom 85

Custom Customer Product Marketing 85

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2012

You have probably heard plenty of times that being an entrepreneur is a risky business, and investors talk all the time about reducing the risk. Here is my own priority list of key risk drivers that every entrepreneur and every investor should evaluate and minimize in starting a business: Team experience and depth risk.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Examples Social Network Marketing 108

socalTECH

MAY 30, 2019

Richards--a serial entrepreneur who has been involved in a number of technology companies here, including NTI Group (sold to Blackboard), Internships.com, MP3.com, Robin Richards: We found that in career transition services, the vast majority of people were being left out. com, and Vivendi Universal Net USA, where he was also CEO.

Content 193

Content Social Network Coach Help 193

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

And we wanted a head of global marketing. He had an idea for a startup that would help consumers better book service jobs and would take on Service Magic, which he believed had a business model that could be disrupted. I wanted them to have a market lead before others could try and build what Ethan was working on.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

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. Market penetration. Let me try to clarify the rules, and what it takes to win at this game. First of all, a definition. Customer acquisition cost.

Startup 121

Startup Metrics Custom Customer 121

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 28, 2018

My friend Michael Broukhim, founder & co-CEO of FabFitFun and I recently had a catch-up meeting for 3-miles on the Santa Monica “Bird Trail” No company has ever elicited so many questions by friends, colleagues, entrepreneurs, fellow VCs and journalists as has Bird, the company that pioneered the electronic scooter as a service market.

Santa Monica 256

Santa Monica Funding Startup Course 256

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 23, 2019

Many entrepreneurs still don’t understand that building a business culture today of doing good, like helping people (society) and planet (sustainability), is also a key to maximizing profit. Employees and customers alike are looking for meaning, not simply employment and commodity prices.

Organization 128

Organization Startup Pricing Custom 128

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 13, 2010

He taught me, amongst other things, the benefit of “ top down thinking &# that changed the way I analyzed markets, companies and people. We worked together at Andersen Consulting between 1996-99 when the markets were booming. See, Mark, in a booming market you can never tell the winners from the losers.

Technical Review 302

Technical Review Marketing IP Outsource Development 302

Tech.Co

OCTOBER 28, 2020

The two platforms are both huge in their respective markets: By connecting TikTok's audience with small businesses online everywhere, this team-up could offer a lifeline to business owners amid a rocky economy. With it, they can create, execute, and refine TikTok marketing campaigns. How the Partnership Works. Cost (paid monthly).

Help 149

Help Platform Startup Social Media 149

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2015

One of the quickest ways to become an entrepreneur these days is to develop and publish a smartphone app. The price of entry can be less than $10,000, so the competition is huge and growing rapidly. Here are some ways we both recommend to beat the odds and thrive in today’s app ecosystem: Sell a digital service through your app.

Startup 98

Startup Platform Pricing Netflix 98

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2011

The venture capital business itself is going through an even more fundamental change than just the entry of a new category at the earliest stage. That’s certainly good for our industry in terms of future returns for investors but I would argue also for entrepreneurs. But … Downsizing Venture Capital. The Coming Brick Wall.

Venture Capital 289

Venture Capital Capital Cloud Computing Marketing 289

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2018

In fact, I often have to tell aspiring entrepreneurs that their inventions have zero value, at least not until they are put in the context of a business plan, with qualified people committed to executing the plan. Early-stage ideas fall in the same category. Experts and market research agree you are first. Don’t get me wrong.

Technical Review 86

Technical Review Patents Ideas Journal 86

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 14, 2014

The three largest webmail services had over 1 billion global users at the end of 2011. It’s why opt-in marketing databases can be so incredibly valuable for companies like Gilt Groupe, One King’s Lane and AdoreMe. People don’t want to speak to customer service reps. There are 2.9 billion email accounts.

Email 339

Email SaaS Venture Capital Google 339

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2017

Most of the guidance you see for entrepreneurs is aimed at those who are selling a product (Apple, Tesla, Xiaomi), or selling a service (Uber, Airbnb, Snapchat). The challenges for making money and survival in these professional services worlds are different, maybe even tougher. Set pricing to assure both revenue and profit.

Social Media 56

Social Media Pricing Technical Review Demand 56

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

In our industry we applaud the efforts for entrepreneurs to have tried and we know that today’s failure can bring the experience for tomorrow’s success. Market Size. It’s ok to target a small market and you can probably build a niche business that is extremely valuable to you as an individual.

Startup 150

Startup Marketing Study SEO 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2014

In fact, I often have to tell aspiring entrepreneurs that their inventions have zero value, at least not until they are put in the context of a business plan, with qualified people committed to executing the plan. Early-stage ideas fall in the same category. Experts and market research agree you are first. Don’t get me wrong.

Ideas 106

Ideas Technical Review Patents Entrepreneur 106

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 2, 2011

Let’s be honest – as professional investors we have ALL been to meetings with other groups of investors where we talk about whether there’s a bubble, price creep, etc. But knowing so many people who were there I would find it VERY hard to believe that it was anything other than people BS’ing about trends in the market.

Email 287

Email Blogging Venture Capital Writing 287

socalTECH

AUGUST 8, 2018

Dave Fink: Postie is a building a technology platform with a mission of making direct mail marketing behave as easily and dynamically as your favorite, programmatic channels. That distributed print cloud enables a speed of iteration that most marketers would not expect is possible. What is a print cloud?

CTO Hire 100

CTO Hire Artificial Inteligence Technical Review Marketing 100

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 29, 2011

Earlier this month, Los Angeles-based LifeCrowd (www.lifecrowd.com) unveiled its service to help connect people with real life activities. The firm is initially focusing on the Los Angeles market, and connecting people with fun, interesting classes, activities, and more in the local area.

Startup 271

Startup CTO Coach Activity Software Review 271

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 29, 2010

We received so much positive feedback from our This Week in Venture Capital show walking through valuation calculations & term sheets that we decided to do a Q&A show this week to address topics that entrepreneurs want to learn about. on the entrepreneur side of the table) when I raised at too high of a price.

Venture Capital 282

Venture Capital Capital Startup Pricing 282

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2013

You have probably heard plenty of times that being an entrepreneur is a risky business, and investors talk all the time about reducing the risk. Here is my own priority list of key risk drivers that every entrepreneur and every investor should evaluate and minimize in starting a business: Team experience and depth risk.

Startup 104

Startup Examples Entrepreneur Social Network 104

socalTECH

MAY 26, 2011

Jake's latest venture is Brighter (www.brighter.com), a service which is aimed at helping consumers find pre-negotiated rates on dental care. The way brighter makes that dental care more affordable, is it empowers consumers to find dental benefits, and allows them to compare that by price and reputation. It's a huge, huge sector.

Startup 249

Startup Pricing Southern California Networking 249

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2016

In fact, I often have to tell aspiring entrepreneurs that their inventions have zero value, at least not until they are put in the context of a business plan, with qualified people committed to executing the plan. Early-stage ideas fall in the same category. Experts and market research agree you are first. Don’t get me wrong.

Technical Review 60

Technical Review Patents Ideas Journal 60

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2015

I challenge any entrepreneur, for example, to define the difference between "seed-stage" and "early-stage" financing. Most investors won’t touch a first-time entrepreneur at this stage. Ron Conway , of SV Angels, and Reid Hoffman , LinkedIn's founder, are names often mentioned in this category.

Funding 104

Funding Venture Capital Startup Seed Funding 104

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 21, 2011

They get marketed as such. Will that be enough or will high churn rates creep in, new toys be introduced into the market, new time sucks pulling user attention away? Why had it endured though market machinations and become this year’s darling IPO? Not improving your life or business. Not solving a real problem.

Startup 309

Startup Cloud Computing Venture Capital Marketing 309

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 15, 2010

It’s always fun chatting with Jason because he’s knowledgeable about the market, quick on topics and pushes me to talk more about VC / entrepreneur issues. We’re staring to get the hang of how to divide the show up into talking about deals but also talking about issues for entrepreneurs during funding.

Venture Capital 285

Venture Capital Startup Advertising Redpoint 285

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 15, 2013

For example, if it’s getting harder to charge a price premium for the product you’re marketing, or others are offering your subscription service for free, it may be time to start thinking in a new box. Another example is seeing substitute versions of a product, like eBooks, for a low price displacing hardcover books.

eBook 95

eBook Metrics Startup Examples 95

SoCal Delicious

MAY 6, 2012

where entrepreneurs share their stories. 63 Los Angeles Entrepreneurs To Be Proud Of By mario on May 2, 2012 in Features , grid. Free Corporations For First-Time Entrepreneurs. Right now they’re setting up 500 free corporations for first time entrepreneurs. Here are 62 63 Los Angeles entrepreneurs we can be proud of.

Los Angeles 78

Los Angeles Entrepreneur Angel Fractional CTO 78

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

I’m an entrepreneur at heart so I’m always inspired when I hear stories about innovation. awards dinner on Thursday night I started reflected on what it would take to “change the trajectory&# for Seattle or for any regional market, really. This article originally ran on TechCrunch. I’m in Seattle this week.

Venture Capital 317

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Press 317

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Brian Coryat, Founder and CEO of Local Market Launch and former Founder and CEO of ValueClick (NASDAQ: VCLK) recently winged his talk at UC Santa Barbara''s Distinguished Lecture Series. I mean, that''s what entrepreneurs do every day. But that''s what entrepreneurs do everyday. There''s no business category.

Startup 223

Startup Yahoo Santa Barbara Slides 223