Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series Startup Advice. Many startup companies hire advisory boards. If you plan to set one up – no problem. Advisory Board Problems : There are several problems that I have encountered myself and in my many discussions with CEO’s who have set up advisory boards. Too much effort.

Startup 306

Startup Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 306

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). Tell us a bit of the story on how you started HashtagOne? I'm a bit of an anti-VC, as you know.

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Technical Review Software Review 100

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Even though the color of their money is always green, all startup investors are not the same. Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Personally visit another startup funded by this investor. It’s no fun for either side.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 103

Tech.Co

MARCH 8, 2018

Getting face time with VCs or people of influence is an ongoing challenge for startup founders, and it may take layers of introductions to get to the right person. Lisha works tirelessly to build a platform of advocacy around issues such as tech inclusion, diversity, and education.

Technical Review 70

Technical Review Startup Software Review Entrepreneur 70

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2013

LaunchpadLA Opens Up Spring Applications. How to find a startup mentor. Southern California's Most Popular Tech Stories. Broadcom Powering New Mac Wireless. Surf Air Gets First Aircraft. In the latest roundup of fundings (big few weeks for San Diego, apparently): PatientSafe Solutions ($20M, San Diego, mobile health).

Southern California 168

Southern California Technical Review SoCal San Diego 168

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2021

More and more entrepreneurs are hearing about the successful graduates and investors queued behind a few well-known startup incubators, including Y Combinator, TechStars, and the Founder Institute. His tests focus on personality traits alone (ignoring your startup idea), looking for fluid intelligence, openness, and agreeableness.

Incubator 146

Incubator Technical Review Entrepreneur Mentor 146

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

My primary role was “chief psychologist&# and as I’ve learned over the past few years the same has been true as a VC. Matt Blumberg, who runs one of Fred’s portfolio companies, Return Path, follows up with an additional three : Don’t be a bottleneck (make sure you aren’t holding up people’s work).

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Startup Sales Customer 319

Tech.Co

MAY 25, 2018

If you’re an early-stage entrepreneur, technology has served you well. The barriers to entry when it comes to launching a company require less tension and a lot less capital. Fortunately, the Startup of the Year program aims to make it easier for founders to connect with resources. The Case Foundation (Washington, DC).

Startup 141

Startup Technical Review Competition Software Review 141

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 24, 2015

I recently interviewed Matt Mazzeo of Lowercase Capital. By now most of you know that Chris Sacca invested in what is now thought to be one of the best performing VC funds of all time having invested an $8.4 We spoke at length about seeking out mentors and how to get the most out of them.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Funding RSS Technical Review 150

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Even though the color of their money is always green, all startup investors are not the same. Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Personally visit another startup funded by this investor. It’s no fun for either side.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 63

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 29, 2022

One of the things I’ve learned over my years as a business mentor and investor is that life isn’t fair when it comes to succeeding in business. These authors speak from their own wealth of experience in creating and growing technology startups, marketing, and fundraising. Intelligence and insight: book and street smarts.

Help 130

Help Mentor Paramount Technical Review 130

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

We thought today for our interview, that we'd get an update on the angel investment environment here in Southern California from Scott Sangster , the incoming President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Tech Coast Angels , the biggest angel investment group in Southern California.

Tech Coast Angels 182

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 182

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 6, 2013

She started watching dogs in her spare time through DogVacay and was able make ends meet during a tough period. They can read reviews, see pictures and even talk to the family before confirming. I typed in my brothers zip code and ton of houses popped up in his area and I was able to search out on a map view. I registered.

Venture Capital 344

Venture Capital Technical Review Software Review San Diego 344

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. Yeah, that was when I changed for me…” “…there was so much positive feedback on demystifying this one element of venture capital. was starting.

Venture Capital 288

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Software Review 288

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 18, 2010

We will be selecting 10 startup companies to participate. Applications are due April 6th, 2010, the form is on the website and the Twitter address is @launchpadlad. Encourage the most successful LA tech entrepreneurs who had previously started companies to get involved as mentors, instructors or just informal advisors.

Technical Review 259

Technical Review Venture Capital Southern California Tech Coast Angels 259

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. When you first start your company and raise initial venture capital your board probably consists of 1-3 founders and 1-2 VCs.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

socalTECH

APRIL 12, 2013

There''s been a lot of activity over the past two years in the Southern California accelerator/incubator market, with numerous groups (Amplify, EvoNexus, K5, LaunchpadLA, MediaCamp, Science, StartEngine, and many, many others) looking to help entrepreneurs start and fund their companies. where we totalled up $33.85M in funding.

Southern California 222

Southern California Incubator Report Startup 222

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2014

I got a call a few years ago from a well-known investor up North. I got three calls from another big name, big check VC. I reviewed a deal for a friend of mine tonight. He’s an incredibly smart investor and somebody that I actually consider to be a mentor to myself. Not from either of his two famous VCs.

Venture Capital 333

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Email 333

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2013

My internal compass has always steered me strongly toward the belief that founders who can scale with their startup companies are better to back that founders who eventually need to hire a CEO. Very few founder CEOs go into the job ever expecting to give up their seat. So give up the CEO role? It’s your baby.

Startup 303

Startup Technical Review Product Blogging 303

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2013

More and more entrepreneurs are hearing about the successful graduates and investors queued behind a few well-known startup incubators, including Y Combinator, TechStars, and the Founder Institute. His tests focus on personality traits alone (ignoring your startup idea), looking for fluid intelligence, openness, and agreeableness.

Incubator 115

Incubator Help Startup Technical Review 115

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 12, 2013

To learn more about how women are looking to change the investment climate--and get involved in investing themselves--we caught up with one of the Pipeline Fellowship''s local mentors, the CEO of Beyond Capital Fund (www.beyondcapitalfund.org), Eva Helene Yazhari , who is here in Los Angeles. What is the Pipeline Fellowship?

Angel 276

Angel Invest Mentor Technical Review 276

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2010

The Founder Institute (www.founderinstitute.com), an entrepreneurial training program that originally launched by Adeo Ressi in Silicon Valley, recently announced that it is setting up shop in Southern California, with branches both in San Diego and Los Angeles. What role do the mentors play? The mentors at the L.A.

Mentor 185

Mentor Class Entertainment Technical Review 185

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 3, 2015

What Jason has achieved in no time flat in VC is astounding. Without inventing the browser he has single-handedly created a personal VC brand on a shoestring. I recently saw him Tweet this so I thought it would be a great title for my post on his spectacular early success in building his VC profile and bona fides.

SaaS 150

SaaS Venture Capital Conference Technical Review 150

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 7, 2013

Stained Glass Labs (SGL), the first Glass and wearable technologies accelerator has launched the world’s first comprehensive app directory and a self-service app publishing portal for Google Glass pre-launched applications. Comprehensive App Directory. SGL says the Comprehensive App Directory launched is a simple 2 step process.

Google 87

Google Technical Review Press Software Review 87

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2012

Every startup faces a myriad of challenges that are well beyond the scope of any founder, so you need a few guiding lights to illuminate the road ahead. I recommend that every early-stage startup find three Advisory Board members. Once your company is past the startup stage, you do need a board of directors.

Startup 95

Startup Technical Review Software Review High Tech 95

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 2, 2011

If I check Twitter it’s usually because I’m waiting for a meeting to start and I never write posts during the day. I don’t think any serious VC or angel thought it was “collusion.&# They could chat about it with their peers or mentors. They could start to form an opinion. I enjoy that.

Email 287

Email Blogging Venture Capital Writing 287

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 8, 2011

For those who still might be wondering what Spotlight: LA Tech is all about, It’s a screening room for new technology homegrown in our region. It’s a gathering of friends and tech enthusiasts of all stripes. This Spotlight takes place Thursday, July 14, at The California Institute of Technology (CalTech).

CalTech 100

CalTech Technical Review Company Companies 100

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 23, 2014

After my first Tweet with the Notorious mothafucka quote , I thought about my role as a VC and I Tweeted the following. I reviewed an email from Kara Nortman, the CEO of Moonfrye who is working on putting together venture debt. I then traded emails with two former senior tech professionals in LA. Whom to Meet? .”

Networking 366

Networking Startup CTO Coach Email 366

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 30, 2014

More and more entrepreneurs are hearing about the successful graduates and investors queued behind a few well-known startup incubators, including Y Combinator, TechStars, and the Founder Institute. His tests focus on personality traits alone (ignoring your startup idea), looking for fluid intelligence, openness, and agreeableness.

Incubator 103

Incubator Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor 103

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2012

Lack of confidence in your self, your product, and your startup is a surefire recipe for disaster. It’s always painful when a startup fails, but as a mentor to founders I would hope that you can learn from these failings and not stumble on the same issues: “Business plans are for dummies.” Sleeping giants do wake up. “No

Startup 95

Startup Social Network IBM IBM 95

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 5, 2011

Every startup faces a myriad of challenges that are well beyond the scope of any founder, so you need a few guiding lights to illuminate the road ahead. I recommend that every early-stage startup find three Advisory Board members. Once your company is past the startup stage, you do need a board of directors.

Startup 95

Startup Technical Review Software Review High Tech 95

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 2, 2013

Whether you were a startup, an investor, a blogger, a fashionista, or someone just curious about what is happening in Santa Monica aka “Silicon Beach,” the recent Silicon Beach Fest had something for everyone which included panels, parties and more. This advice was helpful to hear as I build up my team.

Cornerstone OnDemand 93

Cornerstone OnDemand Santa Monica Technical Review Startup 93

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2019

For example, I grew up in IBM when Bill Gates was helping us deliver the first IBM PC. We slowly realized that Microsoft’s value went far beyond his technical contributions, due to his connections with key software developers and relationships with hardware manufacturers who could make the PC revolution universal.

IBM 87

IBM IBM Ideas Technical Review 87

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 1, 2011

I was initially skeptical, but it was a pure delight for me from start to finish. For the same reason I loved the much more flawed story of Anvil , who interestingly came from Toronto, about 100 miles away from where Justin Bieber grew up. It all has to start from talent. Usher worked hard to set up meetings (including L.A.

Entrepreneur 398

Entrepreneur Startup Writing Blogging 398

InfoChachkie

JULY 21, 2016

The reality television show Shark Tank makes for entertaining content but many of its underlying messages are potentially detrimental to tech entrepreneurs. Per the show’s Mark Cuban, “Anybody with an idea can see how the business process works, see that these are normal people, and there's nothing magical about coming up with an idea.”

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Entertainment Technical Review Ideas 100

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 18, 2015

I rarely talk to any startup entrepreneur or VC who doesn’t feel it and somehow long for simpler times despite the benefits we all enjoy from increased enthusiasm for our sector. And even this can’t stop their employees from fleeing after two years of vesting to move on to the next hot startup. Easier said than done.

Software Review 150

Software Review Startup Venture Capital Invest 150

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2017

The board’s job is to review the company’s financial performance and strategy and help provide counsel to the executive team. The most updated they are the more prepared they are when they do turn up at board meetings. Some boards are highly functional, many are not. Of course it’s not required and many don’t do it.

Tips 212

Tips Slides Startup Technical Review 212