Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 29, 2014

I once went to a startup event where a VC told the audience that if a VC doesn’t respond to your email to move on to the next VC – that VC is clearly not interested. Will every customer who feels bombarded with sales requests want to take your call? Well, for starters you need to be a great networker.

Venture Capital 389

Venture Capital Email Startup Conference 389

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

Our profile this morning is with Network Automation , a Los Angeles company competing in the IT automation market. Southern California--despite the lack of huge, name brand firms-- has a significant number of enterprise software companies, of which Network Automation is just one. The traditional way to handle that is to write code.

Networking 214

Networking IBM IBM Pacific Palisades 214

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 9, 2009

This is part of my series on Raising Venture Capital. Many businesses that pitch to me have White Elephant issues and I’d like to tell you how to deal with these when you’re raising venture capital. But the VC is thinking about the issue whether you address it or not. You raised $1.5

Venture Capital 264

Venture Capital Startup Training Sales 264

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

The problem is that stakeholders, like marketing and sales, don’t know what the latest version of the roadmap is. Greathouse: Having run these groups, I know all about the inherent friction between sales and marketing with regard to lead quality, volume, etc., That causes friction internally. Semick: Thanks John, it was fun!

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 13, 2020

Meanwhile, Coffield has spent the past several years building out a network in Los Angeles and eight years in the venture capital industry. “We actively recruit for our portfolio companies which enables us to meet a large swath of highly technical people,” the firm writes in its pitch deck.

Los Angeles 126

Los Angeles Artificial Inteligence Invest Angel 126

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

I find it amusing when a journalist writes an article about a prominent startup (either privately held or preparing for an IPO) and decries that, “They’re not even profitable!” The most obvious way to explain this is with sales people. Do you imagine eventually raising VC and trying to build a faster growing company?”

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 16, 2011

It’s easy to think that the wife of a well-known & successful VC ( Fred Wilson ) would have had an easy and storied life of wealth and privilege. That’s why I was so interested in having “ The Gotham Gal &# come on This Week in VC ( video link on YouTube , download iTunes, episode 15) ) and dispel those myths.

Startup 311

Startup Sales Venture Capital Entrepreneur 311

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 12, 2017

We’re expected to be at conferences, events, sales meetings and be publicly visible. Taking tons of VC meetings is relatively easy but getting 1 or 2 to truly engage is much harder and takes total focus. Recruiting, business development, shipping product, writing blog posts, networking … it’s all the same.

Activity 297

Activity Blogging Email Startup 297

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 26, 2021

Then fans would be tasked with writing their own stories, submitting them to the Realms of Ruin universe by minting them as NFTs on the Solana blockchain. If the authors are inviting fans to write fan fiction about a universe they created, who owns the derivative works? Another unabashed proponent of fan fiction is N.K.

Writing 196

Writing Outsource Development Technical Review Examples 196

From the Venture Trenches

MARCH 27, 2013

Yet despite his ability to raise over $1 billion of private equity and to build an organization that is worth $5 billion as of this writing, Mason was shown the door. Is outside capital really required? Most investors will be interested to learn what you are bringing to market, but their focus will be on your sales traction.

Venture Capital 45

Venture Capital Capital Anthem Startup 45

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 16, 2011

It should stick in your head as a metaphor for networking. Talented brand sales people? Help them write other stories. One day they’ll write yours. Raising money from angels and VCs some day? Are You a VC? 50 coffee meetings. For getting outside of your comfort zone. Recruiting. 50 coffee meetings.

Startup 410

Startup Writing Press Venture Capital 410

socalTECH

AUGUST 3, 2009

Sean McDonald is founder of Jute Networks (www.jutenetworks.com), which is in a startup developing highly visual, graphical tools to help people use their professional networks and connections to further their business. What is Jute Networks? Our company, Jute Networks, is a startup that is about a year and a half old.

Networking 113

Networking Startup Social Network Software 113

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2013

This started as a post in which I was going to write out tips to personal branding and became in stead an essay of my own branding journey. I was 23 and had been programming computers, designing computer networks and selling software for 10 years. I was in Network Solutions. This was pre Internet. I was “technical guy.”

Technical Advisors 385

Technical Advisors Marketing Startup Venture Capital 385

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 10, 2014

One of the interesting things about being a VC is that you often see companies in transition. If you’re an early investor like I am that often means writing the first $2-3 million check into a business that previously had either survived on fumes or on a $500,000 angel round. Objection Handling training.

Startup 381

Startup Resource Venture Capital Activity 381

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 14, 2014

All the data actually suggests with the growth of mobile, inbound sales calls will double from 30 billion to 60 billion in 3 years (source: Kelsey). It’s why the first company I ever invested in as a VC – Invoca – just announced a $20 million funding by Accel Partners. Much more data in the full post. PHONE CALLS.

Email 339

Email SaaS Venture Capital Google 339

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series Pitching a VC. Quick caveats: having fewer investors (3-5) is better than many investors (10-15) and PLEASE make sure you hire a great lawyer who has experience in doing start-ups to avoid pitfalls that will make VC harder down the line. They might be as hard as raising VC.

Angel 291

Angel Funding Venture Capital Startup 291

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 14, 2012

…” I’ll write soon on my views of why I believe Instagram took off as a social network and what I think comes next. Instagram happens to be one of the few social networks I regularly use along with Twitter. Maybe you should just close your VC round? I am not saying all companies should be for sale.

Venture Capital 316

Venture Capital Pricing Social Network Acquisition 316

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

” It was meant both as a call to those writing angel checks into other people’s companies that they ought to think about putting that capital toward themselves either by becoming a startup founder or (and this was my real point) by taking an under-market salary in a company where they can learn the right skills to do it in the future.

Technical Review 150

Technical Review Startup Venture Capital IP 150

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 22, 2012

Intros.They’re the lifeblood of networking – the currency of mavens. Your entrée to sales meetings. Helping with a Sales Lead. After all, if your VCs won’t help you get access to potential buyers or business development partners – what will they do? They are your route to angel money.

Email 359

Email Venture Capital Startup Technical Review 359

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2011

This is a post I’ve been dying to write for 18 months. I invested in LA-based Gogii , one of the fastest growing, most exciting mobile social networking companies you’ve never heard of and maker of a product called textPlus. OK, that sounds like an interesting business, but nothing to write a freakin’ blog post about?

Gogii 310

Gogii Invest Blogging Startup 310

TechCrunch LA

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Robertson is the founder of Influence , a networking tool for influencers that’s expected to announce its Series A financing in the coming weeks. People say we’re crazy, but we know creators are legit businesses,” Karat writes on its website — the company didn’t respond to a request to chat about what they’re working on.

Platform 170

Platform Marketing Tool Venture Capital 170

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 19, 2011

And yes, VC’s, too. On balance I usually prefer to recruit people from my network both in terms of saving costs as well as hiring people I know & trust. Negotiate directly with your VC or acquirer with lawyers present in the room. VCs : VCs are often on your side and usually act in an ethical manner.

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Pricing Startup Outsource 319

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

Also be careful about VCs. But once a VC has heard your idea he can’t “un-think&# it. I worked with an entrepreneur who was to appear at a startup networking event where he was to talk about his company’s plans. Be careful about this advice. I call this “marketing futures.&# Read their articles.

Marketing 380

Marketing Startup Press Technical Advisors 380

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 17, 2010

We held a 90-minute demo session where 150 of LA’s VC’s and senior technology executives watched the LPLA V2 group present in small groups of 12-15 each. The VC’s & executives were then asked to make “commitments&# (in writing) to 3-5 of the companies that they felt they could make some sort of contribution to.

Company 276

Company Companies Startup Southern California 276

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 19, 2015

Sales people (and website customer acquisition folks) all think in terms of funnels and yet non-sales professionals seldom do. VC meetings are easy to come by but money in the bank is the only thing that will fund your next 12 months. We all know the type of person who lives in the top end of the funnel.

Startup 150

Startup Framework Sales Venture Capital 150

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2010

There’s one attribute (coming soon) that I need to have in order to write a check but I don’t believe is vital for success. I’ll publish the final post in this series this week and then move on to my next series – sales & marketing. I’ll be covering my PUCCKA sales methodology.

Entrepreneur 267

Entrepreneur Startup SaaS San Diego 267

socalTECH

OCTOBER 10, 2012

Neal Roche: I spent twenty years in the Internet networking business, working on internal hardware for test and measurement. I left there in 2010, and starting looking at the electric vehicle market, what Southern California Edison was planning, saw these charging networks, and how all of this was planned to be an intelligence network.

Help 178

Help Startup San Fernando Southern California 178

InfoChachkie

JULY 14, 2011

Value Prop Twitter Style : “Ringrevenue’s call performance marketing platform enables ad networks, agencies, advertisers & publishers to generate more inbound sales calls.”. For businesses like this, finding new ways to drive more of these high-value inbound sales calls is key. You’re right.

Marketing 209

Marketing Advertising Paid Search Startup 209

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2010

I’m very pleased today to announce that I invested, on behalf of GRP Partners, in Burstly alongside Rincon Venture Partners , an early stage VC in Southern California whith whom we love to work (and were our co-investors on RingRevenue ). He knows the ad management and ad network businesses. How can they claim this?

Mobile 282

Mobile Invest Company Companies 282

From the Venture Trenches

APRIL 30, 2013

As a fourteen-year veteran of the venture industry I have often heard the phrase, “value added investors”, which is usually touted by certain VC’s as their biggest differentiating quality. If commitment and drive were Jason’s first attraction, the extensive Amplify network came in a close second.

Web Design 103

Web Design Social Media Seed Funding Design 103

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 16, 2009

If I were writing about the most important attributes of a VC (hmmm) one of the things that would make my list is “ability to spot patterns.&# I see the same things over-and-over again and being able to spot things and compartmentalize them is important – it helps with short-handing analysis and learning.

Entrepreneur 306

Entrepreneur Startup Outsource Development Customer 306

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 15, 2014

Wi-Fi hotspots aren’t new by any means (duh) but this was the first time I’d heard of Karma and their always maintaining open wifi networks, no contracts, and pay it forward mantra which rewards both hub owners and would be wifi users with free data incentives. ” Everyone asked in unison.

Outsource Development 108

Outsource Development Startup Incubator Press 108

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 12, 2010

We had a special edition of This Week in Venture Capital this week shooting out of the Next New Networks offices in New York. Our guest was Mo Koyfman of Spark Capital. Topics we discussed in the first 45 minutes of the video include: What is VC like in NY? We discussed NY vs. Silicon Valley and NY vs. Boston.

Venture Capital 217

Venture Capital Capital Metrics Competition 217

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 19, 2010

I’m writing this post as part of my series with Advice on Raising Venture Capital but will file it under Sales Tips as well since it applies equally to both scenarios. You’ve found a VC partner or principal who has invited you to the Monday partners’ meeting. Congratulations. Happy to do that.

Venture Capital 318

Venture Capital Startup Sales Writing 318

CEO Flow

MARCH 2, 2009

Aaron is also the Program Director for Entretech’s Nitro.la , a non-profit mentoring network in partnership with USC, UCLA and Caltech, to help develop LA’s entrepreneurial community by “getting more companies funded in greater Los Angeles&#. Session #1, for CEOs with VC investors or over $1m raised. Just write me).

Santa Monica 40

Santa Monica Los Angeles Finaventures Angel 40

CEO Flow

MARCH 2, 2009

Aaron is also the Program Director for Entretech’s Nitro.la , a non-profit mentoring network in partnership with USC, UCLA and Caltech, to help develop LA’s entrepreneurial community by “getting more companies funded in greater Los Angeles&#. Session #1, for CEOs with VC investors or over $1m raised. Just write me).

Santa Monica 40

Santa Monica Los Angeles Finaventures Angel 40

CEO Flow

MARCH 2, 2009

Aaron is also the Program Director for Entretech’s Nitro.la , a non-profit mentoring network in partnership with USC, UCLA and Caltech, to help develop LA’s entrepreneurial community by “getting more companies funded in greater Los Angeles&#. Session #1, for CEOs with VC investors or over $1m raised. Just write me).

Santa Monica 40

Santa Monica Los Angeles Finaventures Angel 40