Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series called “ Start-up Lessons.&#. I came across this blog post about getting a computer science degree as the best degree for getting into venture capital or working at a VC-backed start up. I paid up for the diploma but can’t say that I saw better results. So back to MBAs.

Startup 337

Startup Venture Capital Study Course 337

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2022

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. The sales professional.

Technical Advisors 123

Technical Advisors Startup Outsource Development High Tech 123

Berkonomics

JANUARY 28, 2021

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked away from deals where the entrepreneur insists on a start-up pre-money valuation that is so high, no angel could expect to make a return upon the investment, even with a reasonable sales price for the company down the road. The post Don’t get hung up on early stage valuation.

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Outsource Development Startup Outsource Venture Capital 156

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2014

We are in the age of outsourcing, by any of many popular names, including subcontracting, freelancing, and virtual assistants. These approaches allow your startup to grow more rapidly, save costs, but costly mistakes can lead to business failure. Let’s cut costs by outsourcing all from this point forward.” Be flexible.

Outsource Development 92

Outsource Development Outsource Entrepreneur Startup 92

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 19, 2020

Investors will tell you that they love to put money into startups that are scalable, and ready to become the next unicorn. Investors don’t invest in services startups. Here are some pragmatic tips on how to make your startup more scalable and investable: If you need investors, start with a scalable idea.

Startup 154

Startup Outsource Ideas Research 154

InfoChachkie

APRIL 20, 2015

This is the approach many startups take when they communicate their story to the market. Rather than directly explaining their value proposition with all the passion and heartfelt stridency that only an entrepreneur can deliver, they outsource this communication to a Public Relations (PR) firm. The company started ‘getting ink.’

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Outsource Development Outsource Allegis Startup 100

SoCal CTO

APRIL 23, 2010

I’ve come to realize that I have lots of posts around startup software development scattered around in different posts. How to Work With a Contract Web Developer How To Bootstrap Your Startup Thought it would be good to capture them in one spot and also include links to related posts from other sources.

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Outsource Development CTO Hire Startup CTO Coach 219

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2022

In this context, it’s time for every business, not only startups, to take a fresh look at the basics of business success. Once you have a proven business model, you need to scale the business up quickly to stay ahead of competitors. Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. If you want to be feared.

Startup 112

Startup News Framework IBM 112

socalTECH

AUGUST 7, 2014

Los Angeles has been in the midst of a technology boom over the last few years, with many of high profile startups growing in the area. We spoke with Bryce Maddock , founder of TaskUs, about the company and how it has been providing the manpower behind a lot of LA''s technology startups. So, what is TaskUs?

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Startup Technology Outsource Santa Monica 231

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2019

We are in the age of outsourcing, by any of many popular names, including subcontracting, freelancing, and virtual assistants. These approaches allow your startup to grow more rapidly, save costs, but costly mistakes can lead to business failure. Let’s cut costs by outsourcing all from this point forward.” Be flexible.

Outsource Development 121

Outsource Development Outsource Entrepreneur Summary 121

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 5, 2021

Everyone knows that startups are risky, but they also expect that the job will be exciting and potentially very lucrative (think early employees at Facebook and Google). The truly indispensable person in a startup is a problem solver, because every startup has plenty of problems. You can’t outsource that one.

Startup 125

Startup Journal Outsource Tips 125

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 19, 2022

Yet as I mentor entrepreneurs around the country, crowdfunding still seems to be one of the least understood approaches to startup funding, with more myths than accredited angels and professional venture capital investors combined. With this model, a startup pre-sells their product early, at a cheaper price, in exchange for a pledge.

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Funding Startup Outsource Development Satisfaction 141

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

It wasn’t so many years ago that starting a new e-commerce business on the Internet was a complex custom development project, usually costing a million dollars or more. Almost anyone can start a company today on a shoestring budget, following these cost-cutting recommendations: Establish a solid legal structure for your business.

Entrepreneur 162

Entrepreneur Startup Social Media Outsource Development 162

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2023

If you have a software development background like mine, I’m sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. Outsourcing is defined as contracting the work to another company, usually located in a developing country, like India, China, or Eastern Europe. Factor in all the cost elements.

Software Review 114

Software Review Technical Review Outsource Development Outsource 114

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 14, 2023

Investors will tell you that they love to put money into startups that are scalable, and ready to become the next unicorn. Investors don’t invest in services startups. Here are some pragmatic tips on how to make your startup more scalable and investable: If you need investors, start with a scalable idea.

Tips 135

Tips Invest Startup Outsource 135

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2012

Since my background includes software development, I often get the question about when to build a solution in-house, versus outsourcing it to a local company, near-shore service, or off-shore organization in China, India, or Eastern Europe. Don’t outsource your core competency. It’s like giving up control of your company.

Outsource Development 89

Outsource Development Outsource Software Development Software 89

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2016

If you have a software development background like mine, I’m sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. Outsourcing is defined as contracting the work to another company, usually located in a developing country, like India, China, or Eastern Europe. Factor in all the cost elements.

Outsource Development 53

Outsource Development Outsource Software Review Technical Review 53

Alon Schwartz

MAY 20, 2009

This month’s “Startups Uncensored” will be on “Navigating the Challenges of Effective Outsourcing”. It will be an open and frank town-hall conversation discussing topics such as: Outsourcing best practices. Do’s and don’ts of outsourcing. Top mistakes people do when outsourcing. What can and should you outsource?

Outsource 75

Outsource Startup Santa Monica Social Media 75

socalTECH

JUNE 11, 2021

Santa Monica-based outsourcing provider TaskUs, founded by Bryce Maddock and Jaspar Weir, had a successful IPO on Friday, raising $304M in an IPO on the Nasdaq. The company was up around 30% in its IPO in trading on Friday, trading as TASK. The company priced its IPO last night at $23 per share, at the midpoint of its $22.00

Outsource 113

Outsource Santa Monica Pricing Startup 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2023

Enjoy that first video interview at an industry conference, or the newspaper story which enhances your startup visibility and credibility. One approach, which is even more work, is to keep tasks in-house rather than outsourcing. Feel the inspiration from peers asking for your secret, or peers trying to model their efforts after yours.

Startup 118

Startup Satisfaction Customer Custom 118

Berkonomics

JULY 10, 2014

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked away from deals where the entrepreneur insists on a start-up premoney valuation that is so high, no angel could expect to make a return upon the investment, even with a reasonable sales price for the company down the road. Starting up Raising money' Email readers, continue here.]

Startup 179

Startup Outsource Development Outsource Venture Capital 179

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2023

No matter how well your business seems to have worked for you up to this point, you can be certain that it will need to be heavily transformed for tomorrow’s new world-wide economy and no industry sector boundaries. Outsourcing the entirety of building a new system. None of us can afford to be a silo anymore.

Outsource Development 140

Outsource Development Outsource Startup Metrics 140

socalTECH

DECEMBER 28, 2017

Santa Monica-based TaskUs , the provider of business process outsourcing led by Bryce Maddock and Jaspar Weir, has now passed up 8,000 employees, the company said today. The company was started in Santa Monica, but its biggest employee base is in the Philippines.

Santa Monica 138

Santa Monica Outsource Startup Company 138

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 1, 2013

The final episode of Bravo’s Start-ups: Silicon Valley aired recently, wrapping up an 8-episode run of what could be considered the most bizarre depiction of entrepreneurs and start-ups to date. They sound serious about start-ups, however actions speak louder than words. What was that ?

Startup 90

Startup Technical Review Software Review Outsource Development 90

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2022

Look impartially from all angles and do the follow-up on all relevant previous roles. Beyond the core team of two or three startup partners, every startup should seek to “outsource” the rest of their strategic requirements to external business partners.

Software Review 154

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 154

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2011

Since my background includes software development, I often get the question about when to build a solution in-house, versus outsourcing it to a local company, near-shore service, or off-shore organization in China, India, or Eastern Europe. Don’t outsource your core competency. It’s like giving up control of your company.

Outsource Development 90

Outsource Development Outsource Software Development Software 90

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 10, 2012

It was like having a bunch of mini- Free Startup CTO Consulting Sessions all in one room. This is exactly the kind of thing I'm doing as a Part-Time CTO or Technical Advisor for startups. And it made me come to a new realization: Every early-stage web/mobile/online startup should have at least one technical advisor, probably two.

Technical Advisors 332

Technical Advisors CTO Coach Technical Review CTO Hire 332

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 6, 2013

Final startup grind from msuster. And the folks at Startup Grind have been kind enough to invite me to present this morning in Mountain View on the topic. And you need to be careful about giving up control to cofounders as much as VCs. PMs are a vital part of a tech startup. figure out roles. identify gaps. and so forth.

Startup 388

Startup Slides Outsource Development Sales 388

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2020

If you want to make a great first impression on a startup investor or an advisor like me, don’t try to convince me or show me how busy you are. I’m sure you all know someone who always seems to be overworked, but often comes up short on the delivery side. As an entrepreneur starting a new business, you have a lot to learn.

Product 123

Product Startup Tips Entrepreneur 123

socalTECH

MAY 29, 2019

San Diego-based outsourced R&D services marketplace Scientist.com , and venture investor 5AM Ventures said this mroning that the two have tied together to create a new, R&D marketplace for biotech startups associated with 5AM Ventures. FInancial details of the deal were not announced. READ MORE>>.

Outsource 113

Outsource San Diego Services Startup 113

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2020

Maybe we haven’t seen the results yet, but there are thousands of startup opportunities to offer new alternatives and services, to replace those destroyed by the crisis. Other countries can provide e-commerce with different business models, outsource manufacturing at low cost, and a huge market for new products.

Customer 167

Customer Custom Startup Outsource Development 167

socalTECH

OCTOBER 22, 2019

Los Angeles-based business process outsourcing provider TaskUs is continuing its expansion, saying on Tuesday that it is opening up a new location in Indore, India--its first expansion into India. According to TaskUs, the new office is part of a plan to rapidly expand in the country. READ MORE>>.

Outsource 100

Outsource Santa Monica Startup Los Angeles 100

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 9, 2012

Startup Exits: A Primer from msuster. I speak privately a lot about getting an exit at a startup. We also are going to talk a lot about startups getting exits and ultimately: Companies are bought, not sold. Outsourcing can be cheap. Later today I’m presenting at the annual Rincon Ventures Summit in Santa Barbara.

Startup 323

Startup Technology Venture Capital Santa Barbara 323

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2023

Most business professionals I know have been conditioned to think of inflation as highly negative, driving up their costs, and reducing customer buying. Outsource functions outside your core competency. Selective outsourcing can save you real money. Selective outsourcing can save you real money.

Outsource 95

Outsource Custom Customer Sample 95

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2010

Since my background includes software development, I often get the question about when to build a solution in-house, versus outsourcing it to a local company, near-shore service, or off-shore organization in China, India, or Eastern Europe. Don’t outsource your core competency. It’s like giving up control of your company.

Outsource Development 51

Outsource Development Outsource Software Offshore 51

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 23, 2019

Less than a month after rebranding as Canoo , the startup electric vehicle company formerly known as Evelozcity is on the hunt for $200 million in new capital. Canoo plans to use blockchain technology to secure its subscription services and ensure an asset light approach to development by outsourcing its manufacturing in the U.S.

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Outsource Development Startup Outsource San Diego 191

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2020

Many entrepreneurs are convinced that banks are not worth the effort for startups, especially early-stage ones that still don’t have a revenue stream, or collateral to back up their financing needs. If you don't have a team on staff, then a banker is going to want to hear about outsourcing and advisors. That's just reality.

Technical Advisors 162

Technical Advisors Tips Startup Equity 162