Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 13, 2011

I recently filmed a show for This Week in Venture Capital in which I talked about how to prepare for a VC meeting: whom you’ll meet, who should attend from your side, what materials you should bring and how you should run the meeting. The “Triple Play&# of VC Presentations. Can you just show up without one?

Venture Capital 299

Venture Capital Slides Technical Advisors Startup 299

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 9, 2012

Later today I’m presenting at the annual Rincon Ventures Summit in Santa Barbara. Startup Exits: A Primer from msuster. I speak privately a lot about getting an exit at a startup. The median VC exit price for deals is $70 million (FLAG Capital via Bryce.VC). They say the same about VC.

Startup 323

Startup Technology Venture Capital Santa Barbara 323

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 19, 2015

We all have strengths and special interests, and it always pays to capitalize on these, rather than assume all opportunities are the same. The Builder excels at constructing a business from the ground up. These types of people start good family businesses, but can’t scale.

Startup 106

Startup Incubator Entrepreneur Metrics 106

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 26, 2013

Understanding “The Funding Angle” I sit at enough board meetings to hear conflicting advice given to entrepreneurs about how to handle PR and announcements at startups. I think many board members (including VCs) were trained 10+ years ago when life was very different and their advice often comes from an outdated lens.

Startup 355

Startup Funding News Press 355

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

Continuing my series of posts that I’ve been collecting that live at the intersection of Startups and being a Startup CTO : Startup CTO Top 30 Posts for April 16 Great Startup Posts from March here are the top posts from May 2010. It is to out friend. Enjoyed this post? Disruptive. We get it! I Be specific. Tesla is not.

Startup 248

Startup Venture Capital Conference Social Media 248

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 31, 2011

If you’ve taken the roller coaster ride that is a startup – you know what I’m talking about. I’m enjoying being a VC. I thought I’d talk a bit about the differences I’ve experienced between being an entrepreneur & a VC – you know, from “both sides of the table.&#. Our user numbers are up.

Entrepreneur 384

Entrepreneur Startup Venture Capital Ideas 384

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2010

Our guest this week on #TWiVC was Dana Settle , partner at Greycroft Partners , a venture capital firm with offices in New York and Los Angeles. Greycroft is an early-stage VC. Closing a VC fund in 2009/10 is a major achievement in and of itself. To be fair to Ben Horowitz – I think he thinks this as well.

Venture Capital 240

Venture Capital Startup Platform Technical Review 240

socalTECH

JULY 14, 2009

Contrary to the common belief that Southern California "should be an easy place to raise money" with all of its' entertainment and real estate wealth, it is a very difficult place to raise Venture Capital for technology start-ups. So how does an entrepreneur based in SoCal get the attention of VC funds today?

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Southern California Invest Tech Coast Angels 100

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2020

Even if you have booked an hour with a VC, you should plan to talk only for the first fifteen minutes. The biggest complaint I hear from fellow investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point.

Startup 118

Startup Slides Technical Review Research 118

Xconomy

AUGUST 11, 2017

If you’re looking for a counterpoint to the recent flurry of news stories about sexual harassment and gender bias in the tech sector, the Kauffman Fellows program isn’t a bad place to start. A group of Kauffman Fellows is pictured above.) The network. Read more » Reprints | Share: UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS.

Mentor 76

Mentor Venture Capital Screening Education 76

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 20, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series, “ Pitching a VC.&# Getting a meeting with a prominent angel or VC is difficult enough. Some advice on how to do that was covered in this link – Getting Access to a VC. Despite best intentions they probably won’t follow up on their actions. ENTREPRENEUR NEXT STEPS.

Venture Capital 277

Venture Capital Startup Email News 277

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 21, 2023

Even if you have booked an hour with a VC, you should plan to talk only for the first fifteen minutes. The biggest complaint I hear from fellow investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point.

Slides 147

Slides Funding Technical Review Startup 147

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 10, 2021

If you want to get in better shape and haven’t read that you might start there. I started advice with the premise that no amount of exercise or food eating plan would help with long-term fitness or weight goals unless you first had a mental plan and a set of measurements to track your progress. I want to share with you how I did this.

Coach 538

Coach Startup Guide Journal 538

socalTECH

OCTOBER 5, 2021

The company's software provides both front- and back-office automation for hospitality providers, and Jurny also provides service like 24/7 inquiry support and virtual concierge, access control, guest screening, review management, accounting and other features. The startup is led by Luca Zambello, Co-Founder and CEO.

Software Review 196

Software Review Screening Los Angeles Software 196

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 8, 2014

What is a principal at a VC firm and how does it work at Upfront Ventures? ” Associates have different functions at different VCs. Deal screening. VC firm admin. VC firm policy or fund analysis. Helping be the VC “presence” at key events. inside insight into VC decision-making.

Help 365

Help Invest Venture Capital Technical Review 365

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2014

We are often asked how companies get funded, why VCs make the decisions we make and what we’re looking for in entrepreneurs. I think this is a Seriously great example of how this process works for at least one VC – Upfront Ventures. We met in August (so much for VCs taking the Summer off!)

Funding 373

Funding Technical Review Startup Screening 373

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 17, 2019

The program is open to entrepreneurs that are starting companies in areas that are likely to draw venture capital investment. Saturday, June 22, 2019 -- LAVA First Time Entrepreneur Workshop. LAVA is extremely pleased to announce its next First Time Entrepreneur training program. The program is not open to service providers.

LAVA 100

LAVA Entrepreneur Screening Patents 100

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

When I was new at Venture Capital I was trying to figure out the business. As a VC you want to feel like you have “proprietary sources” of deal flow. There is one source I never liked and no early-stage VC should – investment bankers. They are venture bankers not investment bankers. What stage?

Startup 361

Startup Venture Capital Pricing Technical Review 361

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2011

If you’ve taken the roller coaster ride that is a startup – you know what I’m talking about. I’m enjoying being a VC. I thought I’d talk a bit about the differences I’ve experienced between being an entrepreneur & a VC – you know, from “both sides of the table.&#. Our user numbers are up.

Entrepreneur 176

Entrepreneur Startup Venture Capital Ideas 176

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2013

It’s the first EIR that we’ve had in the years that I’ve been with the firm and I hope will be the start of our investment in this program. I became aware of Sam several years ago as I started noticing his name repeated in the comments section of my blog. Sam later decided he wanted to do a startup.

Startup 372

Startup Course Ideas Invest 372

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 18, 2010

Let’s start with what I like most about the product. I was recently over at the Mahalo offices in Santa Monica and I noticed that they had a great big screen TV with Chartbeat displaying their traffic data. It’s fun when a story is blowing up to see the right hand side of your screen light up like a pinball machine.

Blogging 287

Blogging Google Screening Mahalo 287

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 27, 2012

My friend and fellow SoCal venture capitalist Peter Lee wrote a post about the different roles within a VC and spent much time on the role of an associate. These are the permanent members of a VC. The process for raising money from a VC is a sales process and as such much of what is taught in enterprise sales can be applied.

Venture Capital 308

Venture Capital Sales Entrepreneur Startup 308

socalTECH

JULY 19, 2017

Vista, California-baed TetraVue , a venture backed startup developing 4D LIDAR technology aimed at the autonomous vehicle market, has named Dr. Hal Zarem as Chief Executive Officer, and Dr. Bruce McWilliams as Chairman of its board. Zarem also has served at Cypress Semiconductor, JDS Uniphase, and Ortel Corporation. READ MORE>>.

Screening 124

Screening Venture Capital Funding Technology 124

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 9, 2018

You race back to the office to tell everybody how well it went and you wait for the follow-up call to have a partners’ meeting or talk about term sheets or at least dip into due diligence. This is a very common scenario when entrepreneurs pitch VCs and frankly is a very common scenario when VCs try to raise money from LPs.

Software Review 381

Software Review Startup Email Conference 381

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

socalTECH

APRIL 5, 2013

VisibleBrands , a startup developing an in-store, digital promotions network which presents consumers with coupons which automatically show up at the checkout line, has raised $4.6M. visiblebrands visible brands venture capital digital coupon promotion promotions kiosk' READ MORE>>.

San Diego 153

San Diego Screening Venture Capital Networking 153

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 12, 2013

It’s why I talk about building VC relationships early – Lines, Not Dots. Fill your VC good will, build relationships, be helpful to them not just asking for things. Todd Gitlin is one of the best executive recruiters the technology & startup market in Los Angeles. “I’ve never been a VC before.

Venture Capital 407

Venture Capital Press GRP Partners Blogging 407

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 28, 2013

The Tech Coast Angels , Southern California's most active , organized angel investment group, has a goal: cut down the time it takes to fund a startup presenting to the organization. READ MORE>>.

Tech Coast Angels 168

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Funding 168

Tech.Co

JULY 25, 2017

That all changed with social media , and now everyone is glued to their phone’s screen. This slower approach makes it harder to scale, which in itself is not a virtue, but is considered by venture capital firms. Read more about innovative startups on TechCo.

Demand 73

Demand Startup Social Media Training 73

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 15, 2011

This might be a VC meeting but also might just be a sales or biz dev meeting. If you look at Diagram A above you’ll see that the presenters are sitting at the opposite end of the table from where the screen is. The problem is that the people your presenting to are forced to choose between looking at you and looking at the screen.

Tips 392

Tips Screening Slides Venture Capital 392

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 5, 2014

The Annual TechZulu Startup Forecast is one of our most anticipated events. Richard Wolpert – Managing Director of Amplify.LA, startup incubator and Venture Advisor at Accel Partners. Babak Razi – Founder of Third Waves Ventures, innovator and supporter of emerging high technologies. Let’s Talk Bitcoin.

Startup 95

Startup Google Education Venture Capital 95

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

SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

But as we’ve all gotten used to the standard “banner&# across the top of our screens or the “sky scraper&# along the right-hand side we’ve trained ourselves not to look there any longer. Like many users I just started reading the WaPo OpEds more. They also raised VC from New Atlantic Ventures and AOL Ventures.

Media 288

Media Advertising Screening Content 288

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Time sure flies when you’re having fun, or building a startup. Those who are more involved in traditional entertainment are seeing a major shift online which is why an additional one-day seminar was created to coincide with Silicon Beach Fest Hollywood as a partnership called, Idea to Screen. ” Collaboration was also key.

Hollywood 100

Hollywood Screening Ideas Entertainment 100

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 20, 2011

As you all know TechZulu is a huge supporter of Startup Weekend, and when we had the chance to be part of the very first Orange County (my home town) Startup Weekend we jumped on board. Tonights Startup Weekend presentations are being judged by the following: Maneesh Goyal. in venture capital and publicly launched in May 2011.

Orange County 106

Orange County Miramar Startup Tech Coast Angels 106

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2016

Even if you have booked an hour with a VC, you should plan to talk only for the first fifteen minutes. The biggest complaint I hear from investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point.

Startup 64

Startup Slides Technical Review Research 64

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2011

One of the great joys of doing the web series This Week in VC every week is that I get to spend time with great people debating the issues of our day including how our industry is evolving as well as insights into how companies got started, got their initial traction and dealt with adversities. We then spoke about startups.

Startup 286

Startup Venture Capital Web Ideas 286