Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 6, 2023

With the advent and growth of crowdfunding over the past few years, many entrepreneurs have predicted the demise of angel investment groups and venture capital organizations. That’s not as high as the failure rate with professional investors, but it should convince entrepreneurs that crowdfunding is still no panacea for funding.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

With the advent and growth of crowdfunding over the past few years, many entrepreneurs have predicted the demise of those demanding angel investment groups and venture capital organizations. These groups are now largely run by volunteers at no cost to entrepreneurs. Lack of checks and balances on startup valuations. Risk is increased.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2016

Most aspiring entrepreneurs look to their alma mater, or any university, as a source of classes that can help them, but neglect to think outside the box or take advantage of all the other resources to be found there. Access to entrepreneurs-in-residence, business mentors. Access to intellectual property and current research.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 28, 2016

The job of chief financial officer (CFO) may sound like a nightmare assignment to technical entrepreneurs, but the tasks and skills required are key to every new venture. The best entrepreneurs take the initiative on these rather than wait for a CFO to drive them. Be a trustworthy advisor and mentor to others.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 15, 2016

As an advisor to startups and an angel investor, I encounter many Millennials as entrepreneurs who are leaders and great role-models for the rest of us in business. Most great entrepreneurs, including Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Michael Dell, have talked about their failures as the key to later success.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2016

There are a few entrepreneurs who seem to always be ahead of the rest, and are able to sense where the market is going tomorrow. Everyone wants to support the entrepreneur with the courage to make bold decisions, and can make it happen. So what does one have to do to get on the list? His new product presentations were legendary.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2016

As a business advisor, I have too often seen technical entrepreneurs get a product or service off the ground with ease, but then struggle mightily when their business reaches a couple of million in annual sales, or the employee count grows beyond a handful. True entrepreneurs love the tactical and problem solving challenges.

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Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 21, 2015

Cedars-Sinai today announced its partnership with Techstars to launch their first-ever Techstars Healthcare Accelerator , in partnership with Cedars-Sinai, a three-month program that will enable entrepreneurs to propel the global healthtech industry. ’s entrepreneurs to creatively build their companies today.”

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LATechDigest

JUNE 20, 2016

Women Entrepreneurs. Bixel Exchange (@BixelExchange) June 15, 2016. LATech Digest (@LATechDigest) June 15, 2016. LATech Digest (@LATechDigest) June 16, 2016. LATech Digest (@LATechDigest) June 16, 2016. Suzy Ryoo (@suzywillow) June 16, 2016. TechSparks (@techsparks) June 16, 2016. SMNT Happy Hr.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 7, 2016

I found this illustrated well in a new book I just finished, “ A Paperboy’s Fable ,” by a young entrepreneur and writer Deep Patel. Although just seventeen years old, Patel has some great insights that I can extrapolate for every aspiring entrepreneur to answer the most common question I get as an advisor and mentor – “Where do I start?”

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Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

Perks include office space, prototype lab, production facilities, mentoring, and investments up to $150,000 in the first 4 months. They are just over the halfway mark with their current class and have been continuously improving their program to increase the value for their entrepreneurs, their products and their business.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2016

One of the most important skills for every entrepreneur is timely and effective decision making. The best entrepreneurs relish this role, while others struggle mightily and ultimately lose their health and their company. Your job as entrepreneur or executive does not end with picking a solution.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2016

The challenge for these entrepreneurs is to know when to exit, and how to do it smoothly in a win-win fashion for themselves and the business. Some entrepreneurs are leaders, others are good managers and still more are happy to be the do-ers. The best entrepreneurs enjoy the challenges of the journey, more than the destination.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2016

I find that this type offers the most value to new entrepreneurs or startups in the early idea stage. Here are some of the key parameters that will help you decide where you fit in this spectrum: Your commitment to the entrepreneur lifestyle. Direction, mentoring and resources required.

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LATechDigest

MAY 13, 2016

Each mentor spoke for nearly an hour to the entire group, answered questions, and sat with each company for one-on-one mentoring. “Mentorship is a high priority; our entire mission has evolved, for Atom Factory to become a platform that supports & empowers artists and entrepreneurs. SMASHD LABS First-Round Cohorts.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2016

Too many aspiring entrepreneurs I mentor can talk at length about their innovative ideas and passions, and ask lots of good questions, but never make much progress in building a real business. Most entrepreneurs work hard, but many don’t follow up often to check for completion. The best entrepreneurs finish something every day.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2016

One of the reasons that now is the time to be an entrepreneur is the explosion of startup assistance organizations, usually called incubators or accelerators. Mentoring and technical assistance from volunteer or paid experts. Direct seed funding, for a share of the equity, and introductions to investors.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2016

As an investor and advisor to entrepreneurs, I see accountability, or lack of it, as an override to even the best idea. If you are an entrepreneur building a new business, there are many things along these lines that you can and must do, including the following: It’s up to you to be the model of accountability. Very refreshing.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2016

It’s easy to declare yourself an entrepreneur, but it’s not so easy to convince investors, your team and customers that you are that special one to fund and follow. If you don’t consistently display the right entrepreneur mindset traits, people won’t follow and business success will likely elude you.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2016

The bar is being raised, so every entrepreneur needs new initiatives just to stay in the ballgame. Some entrepreneurs are so focused on their technology, they assume their customers think the same way. Provide coaching and mentoring as well as training. Marty Zwilling First published on Entrepreneur.com on 01/14/2016.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2016

In my own experience as a startup advisor and mentor, I find that entrepreneurs who can’t attract and maintain a highly motivated team rarely even get off the ground. Good hiring, training, and mentoring are the best motivators. Marty Zwilling First published on Forbes on 06/18/2016. Practice every day what you preach.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 22, 2016

Aspiring entrepreneurs who struggle in a corporate environment often can’t wait to start their own company, only to find that relationships are even more critical and volatile there. The message here is not to use the public personas of leaders and entrepreneurs as the model for building and maintaining your business relationships.

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Xconomy

NOVEMBER 13, 2016

View the Slideshow A little more than a year ago, amid a resurgence in San Diego’s software sector, Xconomy identified a baker’s dozen of local tech companies to watch in 2016. Tim Rueth, a UC San Diego entrepreneur in residence and member of the EvoNexus selection committee, also screened the list, and offered his perspective.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 19, 2016

Rather than focus on negatives, let me summarize key positive attributes that I look for in people to move ahead, from my own experience as a corporate executive, and many years mentoring entrepreneurs. Also, build mentoring relationships at the next level. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 11/30/2016.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

For example, in the entrepreneur world there are people like Elon Musk , who has demonstrated not only innovative ideas, but also impressive results in SpaceX, Tesla Motors, and Hyperloop. Marty Zwilling First published on Forbes on 08/27/2016. We all know examples on a smaller scale in every organization.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2016

The points are great, but can be made even simpler and more actionable by adapting then to the world of the entrepreneur: Demonstrate character. Entrepreneur examples include Larry Page and Sergey Brin at Google, who turned a new search technology into a tool that most of us couldn’t live without. Richard Branson, now worth about $4.2

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2016

Every entrepreneur has to be a decision-maker, even with information overload, emotional employees, angry customers and competitors hovering from every direction. The ability to make the right decisions on a timely basis is what defines you as an entrepreneur. Marty Zwilling First published on Entrepreneur.com on 02/05/2016.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2016

Here are seven key principles that I recommend you follow as an aspiring business leader or entrepreneur, based on my own experience in large companies as well as startups: Proactively ask for input to hone your vision. The best leaders focus on coaching and mentoring people on decision making, rather than giving orders.

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socalTECH

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

You can find a mentor, a coach, a project, or experience, to help you prepare for the role you are looking for. Anne Fulton: I've always been an organizational psychologist crossed with a serial entrepreneur. I can't help myself in being an entrepreneur. It's really Match.com meets LinkedIn for your business. versus New Zealand?

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2016

They also get satisfaction from mentoring others. In this new age of the entrepreneur, if you can’t find a job you enjoy in an existing business, it may be time to start your own business. Marty Zwilling First published on Entrepreneur.com on 05/04/2016. Demonstrate your leadership, or be happy as a follower.

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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. And here’s an important point that I think modern entrepreneurs often forget: Investors are “co-owners” of your business.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2016

Many entrepreneurs are so focused on finalizing their innovative product or service that they procrastinate on the formalities of forming the requisite new company until later. Building a business plan is a discipline every entrepreneur needs to learn early, required or not.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2016

A single visionary entrepreneur almost always is the initial implementer of an innovative new venture, but that lone entrepreneur doesn’t have the bandwidth to grow the business alone. That’s a big transition, and many entrepreneurs never make it. No one wants to follow a habitually grumpy or negative entrepreneur.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2016

I heard it again yesterday from a technical entrepreneur who should know better than to believe the old “ Field of Dreams ” sports fantasy movie theme in today’s Internet information overload environment. A single marketing coordinator can accelerate your efforts by being the coach and mentoring key members of the team on soft marketing.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2016

Startups provide business leadership with new products, services, and new revenue models, but leadership startups can only be built by entrepreneurs who are leaders themselves, and incent leadership in the team around them. Mentor a permission mentality. Marty Zwilling Published on IvyExec.com on 01/12/2016.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. But these requirements have been relaxed with the Crowdfunding JOBS Act implementation in 2016. Fund an entrepreneur you know and trust. Participate as a mentor in local startup incubators.

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socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

He provided all kinds of feedback from a product standpoint, and we found a lot more mentors like that at Techstars. In April of 2016, we raised our seed round, of $1.3M. What's the biggest lesson you've learned as an entrepreneur? At that time, it was 14 health plans.We Where is the business now?

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