Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2015

As the number of sites on the Internet floats around one billion, the challenge with every new startup is to be found and stand out. Blogging is one of the best ways to do this and build a brand, even before you have a product or service. A great solution is necessary, but not sufficient, to build a great startup.

Blogging 110

Blogging Startup Search Engine Optimization Social Media 110

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 18, 2015

I used to love blogging. Blogging proved to be a great way to hone my ideas, have public conversations with people and as it turns out – build meaningful relationships through public dialog that spilled over into the real world. Somewhere along the way blogging changed. And back before I tried to cover up my slang.

Blogging 150

Blogging Writing Startup Ideas 150

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 8, 2010

I recently wrote a piece for Mashable on how to create a company blog. Since it’s already written (and since I promised not to republish on my blog other than a summary) if you’re interested please have a read over there. Summary notes and then I’ll extend: Should you blog? What should you blog about?

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Blogging Startup Writing Summary 286

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 27, 2013

I’ve started a recent series on PR at startups since I get asked for advice on this topic so often. The start of this series was, Should Your Startup Announce Funding ? After that a meme developed amongst many startups (and the advisors that coached them) that, “TechCrunch didn’t matter.

Blogging 309

Blogging Journal Press Startup 309

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series called “ Start-up Lessons.&#. I was reading Chris Dixon’s blog tonight. 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. MBA fine, but not required.

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Startup Venture Capital Study Course 337

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2023

Savvy entrepreneurs start testing their ideas on potential customers even before the concept is fully cooked. There is real value in doing the key things yourself, before your startup is even started: Demonstrate thought leadership before selling a product. Start actively blogging on your own site, as well as on industry forums.

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Ideas Startup Social Media Blogging 126

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2021

If you are one of the many professionals still trapped between jobs by circumstances outside your control, or are about to dump the loser job you have now, you should be actively defining and starting your own business, in parallel with looking for that ideal job. Use social networking and blogging to get your message out.

Startup 156

Startup Social Network Activity Ideas 156

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2019

Blogging has come a long way in the past few years, from a social release for narcissists, to today’s required vehicle for promoting your consulting business and gaining valuable online exposure. If you can’t justify both a web site and a blog, skip the old-fashioned web site, and make your blog do double duty as described below.

Blogging 88

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Web Writing 88

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2023

One of the simplest questions I get from aspiring entrepreneurs, and ironically one of the hardest, is “How do I start?” I want to tell them to just start anywhere, but I realize that most have no idea where anywhere is. The wealth of online education offerings is a great start, but is not enough.

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Startup Education Entrepreneur Tool 108

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

On December 2nd, 2006 I wrote the blog post published later in this post when I was CEO of startup Koral about my experiences in pitching VCs. After my company was acquired by Salesforce.com I was asked to stop blogging and they took over my blog as an asset in the sale of the company. My blog was wiped out.

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Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Blogging has come a long way in the past few years, from a social release for narcissists, to today’s required vehicle for promoting your consulting business and gaining valuable online exposure. If you can’t justify both a web site and a blog, skip the old-fashioned web site, and make your blog do double duty as described below.

Blogging 95

Blogging Startup Search Engine Optimization Writing 95

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 8, 2013

I met fellow hustler Brian Curliss about 2 years ago at a Startup Weekend event that I was covering. It came as no surprise whatsoever when I found out that his new company MailLift was called up to the big leagues to join the 500 Startups accelerator. So what is so special about 500 Startups you ask?

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Startup CTO Coach Mentor Class 86

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 29, 2020

They become frustrated when they are unable to build their startup over a weekend, and give up way too soon when the path to real success seems to be interminable. A successful startup needs to be a daily task, with consistent focus. Getting started is always a challenge. Frequency keeps insights current.

Startup 173

Startup Writing Blogging Ideas 173

Tech Coast Venture Network

AUGUST 11, 2015

The teen, we will call him Billy for this blog, often raided the oyster beds South of Oakland. Ultimately Billy quit his night job and became a legitimate businessman hauling cargo out and back from ships that could not tie-up at the busy docks. Or maybe Billy’s story is the same story as so many start-ups.

Startup 100

Startup Blogging Activity Entrepreneur 100

Tech Coast Venture Network

AUGUST 11, 2015

The teen, we will call him Billy for this blog, often raided the oyster beds South of Oakland. Ultimately Billy quit his night job and became a legitimate businessman hauling cargo out and back from ships that could not tie-up at the busy docks. Or maybe Billy’s story is the same story as so many start-ups.

Startup 100

Startup Blogging Activity Entrepreneur 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2021

You need all these before you start looking for funding. The company name becomes your intellectual property at the moment you incorporate your startup as an LLC or a Corporation. Attorney fees start at around $5K, but provisional patents can be filed yourself for about $300. Here are the key elements: Company name. Trademarks.

Startup 145

Startup Patents IP Social Media 145

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 17, 2010

So I started experimenting with multiple Tweets. I wanted to see two things: Would the second (or sometimes even third Tweet) convert enough people to my blog to make it worth potentially annoying some people on Twitter? I try not to “double Tweet&# every day and I vary the time of day just to shake it up a bit.

Blogging 289

Blogging RSS Startup News 289

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 14, 2015

I don’t know Ezra yet but since he’s taking the time to blog (which I hugesly respect) and share thoughts I thought I’d take him up on his challenge and also spill the beans on my secrets. On blogging I blog because I love it. Mostly I’m Blogging for the Hell of It, Not Blogging to Stay Relevant.

Blogging 150

Blogging Writing Email Startup 150

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 26, 2020

500 Startups is scrapping its cohort model for accelerating companies and moving to a rolling admissions process, the accelerator said during its latest demo day. “Demo is changing the way it runs its accelerator to be rolling recruitment,” said Aaron Blumenthal , a 500 Startups venture partner.

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Startup Los Angeles Invest Platform 177

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2021

Think of a brand evangelist team online as people blogging about your product, or posting links to it in every forum. Brand evangelists offline talk up your product lines at cocktail parties or recommend your services to friends while watching their kids' soccer game. Develop viral content. Marty Zwilling.

Marketing 139

Marketing Startup SEM Blogging 139

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 15, 2022

It’s enough to drown any business which tries to fight it or ignore it, and it’s an opportunity to ride higher and faster than even the successes of Google and Facebook, for those startups that use it as their driving force. For startups, this is an engagement opportunity worth billions of dollars. Big data:” learning from the flood.

Startup 126

Startup Social Media Entertainment Metrics 126

SoCal CTO

APRIL 25, 2017

Here is the most recent version of an all too common email inquiry from a startup founder. I'm working on a start up idea in the XXX market with my partner and we are currently looking for full stack developer to join us as a technical co-founder. Homework I don't think that this founder has looked at my blog or my background.

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Email Startup Develop Development 150

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2019

I have found that publishing a regular blog can give you an edge in making all this happen. One of these is blogging, to let people know about your brand, provide links to supportive articles, and generate back-links to your content from other sites. It’s never too early to start marketing to define your brand.

Blogging 85

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Writing SEO 85

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. In stead of doing my typical big long post with 10 PR tips (like I did there), I’m going to break them up into individual (I hope more digestible) chunks.

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Startup Funding News Press 355

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2020

In my view, starting a new business has never been easier, and according to reports from the Kauffman Foundation , the numbers are here to show it. Who would not want to join the unicorns (recent startups with a current valuation of over $1 billion)? Establishing your brand with interactive social media.

Tips 161

Tips Startup Social Media News 161

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2014

Everybody has a blog these days and there is much advice to be had. Many startups now go through accelerators and have mentors passing through each day with advice – usually it’s conflicting. There are bootcamps, startup classes, video interviews – the sources are now endless. Improving startup productivity ?

Startup 407

Startup Framework CTO Coach Sales 407

Tech Coast Venture Network

APRIL 22, 2010

Virgina Lorimor There are several options for financing a start-up business that tend to follow a natural course in a business’ development: Personal Investment. This is where all entrepreneurs have to start. Understand how to value you company (more to come in a future blog!) and remember ideas alone have NO value.

Startup 124

Startup Tech Coast Angels TCVN Incubator 124

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 18, 2010

I’ve been using Chartbeat for over a month now to track performance of my blog and I find myself looking at Google Analytics much less these days. Let’s start with what I like most about the product. The next users after that is reading a blog post that I wrote nearly 9 months ago. Basically, it rocks!

Blogging 287

Blogging Google Screening Mahalo 287

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2021

I’m fully convinced that both inspiration and perspiration are always required in a startup. Those at the other extreme don’t look up from the grindstone long enough to notice whether all their work is producing sweat equity or just sweat. Starting a business may be fun, but it’s not easy. Start even before the product is ready.

Startup 160

Startup Patents Competition Social Network 160

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2017

Blogging has come a long way in the past few years, from a social release for narcissists, to today’s required vehicle for promoting your consulting business and gaining valuable online exposure. If you can’t justify both a web site and a blog, skip the old-fashioned web site, and make your blog do double duty as described below.

Blogging 69

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Web Writing 69

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

Tracy DiNunzio isn’t your typical Silicon Valley startup founder. She did her first tech startup after the age of 30. And she didn’t start her company in Northern California. She leveraged herself and even sold many of her possessions to get started. She started her business from a personal need.

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Startup Entrepreneur SEO Venture Capital 363

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 17, 2021

A common challenge faced by every entrepreneur is that they don’t have the bandwidth, interest or skills to do everything that is required to build their startup. Two heads are always better than one in a startup. Your best friend, spouse or a family member is the least likely candidate, so don’t start there.

Startup 126

Startup High Tech Entrepreneur Writing 126

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2013

million new pages added to the Internet every day, the biggest challenge for every entrepreneur is to get found, and get some credibility for a new startup. I can attest from experience that publishing a regular blog to properly showcase your offering, even before you have it, is a most cost effective approach in time and money.

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Blogging Product Startup Writing 104

L.A. Business Journal

APRIL 26, 2017

Prominent seed-stage startup investor Chris Sacca announced in a blog post titled “Hanging up my spurs” on Wednesday that he has retired from venture capital investing.

Invest 174

Invest Startup Blogging Venture Capital 174

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. Educate yourself one notch up.

Startup 125

Startup Journal Outsource Tips 125

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 26, 2014

And what’s up with this crazy new blog design? I look forward to being back to blogging next week. Have a quick view below for what is in store at our Upfront Summit – a little bit of LA startup energy and creativity. You disappeared? What the fork happened to you? Well … more on that next week.

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Startup Blogging Venture Capital Los Angeles 290

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 8, 2014

I have never been more optimistic about the impact that the tech startup community is having on cities in America or about the role that cities outside of San Francisco / Silicon Valley can play in our future. Changes in the Startup Ecosystem. Open source computing, which reduced costs to start a company by 90%. And on and on.

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Startup Venture Capital Capital Funding 390