Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2020

leadership, mentorship, competitiveness, communications, relationship-building?—?and Venture capital is about backing the leaders of tomorrow who imagine the world as it should be and aren’t constrained by what it is today. He’s helped me run the Upfront holding company activities for all of these years and will continue to do so.

Venture Capital 361

Venture Capital Startup Invest CitySearch 361

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 138

Technical Review Startup Innocal Offshore 138

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 26, 2020

Every entrepreneur has an idea for transforming a market with innovative new technology, or transforming society with a new process. Entrepreneurs who have been really transformative, like Steve Jobs and Walt Disney, seemed to know how to deal with all the right elements. Find enough venturesome capital. Failure is an option.

Startup 171

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Competition 171

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 13, 2022

By definition, most entrepreneurs are thought leaders. Most entrepreneurs are not both. That’s why venture capital investors often replace startup CEOs as a condition of their scale-up investment. That’s why so many startups plateau after gaining some initial traction, and are run over or acquired by their competition.

Startup 147

Startup Competition Entrepreneur Training 147

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

how on Earth could the venture capital market stand still? One of the most common questions I’m asked by people intrigued by but also scared by venture capital and technology markets is some variant of, “Aren’t technology markets way overvalued? And the truth is that several entrepreneurs prefer it this way. Of course we can’t.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 2, 2022

Serious entrepreneurs know that, but too many “wannabes” still fall for that elusive get-rich-quick scheme with no risk. As an active angel investor, I still hear entrepreneurs asserting large opportunities with minimal risk and no competition. Outside of dreams, there is no real business opportunity without risk.

Entrepreneur 153

Entrepreneur Marketing Customer Custom 153

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

As an investor in startups, I most often see entrepreneurs who are technologists, or at least have a real passion for a specific product. Typically this means describing interactions with customer groups, real customer feedback, and showing an understanding of price sensitivity, alternatives, and competitive offerings.

Startup 113

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2020

The rate of new entrepreneurs increased between 2013 and 2019, from 280 out of 100,000 to 310 out of 100,000 of the adult population. Of course, that’s both the good news and the bad news for aspiring entrepreneurs, since it means more competition, and the business landscape is changing faster than ever. Marty Zwilling.

Tips 161

Tips Startup Social Media News 161

Berkonomics

JUNE 8, 2017

The subject of raising money is critical to many businesses and a passing option to others, depending upon the capital efficiency of the enterprise. But few businesses grow into the sweet spot of $20 million to $30 million in worth to an ultimate buyer without the injection of outside capital.

Venture Capital 266

Venture Capital Class Invest Equity 266

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 30, 2015

Serious entrepreneurs know that, but too many “wannabes” still fall for that elusive get-rich-quick scheme with no risk. As an active Angel investor, I still hear entrepreneurs asserting large opportunities with minimal risk and no competition. Outside of dreams, there is no real business opportunity without risk.

Entrepreneur 103

Entrepreneur Startup Marketing Customer 103

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2022

The good news is that a recent Kauffman Early-Stage Entrepreneurship (KESE) Index shows the highest level of new business activity recorded in the last two decades, and the cost of entry at an all-time low. Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. Treasure – Most entrepreneurs assume that treasure means funding.

Startup 112

Startup News Framework Outsource 112

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2021

The recent pandemic was a strong signal for change, and I see most of you entrepreneurs and business owners responding to the business changes required and new opportunities presented. Often new competitors do fail, but they may highlight a consumer trend that you can capitalize on now, before it comes back to haunt you later.

Marketing 162

Marketing Social Media Metrics Customer 162

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2020

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Funding Innocal Offshore 124

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2014

Many entrepreneurs fantasize about days longer than 24 hours, convinced that their new venture could change the world, if they just had more time. However, this topic is particularly critical to entrepreneurs, who struggle with challenges and crises every day that they didn’t anticipate. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Technical Review Email Social Media 105

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2012

By definition, most entrepreneurs are thought leaders. Most entrepreneurs are not both. That’s why venture capital investors often replace startup CEOs as a condition of their scale-up investment. That’s why so many startups plateau after gaining some initial traction, and are run over or acquired by their competition.

Entrepreneur 98

Entrepreneur Startup Competition Training 98

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2022

A major chunk of this activity is provided by the newer class of “super angels,” who often look more like micro-VCs, except that they are investing their own money. Institutional venture capital dispensed in 2021 reached record highs of almost $330 billion, up significantly from the last few years.

Guide 136

Guide Venture Capital Funding Class 136

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2013

I “second the message” that chaos never subsides, from a couple of successful entrepreneurs, Clate Mask and Scott Martineau, in their book “ Conquer the Chaos.” The easiest way to reduce chaos is to buffer all your activities (slow down), define safer generic processes, which spiral down productivity. Your income drops.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Slides IP Technology 105

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2021

In my experience, many entrepreneurs rely too much on the perspective of a trusted advisor, or try to emulate a competitor who is getting attention. The challenge is how to develop that self-leadership in every aspiring entrepreneur and business professional role. Demonstrate integrity and strong ethics in all activities.

Entrepreneur 132

Entrepreneur Course Satisfaction Guide 132

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2022

Yet as an active angel investor, I still get this question on a regular basis, so I’ll try to outline the considerations in common-sense terms. Hopefully you can see from this list that the people and processes involved in financing a nonprofit have little in common with angel investors, or the venture capital process.

Funding 130

Funding Equity Technical Review Organization 130

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Every entrepreneur has an idea for transforming a market with innovative new technology, or transforming society with a new process. Entrepreneurs who have been really transformative, like Steve Jobs and Walt Disney, seemed to know how to deal with all the right elements. Find enough venturesome capital. Failure is an option.

Guide 95

Guide Startup Ideas Entrepreneur 95

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 5, 2016

Every entrepreneur has an idea for transforming a market with innovative new technology, or transforming society with a new process. Entrepreneurs who have been really transformative, like Steve Jobs and Walt Disney, seemed to know how to deal with all the right elements. Find enough venturesome capital. Failure is an option.

Startup 103

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Competition 103

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 16, 2014

We’ve been dying to tell you all for a while that we had raised a new venture capital fund and of course given SEC filing requirements the story was somewhat already scooped by the always-in-the-know Dan Primack a few weeks ago. Will our strategy change now that we have 40% more capital? . We raised $280 million.

Venture Capital 396

Venture Capital Funding Technical Review Startup 396

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2022

Thus, in my mentoring of potential technical entrepreneurs who have a real passion for their technology, I often recommend that they find a co-founder who can manage the marketing and execution elements of the new venture. The competition will improve, the market will change, and your customers will demand more.

Mentor 133

Mentor Startup Customer Custom 133

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2011

I just read the Q1 2011 report from CB Insights , which shows venture capital is back. Sure, there is always some seed funding (10% of overall deal flow), but you can bet that this money goes to entrepreneurs who have been there before and won. Back to VCs, Silicon Valley venture capital firms are still the most active.

Venture Capital 93

Venture Capital Startup Capital Seed Funding 93

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2011

I second the message that chaos never subsides, from a couple of successful entrepreneurs, Clate Mask and Scott Martineau, in their book “ Conquer the Chaos.” The easiest way to reduce chaos is to buffer all your activities (slow down), define safer generic processes, which spiral down productivity. Your income drops.

Entrepreneur 95

Entrepreneur Slides IP Technology 95

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 4, 2015

Most of the entrepreneurs I know realize they have some bad habits, like maybe procrastination or not listening well, so they focus on dropping these. For example, learning to stop smoking may leave you with a gap to fill, but finding activities that remove your urge to smoke really gets you where you want to be. Change is hard.

Competition 101

Competition Entrepreneur Examples Study 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2019

By definition, most entrepreneurs are thought leaders. Most entrepreneurs are not both. That’s why venture capital investors often replace startup CEOs as a condition of their scale-up investment. That’s why so many startups plateau after gaining some initial traction, and are run over or acquired by their competition.

Startup 86

Startup Competition Entrepreneur Training 86

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 17, 2011

This conversation seems to come up very frequently these days both with portfolio companies and with entrepreneurs just looking for mentorship. For many businesses you should keep your costs low & your capital raises low until you discover whether you are really on to a big idea where there is market demand.

Help 303

Help Startup Competition Framework 303

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2019

The good news is that the latest Kauffman Early-Stage Entrepreneurship (KESE) Index shows the highest level of new business activity recorded in the last two decades, and the cost of entry at an all-time low. Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. Treasure – Most entrepreneurs assume that treasure means funding.

Startup 94

Startup News Framework Outsource 94

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 5, 2010

Her experience includes helping startups for many years, and board positions on the Rocky Mountain and New Mexico Venture Capital Associations, New Mexico Angels, as well as several startups. Marty: What events led you to your commitment to venture capital investing? Stephanie: I love building companies. Oh, I couldn’t do that!”

Venture Capital 65

Venture Capital Capital Entrepreneur Competition 65

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

As I thought about the characteristics that comprise a great program, I identified five criteria that a prospective entrepreneurial student can use to evaluate the efficacy of a collegiate entrepreneur curriculum. Ask: What percentage of the startup-oriented classes are taught by accomplished entrepreneurs?

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Technical Review Class Patents 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2022

In the old days, every entrepreneur planned on taking their startup public, and making it big. Smart entrepreneurs are now starting to look at this option again, as well as the challenges of running a public company. Public stockholders are more easily swayed by emotion and the activities of the crowd, than real market conditions.

Startup 98

Startup Report IBM IBM 98

InfoChachkie

JULY 26, 2010

Entrepreneurs can emulate de la Guerra’s strategy and make their adVenture appear far larger than reality and thus increasing its influence and market reach while discouraging competitive threats by creating an industry alliance. Tags: Entrepreneur Networking Partnerships The Fringe. free weekly Infochachkie articles!

Entrepreneur 168

Entrepreneur Santa Barbara Startup Conference 168

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 19, 2020

A major chunk of this activity is provided by the newer class of “super angels,” who often look more like micro-VCs, except that they are investing their own money. Institutional venture capital dispensed in 2019 was down a bit from record highs the previous year, but up significantly over the last few years.

Funding 125

Funding Venture Capital Startup Class 125

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 14, 2011

In your opinion, are your angels more or less active this year? Investors are very focused on diligence, on business models that make sense, and those companies that have a definite competitive advantage and defensibility to what they're doing. Mike Napoli: Actually, we are seeing entrepreneurs. Interestnig.

Tech Coast Angels 231

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 231

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 19, 2013

A Wantrepreneur is a well-intentioned person who wants to be an entrepreneur. They enjoy discussing their startup ideas and revel in the positive social status afforded entrepreneurs. Successful entrepreneurs realize they must judiciously share their ideas, plans and dreams in order to bring their ventures to life. I doubt it.

Cloud Computing 176

Cloud Computing Web Entrepreneur Marketing 176

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

If you track the venture capital industry it would be hard to miss the conversation going on this week over AngelList “Syndicates.” Bowery Capital). It should help some entrepreneurs to better access early-stage capital and should allow some angel investors better access to deal flow. Both are right.

Venture Capital 356

Venture Capital Invest Course Technical Review 356