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. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

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Technical Review Startup Innocal Offshore 138

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2021

If your startup is great enough to get a term sheet from angel investors or a venture capitalist, the next step for the investor is to complete the dreaded due diligence process. Some startups do nothing to prepare for the due diligence process, assuming the people and business plan documents will speak for themselves.

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Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Summary 152

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Instead of a traditional business school''s case study and textbook approach, UCSB''s Technology Management Program (TMP) emphasizes experiential learning. If you haven''t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly JohnGreathouse.com articles! Organic Academia.

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Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

This is the mysterious and dreaded due diligence process, which can kill the whole deal. Some entrepreneurs do very little to prepare for due diligence, assuming all the talking has already been done, and the business plan and results to-date tell the right story. My best advice is to stick to the middle ground.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 118

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. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Funding Innocal Offshore 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2011

I often hear the qualms of business-smart but non-technical entrepreneurs, wondering if they really have a chance in this high-technology marketplace. I tell them that if their idea or solution is technology intensive, they clearly need technology strength on the team. Outsource your technical requirements.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Entrepreneur Outsource Development Outsource 94

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

If you’re a technology startup you need to excel at product, of course. While many tech startups do this intuitively (say, SnapChat thinking it would be much better if our photos out partying disappeared) it still happens. My articles never appeared on Digg so I didn’t focus on it at all. But it wasn’t to be.

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

This article originally appeared on TechCrunch. 2 preamble issues having read the comments on TC today: 1: I know that the prices of startup companies is much great in Silicon Valley than in smaller towns / less tech focused areas in the US and the US prices higher than many foreign markets. I acknowledged this in the article.

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Startup Pricing Technical Review Marketing 336

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 103

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

If you haven't already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly Infochachkie articles! Too Techie - Tone down emphasis on the technology underlying your venture; an interested investor will perform tech diligence at the appropriate time. Competition. Patents and Trademarks. Management Team.

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Venture Capital Summary Technical Review Template 211

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 15, 2012

A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. There are many paths into the VC world, but they can generally be lumped into two categories: (i) serial entrepreneurship, and (ii) tech-oriented investment banking. If you haven't already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly Infochachkie articles!

Venture Capital 242

Venture Capital Technical Review Invest RSS 242

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

This article originally ran on TechCrunch. Seattle should be the envy of any non Silicon Valley tech community in the country. It really wouldn’t take much to turn a great technology ecosystem into a truly electric one. You need to have passionate tech entrepreneurs who want to build businesses locally.

Venture Capital 317

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Press 317

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2012

I often hear the qualms of business-smart but non-technical entrepreneurs, wondering if they really have a chance in this high-technology marketplace. I tell them that if their idea or solution is technology intensive, they clearly need technology strength on the team. Outsource your technical requirements.

Technical Review 92

Technical Review Technology Startup Outsource Development 92

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 22, 2010

Robert’s article is worth reading. But more broadly it got me thinking to one of the biggest mistakes tech executives get into in the first place. But you’d be surprised how much tech folks either hold journalists too much on a pedestal or disdain them. Oh, and Demo charges the startups $18,000. Total waste.

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Tips Startup Press Blogging 307

InfoChachkie

JUNE 4, 2012

Hopefully this article and the accompanying six-minute video will help you avoid learning these mission-critical lessons the hard way. If you haven’t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly Infochachkie articles! Value is created through diligent hard work. Attempt To License An Idea.

Entrepreneur 272

Entrepreneur Outsource Ideas Technical Review 272

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 8, 2010

This article originally appeared on TechCrunch. To say that the tech elite were cynical of Hulu’s launch would be an understatement , but by the time it launched just a few months later it was getting great reviews. Because they are anti-competitive most countries ban cartels.

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Hulu Technical Review Content Advertising 292

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

I find it amusing when a journalist writes an article about a prominent startup (either privately held or preparing for an IPO) and decries that, “They’re not even profitable!” Exec Summary: Most companies (98+%) in the world (even tech startups) should be very profit focused. One of them is profitability.

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Both Sides of the Table

MAY 23, 2012

This article originally ran on PEHub. I have been close to the tech & startup sectors for more than 20 years and I can’t think of a period in which I felt more optimistic about the innovation and value creation I see in front of us. If you prefer the super short version – I’ve summarized the post in the final section.

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Capital Technical Review Startup 347

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2014

You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. Yet I see many technology entrepreneurs that focus on the basics of marketing too little and too late. Marketing is everything these days. Marty Zwilling.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Tips Marketing Entrepreneur 103

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 1, 2010

I continue to collect great content that is the intersection of startups, products, online and technology. The United States is now a debtor nation to China and that the bill is about to come due. These are probably the two sites where I've posted the most reviews. One out of ten of Americans are out of work.

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Startup Product Technology 175

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 10, 2010

free weekly Infochachkie articles! Patents held by startups generally have a limited ability to reduce competition. One is obvious, without protection, such IP might prove to be of little worth, as other companies can mimic the technology without recourse. If you haven’t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for.

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IP Patents Company Companies 256

InfoChachkie

MAY 19, 2011

If you haven’t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly Infochachkie articles! In some instances, it will be appropriate to grandfather ongoing payments due regional distributors for their past performance. Get The Cheese With Your Neck Intact. Do Not Relinquish Joint Intellectual Property Rights.

Outsource Development 193

Outsource Development IP Technical Review Entrepreneur 193

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

AngelList 101 : As you know, AngelList is a platform where angels can invest in semi-screened tech deals. I know the populist sentiment about VCs is that many want to believe that taking one’s time to make investments is due to 8-week’s holiday every summer and not working past 5pm. I haven’t proof read this article.

Venture Capital 356

Venture Capital Invest Course Technical Review 356

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 31, 2010

This article was originally posted in a much more concise version over GigaOm if you prefer the shorter version. In fact, many of these people can adjust the company presentations on the fly as you roll out new product features or can reposition versus the competition as they get feedback from customer losses.

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Sales Newsletter Technical Review Activity 286

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 23, 2012

free weekly Infochachkie articles! " When asked about the competition he feared most, Bill Gates is alleged to have said, "the two guys inventing away in a garage somewhere." " I recently performed a 360-Review on two Co-Founders who were the company's CEO and CTO. . "I started the site when I was 19.

Startup 268

Startup Tips CTO Coach Technical Review 268

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2010

Eliminate Voicemail – I’ve read many articles on productivity over the years and most will tell you to severely limit the amount of inbound phone calls you receive. It made me laugh because the technical world has this exact phrase to talk in computing sense about the need to block out interruptions in order to complete a task.

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Product Startup Email Technical Review 280

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

This article originally appeared on TechCrunch. Most technology startups seem to be funded by product people or business people. Sure, you need to be competitive on price. But find a way where the bonus program is adjusted for any work that has a higher COGS due to dev work and they’ll sell around it – I promise.

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Custom 316

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2014

Prorata rights are one of the most important rights of a private market technology investors and yet are seldom fully understood. Also, because the entire industry has changed because it is cheaper to start a tech company these days – there are simply way more angel rounds. Why prorata rights are becoming a bigger deal to angels.

Guide 336

Guide Venture Capital Startup Writing 336

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 63

InfoChachkie

JUNE 20, 2011

If you haven’t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly Infochachkie articles! Due to their lack of practical experience, this delegation/efficiency tradeoff is especially acute with respect to hiring Interns. Competition – Make it clear that only the best Interns will be granted offers for full-time positions.

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Startup Software Review Technical Review Class 244

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 5, 2011

Article first published as Eleven Startup Tips From Mark Cuban on Technorati. free weekly Infochachkie articles! The most difficult aspect of compiling this article was narrowing down Mark’s comments to ten quotes. Through diligent preparation and dogged perseverance, entrepreneurs avoid foolhardy risks. What Risk? "Because

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Tips Startup Entrepreneur Ideas 274

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 6, 2011

Pull Quote: “If you are smart, competitive, hard working and passionate about what you do you will have the best experience of your life. free weekly Infochachkie articles! “We If you are smart, competitive, hard working and passionate about what you do you will have the best experience of your life. How do you stand out?”.

Entrepreneur 232

Entrepreneur Competition Software Review Course 232

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

However, it is my hope that this article will help you avoid learning the following lessons the hard way. If you haven’t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly Infochachkie articles! Value is created through diligent hard work. During those same 25-years, I also made innumerable mistakes.

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Startup Outsource Development Outsource Sales 242

InfoChachkie

APRIL 14, 2014

It performs "due diligence" before it makes "investments" and it measures results as a "return on its investment.". If you haven''t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly JohnGreathouse.com articles! We’re planning to kick of this year’s competition later this spring.". Project Impact is our answer to that.

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Organization Startup Technical Review Invest 199

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 19, 2019

How many times have investors heard startups start their pitch by touting that their technology is “disruptive?” What entrepreneurs forget or don’t realize is that most customers are wary of all technology, educating the market on new technology is expensive, takes a long time, and people buy problem solutions rather than technology.

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Technical Review Technology Startup Social Media 87

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 3, 2021

Starting an entrepreneurial business, or maintaining the competitiveness of a mature business, requires innovation. Drucker outlined the key elements of this discipline, including methodically analyzing seven areas of opportunity, in a classic article on the subject. Individuals who are innovators are born, not bred.

Organization 172

Organization Ideas Technical Review Research 172

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Capitalism is fundamentally about timing, since market competition is about finding opportunities before others. From the article: Mithril had its best moment yet last week when a portfolio company, Auris Health, sold to Johnson & Johnson for more than $3 billion — returning at least $500 million to the fund. What a boring mess.

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Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Invest 202