Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 2, 2011

Several people have been asking me to weigh in publicly on the “20 under 20″ initiative announced by Peter Thiel in which he will award up to $100,000 to 20 people under the age of 20 who agree immediately to pursue entrepreneurship (the implication of which is that they’d drop out of university to do so).

Education 322

Education Startup Incubator Class 322

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 25, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series Startup Advice. In these many exchanges similar questions crop up. Either you’re not a good leader and he shouldn’t be investing at all, or he has no clue what it takes to build a startup.&#. They speak up on every topic. One quick example. There are many great VCs.

Venture Capital 297

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur 297

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

I started in 2007 with a thesis that my primary investment decision would be about the team (70%) and only afterward about the market opportunity (30%). I was telling him that it was much easier when I started because there were fewer deals, life was less public and somehow the world seemed to be spinning more slowly. I don’t.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Invest Press Startup 374

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 26, 2019

Every entrepreneur and business person I know wishes he had more time for coaching all the members of his team. I often hear the excuse that coaching takes more time than simply diving in and doing the job for the other person, but is that really true? Exceptional communication is a prerequisite to coaching.

Coach 91

Coach Course Mentor Examples 91

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 11, 2021

The link-in-bio business is heating up as more mobile website builders compete for a coveted slice of real estate on a creator’s TikTok, Instagram or Twitter. Linktree has been around since 2016 and has more funding than its up-and-coming competitors. Now, Snipfeed enters the ring with its own $5.5 Image Credits: Snipfeed.

Platform 286

Platform Commerce Startup Tool 286

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

This is part of my Startup Advice series. So I was surprised at the sheer volumes of decisions that had to be made when I became a startup CEO. Somebody asks whether you plan to set up 401k’s and do contribution matching. Yes, I know it’s my job as the CEO to be the coach for people and that’s fine.

Entrepreneur 414

Entrepreneur Technical Review Slides CTO Coach 414

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2019

My biggest takeaway this year was truly understanding the strength and cohesion of the Los Angeles startup community. There was no monetary reward for those who participated (and Startup Boost does not take fees or equity from the companies that we help). What was the biggest lesson you learned this year?

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Software Review Startup Coach 157

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 3, 2019

Image via Pixabay I’ve always been a bit confused about the difference in a business context between a coach and a mentor. According to many pundits , a mentor shows you the right way based on experience, while a coach brings out the best in you, then let’s you find your own way. Give people the room to debate differences.

Coach 87

Coach Mentor Examples Satisfaction 87

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2011

One example is that they introduced a program where their founders can pool together shares from their company and exchange them for a small portfolio of other First Round Capital companies. As a courtesy if you enjoyed his write-up please check out his startup company, ChannelStack. I'm a huge fan of this innovation.

Capital 284

Capital Venture Capital Technical Review Startup 284

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 14, 2011

So do you think the environment still tough for startups? It used to be there was a geographical composition to our prescreening panel--for example, if an LA company, regardless of what they did, applied for funding, the LA network of the TCA would process them. For example, our LA network is having the Fast Pitch on the 24th at UCLA.

Tech Coast Angels 231

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 231

Tech Coast Venture Network

AUGUST 11, 2015

While the culture that works for one company might not work for another , you can learn a lot from companies who are doing it right, and get started on company culture hacks of your own. It starts with a cultural fit interview, which carries half the weight of whether the candidate is hired. What does that culture look like?

Examples 100

Examples Company Companies Google 100

Tech Coast Venture Network

AUGUST 11, 2015

While the culture that works for one company might not work for another , you can learn a lot from companies who are doing it right, and get started on company culture hacks of your own. It starts with a cultural fit interview, which carries half the weight of whether the candidate is hired. What does that culture look like?

Examples 100

Examples Company Companies Google 100

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 16, 2010

We had a training session from somebody who put up the four-quadrant graph you see above. This is really important as extroverts like to have the answers presented to them up front. For extroverted people I recommend that entrepreneurs have an “executive summary&# slide up front that cuts to the chase. Drain in quickly.

Slides 358

Slides Venture Capital Startup Summary 358

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2022

Instead of sizing up new opportunities and actively courting every new customer, you start worrying about cutting costs, repeatable processes , and overtaking known competitors. As a consultant, I hate to see you lose that startup focus on innovation, change, and customers. How about in your industry?

Startup 154

Startup Artificial Inteligence Metrics Netflix 154

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 9, 2012

In my experience, there is no magic gene involved, just simple good habits executed consistently and convincingly until everyone around you in a startup wants to follow your example. This leading by example is easy to say, but not so easy to put into action. In a startup, pivots and problems will happen. Drive innovation.

Startup 104

Startup Examples Entrepreneur Ideas 104

socalTECH

JUNE 13, 2011

An example, was my iPod, which I had but no longer was using because I had a new iPhone, basketball sneakers I had but never really fit me. Jonathan Lehmann: I was awarded the Larry Wolfen Entrepreneurial Spirit Award at UCLA, after getting amazing coaching from Matt Ridenour in our business plan development class.

UCLA 256

UCLA Startup Ideas Help 256

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2021

As an advisor to many startups today, I still see that most of you entrepreneurs see yourselves as the sole driver of your new solution, and the key driver of your new business. As an example, CEO Jeff Bezos at Amazon is known for his two-pizza rule : no meeting or team should be so large that two pizzas can't feed the whole group.

Startup 147

Startup Customer Custom Ideas 147

InfoChachkie

JULY 2, 2012

Managerial Oversight And Performance Matter At A Startup. In contrast, Lex Sisney, author of Organizational Physics: The Science of Growing a Business , CEO Coach and Co-founder of Commission Junction has had success compartmentalizing such difficult high-performers.

Startup 182

Startup Class RSS Statistics 182

socalTECH

JULY 1, 2013

A couple of weeks ago, a brand new, startup incubator launched in town--with a slightly different focus, on biomedical technology. He sat down with us to tell us more about the incubator, plus why--having started an equivalent of what would be called accelerator today, but during the dot com days--he''s a fan of a different model today.

Incubator 217

Incubator Startup USC Tech Coast Angels 217

SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 5, 2009

I recently got together with Aaron Shechet and an early stage startup to discuss the direction the company might want to take. I grew up in Los Angeles and went to undergrad at UC Santa Barbara, graduating in 2003 with Honors in Economics. While at UC Santa Barbara, I started a café which served over 1100 dorm residents.

Startup 150

Startup SEO Pepperdine Blogging 150

socalTECH

OCTOBER 14, 2010

The group--which was started by Richard Koffler and John Morris , two well known investors in Los Angeles--has been trying to help connect CEOs with interesting university and other technology projects. A lot of the time, all the startup and inventor can get their head around is the technology, much less trying to deal with business issues.

Networking 215

Networking Research Startup USC 215

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 15, 2015

Here are some examples from their book and my experience of the many indicators, challenges that entrepreneurs will probably recognize, which highlight the value and need for increased focus on the human element: Collaborative team sessions seem to drag on. Disruptive office politics start to show.

Startup 103

Startup Training Coach Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 12, 2020

Most of you will start your business with plenty of passion and purpose, but all too often I see both disappearing after months of facing unanticipated setbacks and challenges. They feel the same passion that you and your team need to be reminded of on a regular basis to keep up the necessary level of energy, positivity, and commitment.

Startup 127

Startup Coach Satisfaction Training 127

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2021

They are quick to claim the credit for things in their domain that work, but also quick to disclaim responsibility for problems that keep popping up. Perhaps you need to do more to be a role model for accountability , and provide more coaching on exactly what it means. Follow up with credit to others and lessons learned.

Training 173

Training Examples Startup Social Media 173

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2010

The Founder Institute (www.founderinstitute.com), an entrepreneurial training program that originally launched by Adeo Ressi in Silicon Valley, recently announced that it is setting up shop in Southern California, with branches both in San Diego and Los Angeles. For example, there's an idea for an events company we're considering.

Mentor 185

Mentor Class Entertainment Technical Review 185

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

In my experience as an employee, up to an executive, in large companies as well as small, I’ve found that people who are consistently negative and complain are a big constraint on productivity, as well as the most difficult management problem that most business leaders face. As a leader, publicly reward positive feedback.

Coach 148

Coach Satisfaction Examples Startup 148

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022

Here are some examples from their book and my experience of the many indicators, challenges that entrepreneurs will probably recognize, which highlight the value and need for increased focus on the human element: Collaborative team sessions seem to drag on. Disruptive office politics start to show.

Training 142

Training Coach Startup Entrepreneur 142

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 19, 2011

And a key point is that when it comes down to “negotiations&# you need to turn up your personal heat and dial back the middle man. Let me start with an example. She told me, “start with the price you want but the move in date he wants.&#. .&# Middle Men need to be led by you, not the other way around.

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Pricing Startup Outsource 319

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2021

Starting and building a company is all about leadership – formulating an idea, building a unique plan based on vision and experience, and forging a path over and through all obstacles. Schutzler’s view of leadership is different than many academics and executive coaches, who feel that leadership is an innate character trait.

Entrepreneur 157

Entrepreneur Coach Startup Tool 157

socalTECH

JUNE 19, 2019

Once you've exhausted looking online for tips, Los Angeles-based ProGuides (www.proguides.com) offers up professional, instructional content to help you improve your skills at such popular titles as League of Legends, Hearthstone, and Fortnite. How did you start the company? That allows them to find a coach to help them play better.

Help 113

Help Coach Startup Tips 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 22, 2020

A popular myth that most of you probably believe is that startups are only for the younger generations. In fact, I see more and more evidence that new entrepreneurs are coming from the older age groups (age 45-64), and success rates move up with age. We are more prepared to focus on life-changing entrepreneurship.

Startup 129

Startup Entrepreneur Coach Mentor 129

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2020

The best startups give everyone business cards and encourage team members to talk about the business with anyone who should be interested. The best executives make it clear by example that all team members who help the business expand will be compensated, by awards, special bonuses, or career advancement. Empower engagement.

Marketing 130

Marketing Develop Development Startup 130

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

Thus there are some key things that we can do as a leader to improve people’s self confidence and ability to deliver, as well as be a better example for others: Practice what you preach on accountability. For example , Starbucks' chief executive officer, Kevin R. First of all, you need to be a role model for accountability.

Startup 132

Startup Training Metrics Examples 132

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2017

In reality, business success and satisfaction is about doing the right things at the right time, which requires leadership and coaching. But coaching doesn’t always work the way you expect. Trevor is a veteran coach who has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs, organizations, and business families across the country.

Coach 57

Coach Training Summary Tool 57

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 13, 2022

After many extended coaching sessions with entrepreneurs and small business owners, I’ve found myself wondering if my value-add was anything more than you could get by self-coaching. For example, you may find out that being your own boss is a driving force in your life. Open up to growth and refuse to prejudge yourself.

Coach 105

Coach Help Satisfaction Metrics 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2015

I may be old fashioned, but the term consultant still conjures up an image of a self-proclaimed expert who can make great presentations, generate recommendations and leave you to do the hard work of implementation. Startups need outside experts who can do the work, as well as provide training on what needs to be done.

Services 100

Services Startup Software Review Social Media 100

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 6, 2014

I would start by asking the candidate, “How did you decide on these five people” as part of your review process. I usually start with, “Obviously Stacy has made it far into the process or I wouldn’t be calling you. One obvious example is that HR can make a few calls that the hiring manager doesn’t make.

Startup 302

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Report 302