SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 1, 2017

Wednesday, June 7, 2017 -- ACG101's First Annual Emerging Growth Pitch Competition and Showcase. These selected startups will pitch to attendees, guest judges (investors and seasoned entrepreneurs) in a showcase/demo table style presentation. See [link] (more)

Competition 100

Competition Los Angeles Entrepreneur Startup 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2019

Most entrepreneurs are quick to assert to potential investors that their product or solution will kill the competition, but unfortunately your opinion alone is not enough to convince most experienced investors. A competitive advantage to a non-problem or tiny niche is not interesting to investors.

Competition 86

Competition Patents Startup Customer 86

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

As an entrepreneur, I understand your passion when pitching your solution to investors and customers, but passion alone won’t make one more technology pitch stand out above all the rest. Don’t expect your storytelling to be a substitute for basic business plan content, including competitive analyses and financials.

Startup 145

Startup Competition Customer Custom 145

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2021

It seems like everyone wants to be an entrepreneur and get rich these days. Find out if something very similar is already selling, and who your competition would be if you proceed. Pitching” is the insider term for presenting your product idea to people who could conceivably buy it or fund your efforts. Now get real (cook it).

Ideas 136

Ideas Entrepreneur Mentor Resource 136

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014

Most entrepreneurs spend far too much time thinking negatively about competitors, and can’t resist making derogatory statements about them to their own team, investors and even to customers. As an investor, I always listen carefully to what an entrepreneur says, and does not say, about competition.

Competition 107

Competition Entrepreneur Patents Customer 107

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

His focus is on sales, but I see the same skills needed for entrepreneurs. His top eight required skill set elements for sales don’t even mention product skills, and match my view of the right skill set for successful entrepreneurs, with only a few priority changes: Creating and sharing a vision. Negotiating and creating win-win deals.

Entrepreneur 134

Entrepreneur Startup Sales Customer 134

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2020

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Is it any wonder why so few entrepreneurs ever find the professional investors they seek? Opportunity segmentation and competitive environment.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Startup Summary Product 124

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2020

In the competitive realm of business, you only get one chance to make a great first impression. You have to be able to communicate effectively in all the common forms, including business writing, as well as talking, presenting, and producing videos. You can’t afford that competitive disadvantage. Martin Zwilling.

Writing 125

Writing Entrepreneur Summary Email 125

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 13, 2011

I believe in this so much that, despite my post advising you to be prepared for the *norm* in VC, I wrote a post about a company that came in for a presentation and never even got the slides out or presented a demo. The “Triple Play&# of VC Presentations. Be ready to map your presentation to their preferred method.

Venture Capital 299

Venture Capital Slides Technical Advisors Startup 299

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 17, 2020

Although most people believe that being a successful entrepreneur is all about having the right idea, I’m convinced from my years of experience as a startup advisor and investor that’s it’s more about you as a person. The best entrepreneurs are not just dreamers of the next big thing – they have to be great facilitators and problem solvers.

Entrepreneur 129

Entrepreneur Examples Blogging Customer 129

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2010

A good entrepreneur is not necessarily a good salesman. In my own effort to keep up with the times, I just finished a new book by Landy Chase, titled “ Competitive Selling: Out-Plan, Out-Think, Out-Sell to Win Every Time.” Establish the competitive playing field early. Selling around tough competition. Marty Zwilling.

Competition 92

Competition Entrepreneur Startup Customer 92

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 7, 2013

The EA Conference annual fast pitch competition offers aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their business idea in 90 seconds or less to a panel of judges, providing high exposure to the investment and Venture Capitalist community. Each pitch will be judged for both presentation quality and investment potential.

Competition 82

Competition UCLA Entrepreneur Conference 82

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 19, 2010

Information Asymmetry - The biggest problem that presenters face in large (5+ people) is information asymmetry. You come into a meeting where your sponsor (the person who invited you to present to the partners) knows a lot about you and the rest of the room may have varying degrees of knowledge. Does that sound ok?&#.

Venture Capital 318

Venture Capital Startup Sales Writing 318

SoCal Tech Calendar

OCTOBER 2, 2009

Thursday, October 8, 2009 -- San Diego 3rd Annual Quick Pitch Competition. Announcing the third annual Quick Pitch competition, showcasing talented entrepreneurs seeking funding. Each pitch will be judged based upon investment potential and presentation quality. See [link] (more).

San Diego 100

San Diego Competition Entrepreneur Invest 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2023

Every entrepreneur and business executive knows that continuous innovation is required to survive, but most struggle with this more than any other challenge they face. A business that relies on static skill replacement is falling behind, and ripe for the next competitive crisis. Innovation driven by the next crisis is not leadership.

Framework 96

Framework Competition Ideas IBM 96

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

Every entrepreneur and business executive knows that continuous innovation is required to survive, but most struggle with this more than any other challenge they face. A business that relies on static skill replacement is falling behind, and ripe for the next competitive crisis. Innovation driven by the next crisis is not leadership.

Tips 160

Tips Framework Competition Ideas 160

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 26, 2010

This is part of my series on what makes an entrepreneur successful. I originally posted it on VentureHacks , one of my favorite websites for entrepreneurs. I started the series talking about what I consider the most important attribute of an entrepreneur : Tenacity. Can’t go a mile deep on competition?

Entrepreneur 286

Entrepreneur Startup CTO Hire Sales 286

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2019

I know some entrepreneurs with successful businesses, and others who seem to have a great relationship with their family, but I can’t think of many who have both. Individually, they both take focus, commitment, and a variety of skills, all the strengths of a good entrepreneur. Be realistic about what brings happiness to you.

Entrepreneur 84

Entrepreneur Tips Demand Competition 84

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 11, 2011

He presented the idea at the TED conference in the mid 90′s and was literally boo’d while he was on stage. He was a life-long entrepreneur and the first business he created out of college (actually, he founded it while he was at Caltech) was a company that manufactured high quality audio speakers. Overture (Goto.com).

Competition 350

Competition Idealab Product CitySearch 350

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2021

Career survival today requires thinking and acting like an entrepreneur starting a business, staying nimble and resilient, willing to pivot, and supersensitive to the market realities of supply and demand. Each day presents an opportunity to learn more, do more, be more, and grow more in our lives and careers. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 143

Startup Entrepreneur Demand Competition 143

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 19, 2010

As a member of the local angel group Selection Committee, I’ve seen a lot of startup presentations to investors, and I’ve never seen one that was too short - maybe short on content, but not short on pages! Every startup needs both a business plan and an investor presentation, completed before you formally approach any investors.

Slides 94

Slides Competition Sample Sales 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2015

As an advisor to entrepreneurs and active angel investor, I often get questions about the realism of the Shark Tank TV series, compared to professional investor negotiations. Yet the process is eerily realistic, and every entrepreneur can glean some important lessons. Personalize your presentation, if possible, for every investor.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Sample Ideas Customer 106

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 11, 2012

Late last year we announced that local Southern California startup Caplinked was launching a worldwide pitch competition for entrepreneurs to present their business ideas to a panel of all-star judges from Idealab, Rincon, and Chris Yeh.

Competition 63

Competition Idealab Southern California Ideas 63

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2021

Based on my own years of experience in startups and big business, and more recently as an angel investor, I often cringe when I see one of you entrepreneurs missing a cue that I have seen work for many before you. A passionate entrepreneur I met a while back had found that a certain algae could be grown cheaply, and could end world hunger.

Entrepreneur 162

Entrepreneur Social Media Examples Metrics 162

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2023

His focus is on sales, but I see the same skills needed for entrepreneurs. His top eight required skill set elements for sales don’t even mention product skills, and match my view of the right skill set for successful entrepreneurs, with only a few priority changes: Creating and sharing a vision. Negotiating and creating win-win deals.

Startup 154

Startup Sales Entrepreneur Customer 154

SoCal Tech Calendar

NOVEMBER 5, 2009

Friday, November 6, 2009 -- The Entrepreneur's Journey: Finding, Launching and Growing the Next Big Thing. The Entrepreneurs Journey: Finding, Launching and Growing the Next Big Thing takes participants on a guided tour from developing the creative idea for a new business to delivering a high market value start-up.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Pepperdine Malibu Southern California 100

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 18, 2009

This is part of my new series on what makes an entrepreneur successful. I originally posted it on VentureHacks , one of my favorite websites for entrepreneurs. You’ve got to put the competition into perspective. Resilience is one of the tell tale signs of an entrepreneur. It’s a gritty existence.

Entrepreneur 298

Entrepreneur Startup GRP Partners Venture Capital 298

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2023

The reigning theory in business has long been that “alpha” leaders make the best entrepreneurs. They should be aware of their own biases, and focus on the present as on the future. Encourage team-members to play to their own strengths so that the entire team and organization leads the competition. Spend time listening.

Organization 113

Organization Competition Entrepreneur Writing 113

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 21, 2014

A profile of the state of the Bitcoin industry and its presence of female entrepreneurs. A clear distinction our female entrepreneurs have made here has been their active decisions to hit the ground running. Brock Pierce – Digital Currency Entrepreneur and Angel Investor. The subject on hand? Bitcoin, litecoin, maybe doge.

Startup 104

Startup Venture Capital Draper Invest 104

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2016

His focus is on sales, but I see the same skills needed for entrepreneurs. His top eight required skill set elements for sales don’t even mention product skills, and match my view of the right skill set for successful entrepreneurs, with only a few priority changes: Creating and sharing a vision. Negotiating and creating win-win deals.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Sales Startup Customer 106

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 17, 2013

For true entrepreneurs, risk is viewed as a positive, with its implied challenge to overcome the unknown and hitting the big return. One way to learn is to understand better how successful entrepreneurs approach risk, and look at actual strategies they use for success. This is the origin of the “first movers” competitive advantage.

Entrepreneur 117

Entrepreneur Startup Advertising Social Media 117

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2023

In the competitive realm of business, you only get one chance to make a great first impression. You have to be able to communicate effectively in all the common forms, including business writing, as well as talking, presenting, and producing videos. You can’t afford that competitive disadvantage. Martin Zwilling.

Tips 123

Tips Writing Startup Summary 123

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 14, 2020

As an advisor to entrepreneurs and active angel investor, I often get questions about the realism of the Shark Tank TV series, compared to professional investor negotiations. Yet the process is eerily realistic, and every entrepreneur can glean some important lessons. Personalize your presentation, if possible, for every investor.

Entrepreneur 127

Entrepreneur Sample Ideas Customer 127

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2023

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Is it any wonder why so few entrepreneurs ever find the professional investors they seek? Opportunity segmentation and competitive environment.

Product 112

Product Summary Activity Entrepreneur 112

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 19, 2011

CapLinked , the online platform for private investment funded by members of the “ PayPal Mafia “—announced that it is launching a worldwide pitch competition for entrepreneurs to present their business ideas to a panel of all-star judges from Idealab, Rincon, Rapidfire, and Actarus.

Competition 70

Competition Idealab Slides Startup 70

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2023

Every business professional and entrepreneur believes they are good communicators, but how do they know? Be collaborative rather than present a monologue. Consider the listener perspective rather than the presenter. More is not always better, so reduce the length of presentations and speeches. Are you one of these?

Class 143

Class Help Competition Activity 143

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2014

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Is it any wonder why so few entrepreneurs ever find the professional investors they seek? Opportunity segmentation and competitive environment. Marty Zwilling.

Product 101

Product Entrepreneur Summary Activity 101