Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 25, 2013

'We all get a lot of email. And we send off scores of them, too. For important emails we hope for replies or action. If you do the math on the number of inbound emails you get multiplied by the time it would take to read them all and respond to those that expect a reply you would be astounded. It is simply unmanageable. Yet some simple techniques can help massively improve your ability to get people to take action on your important emails.

Email 415

Email Writing Software Review Startup 415

socalTECH

AUGUST 16, 2013

'Scott Morrow is an Internet and startup veteran, having run such companies as Oversee.net and ThisNext, and headed up product marketing for IAC/Citysearch. He''s now transforming Luxury Link (www.luxurylink.com), a local luxury vacation travel company, and ramping up the service in a world where online travel marketplaces (HomeAway, AirBNB, and others) have been growing like crazy.

Pricing 256

Pricing Sites Marketing SEM 256

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 26, 2013

'A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. A startup''s marketing launch strategy should resemble an inverse funnel. As the launch proceeds, the degree of influence of the parties exposed to your solution should commensurately grow. This approach allows your venture to "fail in the small" and make course corrections before spending significant marketing resources.

Marketing 247

Marketing Entrepreneur Journal Media 247

Berkonomics

AUGUST 8, 2013

'At the MIT Center of Collective Intelligence, professors and graduate students are wrestling with an important opportunity – and gaining ground. With new collaborative tools available for use in the cloud, people are no longer isolated in their creative endeavors. Some label this “crowdsourcing,” a term used to describe one form of this new empowerment.

Cloud Computing 189

Cloud Computing IBM IBM Tool 189

Advertiser: Aggregage

Office leases are one of companies’ largest expenses, and if your whole team is working from home with no clear end in sight, you may be wondering what to do about your lease.

Company

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 6, 2013

'Every startup founder knows implicitly that startup success is a long hard road. Yet we always dream that we are the exception to the rule. So once in a while it’s good to look at some facts to temper our imagination. I was reading an old article written by marketing guru Seth Godin a while back where he mentions that “it takes about six years of hard work to become an overnight success”.

Startup 118

Startup Yahoo IBM IBM 118

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 27, 2013

'Advertising your brand utilizing YouTube could increase revenue by millions in under a year. Billion dollar brands like GoPro built their empire marketing with video, but we don’t all have a sea of extreme sports athletes to upload thrilling footage. So here are the top 8 tips from 2 successful brands on what we can do to create engaging content and market our brands using YouTube as our platform.

Dollar Shave Club 106

Dollar Shave Club Tips Marketing Sales 106

socalTECH

AUGUST 12, 2013

'Not one to be shy about grand visions, technology mogul Elon Musk unveiled his plans this afternoon for Hyperloop , a system for transporting people from Los Angeles to San Francisco in mere minutes, using aluminum pods which are sent at speeds of up to 800 miles per hour between the cities. In plans he released Monday afternoon, Musk said that Hyperloop would transport people between San Francisco and Los Angeles in only 30 minutes, using an elevated track above the I-5.

SpaceX 245

SpaceX Los Angeles Design Technology 245

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 12, 2013

'A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. VidCon''s format facilitates a number of opportunities for fans to connect and interact with their YouTube idols. For the uninitiated, VidCon is a mashup between the Consumer Electronics Show and E! Entertainment. Inspired by ComicCon, VidCon is an annual convention centered around the online video community.

Hollywood 237

Hollywood Conference Entertainment Activity 237

Berkonomics

AUGUST 1, 2013

'There are a number of key performance indicators that help new generation company management see more clearly their progress and corporate health. The old measures, including return on investment, percentage of profit against revenue or employee count, and more, obviously are still relevant. But businesses that expose their story to tens of millions of potential customers through the Internet need additional tools.

Acquisition 189

Acquisition Statistics Sales Customer 189

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2013

'The sad truth is that cash flow surprises kill many startups, even though they should have been adequately funded to survive. Overall, 90% of small business failures are caused by poor cash flow, according to the D&B Small Business website. Cash is king when it comes to the financial management of a growing company, so this is not the place for shortcuts and sloppy practices.

Startup 114

Startup Sales Layoffs Slides 114

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 27, 2013

'Meet the next generation of startup success stories at Be Great Fest in Los Angeles. On Sept. 17, entrepreneurs, investors, civic leaders and other key players in the tech industry will gather at the historic Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, Calif. Their mission: to support a charity, savor the hot SoCal nightlife, and transform Los Angeles into the startup capital of the world.

Los Angeles 101

Los Angeles Angel Startup Venture Capital 101

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 29, 2013

'I have lived (England, France, Italy, Spain, Japan & the US) and worked (Ireland, Germany, India) around the world. I adore accents. I listen not only for the country but the region. I became engrossed with the origins of both accents and phrases. One of most fascinating & enjoyable books on the topic is Bill Bryson’s “ Made in America ,” which demystifies the origins of the English language and why Americans speak more traditional English than the English do.

Startup 391

Startup Hollywood Class Study 391

socalTECH

AUGUST 15, 2013

'The fight between Los Angeles taxicab drivers and services like Lyft and Uber haas just gotten even more interesting, as mobile app developer Flywheel said it has launched in Los Angeles. Flywheel develops a mobile app which lets users hail local taxi companies, track locations, and pay with their smartphone, and says it has launched its service across Los Angeles, starting with Hermosa Beach, Long Beach, San Fernando Valley, and Pasadena.

Los Angeles 244

Los Angeles Hermosa Beach Beverly Hills San Fernando 244

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 5, 2013

'A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. If your company has said "Yes" to any of the following requests, you have effectively failed the partnership idiot test. If you haven''t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly Infochachkie articles! Exclusivity. The Ask: "We love what you are doing so much that we have to work with you exclusively.".

Startup 236

Startup Resource Ideas Customer 236

Berkonomics

AUGUST 15, 2013

'From sports car to aircraft to super tanker, successful operation depends upon the pilot’s understanding and urgent timely use of a dashboard. Real time information is critical to real time decision-making, and increasingly in the modern business world, decisions are made by management without extended meetings or discussion with others. And with the rise of modern technology-driven businesses, the same is true of management in the business world.

Metrics 184

Metrics Software Review Technical Review Statistics 184

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2013

'Entrepreneurs often have formidable technical expertise, key to developing a new product or service, but a great naïveté in management skills. They run into difficulty when their business reaches the $1-2 million annual sales range, or their employee count exceeds 5-10. It’s here that entrepreneurs must shift their thinking from tactical and operational, to strategic and managerial.

Startup 109

Startup Entrepreneur Organization Training 109

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 21, 2013

'The brands at the 4th annual VidCon weren’t there to learn video keyword strategies, they weren’t there to pretend to be cool, they were there to understand their audience. To immerse themselves in the culture where their potential customers are actively involved = YouTube. It’s a conference about the community, not as much a business conference. Nick Tran, Social Media Director for Taco Bell said, “The new entertainment for teens is YouTube.

Conference 99

Conference Hollywood eHow Content 99

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 20, 2013

'I have a saying that I employ as a powerful metaphor at every startup with whom I work – “beware of shiny new objects.” It is one of the easiest pieces of advice to give as it is almost always valuable if entrepreneurs follow it as a guideline. Yet sadly most startups have “shiny object” obsessions. In today’s uber-connected, social media, everything-is-public, people tell you there’s killing it with these new features, investor & mentor whiplash &#

Course 368

Course Resource Social Media Design 368

socalTECH

AUGUST 9, 2013

'Venice, California-based PromoJam , the social marketing startup headed by Matt and Amanda MacNaughton, said this week that it has launched a new tool for launching social, direct, and mobile marketing campaigns. The startup said its new Be Social platform allows marketers to create branded campaigns and promotions, providing ability to create and design campaigns without having to engage a graphics designer.

Tool 225

Tool Marketing Venice Design 225

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 19, 2013

'A version of this article previously appeared in Inc. 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. Unfortunately, they lack the skills, personality and risk profile to successfully start and operate a business. Not surprisingly, wantrepreneurs enjoy operating in perpetual stealth mode.

Cloud Computing 176

Cloud Computing Web Entrepreneur Marketing 176

Berkonomics

AUGUST 29, 2013

'Sometimes the end game or sale of the company is not a happy event. Especially when outside investors, venture capitalists, or angels, have put in substantial money and the sales price is less than the value of their investment. Most all experienced VC and angel investors have found themselves in such a situation, since it is the unfortunate truth that half of their investments fail, on average, within the first several years of the investment.

Sales 166

Sales Venture Capital Invest Guide 166

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2013

'Every startup founder feels the pressure of the thousands of things that need to get done, all seemingly at the same time. There is just not enough time! The real solution is better productivity and less procrastination, to put you back in control of your business. You need to spend time on important things, as well as the urgent. Many entrepreneurs waste too much time on low-priority administrative tasks, procrastinating on higher priority but tougher tasks, resulting in last minute crises, an

Product 108

Product Entrepreneur Email Customer 108

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 29, 2013

'SnapMyAd is an iOS app that allows Instagram users to monetize their smartphone photos if they let brands use them in their promotional campaigns. The free iOS app connects consumers with their favorite brands on Instagram and rewards them for their best Instagram photos. Consumers have complete control over which brands they interact with, for what perk or reward and which photos they are willing to exchange for those brand perks.

Advertising 98

Advertising Social Media Entertainment Media 98

Frank Addante

AUGUST 22, 2013

'About a month ago, I e-mailed our employees and asked them to participate in a company survey. It wasn’t a perfectly formed survey, but these were questions that I constantly ask myself. I wanted the team to think about, and ask, the same questions I ask myself. Some of this was to gauge how aligned we are in that thinking; and some of it was for me to understand where we aren’t aligned, and how to communicate or explain why we may be making decisions, or why we’re not.

Journal 94

Journal Statistics Study Company 94

socalTECH

AUGUST 12, 2013

'Naki Laundry , the smartphone driven startup which has been offering up pickup, cleaning, and delivery of laundry, has expanded into San Jose, and is looking to expand to San Francisco next month, according to the company. The startup--which currently offers services in Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, and a number of other locations, also said it plans to expand services shortly to Brentwood, Westwood, Beverly Hills and West LA.

Beverly Hills 223

Beverly Hills Santa Barbara Brentwood West Los Angeles 223

Steve Reich

AUGUST 17, 2013

'Why are there great tech companies in Pasadena that no one has heard of? Sometimes the answer is that the team is too busy building a great company to worry about generating press outside their own industry. One example is Bluebeam. They are revolutionizing the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industries by eliminating the need for hard copy blueprints.

Pasadena 55

Pasadena Pasadena Angels Company Companies 55

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 7, 2013

'A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. If you were not walking the halls of the Anaheim Convention last week, you missed a whole lot at the VidCon 2013. What follows is a blow-by-blow account of the convention''s Industry Day keynotes, which focused on the current and future status of the online video ecosystem. Never heard of VidCon?

Course 190

Course Advertising Social Media Content 190

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 24, 2013

'An all-too-common question I get from startups and small businesses is “Which is the right social media platform for my business?” Is it Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or one of the other 200 active platforms vying for attention these days? The right answer is that not all of these are worth your attention, but it’s probably more than one. The “Tyranny of the OR” is a concept from the business best-seller “ Built to Last ,” by James C.

Social Media 108

Social Media Media Startup Platform 108

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 9, 2013

'In West Hollywood, Los Angeles last night, Werner Herzog’s new documentary, “From One Second to the Next” premiered at the Silver Screen Theater located within MOCA’s Pacific Design Center followed with Q&A from the legendary director himself. As part of the “ It Can Wait ” movement, sponsored by AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile; this film won’t be shown in any theaters but screened across over 40,000 high schools as well as being made publicly availabl

Design 98

Design West Hollywood Screening Hollywood 98

Frank Addante

AUGUST 22, 2013

'I spent a few days in New York last week with members of the press and industry influencers and realized that RTB is getting a lot of attention. But RTB isn’t the only thing that matters when it comes to advertising automation. There’s also static bids, programmatic guarantee, and direct order automation. RTB is less than half of the total automated advertising market.

Advertising 86

Advertising Press Commerce Examples 86

socalTECH

AUGUST 20, 2013

'A Los Angeles startup has launched itself into the streaming music fray today on iOS, saying it has debuted an iOS version of Radical.FM , a new music streaming service offering up a catalog of 25 million songs--and including such artists as The Beatles, AC/DC, and Bob Seger. The Venice, California startup, led by Thomas McAlevey, said it differentiates itself from the current crop of streaming music services by offering up a human algorithm, rare online tracks, and "pay-what-you-can" music str

Startup 223

Startup Venice Los Angeles Web 223

Jason Nazar

AUGUST 15, 2013

'The 7 Ways to Get (unpaid) Traffic on the Web. “If You Build It…They Will Come”, may work for historical baseball ghosts, but it’s not a strategy you can rely on when starting an internet company.Driving traffic to your website is a formula that can be reverse engineered. Other than paying for traffic with advertising, there are only so many ways to get people to show up at your door.

Web 61

Web Social Media Content Sites 61

socalTECH

AUGUST 23, 2013

'Confused about the myriad of incubators and accelerators in the Los Angeles area? A new infographic, released this week, has summarized some of the local startup incubators and accelerators in Los Angeles, plus detailed some of the terms of their investments in companies. We''ve reprinted it below. The infographic was created by local high tech video production creative and strategy, and content syndication company 4WT Media , along with partner Fresh Development.

Incubator 222

Incubator Idealab High Tech Los Angeles 222

socalTECH

AUGUST 5, 2013

'Hollywood-based PopBoardz , a mobile developer, said today that it has released an app aimed at helping users with their business presentations. The company said that company''s organization and presentation app runs on the iPad, and lets users create business presentations using images, videos, PDFs, websites, and files from Dropbox and Box.com. PopBoardz says its CEO and founder is Peter Stougaard.

Hollywood 215

Hollywood Organization Mobile Help 215

socalTECH

AUGUST 20, 2013

'There''s been a war brewing in Los Angeles, between a trio of ride services-- Lyft , Uber , Sidecar -- and the city''s taxi drivers--over a new generation of Internet-enabled and smartphone-friendly, connected rideshare services, versus what has been an old, opaque, and phone-driven taxi establishment. There''s been plenty of debate over how to handle the new services, and arguments for and against both ridesharing services and the taxis.

Startup 210

Startup Los Angeles Services Training 210

socalTECH

AUGUST 22, 2013

'Are you (or your kids) a fan of Fraggle Rock , the series from Jim Henson? Los Angeles-based Hulu has added a big new library of family friendly entertainment to its Hulu Kids section today, with a deal with Jim Henson Family to show Fraggle Rock and ten other related series. Hulu said the series will be available commercial-free on Hulu Plus, with consecutive, episodes of each show showing up on the ad-supported version of Hulu on a rolling basis.

Hulu 207

Hulu Hollywood Content Entertainment 207