TechEmpower
APRIL 5, 2013
'Last week, we posted the results of benchmarking several web application development and frameworks. The response was tremendous. We received comments, recommendations, advice, criticism, questions, and most importantly pull requests from dozens of readers and developers. On Tuesday of this week, we kicked off a pair of EC2 instances and a pair of our i7 workstations to produce updated data.
Both Sides of the Table
APRIL 21, 2013
'This article originally appeared on TechCrunch. If you don’t like it hot, use less,” he said. “We don’t make mayonnaise here.” . This morning I was reading my social media and came across an article that Christine Tsai had posted on Facebook. It was about the founder of Sriracha sauce, David Tran, displaced from Vietnam when the North’s communists took power.
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socalTECH
APRIL 11, 2013
'One of the biggest areas where the Internet has been shaping our everyday life, is how it has begun to empower people to earn money and a living in brand new ways. There are now a large number of online, peer-to-peer marketplaces which all aim at one thing; helping connecting people with others, so that they can offer their services or goods (a room for rent, a ride, a vacation timeshare, a dog sitter, etc.) to others, in a highly efficient way.
Berkonomics
APRIL 18, 2013
'How many of us have “hired” independent contractors over the years, a bit worried over the gray area between employee and contractor as defined by the IRS? I’ve experienced the results of a wrong decision, and the IRS and state agencies are not forgiving in their pursuit of penalties, interest and most damaging, assessing a company with the on both employer and employee taxes when reclassifying the person as an employee.
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SoCal CTO
APRIL 2, 2013
I'm presenting Making Sure You Are Ready to Begin Building Your MVP next week at Coloft ( Details/Registration ). I'm going to be looking at aspects like: Things to consider before building your MVP Features often overlooked when documenting an MVP for developers Understanding important metrics you want to measure Risks and challenges in developing an MVP.
InfoChachkie
APRIL 9, 2013
'A version of this article previously appeared on Inc. The worlds of standup comedy and business presentations are not as disparate as they may appear at first glance. Comedians are entrepreneurs. They often write their own material, book their gigs, arrange their travel and negotiate and collect their compensation from club owners. In addition, both comedians and entrepreneurs must engage and entertain their demanding audiences.
Southern California Tech Central brings together the best content for technical professionals in Southern California from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Both Sides of the Table
APRIL 25, 2013
'Note: if you’re a parent please check out their website. Kara called me on a Tuesday. She was leaving IAC to start a company. “Tasha, clear some space on my calendar tomorrow. OK?” “I want you in my offices tomorrow, Kara. Does that work for you?” Kara came. She didn’t tell me she was bringing anybody. I didn’t ask her for a deck.
socalTECH
APRIL 4, 2013
'How do you take a process--recruiting of athletes--and make it more efficient, without getting in the way? That''s what Los Angeles-based FieldLevel (www.fieldlevel.com) has been working on, making it easier for coaches to network and exchange information on athletes. We spoke with co-founder Brenton Sullivan about the company''s platform, and how it''s hoping to transform the athletic recruiting process.
Berkonomics
APRIL 11, 2013
'It is an unfortunate truism that most of us become a bit stale in our jobs after some time, even if we are most successful at it and appreciated by all who work for or with us. It is human nature to start in a new position with enthusiasm, lofty goals, new ideas, and a heightened awareness of those around us and their ideas for the business. And it is equally human for anyone to become complacent to some degree after an initial flurry of effort, ideas, reorganizations, brilliant decisions, and
Startup Professionals Musings
APRIL 22, 2013
'I’ve noticed that some entrepreneurs seem to have no trouble attracting investors, while others with a great business plan struggle with it. The reality is that angel investors are humans, and personal traits often make or break the relationship, even before the investment is considered. On the top line, angel investors look to invest in entrepreneurs that have an almost unwavering passion and sense of urgency.
InfoChachkie
APRIL 1, 2013
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. How did a small, open source software company from Finland capture billions in market share from Oracle? Marten Mickos, CEO of Eucalyptus Systems , knows the answer and he delights in telling the story of how MySQL ate Oracle's lunch and dinner. You can watch Marten tell his entertaining story in the following 15-minute excerpt from his UC Santa Barbara talk.
TechEmpower
APRIL 22, 2013
'We''ve previously posted two rounds of results of benchmarking many web application platforms and frameworks. The community''s response remains strong! We have really enjoyed your comments, advice, questions, criticism, and pull requests. Speaking of pull requests, we received tests for several additional frameworks since Round 2 and we have posted Round 3.
Both Sides of the Table
APRIL 17, 2013
'I’m sure you’ve all heard saying derived from Voltaire, “don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good” which in a way is encapsulated in the lean startup movement and the ideology of shipping a “minimum viable product” (MVP) and then learning from your customer base. Or to borrow a simple life lesson from Gretchen Rubin , “The 20-minute walk I take is better than the 3-mile run I never start.
socalTECH
APRIL 3, 2013
Online web conferencing provider AnyMeeting has a challenge: it believes its services are better suited for small business than both WebEx and GoToMeeting, the incumbents in the web conferencing space. To prove it? The company said it will provide six months of its ad-free business plans to any small business owner, employee or independent professional who will show them a copy of their most recent WebEx or GoToMeeting invoice.
Berkonomics
APRIL 25, 2013
'Reduce the emotion; reduce the threat of lawsuit. You’ve certainly experienced the angry outburst from an associate or employee who has just learned of an event that the person took as “unfair,” no matter how rational the explanation by the decision maker. Most emotional responses to decisions in business are generated not because the person making the response feels the decision was unwise, but rather unfair.
Tech Zulu Event
APRIL 24, 2013
'Guest article by Richie Hecker, Founder of Bootstrapper Media. For about 50 years, (…cough M) Ad Men, or marketing and sales individuals, have been the kings of organizational hierarchy … and then came the Internet of things and engineers took over the throne. Yet, winter is always coming for a startup and thus a new breed has arisen from the ashes and honed a new set of skills, the Growth Hacker.
InfoChachkie
APRIL 21, 2013
'A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. How did Sarah Penna create one of YouTube''s most successful networks? Consistently working 14-to-16-hour days had something to do with it, along with a service-oriented mentality built upon a foundation of integrity. You can watch Sarah tell her compelling story in the following 15-minute excerpt from her recent UC Santa Barbara talk.
Startup Professionals Musings
APRIL 6, 2013
'What happened to Generation X? They are generally defined as anyone born between 1965 and 1980, sandwiched between 80 million Baby Boomers and 78 million Gen-Y (Millennials). Gen-X has just 46 million members, but they continue to lead the way and set the standards in the startup world. Gen-X is the group that will bridge the two larger generations of Boomers and Gen-Y.
Both Sides of the Table
APRIL 27, 2013
'I travel the country a lot. And I am often approached by entrepreneurs in cities which don’t have a vibrant VC community. They often ask whether they have to move to SF, NY or LA to get financed. I have the same response always, “Where do you want to live? Where do you want to build your community, your relationships, your family?” I’m trying to get a feel for their commitment to local community versus being in a place where financing is easiest.
socalTECH
APRIL 8, 2013
'A few weeks ago, the University of Southern California announced a new startup incubator, the Viterbi Startup Garage ([link] backed by such notable investors as Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and the United Talent Agency. What''s the idea behind the incubator--which gives its startups $20,000 in capital, education, mentoring, working space, and more--and how is it tied to USC?
Berkonomics
APRIL 4, 2013
'It is hard to separate this kind of advice from economic lessons in running a business, when office politics can threaten a business in ways that are subtle, but sometimes just as devastating as economic shocks or continuing poor management. Most any office with more than one level of management (more than ten employees) can become a Petri dish for office politics.
Tech Zulu Event
APRIL 30, 2013
'Ladies and Gentlemen. Geeks, Tinkerers, Intellectuals and Nerds of all ages, we are delighted to present to you, Two Bit Circus and their highly anticipated S.T.E.A.M. Carnival ! A wondrous place designed for kids to learn that Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math are not only interconnected, but fun to boot. Starting today , Two Bit Circus’ Kickstarter Campaign goes live and gladly invites you to help make this truly amazing concept become a reality.
InfoChachkie
APRIL 29, 2013
'A version of this article previously appeared on Inc. For many small businesses, their online reputation is their passport to virtual word-of-mouth referrals. Unfortunately, an articulate and engaging negative review on Yelp!, TripAdvisor or Amazon can have an outsized impact on a small business. You operate your business from a small boat in the remote waters of northern Fiji and your customers are spread across the globe, residing in the US, Europe and Asia.
Startup Professionals Musings
APRIL 12, 2013
'Most people agree that entrepreneurs have to think differently and take risks to have much chance of building a successful business. Yet I have found that serious entrepreneurs usually go way beyond these platitudes in their actions and thinking, and often won’t volunteer their real views, for fear of alienating “regular” people, and being branded a fanatic.
Both Sides of the Table
APRIL 13, 2013
'Just back from 2 solid weeks on the road in Boston, New York & Philly. I spent countless hours with VC firms, startups & LPs (the people who invest in VC firms). I find these trips invaluable both from a relationship-building perspective as well as stretching my mind about our industry. I ask questions, test theories, debate topics of the day and then reflect upon what I’ve learned.
socalTECH
APRIL 16, 2013
'Snapchat , the hot Venice-based startup which lets users send self-destructing photos to each other, has been hit by a spam attack, the firm said this morning. According to posts on Twitter, a large number of posts of a "naked lady" were sent to users on the service. Snapchat said that it believes an individual created multiple accounts and sent snaps to Snapchatters with public accounts.
From the Venture Trenches
APRIL 30, 2013
'For the first three months of this year, I have had the pleasure of breathing the same air as the crew from Amplify , the Venice based accelerator. As a member of NextSpace I have witnessed Amplify in operation and it is a shop that definitely believes in good rewards stemming from hard work. As a fourteen-year veteran of the venture industry I have often heard the phrase, “value added investors”, which is usually touted by certain VC’s as their biggest differentiating quality.
Tech Zulu Event
APRIL 25, 2013
'Marketing executives are increasingly tasked with analyzing more and more channels and tactics. Let’s take a look at some promotional tactics and spends in this infographic for an overall look at cost per impression. Remember marketing folks, this is impression, not conversion — a metric slowing losing it’s sheen amongst the nation’s web savvy marketers.
Frank Addante
APRIL 9, 2013
'I admire John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach. He spent the first day of practice each year teaching his team how to put its socks on properly. Wooden’s reasoning? If you can avoid blisters, you’ll focus more, play better, and boost your on-court performance. Wooden’s emphasis on excellent execution resonates for me. Partially because I played ball on a very tight and disciplined junior high school team back in Chicago that’s in the basketball hall of fame.
Startup Professionals Musings
APRIL 28, 2013
'You have probably heard plenty of times that being an entrepreneur is a risky business, and investors talk all the time about reducing the risk. Yet everyone seems to have their own view of key risk drivers for startups, and I’m no exception. I don’t agree, for example, that the first priority is to avoid startups with a high attrition rate, like trendy restaurants and entertainment.
Both Sides of the Table
APRIL 15, 2013
'This is my third post in a series on Enterprise Software. In part one I covered the need for early-stage enterprise software companies to build up professional services staff to ensure successful implementation projects. This goes against the conventional wisdom of VCs. In part two I talked about how to ensure that your professional services practice doesn’t take over your software company although I’m on record that there is nothing wrong with a services company as long as youR
socalTECH
APRIL 1, 2013
A new, Los Angeles startup hopes its service will help users simplify life choices, by asking other users to comment on different questions. ChoicePunch , founded by Hamid Saify, recently launched its services, letting users post their own questions and answers to such questions like "What's the safest car?", and "What should I buy my sister for her birthday"?
From the Venture Trenches
APRIL 23, 2013
'Don’t try to find your own way if you’ve never been there before. Like a wayward prop plane sputtering through the fog as it makes its final approach at Santa Monica airport, you will need Brian Callahan’s careful guidance to steer you to the venue. And don’t be late. Hangar 8 is an event you want to arrive at on time. If you don’t you will miss out on the all important introductions that make Brian’s industry mixers such a success.
Tech Zulu Event
APRIL 24, 2013
'When’s the best time to visit a theme park? During a week-day while the kids are still in school of course! Shorter lines with less fuss, less hassle; you can get more rides in and really have a good time! Well, summer’s almost here and the weather’s warming up. What a perfect opportunity for AT&T to invite an intimate group of techies to spend some time checking out the new HTC One at Universal Studios.
Frank Addante
APRIL 9, 2013
'We’re deep into mobile at Rubicon Project these days, and we know that our technology platform is going to help drive the automation of advertising in a huge way for years to come. But there are three key insights to keep in mind as the industry tries to figure out how to monetize mobile: First, you can’t copy and paste what we’ve done in display and just apply it to the mobile landscape.
Startup Professionals Musings
APRIL 21, 2013
'With the an estimated 150,000 new websites and 7.3 million new pages added to the Internet every day, the biggest challenge for every entrepreneur is to get found, and get some credibility for a new startup. I can attest from experience that publishing a regular blog to properly showcase your offering, even before you have it, is a most cost effective approach in time and money.
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