Both Sides of the Table
AUGUST 16, 2011
50 coffee meetings. It should stick in your head as a metaphor for networking. For getting outside of your comfort zone. For starting relationships today that won’t pay off for a year. It’s the entrepreneur’s equivalent of “ 10,000 hours.&#. Anybody who has spent any time with me in person will be tired of this advice because I give it so frequently.
SoCal CTO
AUGUST 4, 2011
Almost every day I'm talking to early stage startup founders (see Free Startup CTO Consulting Sessions ) about what they plan to do. I tend to ask a lot of questions, challenge aspects, make suggestions. But I've often been very surprised by one aspect of these conversations. Many of these founders have talked with several developers or development firms about their plans.
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InfoChachkie
AUGUST 11, 2011
Messenger : Naval Ravikant, Co-Founder AngelList and Co-Maintainer Venture Hacks. Former Founder Epinions. Investor in Twitter, Foursquare, DISQUS, and (by Naval’s own admission) “a lot of other companies you have never heard of”. Dharmesh Shah, Founder of HubSpot and of OnStartups , recently published a great post entitled, Raising Money On AngelList , which offers insights germane to my conversation with Naval.
socalTECH
AUGUST 22, 2011
A new ranking of the top cities for technology ranks Los Angeles as number three, in a list of the top ten cities for technology access and "geek friendliness". In the ranking , Los Angeles was number three, behind Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area, but ahead of such cities as New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C. The list was compiled by Wired Magazine, and factored in the number of stores selling tech gadgets, free wireless Internet access, technology jobs, engineering schools--not to me
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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.
Berkonomics
AUGUST 13, 2011
One of the most valuable tools in an executive’s arsenal is the use of the question chain in planning meetings or to analyze scenarios that might result from an action. The powerful words are “What if…” followed by an ever-deeper question that follows the possible results of an action, or a decision based upon the last “What if” question. The beauty of this method is that it causes the person proposing the solution to think much more deeply than during the development process, unveiling many po
Startup Professionals Musings
AUGUST 29, 2011
In previous articles, I have occasionally mentioned “red flags” which every potential investor unconsciously listens for. Other writers, like Guy Kawasaki, have irreverently called some of these “entrepreneur lies,” but I prefer to think of them as innocent over-enthusiasm or over-confidence that can kill your deal. At any rate, here is my summary of the top ten from my experience with hundreds of elevator pitches, business plans, and executive presentations: “Our product is truly disruptive tec
Southern California Tech Central brings together the best content for technical professionals in Southern California from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
SoCal CTO
AUGUST 4, 2011
Almost every day I'm talking to early stage startup founders (see Free Startup CTO Consulting Sessions ) about what they plan to do. I tend to ask a lot of questions, challenge aspects, make suggestions. But I've often been very surprised by one aspect of these conversations. Many of these founders have talked with several developers or development firms about their plans.
InfoChachkie
AUGUST 22, 2011
TestFlight’s mission is to reduce app developers’ pain. The company effectively leveraged this credo at Apple’s 2010 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). As Ben Satterfield, TestFlight’s CEO explains in the interview below, for the cost of some T-shirts and tacos, TestFlight was able to dominate the mindshare of many WWDC attendees. As Ben points out, successful guerrilla marketing is predicated on creativity and clever execution, not a huge budget.
socalTECH
AUGUST 30, 2011
Have you ever been working on something at work, and suddenly realized what you were doing was applicable to something completely unrelated in your personal life? That's what happened to Brandon Hance , founder of GoodThreads (www.goodthreads.com), a new service which makes it easy for participants in charity walks and events to create personalized T-shirts, supporting the nonprofits running those events.
Berkonomics
AUGUST 5, 2011
Markets and competitors change. Are you being left behind? Over the years, I have often heard the complaint from CEO friends that they have become so swamped by the demands of their growing businesses that they feel themselves further and further from the center of their industry, no longer at the forefront of information and competitive development.
Startup Professionals Musings
AUGUST 17, 2011
If you expect to succeed in the thrill-a-minute, roller coaster ride of a startup, let me assure you it takes more than a good idea, a rich uncle, and luck. In fact, the idea is often the least important part of the equation. Investors tell me that they look at the people first, the business plan second, and only then at the idea. If you want some tips to beat the insurmountable odds, take a look at the following concepts, adapted from Richard C.
Both Sides of the Table
AUGUST 14, 2011
I was recently approached by Fast Company to comment on “crisis management&# at startups in the wake of the Airbnb “ranksackgate&# story. I agreed to do the interview because the story was about what other companies can learn rather than about airbnb in particular. What are the teachable moments? The short article in Fast Company is here if you’d like to read it.
Tech Zulu Event
AUGUST 18, 2011
That’s right folks, we are now just a day away from Los Angeles Startup Weekend held at Coloft in Santa Monica. The February Startup Weekend was stated to “The Best Los Angeles Startup Weekend (LASW)&# ever, now I have a hunch that this upcoming LASW will surpass it in awesome. Based on the fact that this Startup Weekend was SOLD OUT in a just a few hours.
InfoChachkie
AUGUST 2, 2011
“ The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man. " George Bernard Shaw, Irish Playwright, Co-founder, London School of Economics. Entrepreneurs must be unreasonable in order to dismiss the status quo and create novel solutions.
socalTECH
AUGUST 2, 2011
Last week, Los Angeles-based Bevvy (www.bevvy.com) launched on online site aimed at deals and offers for nightlife and nightclubs. In an interesting twist to the daily deals model, the site does not use printable coupons, but instead uses "secret passwords" to provide people with special deals at venues, is squarely aiming at high end nightclubs, and is striving to be venue friendly to bar and club owners.
Berkonomics
AUGUST 27, 2011
Each decision you make to commit resources affects the future value of the business to some degree. Minor decisions, such as replacing employees who have left the company or equipment needing updating, are usually considered operational in nature, and unless the business is changing direction, not relevant to this analysis. But each commitment of resources of any substantial size for acquisition of new products, talent, even new companies, changes the value of your enterprise perhap
Startup Professionals Musings
AUGUST 27, 2011
If you want people to invest in your idea, then my best advice is first write a business plan, and keep it simple. Don't confuse your business plan with a doctoral thesis or the back of a napkin. Keep the wording and formatting straightforward, and keep the plan short. For minimum content, see my article “ Investors Expect Ten Essentials in a Business Plan.
Both Sides of the Table
AUGUST 1, 2011
I’d like to start by asking each of you to consider helping under-privileged children in America get a little bit more than they have today. Sure, you can give a small amount of money. Even $10. Please. It’s better than zero. You can combine that with supporting Fred & Joanne Wilson. (if you click no other links on theis site click that one).
Tech Zulu Event
AUGUST 22, 2011
The Dollar Shave Club is a new start up that solves a simple but overlooked problem; disposable razor blades are overpriced. Michael Dubin decided to solve this problem. Dollar Shave Club is a online service that delivers high quality disposable razor blades for a low price. For as little as $1 a month, Dollar Shave Club will deliver a cassette of 5 Ninja Blades to your home.
InfoChachkie
AUGUST 29, 2011
Randy Churchill and his team at PricewaterhouseCoopers meticulously prepare a quarterly report detailing the venture landscape, called Shaking The Money Tree. The data consistently confirms that: (i) venture capitalists are typically not adventuresome, and (ii) most startups lack the three intoxicating factors which cause venture capitalists to pull out their checkbooks.
socalTECH
AUGUST 25, 2011
How did an email marketing provider turn into a provider of software which mashes up a combination of email marketing, wiki, customer service management, event and meeting management tool, project management software, and much more? San Diego-based GreenRope (www.greenrope.com) is just that, and to figure out how it got to where it is, we spoke with Lars Helgeson, the firm's CEO, about what exactly GreenRope provides, how it grew out of email marketing, and where it is going.
Berkonomics
AUGUST 18, 2011
I am a gadget freak, often purchasing new technologies in their first release. And my closet is full of such gadgets, from early pen-based computers to early brick-sized cell phones to an electronic handwriting recognition pad received as a gift to test. These early dives into new technologies serve a purpose for me. They keep me at the leading edge of new development as it is productized, even before mass production.
Startup Professionals Musings
AUGUST 20, 2011
New entrepreneurs who want to survive, and optimize the growth of their startups, need to think globally, and act locally, from day one. This approach, popularly known as “glocalization,” means you have to design and deliver global solutions that have total relevance to every local market in which you operate. Recognizing this is as much about culture as about language, ensures an understanding of regional motivators, cultural taboos and local customs – so that your solutions are ideally designe
Both Sides of the Table
AUGUST 22, 2011
FNAC. I first heard the term from Chris Fralic at First Round Capital. Feature, not a company. It has always stood out in my mind. Whether something is a feature or a company is clearly subjective. And sometimes features (say, Twitter) turn into companies. For me it is a useful shorthand for a very clever set of product features that in my mind would be hard to remain a stand-alone business or themselves to generate enough revenue to justify the company’s existence.
Tech Zulu Event
AUGUST 21, 2011
Welcome to the accelerated version of Startup Weekend. I dropped in to check out the contest a few times during the competition and the environment was uplifting and exciting. Brought back fond memories of my weekend at Startup Weekend. walking around seeing coders buried deep into code, focused on completing their product before the clock expired. In case you were out of town for the weekend, BetterWorks and Coloft of Santa Monica put together an amazing and area stimulating HackFest ( #hackfes
InfoChachkie
AUGUST 8, 2011
Note: This is part IV of a five part series. Access the first installment HERE , part II HERE , part III HERE , and part V HERE. “[Poker] exemplifies the worst aspects of capitalism that have made our country so great.”. Walter Matthau, American Actor. I have discussed in this series a number of books and games parents can share with their children which will cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset.
socalTECH
AUGUST 16, 2011
Los Angeles-based AudioMicro , which operates a network of online content licensing marketplaces for audio, photos, and more, is announcing today that it has grown its library of pictures on site ImageCollect to 1.5 million photos. ImageCollect is focused on celebrity photos, offered up using the microstock photo model. AudioMicro said ImageCollect is adding around 25,000 images per day.
Both Sides of the Table
AUGUST 24, 2011
On this blog I’m often trying to combine lessons for entrepreneurs and market commentary. Yesterday it was my turn for the lesson. In my zeal to prove a point I often take a strong stance on an issue. I then debate the topic in the comments section and hope that we all learn from the conversation. It’s my personality to do this. Yesterday I pushed this passion in the wrong direction.
socalTECH
AUGUST 8, 2011
Santa Monica-based Docstoc , the online business documents site headed by Jason Nazar, has quietly been ramping a video content effort at the site. In a new section on Docstoc's web site, the firm has been sharing dozens of video segments featureing business tips and advice from entrepreneurs from Southern California's technology community. The company has invested in dedicated staff and a studio at its Santa Monica offices to film the short business advice snippets, which have come from Jason N
socalTECH
AUGUST 17, 2011
The Tech Coast Angels , Southern California's biggest and most active angel investing group, appears to be backing a developer of prescription drug validation systems, based in Lebanon, N.H. According to a regulatory filing from PharmaSecure , it has raised $2.5M out of a $6M funding round, currently in progress. The firm lists the Tech Coast Angels, Gray Ghost Ventures, Life Science Angels, Angeli Parvi, and Echoing Green as investors; the TCA's Jay Kunin sits on PharmaSecure's board of directo
socalTECH
AUGUST 4, 2011
San Diego-based SkinIt , the maker of protective "skins" for electronic devices, said today that it has expanded its leadership team. The firm--which is backed by ABS Capital Partners, said that Laura Christine is its EVP Consumer Group; Jennifer Jordan its VP of Finance; John P. O'Loughlin is VP Human Resources; Lewis Chang VP of E-Commerce and Marketing; Billy Crotty as SVP Global Operations; and Rick Foukes is VP Coatings Engineering.
socalTECH
AUGUST 15, 2011
Altly , the startup headed by Dmitry Shapiro which is developing an alternative to Facebook, said Monday that it has renamed the firm to AnyBeat.com. The new name was not a surprise, as Shapiro had said the company would be renaming itself before launch. In addition to the new name, AnyBeat outlined a number of principles behind the social network. The firm said it will look to help people meet others who they would not naturally meet in their day-to-day life; help people gauge the reputation of
socalTECH
AUGUST 4, 2011
Every so often--particularly in Southern California--you run into a serial entrepreneur, with multiple successes and great track record-- yet, who very few people are aware of. Jeff Zwelling is one of those. Jeff Zwelling is the co-founder of Convertro (www.convertro.com), a Los Angeles company focused on helping companies track how their marketing efforts are leading to sales conversions.
socalTECH
AUGUST 8, 2011
Los Angeles-based Mobile Roadie , the mobile apps developer, said today that it has inked a partnership with Consenda , a media software firm, to provide mobile news applications for newspapers in Switzerland. According to Mobile Roadie, it has developed mobile apps for Consenda which helps local and regional newspapers through a system called LocalPoint.
socalTECH
AUGUST 9, 2011
ThisWeekIn , the Los Angeles-based, online video podcasting network co-founded by Jason Calacanis, Mark Jeffrey, and Kevin Pollak, is expanding out its lengthy list of podcasts, with a new one focused on startups out the TechStars business incubation effort. The new This Week In TechStars video podcast follows such weekly video podcasts as Mark Suster's This Week In Venture Capital and This Week In Startups from Jason Calacanis.
socalTECH
AUGUST 18, 2011
Earlier this month, Santa Barbara-based zuuka Group , the publisher behind the iStoryTime (www.istorytimeapp.com) line of children's books on the iPhone, announced a first round of funding. We thought it would be interesting to hear from co-founder Graham Farrar, to hear about how the business of books-as-iPhone apps works, what the firm is doing with the funding, and what's next.
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