socalTECH

AUGUST 19, 2014

Epicor Software , the developer of supply chain management software which has its roots and still has significant operations in Orange County, is off the block, after its private equity investors did not see enough interest--or high enough prices--for the business. The news on that move came in May. Apax bought Epicor back in 2011.

Orange County 153

Orange County Sales News Equity 153

Berkonomics

MARCH 8, 2018

Give one percent equity to each outside board member vesting over four years of service. Pay early stage board members of companies that are not lifestyle businesses one percent of the fully diluted equity in the form of an option that vests over four years of service. Here is my best advice, based upon many boards and many years.

Venture Capital 256

Venture Capital Equity Sales Invest 256

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 31, 2020

I was chairman of a company that, for twelve years never took a dollar of outside investment. If you can finance your enterprise through grants rather than equity or debt, you retain control and when it is time to sell your interest in the business, a lower sales price will create a higher return on your personal investment.

Equity 156

Equity Writing Education Research 156

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

This time by the efforts of Adeo Ressi to introduce a new kind of structure called “ convertible equity.” My initial reaction to Adeo when we spoke was that while it may have solved some issues (debt versus equity) it didn’t solve the ones that I’ve been warning entrepreneurs about most loudly.

Startup 354

Startup Pricing Equity Venture Capital 354

Berkonomics

NOVEMBER 23, 2023

Here is the warning: The execution of equity allocations and of a good incentive program using equity is often mismanaged, damaging the corporate capitalization structure and even affecting the outcome of subsequent investment into the company. … Equity is divided between the founders and the business begun.

Equity 156

Equity Class Pricing Sales 156

socalTECH

JANUARY 25, 2018

Venice, California-based venture capital investor Fifth Wall says it has made a $135M investment in San Francisco-based real estate sales startup Opendoor , as part of a combined equity and debt funding. Fifth Wall's LPs include CBRE, Equity Residential, Hines, Host Hotels & Resorts, Lennar, Macerich, and Prologis.

Invest 124

Invest Venice Equity Venture Capital 124

InfoChachkie

JULY 11, 2011

By combining our equity investment with a tranche of venture debt, the company has avoided a larger equity round, which would have significantly diluted the Founders’ ownership share. Investor Threshold – If possible, avoid accepting more venture debt than your investors can reasonably payoff with an equity infusion.

Equity 235

Equity Startup Invest Funding 235

Berkonomics

AUGUST 3, 2023

Some businesses require very little capital and the founder can self-finance the enterprise and retain 100% of its ownership and control from ignition through liquidity event (startup through sale). Bootstrapping: This term describes your ability to start a business with little investment and grow it using internally generated funds.

Venture Capital 295

Venture Capital Startup Class Invest 295

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 6, 2013

I am fond of quoting that about 70% of my investment decision of an early-stage company is the team. So I naturally spend much time with the companies in which I invest helping them: recruit. Your first sales people should be consultative sellers who can fuel evangelical sales. Final startup grind from msuster.

Startup 388

Startup Slides Outsource Development Sales 388

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 31, 2012

Many MBA programs still cater too much to the needs of large, corporate management jobs or prepare students to enter big consulting companies or investments banks. That student is Erin McCann who formerly worked in sales at Google, so she has some ground to stand on in her assertions. My guess is that we are likely in total agreement.

Startup 319

Startup Sales Course Competition 319

socalTECH

DECEMBER 17, 2010

El Segundo-based Internet Brands said Friday that the acquisition of the firm by private equity firm Hellman & Friedman has closed. JMI Equity also invested in Internet Brands as part of the sale. The acquisition, which had originally been announced in September, was worth $640M.

Internet Brands 220

Internet Brands Acquisition El Segundo Equity 220

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 22, 2009

Please don’t also confuse this with whether a VC should invest in a CEO who’s done it before – that’s a given. Weight Class : Let’s take sales. At your stage of development do you really think a shit-hot VP Sales is going to join you to head up sales? You’re stressed.

Startup 327

Startup Sales Class CIO 327

socalTECH

MAY 11, 2017

Moorpark, California-based TestEquity , a distributor of electronic test and measurement equipment as well as laboratory and production supplies, has been sold by private equity investor First Atlantic Capital Ltd. , to another private equity buyer, LKCM Headwater Investments. Financial details of the sale were not disclosed.

Equity 113

Equity Sales Capital Invest 113

socalTECH

JANUARY 25, 2022

Corona, California-based a href="[link] Coach, which operates a service which helps homebuyers better understand the difference between different kinds of mortgage loans, has received a strategic investment from private equity investor LLR Partners. Financial details of the investment were not announced.

Coach 113

Coach Invest Equity Sales 113

Berkonomics

JUNE 8, 2017

Some businesses require very little capital and the founder can self-finance the enterprise and retain 100% of its ownership and control from ignition through liquidity event (startup through sale). Strategic partner” investors: If you can find a strategic partner willing to invest in your enterprise, consider it a blessing.

Venture Capital 266

Venture Capital Class Invest Equity 266

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 23, 2010

This is part of my ongoing series on startup advice but also filed under my sales & marketing posts. You’ve invested $1 million in building the perfect application the meet a large market need. The only problem is that you can’t afford all of these expensive direct sales reps to go and sell it. Imagine this.

Startup 293

Startup Sales Marketing Product 293

Berkonomics

JANUARY 7, 2021

How many of them, particularly in technology, were able to start a company, supply all the funding, and share no management tasks or equity with others, and still grow the company to any significant size, worthy of a multi-million-dollar opportunity to cash out at exit? Dividing equity among those that fill the management gap.

Startup 240

Startup Equity Statistics Entrepreneur 240

socalTECH

MAY 20, 2014

San Diego-based EDF Renewable Energy , the developer of solar power projects, said Monday that TIAA-CREF has made an investment in the firm. Financial terms of the sale were not announced. EDF Renewable Energy said it will continue to provide operations and maintenance services for the solar farm.

Invest 138

Invest San Diego Venture Capital Equity 138

socalTECH

DECEMBER 16, 2015

La Jolla-based Abacus Data Systems , a developer of software to help law firms manage their practices, has been acquired by private equity investor Providence Equity , the companies announced today. Abacus said the strategic majority investment by Providence Equity will help it quickly sale up its technology infrastructure.

Equity 100

Equity Software Sales Invest 100

socalTECH

APRIL 25, 2018

JMI Equity , the private equity firm which has one of its main offices in La Jolla, is the lead investor in a round for Phoenix, Arizona-based CampusLogic. CampusLogic said it will use the new investment for product development, customer success, and sales and marketing. READ MORE>>.

Equity 100

Equity Funding Tool Sales 100

socalTECH

MAY 21, 2020

Los Angeles-based private equity investor K1 Investment Management said this morning that it has entered into an agreement to sell San Diego-based FMG Suite to another private equity ivnestor, Aurora Capital Partners. Financial terms of the deal were not announced.

San Diego 113

San Diego Invest Equity Los Angeles 113

socalTECH

OCTOBER 7, 2014

It''s not often that startups come out of the gate, backed by a private equity investor. However, Los Angeles-based Colony Logic (www.colonylogic.com) is one of the few, having gotten its initial backing from private equity firm Blackstone. How are you backed, it looks like you''re entirely private equity backed?

Help 226

Help Equity Startup Sales 226

socalTECH

MARCH 19, 2014

Sales tax compliance is not a typical sexy startup area. So, it was a surprise when a number of smart, insider angels -- including Roy Rubin (founder of Magento, which he sold to eBay), and Dan Rose (VP of Partnerships at Facebook)--put their money behind TaxJar (www.taxjar.com), a San Diego startup developing sales tax compliance software.

Sales 149

Sales Software Startup Commerce 149

socalTECH

OCTOBER 21, 2011

San Diego-based JMI Equity is the lead investor in a first round of funding for online coupons site CouponCabin.com , which said Thursday evening that it has raised $54M in a funding round from JMI Equity. CouponCabin.com said it generated more than $500M in online sales for its merchants in 2010.

Equity 100

Equity San Diego Sales Sites 100

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2009

They are usually offered around 0.25% of the companies equity in exchange for their role and I’ve seen many companies hand out a total of 2% to advisers. My main advice to you if you’re considering it is don’t waste much equity on it. At a minimum their angel investments will likely take precedence.

Startup 306

Startup Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 306

socalTECH

APRIL 14, 2011

Los Angeles-based MarketShare , the provider of marketing analytics software headed by Wes Nichols and Jon Vein, announced today that it has raised $32M in a follow on investment from private equity firm Elevation Partners. MarketShare's software helps companies adjust their marketing mix, to better drive sales. READ MORE>>.

SoCalTech 159

SoCalTech Equity Los Angeles Organization 159

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

On the one hand, you’re over paying for every investment and valuations aren’t rational. Our fund (Upfront Ventures) recently returned >1x an entire $200 million fund just selling small minatory in secondary sales while still holding most of our stock for an ultimate public market exits. That used to be called A-round investing.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 3, 2013

The timing of the announcement of this investment couldn’t have been timed more perfectly if we tried. And before that you might enjoy this longer analysis on why I invested in DataSift in the first place , which was written 2.5 ” How can businesses not incorporate information into their marketing and sales funnels?

Social Media 358

Social Media Yammer Invest Organization 358

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 21, 2010

I’ve observed the following scenario in both of my companies and in countless others I’ve advised or invested in: - your company becomes moderately high profile in a few press articles. I’ve already made clear that I think raising equity from “strategic money&# is an oxymoron. million in sales.

Startup 298

Startup Sales Slides Metrics 298

Berkonomics

JUNE 12, 2014

It is rare when one person starts a company, supplies all the funding, and shares no management tasks or equity with others, and still grows the company to any significant size, worthy of a multi-million dollar opportunity to cash out at exit. So co-management is the second group to share in the bounty upon a liquidity event.

Startup 214

Startup Equity Invest Class 214

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

Or if you’re a VC raising from LPs you have to list all of your deals, your investment value, your carrying value, your multiples, your IRRs, TVPIs, DPIs, etc along with net cashflows plus your previous LPAs. These collective sets of documents form the basis of what somebody looking at investing would call “financial due diligence.”

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

socalTECH

JULY 31, 2018

Glendale-based LegalZoom , which provides legal services and documents for the small business and family market, announced on Tuesday that it has sold a $500M secondary stake in the company to a set of private equity investors. The secondary stock sale reportedly values LegalZoom at more than $2 billion.

Legalzoom 100

Legalzoom Equity Glendale Invest 100

Berkonomics

JANUARY 6, 2022

First, the marginal exit event: Sometimes the end game or sale of the company is not a happy event for the early investors, including the entrepreneur or the founders. Most sophisticated investors will take either a promissory note or preferred stock, both of which come before founder or management stock in a sale or liquidation.

Venture Capital 156

Venture Capital Sales Pricing Equity 156

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

Your head of sales thinks she should fire somebody. You’re sales person is getting blocked by the CTO who says she shouldn’t go above him but the CTO isn’t approving the deal. He would have found somebody technical and inspired that individual to work for equity or deferred payment. I said that was my point.

Entrepreneur 414

Entrepreneur Technical Review Slides CTO Coach 414

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 25, 2016

West Hills-based Peloton Document Solutions , a company developing software which helps investment bankers, private equity investors, and companies to communicate financial information via interactive documents, has scored a strategic investment from R.R. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.

Invest 100

Invest Software Review Equity Sales 100

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 24, 2018

controlling your psychology ) you no doubt have heard me say that raising capital is a sales & marketing process. Some firms are trickier since they artificially call everybody “partner” but they’re not all “investment partners.” Find a portfolio company or two that they’ve invested in. It’s super easy to suss all this out.

Venture Capital 314

Venture Capital Technical Review Invest Slides 314

socalTECH

OCTOBER 6, 2011

Irvine-based Kareo , a developer of cloud-based practice management and medical billing software, announced today that it has raised $10M in an equity investment round. The round was led by Greenspring Associates, and also included OpenView Venture Partners, Western Technology Investment, and angel investor Travis Kalanick.

Software 162

Software Equity Invest Sales 162