Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2013

I have long advised startup companies that if you don’t control your messaging somebody else will and your potential customers will form impressions of you shaped by somebody else or by nobody at all. For 1991 I was very technical and also had a lot of practical business implementation experience in technology. ” F**k.

Technical Advisors 385

Technical Advisors Marketing Startup Venture Capital 385

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2018

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. That’s why investors say they invest in people (bet on the jockey, not the horse), rather than the idea. The sales professional.

Technical Advisors 57

Technical Advisors Startup Outsource Development High Tech 57

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 2, 2013

I've had several Startup CTO Consulting sessions recently where it became apparent that the Founder needed help with the business and product as much or more than the technology. Then we discussed how they could go about finding this startup business advisor. These are not mutually exclusive and good mentors and advisors get into both.

CTO Coach 259

CTO Coach Mentor Startup Technical Advisors 259

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 21, 2020

Many of the entrepreneurs I advise or invest with spend considerable time on the Internet, keeping up with technology, customers, and competitors, but very few feel the need for an early personal presence. There are dozens of tools available to help you monitor relevant activity, including Social Mention and Google Alerts.

Product 127

Product Entrepreneur Technical Advisors Technical Review 127

Tech.Co

MAY 22, 2018

To help you crush your next investor meeting, we asked top VCs and tech leaders to share their best pitch advice. It’s validating that there is a market for their idea. I would advise trying not to get into an argument with an investor. Venture capitalists are evaluating you as much on your psychology as on your idea.

Tips 70

Tips Help Slides Technical Review 70

socalTECH

AUGUST 28, 2017

We're focused on larger scale events, not do-it-yourself type events, and we're really for people planning large scale events, looking for ideas, and who are looking for a professional to help them. Being a digital person, I kept looking online for new ideas. That's how I came up with the idea. He's based in LA.

Technical Advisors 100

Technical Advisors Technical Review Metrics Startup 100

socalTECH

OCTOBER 24, 2011

Accelerator programs--like YCombinator in Silicon Valley, and TechStars in Colorado--have come to the forefront of the minds of entrepreneurs as a way to boost their ideas quickly into the market, find funding, and into existence. I think the tighter knit the ecosystem is, between investors and entrepreneurs, it really helps.

Technical Advisors 176

Technical Advisors Startup Southern California Los Angeles 176

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 27, 2013

The short answer is that some banks will help, if you do your homework. Show focus and your understanding that your company is something more than just a good idea. If you don''t have a team on staff, then a banker is going to want to hear about outsourcing and advisors. What a banker is looking for is validation of your idea.

Technical Advisors 75

Technical Advisors Entrepreneur Equity Ideas 75

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

If I can help you avoid some of my first-time mistakes it would be a victory. In the early days you don’t really want 3 extra teams hearing your ideas and gearing up to compete before you feel you’ve got a solid head start. Most people totally advise against stealth. Be careful about this advice.

Marketing 380

Marketing Startup Press Technical Advisors 380

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

I spent nearly a decade building software for large companies and then advising companies on the same. Maybe it helps that I love controversy and pushing the boundaries so people felt it was OK for them to do it as well. So we discussed his ideas several times. They are filled with ideas and they get those ideas onto paper.

Entrepreneur 414

Entrepreneur Technical Review Slides CTO Coach 414

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2010

The short answer is that some banks will help, if you do your homework. Show focus and your understanding that your company is something more than just a good idea. If you don't have a team on staff, then a banker is going to want to hear about outsourcing and advisors. What a banker is looking for is validation of your idea.

Technical Advisors 80

Technical Advisors Startup Equity Ideas 80

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2018

I made the jump myself from IBM several years ago, and now have a satisfying startup advising small businesses and mentoring entrepreneurs. It’s not very helpful to just say the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence. I’ve accepted the challenge of being a bit more positive on how you can make the leap and enjoy it.

Startup 52

Startup Technical Advisors Entrepreneur IBM 52

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 4, 2009

I only emphasize the question before I find it much more helpful to join a company with realistic expectations of what you want to get out of it. Join because if you do a good job we’ll help you punch above your weighclass and work in a more senior role. Be realistic about your skills, background and ideas.

Startup 418

Startup Technical Advisors Venture Capital Santa Monica 418

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2023

Over my many years of mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs and business professionals, I often hear a desire to start a new business, with a big hesitation while waiting for that perfect idea and perfect alignment of the stars. So don’t wait for that “idea of the century” that no one has ever thought of before.

Technical Review 149

Technical Review Startup Entrepreneur Software Review 149

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 13, 2011

I would argue that this mostly consists of consumer Internet companies (although not exclusively) and it is predominantly early-stage people who are product gurus and have a mildly technical bend to them. No, the ideas aren’t conflicting. I’m sure there are many more. I would mostly lump me in that category.

Venture Capital 299

Venture Capital Slides Technical Advisors Startup 299

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 17, 2009

I often talk with entrepreneurs who are kicking around their next idea. Sometimes they’re working full time at a company or sometimes they’ve already left their employer and they’re bouncing around ideas with friends. Even if you keep it dormant for 2 years while you work on your idea. Not worth it.

Startup 365

Startup Technical Advisors IP Ideas 365

Jason Nazar

APRIL 7, 2011

Who Are You: You corner us at mixers and tell stories about all the great things you do and how wonderful you are, without having any idea if we need your help. You take no interest nor show any curiosity in how technical systems are built or maintained, and Engineering is the least valued/respected part of your organization.

Technical Advisors 112

Technical Advisors Startup Social Media Ideas 112

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 25, 2010

We thought it was a good idea so we brought it up to Goldman. This helps you get your deal done in the first place and it helps you get better terms. Push hard to set up the technical reviews, the due diligence meetings, the reference calls – whatever. Help schedule the actual calls for them. Goldman said NFW.

Venture Capital 301

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Technical Advisors 301

Xconomy

SEPTEMBER 29, 2016

Each company is investing untold billions of dollars in developing AI technologies, betting on a future defined by computer systems that can perceive, reason, advise, and decide. The Partnership on AI , formally unveiled Wednesday, includes Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, IBM, Google and its 2014 acquisition DeepMind.

Artificial Inteligence 40

Artificial Inteligence Technical Review Technical Advisors Research 40

Frank Addante

MAY 15, 2006

To be honest, I don’t know where my response came from because the truth was that I was very intimidated and had no idea how we would beat them. After getting the run around from the CEO, I was advised to take action to remedy the situation. On the flight back, our CEO asked me what I thought. The story is still not over yet.

Advertising 40

Advertising Startup Chief Technology Officer Technical Review 40