Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 6, 2013

Quick summary: Be careful not to have too many co-founders. There are no “right” answers – just opinions. And the folks at Startup Grind have been kind enough to invite me to present this morning in Mountain View on the topic. it’s the most expensive dilution you’ll ever face.

Startup 388

Startup Slides Outsource Development Sales 388

Berkonomics

APRIL 24, 2014

Often I see executive summaries from entrepreneurs who have never managed any form of business, or even managed employees in their past life, and who don’t know the first thing about business formation and managing for growth. I used to tell them to find a partner with knowledge in business creation and management.

Coach 250

Coach Seed Funding Summary Incubator 250

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 12, 2011

I think you’ll really enjoy this video , but as always I have summary notes for those with less time. If you like the quick summary notes, please check out Adam’s blog on tech, entrepreneurship & VC as a thank you. Hopefully it will entice you to come back and watch the show at a later time!

Technical Review 281

Technical Review Venture Capital Startup Artificial Inteligence 281

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2012

But for now, the summary is: You’ll extend your network. . I’m not one who has subscribed to the “superman founder” narrative. So I was intrigued by Brad’s post. You should read the post in its entirety – it’s a great learning piece. You’ll view a company from a different vantage point. .

Startup 294

Startup Carson Summary Press 294

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 19, 2014

The day after your board meeting I would recommend you send out an email with a summary of your understanding of the key decisions reached so that it is memorialized. It is critical that you summarize the decisions reached in your meeting before you leave. Make sure there are no disputes. Ratify early.

Startup 325

Startup Summary Email Ideas 325

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 11, 2011

What follows is a summary which paraphrases Naval’s responses. You can cast a much wider net, the nature of the pitch can be a lot simpler, you can get funded with just an executive summary and a good conversation…without having to put together a business plan or even a deck. For his exact quotes, watch the video.

Startup 273

Startup Software Review Summary Technical Review 273

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 17, 2011

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This is a long post, so I put an executive summary here if you want to get the point without reading all the detail. If you plan to read the post you can skip the summary if you want. Summary / Putting it Into Action: Allocate enough time in your weekly routine for “being creative&#.

Writing 356

Writing Startup Ideas Summary 356

SoCal CTO

APRIL 2, 2013

They look at the following high level definition of Lean: and they interpret that as write up an executive summary with your ideas and hand it to developers to build. What's Going to Go Wrong A lot of founders don't really understand Lean Startup principles. What's going to go wrong?

CTO Coach 219

CTO Coach Metrics Framework Software Development 219

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 13, 2014

This concise summary can be comfortably told during the duration of a reasonably brief elevator ride. A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Accomplished entrepreneurs appreciate the importance of crafting a succinct, well rehearsed description of their venture. Hence the term "elevator pitch.".

Summary 248

Summary Education Startup Networking 248

Berkonomics

JUNE 7, 2018

The exception is an email with an attachment that appears long and involved, such as an executive summary of a business plan. Those get shuffled into a separate inbox for later review, without exception. Speed with efficiency?

Email 226

Email Summary Tips Course 226

Berkonomics

JANUARY 14, 2021

And in all cases, simply sending in an executive summary of the business plan via email or filling in an application for funding on a website lowers the chance of success to near nil. I receive three hundred unsolicited executive summaries a year, and my investment group, Tech Coast Angeles, sees over one thousand.

Technical Review 156

Technical Review Tech Coast Angels Summary Email 156

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 23, 2012

Here’s the summary and on YouTube the links to skip right to these moments is below the actual video. You have the luxury of either watching the whole episode with Andrew Siegel (or listing on podcast at the gym! download from iTunes for free) or just skipping to the bits you like. Watch: [link].

Media 285

Media Companies Company Venture Capital 285

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2011

I think you'll enjoy hearing him, but if you're in a rush check out the summary notes below. Highlights/Lowlights – summary of key events since the last meeting. Howard is successful enough that he doesn't need to work. It is clear that he is simply passionate about being a VC and participating in this industry.

Capital 284

Capital Venture Capital Technical Review Startup 284

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 19, 2012

It would be great to get notes and summaries from these. Seeing the evolution of thinking is not a bad thing. Customer Development Notes I'm assuming founders are having customer development conversations. See also: 12 Tips for Early Customer Development Interviews , 12 tips for customer development , tips for customer development.

Development 354

Development Develop Technical Review CTO Coach 354

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2014

I’m pretty sure I’m right based on my own experiences as a startup founder for reasons A, B, C. But I can’t say for sure what will apply to your business. You’ll have to make the hard judgment call. My job is just to be your sparring partner. Saying not to take others advice is itself terrible advice. Take more advice.

Startup 407

Startup Framework CTO Coach Sales 407

TechCrunch LA

MAY 11, 2018

In summary, it seems like Xiaomi and Ninebot are screwing someone over. Sources close to Bird says that the Lime and Spin contracts should be invalid, given the contracts that the Santa Monica, Calif. had signed initially signed (and then revised) with its large Chinese suppliers. At this point, that someone looks like Bird.

Santa Monica 228

Santa Monica San Diego Summary Los Angeles 228

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 17, 2011

In summary, tons of early-stage M&A is driven by only one thing: CEO ego. “Why have I worked my ass off evenings and weekends for 2 years and this guy comes in and get’s paid $500,000 and gets 10% of the company while I have 0.5%? I avoid it like the plague.

Startup 292

Startup CTO Hire Sales Email 292

Berkonomics

OCTOBER 10, 2024

I cannot tell you how many times I have seen executive summaries of business plans in which the entrepreneur seeks $5,000,000 to build the business. Four reasons you should reconsider.

Startup 317

Startup Summary Resource Entrepreneur 317

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 20, 2014

Finally, if possible get your investors involved if it’s a reasonably senior position. Set up calls for VCs to welcome her to the team. The more people she has spoken with about joining the more emotional bond and the less likely of her backing out. Recruiting is brutal.

Press 341

Press Startup Email Sales 341

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

Or read the quick, informative summary below the image! Here’s a summary of our interview. Matt is one of the most transparent, focused & honest startup guys you’ll meet. You can watch him on YouTube , download in iTunes (for gym or commute) 3/31/11 edition.

Acquisition 304

Acquisition Startup Custom Customer 304

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

To be clear, I define a product specification as the technical definition of your product, to be used for development and testing purposes, with a quick business summary for context. Summarize all of the above in an executive summary. This summary if often extracted as marketing collateral, with text and graphics for pitch handouts.

Product 169

Product Summary Startup Examples 169

TechEmpower

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

During signup, the professional is prompted to enter their profile into a form, with an upload box for a resume, fields for awards, skills and certifications, and then a textbox - 500 characters max - for their professional summary. Fill it with the right words, and your dream job could be right around the corner.

Generative AI 295

Generative AI Artificial Inteligence TechEmpower Tips 295

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2013

In summary, VC partnerships are like any organization. I told him that if he did get the support of those partnerships that should be a lesson to him to keep all partners updated on an ongoing basis. Having a broad base of support in any organization is always a good idea.

Venture Capital 309

Venture Capital Summary Organization Entrepreneur 309

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Summary : Teams matter. If you’re really not comfortable with how they position things let them know after the meeting. If they REALLY say something wrong then of course you can politely correct them. Great leaders build great teams and weak leaders or dictators hire weak people or sycophants.

Venture Capital 377

Venture Capital Slides Course Summary 377

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 22, 2010

In summary, 2 quick rules: Do usability testing. It’s not that I’m smarter – it’s just that I’ve been through 10 more years of watching users play with products (and across many different tech stacks and form factors). Watch people use your product with little or no instructions.

Design 325

Design Startup Web 2.0 Tips 325

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 2013

.” While I understand the logic, I personally believe you need to provide enough evidence through case studies to talk with the CEO and if she can’t convince herself that it’s worth exploring being a buyer then you could recommend you do a pilot internally to prove yourself.

Sales 375

Sales Technical Review Organization Case Study 375

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 25, 2011

To this day I’m still surprised how few CEOs really understand the differences between 2x liquidation preference and a liquidation preference with a 2x cap. Or what “participating preferred&# stock is and how it can screw you. Or what “flat spots&# on a cap table are.

Venture Capital 304

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Guide Blogging 304

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 9, 2011

Here is a quick summary of my POV: When you start a company a 50/50 partnership seems obvious. So emotional is the topic that people often want to debate me based on the title before they’ve even heard my point of view. If you’re interested in the topic please watch the video by clicking on the image above.

Startup 393

Startup Equity Funding Summary 393

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2011

That said, a summary below is available for those who prefer to read the notes version. A very big thank you to Travis Biziorek of Kibin who did the summary notes below. If you value the summary notes please at least check out the Kibin website & see what they do. I love the concept.

Startup 292

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Summary 292

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 16, 2012

The summary lesson for entrepreneurs is – know what you are signing up for in observers when you grant them legal rights to attend board meetings. Some “strategic investors” have rules that they can’t sit on board seats. Board observer roles are a graceful way around this.

Summary 289

Summary Venture Capital Help Course 289

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 29, 2016

Please read Greg’s summary of the GOAT story for a better understanding of entrepreneurial grit, stick-to-it-ness, pursuit of one’s passions and second chances. And here is Jason Del Rey’s announcement of the funding.

Venture Capital 199

Venture Capital Summary Writing Funding 199

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 27, 2011

Or if you’re pinched on time the summary is below and the time coding can help you watch a brief snippet on topics that interest you. what lessons can we draw from Steve Jobs successes? Eric is so damn good. I could have gone 2 hours. If you have some time I promise he doesn’t disappoint.

Social Media 301

Social Media Startup Metrics Media 301

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

Or, as always, summary notes available below. But, in fact, I would rather have an executive summary than a pitch deck. And I would rather, even before the executive summary, have something to play with (a demo)…” It falls in the category of show don’t tell. Huge thank you to Steve De Long for the write up.

Venture Capital 288

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Software Review 288

Berkonomics

JULY 6, 2017

When I listen to a pitch from an enthusiastic entrepreneur or read the summary of a business plan, one of the first questions I ask is about the strength of the competition. In most cases, it is the competitor with a better product, lower price, faster service, better reputation that is the threat. There is no competition.”

Competition 266

Competition Research Summary Pricing 266

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 14, 2010

In summary: When you’re speaking with people try to understand enough about them as human beings to understand why they might look at the world in the way that they do. I try to make them explicit both so that I’m aware of why I feel how I do and also to give my partners the opportunity to argue against me.

Startup 343

Startup Examples Summary Venture Capital 343

TechEmpower

DECEMBER 11, 2023

It's a strategic choice that extends beyond a one-time development process and into anticipating future needs.

Software Development 295

Software Development Software Review Development Develop 295

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 3, 2013

Watch the 30-minute interview to hear why but summary notes below. .” Such was the quote of Clayton Christensen followed by, “… in the end I’m excited to see that happen. So pray for Harvard Business School if you wouldn’t mind.” ” Who else does Clayton pray for?

Venture Capital 403

Venture Capital Education Offshore Outsource Development 403