Dream It

APRIL 12, 2020

Martino outlined essentially two types of outcomes for this financial crisis from a historical perspective: “In 2001-2003, there was a depression in Silicon Valley. I think you’ll start seeing pushback on complete board control by the founding team,” stated Martino. “I I think this is the area that will fall first during this crisis.”

ventures 334

ventures startup capital board 334

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

By Monday morning after their board meeting in NorCal I didn’t get a return phone call. In the 2003/04 timefame I was living in the UK and running my first company. You can try to convince them of your “pay no more once you’ve signed up&# model but they fall for the other guy’s pitch every time.

consulting 333

consulting advice collaboration VC 333

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

By Monday morning after their board meeting in NorCal I didn’t get a return phone call. In the 2003/04 timefame I was living in the UK and running my first company. You can try to convince them of your “pay no more once you’ve signed up&# model but they fall for the other guy’s pitch every time.

consulting 328

consulting advice collaboration VC 328

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 28, 2013

They weren’t with you when you did the VC pitch where you looked them in the eyes 9 months ago and said, “I see only one outcome, we want to build something really big. It’s 2003 and VCs aren’t exactly lining up to fund startup businesses. They see the dollar signs and the victory. ” So to an actual story.

startup 417

startup peer-to-peer VC culture 417

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2009

In the 2003/04 timefame I was living in the UK and running my first company. Given that it was a public tender the chairman of our board had encouraged us to think about launching a complaint with the UK government agency in charge of such reviews. I’m talking Tom Watson at the British Open or Andy Roddick at Wimbledon.

consulting 151

consulting advice collaboration support 151

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 31, 2010

So I decided to run the London Marathon in April 2003, just 3 weeks before my son was born. April 29th, 2003 my first son was born. I started my second company while retaining a board seat at my first company. I stopped doing conferences, traveling or pitching to VCs. But the story doesn’t end there.

entrepreneurs 308

entrepreneurs advice real estate venture capital 308

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2012

I raised money as an entrepreneur, like you, in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005 for two different companies. Spend time researching your buyers and not just pitching them. Trust doesn’t come from one 45-minute Powerpoint pitch or 30-minute demo. I never suggest that entrepreneurs just randomly pitch VCs. Why buy me?

strategy 366

strategy development VC advice 366