Gust

DECEMBER 3, 2011

And I don’t mean because they lend a credible name to an investor pitch: way too many entrepreneurs look at names on Advisory Board as just a way to expedite a raise. If that’s all you really expect of the Board, you’re cheating yourself as well as the investors before whom you dangled the names. Not really.

board 119

board construction advice entrepreneurs 119

Entrepreneurs' Organization

MAY 3, 2016

I’ve been an EO member for 15 years, but it wasn’t until 2014 that I became involved with the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA). I had served many roles previously on the BC Children’s Hospital Board, but I wanted to transition into something that engaged young entrepreneurs – and I found one. We also scoured newsfeeds.

peer-to-peer 130

peer-to-peer entrepreneurs hospitality incubation 130

Entrepreneurs' Organization

AUGUST 27, 2020

Nine out of 10 entrepreneurs I know have long-term pain with their partners. The tenth entrepreneur without the headache is usually the one without a business partner. It’s because you just haven’t pitched your products or services to solve their problems. Agonise over whether or not you need business partners.

advice 325

advice entrepreneurs creativity culture 325

TechCrunch

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

He serves on the boards of OCEANIX, Atom Computing, Conscious Cultures and MycoWorks. As an entrepreneur, you have limited time to project that maturity to prospective funds. This is one of the lessons I wish I understood when raising a Series B, so I hope you find this advice helpful when you navigate your larger raises.

founder 97

founder strategy pitching venture capital 97

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 7, 2015

One of my favorite entrepreneur-Twitterer weighed in, “You want to keep tapping into their collective intelligence so you keep saying ‘Thank you for the feedback’ and they keep sending it,” Ms. I know because I have been the beneficiary of their advice for years and have appreciated it. Morrill said. All of my partners at Upfront do.

startup 323

startup advice pitching VC 323

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 8, 2014

Associates often shadow partners at board meetings so that they can help follow up with the company on important initiatives between board meetings. I think it’s great for some people because it really does give you some solid benefits: board exposure / experience. Helping be the VC “presence” at key events.

investing 365

investing investment VC board 365

Gust

AUGUST 19, 2012

Even if you have an hour booked, the advice is the same. Give the “elevator pitch” for your startup. Qualifications and roles of the top three executives and top three on your Board of Advisors. A perfect round number is ten slides, with the right content, that can be covered in ten minutes. Executive team.

pitching 146

pitching sustainability strategy energy 146

Entrepreneurs' Organization

JANUARY 6, 2020

I know many entrepreneurs, including myself, have a hard time separating ourselves from our brand. My husband and I are also pitching a second Weird Homes Tour book with all of the cities in it. You joined the Austin chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) in January 2019. What’s next?

sustainability 213

sustainability peer-to-peer consulting entrepreneurs 213

TechCrunch

MARCH 7, 2023

Plus, they were gracious enough to share some of the advice they’re giving to their portfolio companies. However, many entrepreneurs have opted to remain heads down and build more efficiently instead of testing this new valuation environment. What advice are you giving to your portfolio companies?

advice 110

advice ventures sustainability investing 110

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2013

And I am often approached by entrepreneurs in cities which don’t have a vibrant VC community. When DataSift sets up a board meeting (next one in London, last was in NYC) we have investors from NYC (IA Ventures), SF (Scale Ventures) and the founding team + chairman in London. “ Startup Advice' and say the following.

VC 365

VC board communities pitching 365

This is going to be BIG.

AUGUST 8, 2011

Any success as an entrepreneur? He hasn't founded or built either a successful, let alone innovative company, and he hasn't raised $ to invest in those entrepreneurs. So how can a relatively junior VC hope to add any value to an investment and on a board--and is it enough value that you should have one on your board?

VC 275

VC peer-to-peer board advice 275

TechCrunch

FEBRUARY 14, 2021

Luckily for us, we’re going to have a candid conversation with both parties in the relationship between Ironclad CEO and cofounder Jason Boehmig and his investor and board member Accel partner Steve Loughlin. Loughlin was an entrepreneur before he was an investor, founding RelateIQ (an Accel-backed company) in 2011.

pitching 101

pitching networking advice board 101

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 25, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series Startup Advice. I like to say to first-time entrepreneurs, picking a VC is more permanent than marriage. Keeping a blog has been great because so many entrepreneurs have written me with questions about their companies and I’ve gotten to know many of you personally through the process.

VC 297

VC board consulting advice 297

TechCrunch

MAY 9, 2023

After giving a presentation he’d previously shared at Harvard Business School, Stanford and MIT, Currier outlined the mental models unicorn founders adopt and offered candid advice for early-stage entrepreneurs, including his thoughts on building a founding team: “You have to figure out what you and your team are capable of doing.

pitching 71

pitching advice board founder 71

TechCrunch

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

These events aren’t just a chance to review the latest cohort of hopeful entrepreneurs — they also showcase the technology, products and services that will compete for VC and consumer attention over the next few years. I covered one demo day in person, spending most of my time backstage where founder teams practiced their pitches.

SaaS 113

SaaS startup pitching education 113

Entrepreneurs' Organization

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

I’ve been an EO member for 15 years, but it wasn’t until 2014 that I became involved with the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA). I had served many roles previously on the BC Children’s Hospital Board, but I wanted to transition into something that engaged young entrepreneurs – and I found one. We also scoured newsfeeds.

peer-to-peer 130

peer-to-peer hospitality incubation board 130

TechCrunch

APRIL 9, 2021

TechCrunch reporter Natasha Mascarenhas interviewed Kleiner Perkins partner Bucky Moore to get sector-agnostic advice for founders who are ready to raise a Series A. The area is quickly transforming thanks to active investors, low cost of living and access to amazing universities that have a long history of supporting entrepreneurs.

board 91

board pitching venture capital mix-use 91

Entrepreneur's Handbook

APRIL 24, 2021

Advice for non-technical founders for finding a serious CTO for your startup Finding a co-founder is hard work. Pitch Deck Get your idea onto paper; it’s far easier to convey that way. Get the pitch right Tell a great story Startups that tell a great story get funding. Finding a technical co-founder is even harder.

founder 140

founder startup pitching networking 140

Ecosystem Builder Hub

AUGUST 14, 2020

We found one of those exemplary steps in southern Virginia where the Dan River Region Entrepreneur Ecosystem recognized the need for an ecosystem coordinator and rallied their stakeholders to hire the first entrepreneurial ecosystem builder for the region. River and bridges in Danville. What success looks like in this three-year pilot.

development 119

development entrepreneurial ecosystem entrepreneurship communities 119

NZ Entrepreneur

DECEMBER 10, 2020

It’s been growth ever since, and in 2020 the company pitched for funding to scale up. The fund raise required three in-person pitches, seven Zoom pitches and 30 Zoom calls before closing successfully in August. Successful pitches help your confidence snowball. StockTrim came out successful – oversubscribed, in fact.

capital 103

capital pitching startup investing 103

TechCrunch

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

Sophie Alcorn is the founder of Alcorn Immigration Law in Silicon Valley and 2019 Global Law Experts Awards’ “Law Firm of the Year in California for Entrepreneur Immigration Services.” Here’s another edition of “Dear Sophie,” the advice column that answers immigration-related questions about working at technology companies.

advice 82

advice entrepreneurship consulting creativity 82

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 3, 2009

Yesterday I had lunch with a really interesting and capable serial entrepreneur who is raising his A round. Many serial entrepreneurs who have been burned would use something less kind than quotes. It’s true that many VCs over promise how helpful they’ll be with introductions / strategic advice / recruiting, etc.

advice 279

advice venture capital frameworks VC 279

This is going to be BIG.

AUGUST 2, 2010

The other day, Ron Conway said at an event that “ he hopes that any entrepreneur that has “the guts” to start a company gets funded.” Too many entrepreneurs start out their business endeavors with an investment pitch. Step one: Ask for money. You’d also be incredibly shortsighted.

startup 253

startup entrepreneurship mentorship venture capital 253

TechCrunch

AUGUST 31, 2022

Jenny is an entrepreneur, operator, board member, advisor, and investor in tech for over 25 years. The bad news is that I over-capitalized my companies, but the good news is that the process taught me how VCs think and the best way to pitch them. I recommend thinking about your pitch in three “Sections.”. Jenny Lefcourt.

pitching 74

pitching education VC opportunity 74

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2011

I have sat on a board with Howard and have known him a few years. The Exchange Fund – This allows the entrepreneurs to diversify their founders stock into other portfolio companies stock. Office Hours – Two or three partners post a sign-up sheet to meet with entrepreneurs. What are the most common mistakes in first pitch?

capital 284

capital board VC pitching 284

TechCrunch

AUGUST 20, 2021

” Even so, many entrepreneurs squander this opportunity, often because they direct questions or fail to understand their BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement). A VC shares 5 things no one told you about pitching VCs. How to establish a health tech startup advisory board. I hope you have an excellent weekend.

startup 103

startup health board VC 103

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 25, 2013

bang on the windows of a board meeting recently and stick his tongue out at all of us. They pitched on a Wednesday. She was everything I was looking for in an entrepreneur to back. So, Mark, enough entrepreneur love. Startup Advice' Heck, I even had Robert Downey, Jr. And Tasha never screamed before?

startup 398

startup creativity advice entrepreneurs 398

TechCrunch

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

Luckily for us, we’re going to have a candid conversation with both parties in the relationship between Ironclad CEO and co-founder Jason Boehmig and his investor and board member Accel partner Steve Loughlin. Loughlin was an entrepreneur before he was an investor, founding RelateIQ (an Accel-backed company) in 2011.

pitching 73

pitching networking advice board 73

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 27, 2012

Then there is the EIR (entrepreneur in residence) who is usually at a VC for a temporary period of time and other individuals such as venture partners or operating partners. While this post is written about raising venture capital (which I always remind entrepreneurs IS a sales process) the lessons can be applied to any sale or biz dev deal.

VC 308

VC pitching entrepreneurs advice 308

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

Board Meetings. Now, I’m pretty on the record that being an entrepreneur is about being great at The Do. How do VCs break out of group think when they are shuttling from one board meeting to the next, from one conference to the other and talking with all the same people? Conferences. Startups Are for Doers.

creativity 400

creativity venture capital entrepreneurs board 400

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 14, 2010

It’s meant to be a bit provocative but the reality is that I give this advice to entrepreneurs all the the time and I usually leave the “e&# off of the end. I normally offer this advice in the capacity of really wanting to help entrepreneurs so please bear with me. It is 2010. The list goes on.

venture capital 289

venture capital capital ventures advice 289

Startup Grind

AUGUST 17, 2018

Here I’ve broken down the process for international entrepreneurs looking for U.S. If you’re a US-based entrepreneur, everything after step 2 can also be applied to you. b) Help building your company A lot of international entrepreneurs want access to Silicon Valley’s collective knowledge of how to build a great technology company.

financing 133

financing finance founder pitching 133

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 14, 2010

This is the second article in a series on what it takes to be a great angel investor (and why this should matter to entrepreneurs). I like to invest where I have a personally strong connection with the entrepreneur and/or a strong intuition on the market from prior experience. Part 1 – Access to Great Deal Flow – is here.

angel investing 288

angel investing investing investment advice 288

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 20, 2018

Every entrepreneur wants to hear “yes” during the fund-raising process but I would argue that being too risk averse and not pushing hard enough and be willing to hear a “no” is what holds back many people from “yes.” Possibly offend and entrepreneur leading to reputation risk amongst other entrepreneurs.

peer-to-peer 189

peer-to-peer entrepreneurs VC investing 189

TechCrunch

JANUARY 24, 2022

The demand for a platform to make the art of advice more accessible is thus easy for entrepreneurs to identify then pitch, but the serendipity — or the chasm between what makes someone an effective mentor versus just a speed dial for questions — is harder for them to scale.

support 76

support mentorship education advice 76

Entrepreneur's Handbook

OCTOBER 29, 2021

In the startup world, when you’re pitching your idea and proposing your solution in the preliminary stage, no one wants to come across as critical or unsupportive, so people will sometimes avoid sharing negative feedback that actually could be quite valuable. But how do you do that? At the beginning, don’t think about selling.

communities 64

communities advice development pitching 64

StartupNation

MAY 5, 2021

These 11 entrepreneurs share the number one piece of advice their closest mentor ever gave them: Time is the most valuable thing you have. They only asked for a quarterly board meeting ?— ?two I vividly remember his best advice: He asked about my goals, and I replied, “To earn $250,000 in commissions.” two in person.

advice 105

advice entrepreneurs real estate energy 105