David Teten

JANUARY 9, 2018

He looked at his resume, and asked just one question: “ What’s your edge? ” My friend got the job because his answer was differentiated, credible, and backed up by a history of investing success. It is unexciting and hard to prove, but in fact “We execute better” is a critical differentiator. THE UNSAID STANDARD ADVANTAGES.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Private Equity Silicon Valley Differentiation 60

David Teten

JANUARY 9, 2018

He looked at his resume, and asked just one question: “ What’s your edge? ” My friend got the job because his answer was differentiated, credible, and backed up by a history of investing success. It is unexciting and hard to prove, but in fact “We execute better” is a critical differentiator. THE UNSAID STANDARD ADVANTAGES.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Private Equity Silicon Valley Differentiation 60

Version One Ventures

APRIL 30, 2013

As a result, most venture capitalists are reluctant to touch hardware projects, opting for the lower costs and smaller risks of software. While my portfolio is primarily centered around consumer internet as well as enterprise SaaS startups, I typically talk to two to three hardware startups each week. Patents versus traction.

Venture Capital 128

Venture Capital Software Review Incubator Startup 128

Version One Ventures

OCTOBER 18, 2012

Barriers to entry are no longer created by patents or by tech differentiation alone, but by superior traction in the marketplace. Let’s take my own portfolio as an example. To my knowledge, only 4 out of my 35 portfolio companies have filed for patents. The same logic holds true for most acquiring companies.

IP 163

IP Technical Review B2C Social Network 163

View from Seed

AUGUST 17, 2021

A few weeks ago, we hosted a small dinner for a number of portfolio company founders, LP’s, and friends of the firm. This is the implied rate of return of a fund based on the value (mostly unrealized) of a portfolio. The cost of being incorrect becomes magnified as one has more than just capital to lose.

IRR 205

IRR Dilution Founder Portfolio 205

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 3, 2009

portfolios. In all of these new product and cost-focused new trends, a big problem has emerged that all of these movements have not addressed. If you plan to charge more than them I need to know how your product will differentiate to command a premium. The cost side of the equation is also important.

Business Plan 334

Business Plan AJAX Venture Capital Technical Review 334

View from Seed

AUGUST 17, 2021

A few weeks ago, we hosted a small dinner for a number of portfolio company founders, LP’s, and friends of the firm. This is the implied rate of return of a fund based on the value (mostly unrealized) of a portfolio. The cost of being incorrect becomes magnified as one has more than just capital to lose.

IRR 156

IRR Dilution Founder Portfolio 156

YoungUpstarts

MAY 8, 2018

If done properly, forming a captive insurance company can dramatically lower the excessive cost of paying a traditional insurance company by eliminating the cost of overhead, marketing, agent commissions and underwriting profits baked into your premiums. and also the founder and CEO of Hamilton Captive Management, LLC.

Cost 145

Cost LLC Retention Early Stage 145

Transformify

JANUARY 21, 2020

Although freelancing may be hard at the beginning, once freelancers build trust and a portfolio of satisfied clients likely to refer even more customers to them, freelancing becomes a source of steady and predictable cash flow. Freedom comes at a cost though, as, in the beginning, it is hard to find clients. Not all of them.

Philippines 90

Philippines North Korea Cuba Bangladesh 90

View from Seed

AUGUST 17, 2021

A few weeks ago, we hosted a small dinner for a number of portfolio company founders, LP’s, and friends of the firm. This is the implied rate of return of a fund based on the value (mostly unrealized) of a portfolio. The cost of being incorrect becomes magnified as one has more than just capital to lose.

IRR 136

IRR Dilution Founder Portfolio 136

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2010

VCs are finding that they don’t need the “large” funds of $100M to $500M to support a portfolio, if they focus on early-stage startups. Technology costs are plummeting, meaning you can do more with less. Twenty years ago, it cost $5 million to really launch a high-tech startup, when the same thing can be done today for $500 thousand.

Technical Review 215

Technical Review Early Stage Venture Capital Startup 215

Transformify

OCTOBER 3, 2018

It is much more cost efficient for a construction company to hire freelancers than to keep regular builders staff on the payroll all year round. Either they can't acquire new clients or collect payment from the existing customers or they fail to develop their skills and differentiate themselves from the competition. Upfront costs.

Software Review 67

Software Review Bankruptcy Portfolio Advertising 67

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2011

I called a bunch of portfolio companies and asked them to check it out. And even more pertinent to you specifically at your startup … The number of companies I talk to (or even portfolio companies) who are dismissive of their competitors is enormous. I think that’s pretty cool in the way Pandora helps me explore new music.

Startup 313

Startup Guerilla Silicon Valley Portfolio 313

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2014

Lower costs to start a business (95% reduction), many more companies created & funded by angels / seed. ” The pioneering fund of funds realize that their source of differentiation is much more about the latter than the former. We’re all socially connected (so great businesses spread faster).

Technical Review 398

Technical Review Venture Capital Valuation Pre-Money Valuation 398

The Startup Magazine

FEBRUARY 19, 2019

Spend some time understanding their preferences, any portfolio gaps and the right terminology to use in your plan. A cost/benefit analysis for customers can evidence how any competitive advantage is not easily surpassable. Plenty of information is available on the Mercia website through our Insights section.

Business Plan 117

Business Plan Technical Review Initial Public Offering Due Diligence 117

Steve Blank

MAY 28, 2009

Our firm has a portfolio of companies across a broad range of markets and the way we look at it is pretty simple – the deals fall into two types: those with customer/market risk and those with invention risk.” are much more differentiating than technology. Personally, I think that customer acquisition, brand, reputation, etc.,

Vertical 148

Vertical Silicon Valley Marketing Customer 148

The Equity Kicker

AUGUST 8, 2017

Lost My Name, Appear Here and Thread are three of the better known examples, but overall there are 37 companies in that portfolio. Specifically, we feel we have strong capabilities in working out whether customers will value products highly and whether it will be possible to market them cost-effectively online.

Artificial Inteligence 78

Artificial Inteligence eCommerce Early Stage Algorithm 78

ConversionXL

OCTOBER 25, 2018

As you get closer to saturating a channel, Tunguz argues , the costs also go up: You exhaust keyword targets for quick-win blog posts and now wait months for organic visibility; or, expanding your LinkedIn Ad audience invites competition from richly backed competitors. Or AdBlock adoption kills off your highest converting forms?

Demand 132

Demand Vertical Campaign Channel 132

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

I’ve written on the expert network industry a fair amount in the past: see How to Earn More Consulting Revenue from Expert Networks and How Executives Can Work with Private Equity and Venture Capital Portfolio Companies. And on the periphery, we like to help our members with some basic resources, at no additional cost.

New York 114

New York Technical Review Networking Advisory Board 114

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2014

The alternatives range from giving it away for free, to pricing based on costs, to charging what the market will bear (premium pricing). This also requires a huge investment to get to critical mass, and real work to differentiate and sell premium services to convert users to paying customers. Cost-based model. Value model.

Revenue 287

Revenue Startup Business Model Retention 287

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2012

The alternatives range from giving it away for free (like Twitter), to pricing based on costs, to charging what the market will bear (premium pricing). This is a good model for getting your foot in the door, but be aware that this is basically a services business with the product as a marketing cost. Cost-based model.

Business Model 282

Business Model Revenue Portfolio Differentiation 282

Hearpreneur

JUNE 26, 2016

We realized that the cost of manufacturing of trailers needed to come down and as a result we’ve decided to vertically integrate the manufacturing and building of STERLINGS trailers in Mexico. The average college consultant costs anywhere from $5,000 to $40,000 a pop. We are able to do that because: 1. Photo Credit: Neha Gupta.

Entrepreneur 92

Entrepreneur Technical Review Harvest Portfolio 92

crowdSPRING Blog

FEBRUARY 28, 2019

How do they currently meet your target market’s needs, and how will you differentiate your product or services? To start a new photography business, your costs may include: your brand design (logo, business cards, and website). basic infrastructural costs like phone and internet service, invoicing software, etc….

Business Plan 64

Business Plan Small Business Administration Hiring Social Media 64

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 28, 2018

I will use some examples from Parachute and some other portfolio companies to give you examples from our experiences of watching successful brands grow. and a differentiated feel in terms of fabric, design, sustainability, etc. but what if you need to do product discovery? Not so much.

Curation 296

Curation Los Angeles Differentiation Channel 296

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2013

The alternatives range from giving it away for free, to pricing based on costs, to charging what the market will bear (premium pricing). This also requires a huge investment to get to critical mass, and real work to differentiate and sell premium services to “convert” users to paying customers. Cost-based model. Value model.

Product 290

Product Revenue Business Model Retention 290

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2010

The alternatives range from giving it away for free (like Twitter), to pricing based on costs, to charging what the market will bear (premium pricing). This is a good model for getting your foot in the door, but be aware that this is basically a services business with the product as a marketing cost. Cost-based model.

Product 247

Product Startup Portfolio Revenue 247

Agile VC

DECEMBER 6, 2012

Unlike a startup that might raise equity financing across several rounds all combined in a single balance sheet, VC’s do not simply commingle these funds into a single bucket to be allocated across all the companies in that firm’s portfolio. Why is this?

LP 178

LP Balance Sheet Differentiation Limited Partner 178

The Equity Kicker

JULY 8, 2019

Then from the mid 2000s, value add began moving beyond the partner to the firm as VCs began employing people who’s full time job was helping their portfolio. The most common strategies are to provide networking services and content to portfolio leaders so they can be more effective in their jobs. . Building platforms.

Portfolio 84

Portfolio LP Venture Capital Partner 84

Women Entrepreneurs Can

JUNE 11, 2021

With minimal risk and critical savings, you can start your portfolio investment. What Is Portfolio Investment? Portfolio Investment covers a wide range of assets that include stocks, government, and corporate bonds. The power of taking risks and the time frame are the key elements determining the portfolio.

Stock 52

Stock Securities and Exchange Commission Portfolio Dividend 52

Gust

AUGUST 24, 2014

The alternatives range from giving it away for free, to pricing based on costs, to charging what the market will bear (premium pricing). This also requires a huge investment to get to critical mass, and real work to differentiate and sell premium services to convert users to paying customers. Cost-based model. Value model.

Revenue 184

Revenue Startup Retention Internet 184

Duct Tape Marketing

OCTOBER 28, 2021

And of course, a number of small businesses have found brilliant ways to differentiate against these big competitors and also to harness the internet. We can put the logo on merchandise, which is a very cost-effective way to promote your brand and to have customers engage and use a product with your name on it.

Small Business 101

Small Business Entrepreneur Green Community 101

Lightspeed Venture Partners

DECEMBER 3, 2010

They are taking advantage of cheap media to cost effectively acquire new customers. Once this happens there will be a market clearing price for new customer acquisition across almost all categories, and smart marketing will no longer be as much of a differentiator. A Lightspeed Portfolio company. gross margin. average lifetime.

Internet 114

Internet eCommerce Advertising Flash 114

David Teten

AUGUST 6, 2015

My colleague Paul Bianco serves as interim CFO for a number of ff Venture Capital ’s portfolio companies, and has built and reviewed hundreds of financial models. This allows readers to differentiate your file from all of the other files they receive, and also easily track the evolution of your document as it changes.

Balance Sheet 60

Balance Sheet Software Review Forecast Acquisition 60

Up and Running

JUNE 15, 2017

There were some common design trends in olive oil packaging the company wanted to differentiate from. As a startup company, Enios kept production costs low by eliminating costly production methods and finishes. Typically, the first step in shortlisting your candidates is in looking through their portfolios. Are you drawn to it?

Design 107

Design Product Greece Portfolio 107

Hippoland

AUGUST 16, 2018

Unless you have a differentiated angle / approach to the problem AND/OR significant traction, an investor won’t be able to understand why you stand out and why to back your horse instead of someone else’s. Note: by differentiation, I’m not talking about product or feature differentiation but outcome differentiation.

Sales Cycle 54

Sales Cycle Differentiation Early Stage Bootstrapping 54

Lightspeed Venture Partners

DECEMBER 14, 2012

To bring an additional perspective to the conversation, I invited Lightspeed portfolio companies BloomReach, EdgeSpring, MapR, Nutanix, PernixData and Virtual Instruments who are focused on helping companies store, manage, analyze, and surface next-generation data and content.

Business Model 159

Business Model Distribution Aggregator Channel 159

Reid Hoffman

JULY 12, 2022

Freelancing on the side to build toward a portfolio career comes with the risk that your performance at your day job will suffer. These risks are worth it if the potential upsides are worth it, if the likely benefits exceed the likely costs. It will differentiate you. Revisit your Plan Z. Is it still viable?

Differentiation 69

Differentiation Salary Networking Stock 69