Sat.Oct 04, 2014 - Fri.Oct 10, 2014

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Why Has LA Suddenly Gotten So Much Attention from VCs and Entrepreneurs?

Both Sides of the Table

'An abbreviated version of this post appeared yesterday on TechCrunch. If you want the full SlideShare deck with many slides not in either post it’s in this link –> The LA Tech Market. “There’s something going on in LA.” It’s the most common refrain I hear from investors and even entrepreneurs these days. I hear it right after people have decided to come by for a few days to “check out what all the fuss is about.” I hear it when I visit LPs (th

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Investors Measure Entrepreneurs By Cashflow Mileage

Startup Professionals Musings

'Cashflow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Investors check your burn rate to assess your efficiency, and project your remaining runway before you run out of money and into a brick wall. Don’t wait until you are almost out of cash before managing every dollar spent, or looking for the next refueling from investors. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young.

Burn Rate 262
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Do Your Employees Think Like Owners? 10 Tips For Building An Entrepreneurial Culture.

YoungUpstarts

'by Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey, authors of “ The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways to Engage and Empower Your Peopl e “ We all know today’s companies need to be more nimble, more innovative, and more entrepreneurial, and that this shift begins with employees. Don’t we? Yes, we do. By now, so much ink has been spilled on the need for employee engagement and empowerment that our eyes glaze over when (yet another) expert starts in on it.

Employee 208
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How to Find Hundreds of Business Ideas

Up and Running

'For some people, coming up with ideas is as easy as spotting chewing gum on the sidewalk. For others, it’s nearly impossible. For me, new idea generation isn’t just easy, it’s something I’m doing all the time and often without trying. I do not believe this is an innate ability but rather, a ‘skill’ that I’ve learned and practiced over the entire course of my life.

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Building Healthy Innovation Ecosystems for Your Projects

Speaker: Nick Noreña, Innovation Coach and Advisor, Kromatic

Every startup and innovation project exists within an ecosystem that either helps or hurts that project. As innovation managers, we need to keep a pulse of that ecosystem and make sure we're helping those innovation projects we're managing every step of the way. In this webinar, Nick Noreña will walk through an Innovation Ecosystem Model that he and his team at Kromatic have developed to help investors, heads of product, teachers, and executives understand how they can best support innovation in

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Public Company Executives Rarely Adapt To A Startup

Gust

'Corporate boardroom image via Wikipedia. Mid-level or even top executives who “grew up” in large companies often look with envy at startups, and dream of how easy it must be running a small organization, where you can see the whole picture and it appears you have total control. In reality, very few executives or professional stars from large corporations survive in the early-stage startup environment.

Startup 165
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Twitter Link Roundup #238 – Small Business, Startups, Innovation, Social Media, Design, Marketing and More

crowdSPRING Blog

'Every day on the crowdSPRING Twitter account and on my own Twitter account , I post links to posts or videos I enjoyed reading or viewing. These posts and videos are about logo design , web design , startups, entrepreneurship, small business, leadership, social media, marketing, and more! Here are some of the links that I’ve liked and shared this past week!

More Trending

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30 Money Saving Tips For Your Business

Up and Running

'You’re going to need a bigger bank. Saving money as a small business can be tricky- if you’re a startup especially, money might be tight already. You probably don’t have a big portion of your income that you can tuck away as savings, and you welcome opportunities to make your operations more cost-effective. We’ve compiled a list of money saving tips: ways for you to trim overhead here, and increase efficiency there, until you’re on your way to better financial heal

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A Google Docs interview with Richard Simms, co-founder of Tech Talent South

Jeff Hilimire

'This is my first “Google Docs” interview, which means I conducted it entirely over Google Docs. I realized that I enjoy interviewing startup friends about their business, but sending them a bunch of questions and having them reply didn’t allow for me to react to their answers, and honestly, if I actually interviewed them over Skype or something I think about eight people would actually watch the video.

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Review. Rethink. React.

crowdSPRING Blog

'“Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you’re in control, they’re in control.” – Tom Landry. Every so often a small business owner or a startup entrepreneur has to take a step back, breathe a deep breath, and look at your company with eyes wide open. It can be hard to cut through the fog of personal bias, sunny optimism, deeply held hopes, and one’s very dreams, but it is absolutely imperative that it be

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What is the Definition of a Seed Round or an A Round?

Both Sides of the Table

'Marc Andreessen kicked off another great debate on Twitter last night , one that I’ve been talking about incessantly in private circles for the past 2-3 years – what actually IS the definition of a seed vs. A-round. This is something I think entrepreneurs don’t totally understand and it’s worthwhile they do. My view: “Spending any time or energy trying to game the ‘definition’ of your round of fund raising is a total waste.

Cap Table 399
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Top 5 Places to Get Startup Advice from the Experts

Up and Running

'Do you wish you had a mentor to answer your startup questions? Here’s where to find one. As a small-business owner, you make hundreds of decisions every day—some of which will have a lasting effect on your business. Sometimes the solutions you need aren’t as obvious to you as you might hope. In those instances, you might want expert advice to help steer you in the most productive and profitable directions.

Startup 110
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Moby Dick 2.0

deal architect

'Sure as the sun rises in the east, Larry Ellison tweaked SAP in his OOW keynote on Sunday. And sure as you are born, SAP fans are up in arms. Honestly, what should bother SAP fans more is he waited.

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How To Build A Business Where Everyone Thrives

Startup Professionals Musings

'As an entrepreneur, it’s never too early to set the culture you need for a thriving business, as well as thriving employees, customers, partners, and vendors. In fact, in my experience, cultures are very hard to change, so if you don’t get it right the first time, the road ahead will forever be difficult. “The Art of War” culture as an analogy for business just doesn’t work anymore.

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Three Words Entrepreneurs (and VC’s) Should Take to Heart

Both Sides of the Table

'Note: this is a non-religious post. This weekend was Yom Kippur, holiest of the Jewish holidays and the day of atonement. It’s also the day when most Jewish minds are least focused since one needs to fast for 24 hours. I sat in schul listening to the rabbi’s sermon and given my mind is prone to ADD anyways I must admit that my consciousness often floats around the room but even more so on Yom Kippur.

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How to Create Positive, Word-of-Mouth

Rembrandt Communications

'Are your customers helping you grow your business? Content strategy, public relations, direct mail, social media…. the list goes on. There are many ways to boost sales and awareness at your business. But with all of the marketing tools available, it can be easy to forget the one, basic thing that will grow your business […]. The post How to Create Positive, Word-of-Mouth appeared first on SEO Content Strategy and BtoB Public Relations.

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[Infographic] How Product Packaging Affects Your Buying Decision

YoungUpstarts

'You’d be surprised how easily influenced we are when it comes to buying products as consumers; just how a product is packaged alone can push us to make snap decisions when choosing among which brands to buy. It’s also why brands spend a lot of money on effective package design – they know that on the simplest level the right aesthetics can draw the eye, resulting in a consumer spending more time on their product instead of those of their competitors.

Product 190
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Check Your Motivation For The Entrepreneur Lifestyle

Startup Professionals Musings

'As a startup advisor, I see many aspiring entrepreneurs whose primary motivation seems to be to work part time, or get rich quick, or avoid anyone else telling them what to do. Let me assure you, from personal experience, and from helping many successful as well as struggling entrepreneurs, that starting a business is hard work, and doesn’t come with any of the benefits mentioned.

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2014 Pacific Crest SaaS Survey – Part 1

For Entrepreneurs

'For the third year in a row, we worked together with Pacific Crest Securities, an investment banking firm with a specific focus on SaaS, to survey 306 SaaS companies. This represents nearly double the # of respondents from last year, giving us deeper benchmarking data and insights to share on the growth and operations of […].

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3 radical habits of highly successful remote teams

The Next Web

'This post originally appeared on the iDoneThis blog. Working remotely requires a totally different approach from how we’ve come to define our workday. We’re so used to the commutes, having to deal with our cubicle neighbor, the water cooler chats, and shuffling in and out of meetings. That’s the way we know how to get stuff done. Removed from shared physical spaces, remote teams have none of that.

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Developing The Best Workforce With Video Conferencing

YoungUpstarts

'Today’s workforces are increasingly mobile. According to Global Workforce Analytics, telework grew nearly 80% since 2005. Thanks to the growth of modern communications technology , writers, sales teams, designers, and accountants are able to organize and coordinate, regardless of location. Not only are they able to, but in the case of large corporations with interests spanning the globe, they must.

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Founders Finding Funding From Friends May Be Fools

Startup Professionals Musings

'In their passion to succeed, too many entrepreneurs treat friends and family investments as “low-hanging” fruit, only to find out later, after a stumble, that the pain of lost relationships is greater than the loss of their beloved startup. Other entrepreneurs never start their adventure, because they can’t face the prospect of even approaching friends and family for an investment kick-start.

Founder 254
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How do I get in touch with investors/funds with just an idea and no product?

Gust

'There are many wonderful ideas, and they are not necessarily easy to come up with. So congratulations on having thought of one! However… “Having value” and “Being fundable” are two completely different things. What the more experienced responders here are saying is completely accurate: while a good idea is usually a necessary ingredient for the formation of a good company, it is not sufficient by itself for any serious investor to fund.

Product 152
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The art of rejection: How to win respect at work by saying ‘no’ more often

The Next Web

'Jeremy Goldman is the founder of Firebrand Group and the author of the bookGoingSocial. I’ve got to admit, I don’t always say “no” at work. But I used to be much worse. I would say “yes” pretty frequently – more often than just about anyone I knew. I was so dead-set on being highly successful at a young age, that my default answer was “yes.” I was so bad, sometimes I’d agree to doing something before even knowing what the task was, or volunteer myself for assignments I wasn’t the most qualified

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How Integrating Business Software Can Maximise Profitability

YoungUpstarts

'by Lynsey Bowen, branding and marketing consultant for ConnectMyApps. Importing, exporting, converting – the path to get data from one piece of software to another can seem complex. But what if there was an easier way to have all your data in one place, accessible to all the programs that keep your business afloat? In addition to having easier access to your data, integrating your business software can also help maximise your profitability.

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Apply Lessons Learned To Gain From Startup Failure

Startup Professionals Musings

'Your startup is gone, it’s never coming back, and you are in mourning. An entrepreneur whose business fails grieves similarly to anyone who has lost a loved one. The pain of losing a business is not only about a significant loss of income, but can send your entire identity into turmoil. Most entrepreneurs define themselves by their business projects.

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The Beginner’s Guide to Launching a Food Truck Business

Up and Running

'The food truck craze is sweeping the nation. From thriving cities to rural downtown areas, food-on-wheels is the hip new trend. It’s not just drawing a new crowd of eat-on-the-street customers, it’s bringing in big bucks too. The food truck business pulls in an estimated $804 million in revenue every year, according to an industry report from IBIS World.

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8 tips for writing like you mean it

The Next Web

'John Collins is the managing editor of InsideIntercom, the blog from Intercom focused on design, customer experience, start-ups, and the business of software. He was previously an editor and reporter for the Irish Times. This article was originally published on InsideIntercom. One of my goals since joining Intercom has been to encourage more of the talented engineers, designers, product managers and business execs that work here to write for this blog.

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Debt Or Equity To Fund Your Start-up: Which Is Better?

YoungUpstarts

'By Jenny Q. Ta , entrepreneur, author and CEO of Sqeeqee.com. Loan financing and equity investment are two common methods of funding a new business start-up, assuming you do not have the capital on your own. Each strategy has advantages. The right choice depends on your short-term and long-term financial goals and personal preferences. Debt financing is the better choice when you prefer to retain control of your operation, and you do not mind the tradeoff of greater risk for higher earning pot

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Comparing Two SaaS Models: Hubspot and Moz

Version One Ventures

'Rick Perreault of my portfolio company Unbounce recently called my attention to an interesting comparison between two SaaS models: Hubspot & Moz – A Tale of Two (Very Different) SaaS Business Models. At first glance, Hubspot and Moz are very similar companies: both are popular marketing platforms, use web-based subscription models, and primarily target the SMB market (although larger brands use both).

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Seed Round Pricing (Actual data warning!)

This is going to be BIG.

'What should you price your seed round at? Well, it depends. I could probably write a book on venture round pricing dynamics. It would have lots of philosophy, religion, theory, fiction, and pontification. However, since I only have time for a blog post, I''ll settle for actual data. Since January of 2010, when I led my first seed investment in Backupify , I have led or committed to 27 investments.

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3 months at Y Combinator: What it’s like and how to get in

The Next Web

'Mathilde Collin is the CEO and co-founder of Frontapp. This post originally appeared on the Frontapp blog. Four months ago now, we got accepted to the Y-Combinator for our shared inbox solution. We wrote about our first month inside the famous Californian structure. But recently, we’ve been asked to write what happened after that. And let’s face it, a lot of things happened!

Cofounder 160
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7 Reasons Business Owners Could Need A Ghostwriter

YoungUpstarts

'Ghostwriters are a strong force in the writing world. They are responsible for a majority of the content on websites. These writers are not given credit for their work. Ghostwriting is when writers provide content for pay, but the website owner owns the content and can do with it what they please. When an article is submitted to a client and payment is made, the content no longer belongs to the writer.

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What Helps You When You Are Depressed?

Feld Thoughts

'The comment thread on my post Founder Suicides is vibrant and full of lots of different things, including plenty of challenging stuff to read and figure out how to respond to. My inbox was also full of private notes over the past few days. Many of them were thank yous for writing about this, some were suggestions, and a few were angry reactions to what I wrote.

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Building the Sales Machine Event: Steli Efti – CEO of Close.IO

Eric Friedman

'Every quarter or so I help co-organize an event called Building the Sales Machine focussed on getting together the people in NYC who are building great sales organizations. Whether its a small startup or a scaling sales enterprise, we cover a wide variety of topics. I had the pleasure this time around of hosting Steli Efti who is the CEO of Close.IO.

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What’s the point of appearing on ‘Shark Tank’? A year after the fame

The Next Web

'“Ladies, you are going to become legends. You came into the shark tank, you had a deal… and you didn’t close it.” Photo courtesy of Surprise Ride One year after hearing those words from Kevin O’Leary, Donna Khalife isn’t licking her wounds. In November 2013, she and her sister/co-founder Rosy appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank. Their startup, Surprise Ride, had launched in beta mode earlier that year, founded on $5,000 of the sisters’ money.

Cofounder 158
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Can Employers Move The Needle On America’s Mental Health? Eight Ways Your Leaders Can Get Started.

YoungUpstarts

'by Graeme Cowan, author of “ Back from the Brink: True Stories and Practical Help for Overcoming Depression and Bipolar Disorder “ Mental Illness Awareness Week ( October 5th through 11th ) highlights the fact that one in five Americans takes at least one psychiatric medication, such as an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety drug. It’s obvious that something about our modern lifestyles needs to change.

Employee 171