Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2021

Ask everyone to update their resume, and personally call probable references, so there are no surprises. That means questioning each of these key players, and calling references or prior associates. Make sure the Business Plan and all related documents are current, synchronized, and in the hands of every key employee.

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Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Angel Investor 380

Feld Thoughts

JANUARY 2, 2019

I try not to pay attention to the macro (as I’ve said many times), but I do think it is important to have a frame of reference about it. My frame of reference has a few components. The core of my frame of reference is that I’m playing a very long game. The post What’s Your Frame of Reference for a Downturn?

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K9 Ventures

MARCH 20, 2017

Of all the advice I have given founders over the years, one of the most important ones is to make sure they do reference checks on their prospective investors. Here are some tips for founders when making this tough choice: Check references on your prospective investors. Ask investors if it is okay for you to check references on them.

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YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 19, 2020

People refers to the management and employees that are currently employed by the business. Processes refers to operating procedures and employee handbooks. Proprietary refers to any intellectual proprietary such as brands, patents, trademarks, databases, processes, or contracts that are transferable.

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Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2010

How do you then reference check your VC to be sure that you’ve chosen a good firm and partner? Get a reference list - Most entrepreneurs do almost no reference checks or at least do them very informally. Some VC’s will go out of their way to give you all their references as Fred Wilson says in his post.

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Term Sheet Venture Capital Stealth Cofounder 298

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2022

Thus you should do the same or more due diligence on educational background, previous work, and references. Carry minimal historical baggage. Partner decisions are more important than team member hiring decisions. Look impartially from all angles and do the follow-up on all relevant previous roles.

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Version One Ventures

APRIL 25, 2017

So whenever an investor voiced a concern about the category, Outreach simply asked that investor to call a few customer references. Those references always came back incredibly strong and Outreach was able to close an over-subscribed seed round with our friends at MHS Capital and Floodgate.

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The Startup Magazine

AUGUST 6, 2021

This refers to making sure your website works properly on a core level. This refers to ensuring your translations are accurate and is easily understood by local audiences. This refers to making sure your localized website can display characters correctly in the native language of the country. Functional Testing.

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Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 8, 2010

How do you then reference check your VC to be sure that you’ve chosen a good firm and partner? First, I would say that most entrepreneurs do almost no reference checks or at least do them very informally. Happy reference checking. I wrote a post linked as follows about how to build relationships with VCs over time.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

Another approach is to ask the investor for references, where their involvement has made a real difference, leading to success. Personally visit another startup funded by this investor. Through networking with other entrepreneurs, you should find one or more to visit that have relationships with this investor.

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Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Offshore 345

deal architect

MARCH 21, 2013

When I met the Infor team last month, I heard about many of the micro-verticals they are pursuing. They are doing especially well in the hospitality business – and as they named some of the customers, I said, be nice.

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VC Cafe

JUNE 26, 2023

I referred to this in my post on incumbents vs. upstarts. where rather than sift through noise to find an answer, users will generate a specific result to match their needs. Finally, there’s competition. Open questions What does SEO look like in a generative AI powered search world?

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2022

Here are the five customer segments outlined in his analysis: Innovators – they love the challenge of a new technology and expect problems Early adopters - customer visionaries driven by technology who expect it to work Early majority – pragmatists that buy only with peer review, references and support Late majority – conservatives who wait until the (..)

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

Workships, according to workplace expert Dr. Jan Yager, refers to those workplace relationships that haven’t yet developed into full-blown friendships, but are closer than mere acquaintances. In reality, their effectiveness is usually more related to how well they develop their work relationships with peers and business leaders.

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Austin Startup

MARCH 31, 2019

you better make sure you really check their references. I made very few edits to the original post, mostly in the area of readability and grammar (not in substance of content): I’m shocked that more startups, including their Boards and investors, don’t thoroughly check references. and dangerous. I couldn’t see any other alternative?—?I

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2022

Your gut-feelings are important, but need to be validated by normal background and reference checks. Some candidates can talk a great story, but have trouble delivering, or may have team relationship challenges. Candidates with few credentials on paper may be your best growth candidates. Quick to hire and slow to fire.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2022

These authors reference real cases and real business leaders, based on their decades of experience in building companies and executive coaching. I found real insights into this strategy, along with specific sources of purpose inspiration in a new book, “ Leading With Heart ,” by John Baird and Edward Sullivan.

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This is going to be BIG.

JUNE 10, 2016

A friend of mine running a very successful company found himself conflicted over an upcoming reference call. Reference calls to potential limited partners seemingly have no upside to founders. The same goes for VC references by other founders--which I hope founders are asking for. I don't participate in it nor do I record it.

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Cap Table Limited Partner LP Reputation 60

ReadWriteStart

JULY 7, 2021

Business to Business (B2B) – Also referred to as Enterprise to Enterprise, it is typically utilized to transport documents, equipment, reports, and raw materials from one place to another. An integrated referral program – where existing customers get points and rewards for referring the courier service app to new users.

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Technical Review Artificial Inteligence Demand Social Media 163

Feld Thoughts

MARCH 30, 2017

I’m on the receiving end of a lot of reference calls. Over time, I’ve developed an approach to doing reference checks, and they actively avoid asking any of the following questions. My answer to the last question is “Do you ever get tired of doing reference checks this way?”

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Hunter Walker

OCTOBER 29, 2022

I LOVE doing reference checks — on founders we are hoping to support and key hires into their teams. Don’t incorrectly write off the ‘candidate supplied references’ thinking that it’s worthless to speak with people who have been prepped or likely to be positive. Are they aligned with what their on-sheet reference told you?

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Hiring Naming Channel Leadership 58

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 10, 2020

References and Testimonials. Lastly, add references and testimonials. Insert references along with their contact information to enable recruiters to reach out to them for confirmation. Insert references along with their contact information to enable recruiters to reach out to them for confirmation. Final Thoughts.

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Java Software Review Metrics Naming 148

Duct Tape Marketing

OCTOBER 3, 2017

How to Make Your Business More Referable written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing. “How can I make my business more referable?” ” I get asked this question all the time but the question people should be asking is “who do people refer?” Tips to make your business more referable.

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Programming Viral Partner Community 58

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 23, 2024

Image credit Promotional products, often referred to as merchandise, comprise a broad array of items like t-shirts, pens, key rings, mugs, and Branded Products , all adorned with your company’s logo or promotional message.

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Product Technical Review Audience Campaign 126

Hunter Walker

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

What To Look For When Reference Checking Polarizing Entrepreneurs There are certain words I don’t want to hear when doing backchannel references on a startup CEO. Sketchy would be one. Unmotivated another. These come up — once is a warning, twice is a goodbye — and I’m not making the investment.

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The Startup Magazine

APRIL 11, 2024

Email is the slowest option, but can be good for sending lengthy written information or written information that you want to be able to easily refer back to. It can also be good for sending files and links. Regular communication is encouraged to maintain a good working relationship with employees.

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Hiring Technical Review Software Review Security 134

ConversionXL

JUNE 16, 2022

A marketing playbook is a reference guide that outlines how a business will manage its marketing on a particular channel or campaign. Each person in the content team will refer to this section to find out their role and responsibilities in the overall workflow. If more in-depth details are required, link to any reference material.

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VC Cafe

AUGUST 11, 2022

Reference calls on the partner from other portfolio companies or other boards she served are usually recommended. Ask for references from other founders they backed and didn’t back. So choose your partner wisely. People have different work styles and it’s good to know what to expect in the future. Good luck out there!

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Founder Term Sheet Cofounder Venture Capital 187

Babbling VC

FEBRUARY 8, 2012

Getting references seems like such a common sense thing to do. I'd even go as far as to admit that I value nothing more than references when it comes to hiring someone or working together with them. On many occasions I was asked to provide references. Getting references is up to YOU. Trust me, no one is perfect.

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Hiring Partner Employee Management 62

The Startup Magazine

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

Additionally, use keywords that are bound to stand out among the locals – for instance, you can use references and puns that your location is known for. For example, Google Ads in Melbourne could reference coffee or other local interests. Draw attention to the fact that yours is a locally owned small business.

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Marketing Campaign Software Review Community 105

ConversionXL

FEBRUARY 3, 2022

But of the 83% of people that say they’re willing to refer new business to a company they love, only 29% of them do. Establish which incentives users need to refer friends. Users can refer 12 friends and get Trello Gold free for a year. It’s your job to make it worthwhile. Every referral adds another new user to the platform.

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Retention Marketing Acquisition Channel 113

The Startup Magazine

FEBRUARY 1, 2023

Bridge pages act as a buffer between the referring traffic source and the landing page. No matter the terminology you use — pre-landers, presell pages, or gateway pages — website bridge pages are a valuable marketing tool that helps qualify leads, rather than simply converting any visitor who discovers a landing page.

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Advertising Finance Technical Review Conversion 156

VC Cafe

JANUARY 30, 2023

Within it, you should have the following categories (the need for certain documents may very based on the startup’s stage) Summary – company short description, one pager, full deck Team information – executive team bios / LinkedIn profiles, advisors, some might choose to include references, but in any case a DD process is likely to (..)

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Technical Review Due Diligence Cap Table Startup 103

The Startup Magazine

AUGUST 28, 2020

Have a Reference . Before running wild with consumer relationships, accredit your business by maintaining an updated reference resource such as a website. Developing your brand objectives starts with understanding the main goals of the company.

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Small Business Developer Management Marketing 123

The Startup Magazine

MAY 28, 2022

You can check their credentials by asking for references or contacting their previous clients. A reputable business consultant should be willing to provide you with references. Make sure that they have the proper education and training needed to help your company.

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Saudi Arabia Operations Hiring Reputation 119

The Startup Magazine

MAY 5, 2022

Next-day delivery – also commonly referred to as “overnight delivery” or “1-day delivery” – is a delivery strategy that aims to deliver goods and services to customers within 24 hours of the order placement. . If your goal is to offer next-day delivery, it’s important to understand what the real costs involved are.

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Customer Product Technical Review eCommerce 112

Babbling VC

FEBRUARY 4, 2014

I''ve done my share of reference calls in my career and to be honest, the majority were basically crap. This isn''t to say that I am the best individual when it comes to making reference calls but in hindsight I always wondered whether I benefited at all. Therefore, this post is not about what to ask when doing a reference call.

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