K9 Ventures

JUNE 12, 2012

Yes, sometimes it’s because the market opportunity demands moving quickly, but sometimes, VCs push growth on their companies more to push their own agenda, than what’s right for the company. This is because excessive capital becomes toxic for an early stage company. The VC focus on quick growth is not without reason.

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Venture Capital Silicon Valley Founder Seed Stage 117

crowdSPRING Blog

FEBRUARY 23, 2011

Business Development for Early Stage Startups – [link]. Amazon Prime Now Includes Streaming Videos On Demand – [link]. Small business and startup issues: net neutrality and H.R. 1 – [link]. 35 Gut Checks When Founding Your First Company – [link]. Street food from around the world – [link].

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Social Media Small Business Design Media 92

K9 Ventures

JUNE 12, 2012

Yes, sometimes it’s because the market opportunity demands moving quickly, but sometimes, VCs push growth on their companies more to push their own agenda, than what’s right for the company. This is because excessive capital becomes toxic for an early stage company. The VC focus on quick growth is not without reason.

Venture Capital 105

Venture Capital Silicon Valley Founder Seed Stage 105

socialmatchbox.com

OCTOBER 23, 2010

These days sales, marketing and PR people seem to grow on trees. If you post up an ad to an online job board asking for someone to join your very high risk early stage startup company the odds of getting someone who decent are slim to none. Founders seem to take for granted exactly how in demand a good programmer is.

Part-Time VPE 41

Part-Time VPE Sweat Equity DC Washington 41

infochachkie.com

SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

For instance, if a consultant proposes to help you with public relations, pay them a commission equivalent to the greater of a flat fee per story placed or a percentage of revenue generated from the PR coverage. Given all the demands on your time, the hours spent educating a consultant regarding your business are costly. Pyramid Power.

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Equity Silicon Valley Cofounder PR 40

The Next Web

JANUARY 26, 2014

If a big corporation is pushing a new product, you might expect them to take out TV ads, online ads, maybe hire a PR agency and set up big distribution partnerships. If your target market is difficult to reach, instead of tackling it head on, go after an adjacent market in order to stimulate demand. So what do startups do?

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Thailand Social Network PPC Singapore 167

The Next Web

JANUARY 23, 2014

Prior to starting a company he worked in PR where he helped put out fires and manage digital communications. You’re a permanent freelancer or an early stage entrepreneur and you don’t have an office to go to. In Chicago for example, there’s a big demand for renting rooms versus hotels. Work at a coffee shop.

Chicago 164

Chicago Early Stage PR Cost 164

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 17, 2011

For many businesses you should keep your costs low & your capital raises low until you discover whether you are really on to a big idea where there is market demand. million and you’re an early stage business this is probably a fair deal. They get the PR bump. So if you can take 27% dilution for $1.5

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Pre-Money Valuation Dilution Valuation PR 303

Version One Ventures

SEPTEMBER 8, 2015

Money is important but over and over again I’ve also seen just how important great investors and advisors can be in shaping an early stage company. Start-up founders typically want to make a big PR splash when they’re launching their product or closing a funding round. The value of focus.

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Founder Due Diligence Vertical Early Stage 60

This is going to be BIG.

MAY 29, 2012

Then they realize that some of these companies will hit a wall, demand a lot of time, and that it's all fun and games until someone gets an eye poked out--or so the saying goes. Early stage finds give you the opportunity to get exposure to the asset class without putting all your eggs in one basket.

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Angel Investor Syndicate Syndication Portfolio 133

Steve Blank

MAY 22, 2009

Marketing may be physically “staging&# the booth, and may even it “man it,&# but don’t be confused, this is the VP of Sales party. While the industry average says only 20% of show leads are followed up, that only happens in other companies, not yours. Go to trade shows like it matters.

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Silicon Valley RSS California Customer Development 136

The Equity Kicker

JULY 8, 2019

The other most common focus areas for platform teams are to employ talent and PR/marketing experts who give advice to portfolio companies on strategy in these areas and have relationships and discounts with pre-vetted agencies who can deliver the work. Entrepreneurship is becoming more science and less art.

Portfolio 84

Portfolio LP Venture Capital Partner 84

ConversionXL

JUNE 25, 2021

A product launch lives primarily in the introduction phase (merging into growth once it generates enough demand). Understanding how your product launch fits into the bigger picture will help you discern: How to build awareness in the introduction stage (this strategy will vary based on product type, industry, target audience, etc.)

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Product Social Media Audience Software Review 96

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2012

And trust me, if you’re early stage you DO want to meet Bryce. He’s awesome for early-stage entrepreneurs. Meet early. GroupOn, Living Social, AdMeld, Gilt Group, Demand Media, ShoeDazzle, Tumblr, FourSquare, etc. So make sure you have a solid PR strategy. How to Work with PR Firms.

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Developer Silicon Valley PR Las Vegas 366

www.forentrepreneurs.com

FEBRUARY 2, 2010

Far more common is a need to acquire customers through a series of steps like SEO, SEM, PR, Social Marketing, direct sales, channel sales, etc. Consider converting to a channel sales model at some stage in the lifecycle of the business. I am in very early stage of planning for my venture and have my first meeting with a VC in 2 days.

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Acquisition Cost Customer Entrepreneur 103

Steve Blank

AUGUST 27, 2009

Marketing starts to build a sales demo, writes sales materials (presentations, data sheets), and hires a PR agency. In this stage, or by alpha test, the company traditionally hires a VP of Sales who begins to assemble a sales force. Marketing is at its peak. Coming next Part 2: What’s Wrong with Product Development as a Model?

Silicon Valley 269

Silicon Valley Product Startup Product Development 269

Steve Blank

MAY 21, 2009

If the VP of Sales doesn’t think that generating end user awareness and ultimately demand for them is worthwhile, then one of you is an idiot. The Message Sitting around a conference room table brainstorming messages that might resonate with customers, or worse having a PR agency doing that for you, is a firing offense in a small company.

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Silicon Valley RSS California Customer Development 203

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

Chris Devore & Andy Sack have created Founder’s Coop with the goal of funding, incubating & launching more early-stage ventures in Seattle. Not to mention every major agency, many PR firms, etc. I see this emerging in Seattle and the passion of “a few key individuals&# who can help shift the game.

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Seattle Silicon Valley Technical Review Los Angeles 317

Steve Blank

APRIL 20, 2021

It bears repeating: an early-stage startup must focus on making one customer group excited by a mission-aligned product. Each new segment you attempt to serve can increase scope , adding to your workload and demanding more of your limited resources. doing so will distract you from building exactly what one group needs.

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Product Viral Channel San Francisco 436

Hearpreneur

JUNE 4, 2016

To shift from a budgeting decision to interviewing a potential hire to the creative for a marketing campaign to pitching a homeowner on why to work with Oasis to having a conversation with an investor – all in a 2-3 hour period – demands a mental dexterity that keeps me engaged and feeling like I’m constantly challenging myself.

Entrepreneur 48

Entrepreneur Haiti Artificial Inteligence PR 48

Steve Blank

JULY 13, 2009

Instead the huge mismatch between expectations and reality of our first games diminished the brand and demoralized the company – we never recovered.

Silicon Valley 122

Silicon Valley Product RSS California 122

Hearpreneur

JANUARY 22, 2017

Corner Piece Productions doesn’t have its own website currently, but here’s the site for West of Her, which picked up five Best Narrative Feature awards over our festival tour this summer, along with rave review from critics across the country, and is set for wide video on demand distribution this year. Image Credit: Keval Baxi.

Naming 48

Naming Entrepreneur LLC Software Review 48

Steve Blank

MAY 4, 2009

Every marketing communication hire couldn’t wait to produce the next great ad or PR program. We were going to do that by turning marketing into a machine to generate end user demand, drive the that demand into our sales channels, and educate our sales channels. In my experience, every marketer with an MBA wants to “do strategy.”

Silicon Valley 132

Silicon Valley RSS Non-Compete California 132

Cracking the Code

OCTOBER 10, 2008

Only after reaching $1M in CMRR should you consider hiring European sales and services execs behind customer demand. Be prepared to cross the desert - SaaS requires R&D and sales expense up front for a multi-year stream of revenue, so it demands enough investment capital to fund 4+ years of runway. Philippe Botteri.

Software Review 48

Software Review North America Europe Metrics 48

techcrunch.com

OCTOBER 23, 2010

One of the things I do as a founder of a later stage startup is to meet with early stage entrepreneurs to help them get their companies going. I know one company demanding something like 15K just to use his product in my portal. Then, forget everything else, VCs included, and just build. Seriously mean it too.

Technical Review 84

Technical Review Cofounder Technical Cofounder Software Review 84

techcrunch.com

FEBRUARY 19, 2010

Yeah, you should get out more Just Because Google Exists Doesn’t Mean You Should Stop Asking People Things Skype Demands Mobile App Nimbuzz Remove Support, Effective October 31st Shunned By Apple, Adobe Embraces Android With AIR 2.5 Been there Done that This is very depressing for all future founders, or even currently early stage founders.

Venture Capital 62

Venture Capital Technical Review Sweat Equity Valuation 62

Hearpreneur

JULY 10, 2017

I run award-winning agency InsideOut PR (established 2005) and founded social influencer agency #AsSeenOn last year. Thanks to Nicole Reaney, InsideOut PR ! #10 LDR Ventures was formed with a very clear goal, to help early stage companies and entrepreneurs of all genders, races and places to succeed.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Hungary Software Review Cofounder 101