Ask The VC

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Earlier in the convertible debt series we talked about the “discounted price to the next round” approach to providing a discount on convertible debt. The other approach to a discount is to “issue warrants” This approach is more complex and usually only applies to situations where the company has already raised a round of equity, but it still pops up in early stage deals. If you are doing a seed round, we encourage you not to use this approach and save some legal fees.

Warrant 40

Warrant Merger Preferred Stock Stock 40

Escape From Cubicle Nation

OCTOBER 4, 2011

We have all been there. While writing a sales page, we wonder if there are any good examples out there of a similar type of product or service.

Internet 23

Internet Sales Product 23

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 4, 2011

by Jon Gordon , author of “ The Seed: Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work “ In a perfect world, “work” and “home” would balance out neatly. We’d work from 8 to 5 each day, take an hour-long lunch, and then come home and spend uninterrupted time with our families.

Harvest 22

Harvest Restful Atlanta America 22

Taffy Williams

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Each day Ireview what I am doing and trying to decide if it is working! The questioning is important because it ishard to improve if you have no clear vision of what needs to be better. Layering this questioning on top of any upsand downs one may have can make some days a real challenge. During the down days, it seems likeeverything is all wrong. On the up days,why should I change anything, it is great. Somewhere in the middle is where the real issues reside.

Charlotte 20

Charlotte Partner Finance Startup 20

Seth Levine's VC Adventure

OCTOBER 4, 2011

This morning Federated Media announced that it has acquired Lijit Networks in a private stock deal. I’m incredibly proud of what the Lijit team has accomplished in the almost 4 years we’ve been investors in the business – charting a course that wasn’t exactly always a straight line, but one that has always placed publishers first. As a result of this never wavering focus on web publishers, Lijit has built a large and ultimately very valuable company.

Denver 19

Denver Channel Advertising Analytics 19

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 4, 2011

The folks at Heller Communications Design have this wonderful "About" page that has some pointers on when a potential client should hire them. The list spoke to me, not because I need a design firm or some other consultant, but because there is a lot there that any entrepreneur can use as warning signs that they need to restart their efforts, or perhaps rethink the direction that they are taking their business. So here is my own top ten list, somewhat modified from Heller's. Sponsor.

Social Network 15

Social Network Stock Design Conversion 15

This is going to be BIG.

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Tweet. One of the most knowledgeable angel investors out there, Jeff Stewart , told me that the definition of success as an entrepreneur was when you walk into work, and there's nothing for you to do. At that point, you've hired someone better than you at all of the tasks you did previously as a founder. You've built a well oiled machine and it works without kicking, prodding, or you being a key cog.

Angel Investor 14

Angel Investor Hiring Founder Entrepreneur 14

Gregg Fraley, Author of Jack's Notebook

OCTOBER 4, 2011

I really have to say something about this notion that brainstorming / idea generation / ideation can be made into an efficient process. I’ve read a couple of interesting pieces on this lately, this idea it can be made more efficient, so you only get “good” ideas. If only it were so… I’ll grant you [.].

Campaign 14

Campaign Management 14

Entrepreneurs-Journey.com by Yaro Starak

OCTOBER 4, 2011

We’re all capable of success online. In fact, let’s define success before we go any further. If we were going to use a dictionary definition for success it’d look something like this: suc-cess [suh k-ses]. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like. A successful performance of achievement: The play was an instant success. A person or thing that is successful: She was a great success on the talk show.

Marketing 14

Marketing SEO Product Metrics 14

John O'Farrell

OCTOBER 4, 2011

This is the final installment in a five-part series on building a global company from the ground up. Summing it all up. We’ve covered quite a bit of ground together since I started this series. Here’s the executive summary: There are simple steps you should take to lay the groundwork for international expansion from the moment you start your company. Before you launch internationally, you should have an explicit, well-articulated strategy.

Brazil 12

Brazil California Global Matching 12

David Teten

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Applications are now open for the January 2012 class ERA class; Application deadline is November 20th, 2011. Benefits: * Get a $25,000 investment for your startup. * 3 months of free collaborative office space in the heart of NYC at. Times Square (January 9th, 2012 – March 30th, 2012). *

Startup 11

Startup Revenue Community Partner 11

Gregg Fraley, Author of Jack's Notebook

OCTOBER 4, 2011

I woke up today and saw that Josephine Forsberg has passed away. Jo was the founder of Players Workshop of Second City in Chciago. Bill Murray went there — along with many other comic luminaries. She will be missed. She gave the world a gift, and, it’s a gift you can receive. If you are [.]. Creativity and Self-Expression Creativity improv Innovation Josephine Forsberg players Workshop of Second City

Founder 11

Founder 11

Entrepreneurs-Journey.com by Yaro Starak

OCTOBER 4, 2011

I remember my first business plan. Well, to be honest, it wasn’t much of a business plan, because in 1995, I knew next to nothing about ‘business’ After reading an article about how critical it was to have one, I put pen to paper and jotted down some notes to myself. And then, I plugged numbers into a template.

Advertising 9

Advertising Viral Email Audience 9

Soho Solutionist

OCTOBER 4, 2011

I was listening in on the “Let’s Talk iPhone” event today. Most people had high expectations, and many felt the event let them down. I’m really on the fence about that. Let me explain… I bought the uncool 3GS. And I loved it.

Technology 8

Technology Matching Small Business Video 8

Business of Software Blog

OCTOBER 4, 2011

A great thought from Auren Hoffman, CEO of Rapleaf in his blog, Summation. Go and read the full post, the table is just a taster. "Here "Here are some things that will be less valued in the future and some things that will be more valued: Less-valued. More-valued. General knowledge. Judgment. Search engines will be attached to our brain   Knowing more than one major spoken language   Sales in any language. We’ll have universal translators. Coding.

Boston 7

Boston Software Audience Engineer 7

Ben Casnocha: The Blog

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Browsing in a book store a couple months ago--something I wish I did more, to introduce serendipity that doesn't happen when buying books online--I noticed an item that caught my eye.

Security 7

Security Operations 7

VCball

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Earlier this year I sat down with Bob Niehaus. He's my former boss at GCP Capital, a $1B+ private equity firm spinout from Greenhill & Co., and the parent company for the VC fund I co-managed, GSA Ventures. Over lunch

B2B 6

B2B Venture Capital Seed Stage Internet 6

Startup Remarkable

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Startup 9

Startup 9

Up and Running

OCTOBER 4, 2011

I just finished a strategic planning meeting with one of my client organizations. They wanted to know if it is possible to change corporate culture. Interesting question, since I always thought theirs was one that worked for them.

Management 6

Management 6

Active Garage

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Nailing down a schedule is one of the biggest project challenges there is. Even when you get it right things can happen in the environment that destabilize scheduling efforts.

Forecast 4

Forecast Engineer Sales Programming 4

deal architect

OCTOBER 4, 2011

on the innovation blog Next-Gen Motorcycle Sprint’s new app to combat distracted driving Online gamers crack AIDS enzyme puzzle FCC and FEMA’s new disaster communication guidelines. Innovative Business Uses of Technology

Technology 4

Technology 4

High Contrast

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Because we are in stealth mode, people regularly ask me what we do at Shopximity. Stuck between changing the topic and saying that we make shopping better for everyone, I decided to take a different tack and tell the cold, hard truth: There it is. There is no more. For now. Except that we are looking for a someone special. Front-end Engineer (UI/UX). Shopximity, an early-stage startup, is looking for a front-end engineer.

Engineer 6

Engineer Stealth HTML Early Stage 6

crowdSPRING Blog

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Earlier this year, we announced that we would issue a monthly cS Award to honor quality work by designers and writers in the crowdSPRING community. October cS Award. We have been working hard to establish a new reputation system for our community.

Community 5

Community Malaysia Matching Design 5

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Published in 2009, Mitch Joel’s book on business strategy in the age of social media titled “ Six Pixels of Separation: Everyone Is Connected.

Marketing 3

Marketing Audio Channel Mobile 3

crowdSPRING Blog

OCTOBER 4, 2011

In our 12 Questions blog series, we feature interviews with someone from the crowdSPRING community. For these interviews, we pick people who add value to our community – in the blog, in the forums, in the projects. Plainly – activities that make crowdSPRING a better community.

Community 5

Community Minnesota Minneapolis Florida 5

Seth Levine's VC Adventure

OCTOBER 4, 2011

This morning Federated Media announced that it has acquired Lijit Networks in a private stock deal. I’m incredibly proud of what the Lijit team has accomplished in the almost 4 years we’ve been investors in the business – charting a course that wasn’t exactly always a straight line, but one that has always placed publishers first. As a result of this never wavering focus on web publishers, Lijit has built a large and ultimately very valuable company.

Denver 3

Denver Channel Advertising Analytics 3

ArcticStartup

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Joakim Achren, a Finnish entrepreneur, was one of the first entrepreneurs I met when we started ArcticStartup. He talked about his company Ironstar Helsinki with passion and of all the things they're building.

Europe 4

Europe Analytics Acquisition Entrepreneur 4

Austin Startup

OCTOBER 4, 2011

mobileTech Tuesday, by Steve Guengerich The past week has been a whirlwind of travel and events: from San Francisco to Grand Rapids to Austin. Along the way, I’ve had a chance to try out apps for each event, using my trusty iPhone 3GS – yes, I’m one of those who skipped 1st gen iPhone 4 and am likely to be a 4S purchaser! Here are some impressions of the event apps, working backwards, with a [.].

Mobile 3

Mobile Austin San Francisco Michigan 3

ArcticStartup

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Sofanatics , the Finnish social sports media startup, has decided to quit advertising on Facebook for the time being, citing increased costs and lower conversion rates as the main factors behind the rather radical decision. The company says that despite optimizing and targeting their ads on Facebook, customer acquisition costs have almost doubled due to higher click prices and declining conversion rates.

Startup 3

Startup Conversion Acquisition Cost 3

Jeff Hilimire

OCTOBER 4, 2011

It’s amazing how things in your life can have such a powerful impact on how you view the world and the way you live your life. Experiences shape us into who we are and I’m sure that continues to be the case as long as we’re on this earth.

Atlanta 3

Atlanta Security Internet Design 3

charliecrystle.com

OCTOBER 4, 2011

I've been kicking around different business models over the past year for Jawaya. One of the attractive catch phrases I've come up with is "monetize excess capacity". (I I say that as though I invented it, because Google puts one of my posts at the top of the search. If you're me, that's what you get, anyway; Google search supports vanity over accuracy?) So what does that mean?

Demand 1

Demand Search Government Business Model 1

crowdSPRING Blog

OCTOBER 4, 2011

A penny isn’t much. It doesn’t buy anything really and the amount of copper in it is pretty negligible nowadays. However, as Melinda from this week’s Small Business Spotlight points out, most everyone has a pretty specific, penny-centric memory. For me, it’s collecting pennies with my dad and bringing to the bank for some extra spending cash. Copper Penny Marketing believes marketing should be like a penny: subtle, relatively inexpensive, but highly evocative.

B2B 2

B2B Design PR Advertising 2

ArcticStartup

OCTOBER 4, 2011

We reviewed Zerply a few months back, calling it the next generation professional network. We weren’t wrong as the recent flare in its usage has been immense, maybe we are following all those who are part of Zerply, but we see the name more often in our timeline.

Estonia 2

Estonia Matching Search Networking 2

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 4, 2011

Most plastic bags we use today will either get incinerated or end up in a landfill somewhere. But not if four University of Arkansas student have anything to say about that – the founders of cycleWood Solutions Inc. intends to make biodegradable plastic shopping bags into reality.

Arkansas 1

Arkansas Minnesota Technology Engineer 1