Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2016

Amongst the most often asked questions I get from founders is, “How much money should I raise?” Reflexively founders want to raise as much money as they can because they figure it will give them more resources, better chances of competing and a longer runways before they have to do the often painful job of asking, yet again, for money. Every time you ask for money you’re faced with the possible of feeling literally and figuratively like a failure.

Pre-Money Valuation 292

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Early Stage Startup 292

View from Seed

JUNE 22, 2016

Editor’s note: The NextView team periodically holds internal “shootarounds,” where we discuss a startup topic or trend and try to make sense of it for everyone involved: entrepreneurs, investors, and consumers. We’ve decided to share these publicly. Below is a lightly edited transcript of our discussion on drones. You can find another shootaround on voice tech here.

Technical Review 159

Technical Review Startup Software Review B2B 159

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2016

There is a common belief in the angel and venture capital community that you put your money on the best team, rather than the best idea. Thus the top priority of every entrepreneur who wants funding should be to build and highlight their “dream team” of co-founders, executives and advisers, to attract the biggest and best investors. Solo entrepreneurs rarely find an investor.

Sweat Equity 152

Sweat Equity Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Software Review 152

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 30, 2016

By Vadim Kondratiev, Head of Sales at Anadea Inc. When a project owner seeks for a software development company, they often mention in their inquiries that they want to deal with a very professional developer. They want their project to be cared of properly. But what kind of service do they actually want their developers to provide? What is the difference between a professional and an amateur attitude?

Technical Review 133

Technical Review Software Developers Software Development Software Review 133

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

Startup

Feld Thoughts

JUNE 24, 2016

It’s 2am on Friday and I’m awake because Brooks the Wonder Dog is afraid of thunderstorms. His approach to them is to literally try to climb under my body while I’m sleeping, which prevents me from sleeping, which results in me watching the Brexit insanity in real time. Yesterday, we had our own US insanity around immigration as our Supreme Court voted 4-4 on the legality of Obama’s executive orders on immigration.

India 127

India Software Developers Software Development Finance 127

Up and Running

JUNE 28, 2016

Before anything else, realize that yes, you do have competition. No matter how new your business, you do have competition. I’m in several groups that watch startup pitches as investors, and I can guarantee you that if you say you don’t have competition, your audience is rolling its collective eyes and dismissing you as naive. Once in an extremely rare while, a new technology will appear, for a short time, as if it has no competition.

Business Plan 109

Business Plan Technical Review Software Review Vertical 109

Agile VC

JUNE 30, 2016

Preface: As a consumer, I am excited by the prospect of autonomous vehicles and the individual and collective benefits they can provide. As an investor, I am also bullish about the innovation wave already in its early innings around mobility and autonomy. But a realistic understanding of the potential timeline for autonomous vehicle adoption is vital to decision making as a startup entrepreneur or investor in this area. . ==.

Virginia 100

Virginia Acquisition California Global 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2016

Entrepreneurs need to be effective team leaders, since no one can transform an idea into a product and a business without some help. Unfortunately many founders I work with as a mentor are experts on the technical side, but have no insight into leading a team. But fortunately, team building is a skill that can be learned and practiced, for those willing to put in some effort.

Technical Review 136

Technical Review Development Team Review Leadership Cofounder 136

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 28, 2016

Do you have a great idea for a new app and thinking about starting a new software company? Maybe you already have a startup and want to make sure it is a success. Startup software companies can be exciting and lucrative but they are also risky and involve a lot of hard work. Here are some tips for creating or maintaining a successful software startup: K.I.S.S.

Software 100

Software Startup Software Developers Software Development 100

Hearpreneur

JUNE 26, 2016

Share In the current generation of business being unique is a top priority to getting noticed. Each day some new story comes out about some creative marketing plan that takes the cake and drives huge traffic to a business. The Taco Liberty Bell April Fool’s joke or Verizon’s real life ‘Can You Hear Me Now?’ promo can only be described as unique. If a business is to survive and thrive making an effort to be unique is a must.

Entrepreneur 92

Entrepreneur Technical Review Harvest Portfolio 92

ConversionXL

JUNE 27, 2016

For an optimizer, these are words to live by: “Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.” [Tweet It!]. Optimization isn’t about educated guesses and hunches, no matter how many years you’ve been in the industry. It’s about doing the research, asking the right questions, digging for clues in problem areas, paying attention to the signs when they appear, and running smart A/B tests.

Analytics 72

Analytics Web Technical Review Conversion 72

Feld Thoughts

JUNE 28, 2016

A few weeks ago I had lunch with John Dearie to discuss a new non-profit he has started called The Center for American Entrepreneurship. Several friends and people I respect a lot are on the board , including Lucy Sanders (NCWIT), Troy Henikoff (Techstars Chicago), Bob Litan (Brookings Institute), Rebecca Lovell (Seattle’s Office of Economic Development), Monisha Merchant (formerly Senator Bennet’s Economic Advisor), Jonathan Ortmans (Global Entrepreneurship Network), Jason Seats (Techsta

SBA 102

SBA Government Green Small Business Administration 102

Hunter Walker

JUNE 6, 2016

This week I’ll be running a series of Five Question interviews with small businesses which were facilitated by BondStreet , a SMB lending platform (we’re investors). LocalBiz stories are really fun for me since my first high school job was working in an independent bookstore. These people are true founders and entrepreneurs just like any venture backed company.

Technical Review 54

Technical Review Miami Software Review Boston 54

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2016

It seems like every entrepreneur I meet these days is quick to proclaim themselves a visionary, expecting that will give more credibility to their startup idea, and improve their odds with investors. In reality, I’m one of the majority of investors who believe that startup success is more about the execution than the idea. Thus, unless the visionary highlights a cofounder who can take the vision and execute, I assume the worst.

Cofounder 131

Cofounder Founder Entrepreneur Startup 131

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 23, 2016

by Gaurav Sharma, digital marketing consultant at CG Trader. 3D printing has come a long way since its inception and has made numerous contributions in the field of manufacturing and medicine. While the machine itself is something to marvel, there are a number of elements that make 3D printing possible. For instance, the software used to create 3D models and the materials used to create a physical object using the machine.

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Software Review Engineer Design 100

Up and Running

JUNE 23, 2016

Do you know where to go online to continue your real estate education? Do you know where to send your clients when they haven’t the first clue about buying a house? Do you know which sites are the best for keeping on top of industry trends? Because we know it’s difficult to set aside the time to find the most valuable resources—especially when all your free time is spent completing paperwork, showing houses, and finding new leads—we’ve collated the sites, tools, and blogs that come highly recomm

Technical Review 69

Technical Review Forecast Database Video 69

ConversionXL

JUNE 20, 2016

You and I may have a hard time believing it, but many people are afraid to shop online. Now, as someone who regularly makes ridiculous impulse purchases, I never second guess entering my credit card information online. In fact, I just bought a Led Zeppelin coffee mug in the time between writing and editing this article. You, too, probably regularly buy books, movies, clothes, and software online.

Customer 72

Customer Software Review Technical Review Security 72

Feld Thoughts

JUNE 16, 2016

By definition, as a company scales rapidly, it adds people quickly. There are many things about this that are difficult, but a vexing one has to do with the leadership team. Often times, the wrong people are in senior positions. The faster a company grows, or the less experienced the CEO is (e.g. a first time founding CEO), the more likely it is a problem.

Part-Time VPE 84

Part-Time VPE Leadership Engineer Hiring 84

Hunter Walker

JUNE 10, 2016

This week I’ll be running a series of Five Question interviews with small businesses which were facilitated by BondStreet , a SMB lending platform (we’re investors). LocalBiz stories are really fun for me since my first high school job was working in an independent bookstore. These people are true founders and entrepreneurs just like any venture backed company.

Technical Review 50

Technical Review Equity SBA Software Review 50

crowdSPRING Blog

JUNE 28, 2016

We’ve got some bad news. Your customers are probably ignoring you. Sure, there are an infinite number of YouTube commercials, product placements, sponsored blog content, and a whole cacophony of other messages being thrown into the interwebs by companies trying to get some brand attention on the daily, but is their target audience really seeing all of these marketing messages?

Marketing 70

Marketing Advertising Social Media Media 70

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 20, 2016

by Gabriel Cabot, digital marketing strategist at Firmex, Inc. Before the advent of cloud technology and the Internet, company files had to be stored away in physical data rooms (PDRs). This required high operational costs like round the clock staff, abundant paper supplies and couriers. In addition, access to information stored in these sites was inconvenient because one had to travel to the PDR site.

Software Review 100

Software Review Technical Review Due Diligence Security 100

Hearpreneur

JUNE 25, 2016

Share Being in love is great. Being in love with your business, when you’re an entrepreneur, is even better. Waking up each morning knowing you are getting to do exactly what you love is more than most people could ever say about any “job” they have had. Although there are days when tossing in your hat seems like a viable option, remembering how much you love your “job” can quickly snap an entrepreneur out of that mentality.

Entrepreneur 75

Entrepreneur Sacramento Advertising Campaign 75

Berkonomics

JUNE 16, 2016

Dave’s note: Our guest author this week is Kevin McDonald, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Alvaka Networks, a network services and security firm in Irvine, California. He is a trusted technology and security consultant and public policy advisory to some of America’s most influential people and organizations. .

Software Review 55

Software Review Technical Review Security California 55

Duct Tape Marketing

JUNE 23, 2016

5 Reasons Why Your Brand Should Have a Following written by Guest Post read more at Duct Tape Marketing. photo credit Very Pixel. Have you ever noticed how so many major corporations produce commercials that focus more on their brand name rather than an actual product? At first, this might lead to some head-scratching—after all, isn’t the product what they’re selling?

Software Review 45

Software Review Merger Advertising IPO 45

deal architect

JUNE 29, 2016

Nucleus Research just issued a report which will make SAP wince SAP’s new marketing tagline – run simple – is not only grammatically incorrect, it’s grossly inaccurate. Nucleus analyzed the experience of SAP customers and found varied – at best.

Customer 258

Customer Marketing Software 258

crowdSPRING Blog

JUNE 30, 2016

Media companies and publishers are mad. Like, really mad. Well, maybe more nervous than mad, but certainly angry enough to sound a lot like digital geriatrics shaking their fists at the ad blocking kids running up and down their site. Their agitation is understandable. After all, the clever little extensions that give the rest of us a faster, cleaner, less irritating web experience are eating away at ROI for advertisers and revenue for publishers.

Advertising 54

Advertising Netherlands New York Software Review 54

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 16, 2016

When you’re starting out in business, you have thousands of things to take care of. With limited resources in capital and manpower, it is the entrepreneur’s responsibility to get things done. It then becomes imperative for small business owners to be efficient in their daily tasks, in order to free up valuable time on the things that matter: cherishing first clients and growing the company.

Software Review 141

Software Review Product Entrepreneur Technical Review 141

Hearpreneur

JUNE 19, 2016

Share Each business has a story. No matter if the business is a Goliath like Wal-Mart, or a local business owned by a couple or family, the business has roots in an idea. For each business owner, the story of their journey can range from monetary needs or the passion for a unique project. Each story is different though the reasons may remain the same.

Entrepreneur 68

Entrepreneur Software Review Michigan Chicago 68

Reid Hoffman

JUNE 28, 2016

This essay originally appeared on MIT Sloan Management Review as part of their Frontiers Essay Series. Each essay is a response to this question: “Within the next five years, how will technology change the practice of management in a way we have not yet witnessed?”. • • •. Artificial Intelligence is about to transform management from an art into a combination of art and science.

Artificial Inteligence 51

Artificial Inteligence Management Technical Review Matching 51

Duct Tape Marketing

JUNE 21, 2016

The Local SEO Playbook – Your Guide to Local Rankings written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing. Look, if you’re a local business, meaning most or all of your business comes from customers living in your community, you must get very serious about local SEO. Don’t worry, ranking locally for the kinds of things your prospects are looking for isn’t rocket science, but it does take a serious commitment to a handful of things.

SEO 48

SEO Software Review HTML Search 48

Steve Blank

JUNE 23, 2016

In the 21 st century it’s harder for large corporations to create disruptive breakthroughs. Disruptive innovations are coming from startups – Telsa for automobiles, Uber for taxis, Airbnb for hotel rentals, Netflix for video rentals and Facebook for media. What’s holding large companies back? Here are four reasons: First, companies bought into the false premise that they exist to maximize shareholder value – which said “keep the stock price high.

Architecture 227

Architecture IRR Balance Sheet Liquidity Event 227

deal architect

JUNE 27, 2016

I know a lot of people are upset with the UK. Lots of wealth destroyed around the world, Young Brits mad at older Brits, Scots mad at the English, Europeans upset with the Brits. It’s important to not forget something.

Global 210

Global 210

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 19, 2016

By Johan Gunnars, CEO and cofounder of Simpliday. What do you think of when you hear the term “self-improvement”? If you’re like a lot of people, you might imagine working your way through giant stacks of self-help books, starting an intensive new exercise regimen, or devoting more time to charitable causes — all of which are certainly worthwhile ways to improve oneself.

Cofounder 113

Cofounder Product Software Review Stock 113

Hearpreneur

JUNE 18, 2016

Share Twitter has had its shares of ups and downs over the last few years. Every introduction of new social media platforms chip away at current banner holders like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Over the course of the last couple years co-founder Jack Dorsey was reinstated as CEO due to decline, the constant buzz about doing away with 140 has caused uproar on both sides, and every week a headline concerning stolen information is splashed across every news site.

Entrepreneur 59

Entrepreneur Social Network Channel Social Media 59

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2016

The startup lifestyle is known to be stressful and challenging, but it’s also meant to be satisfying and fulfilling, with you as the entrepreneur in control of your own destiny. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way, based on my many years of experience with entrepreneurs and advising startups. The business can be successful, while the entrepreneur feels like a failure.

Entrepreneur 179

Entrepreneur Startup Employee Founder 179

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

JUNE 28, 2016

“There’s a 30% chance of rain today.” And then it didn’t rain. So, was the forecast accurate? Or what if it did rain. Does that mean the forecast was inaccurate? How do you hold forecasters accountable, when the forecast is only a probability? The answer appears tricky, then simple, then tricky again, then ends up being simple enough to answer it with Google Spreadsheets.

Forecast 166

Forecast Algorithm Metrics Chile 166