Sat.Dec 21, 2013 - Fri.Dec 27, 2013

article thumbnail

Moneyball and the Investment Readiness Level-video

Steve Blank

'Eric Ries was kind enough to invite me to speak at his Lean Startup Conference. In the talk I reviewed the basic components of the Lean Startup and described how we teach it. I observed that now that we’ve built software to instrument and monitor the progress of new ventures (using LaunchPad Central ), that we are entering the world of evidence-based entrepreneurship and the Investment Readiness Level.

Video 279
article thumbnail

10 Companies Want To Show You The Money

YoungUpstarts

'by Pabla Ayala, cofounder of pFunk Media Is your holiday gift-giving list becoming longer and pricier than your current wallet can handle? Make extra cash to help with those expensive holiday costs and maybe even help you put some money back in your wallet so you don’t start the New Year off broke! Here are 10 online platforms that want you to show you the money: 1.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

The Smartest Entrepreneurs Bootstrap Their Startup

Startup Professionals Musings

'There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. Yet, according to many sources , over 90 percent of all businesses are started and grown with no equity financing, and many others would have been better off without it.

article thumbnail

What I learned about leadership from watching ‘The Walking Dead’

The Next Web

'Danny Boice is the co-founder and CTO of Speek – a 500 Startups-funded startup that let’s users do conference calls with a simple link rather than using phone numbers and PINs. I recently started watching “The Walking Dead” (I know, I know, late to the party). I’ve been mainlining the show relentlessly on Netflix and am now on Season 3. From the very beginning, I’ve been struck by how similar is the plight of Rick—the blue-steely-eyed sheriff’s deputy bravely leading his band of non-zombies—to

article thumbnail

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

article thumbnail

The Circle

Feld Thoughts

'A bunch of my tech friends have asked me to suggest a book to read over the holidays. My unambiguous recommendation is The Circle by Dave Eggers. I think it’s one of the best books I read this year. I’m an unabashed Eggers fan. My favorites of his are A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius: A Memoir Based on a True Story and Zeitoun.

article thumbnail

The consumerization of the services economy

deal architect

'Businesses have long used staffing firms and outsourcers for their talent needs. In recent years they have started to try out crowdsourcing sites. Over the last couple of years I have cataloged a number of providers who are focused more.

268
268

More Trending

article thumbnail

Lessons Learned in Therapeutics

Steve Blank

'This post is part of our series on the National Science Foundation I-Corps Lean LaunchPad class in Life Science and Health Care at UCSF. Doctors, researchers and Principal Investigators in this class got out of the lab and hospital talked to 2,355 customers, tested 947 hypotheses and invalidated 423 of them. The class had 1,145 engagements with instructors and mentors.

Lean 237
article thumbnail

Ho Rudolph

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

'Ho Rudolph — fog is thick tonight. Can you ride point? For the children. – Why is this email [link] ? Ho Santa, Oh damn, it’s going to be like that. All those years of name-calling, ostracized, excluded, and now, with NO NOTICE whatsoever, no “Hey Rudoph, how’s it going, how’s that new Klondike strategy of yours coming along,” and now you NEED me?

article thumbnail

Bah, humbug

deal architect

'My nephew who travels quite a bit – even more than I did when I was his age – is over for the holidays and was describing his experience using Delta miles.

273
273
article thumbnail

Entrepreneur Happiness Is An Elusive Achievement

Startup Professionals Musings

'Building a startup is hard work for low pay, it’s risky, and it requires total responsibility to make it work. Yet, many entrepreneurs are the happiest people I know. On the other hand, I know many unhappy individuals who are always partying, have minimal commitments, and little responsibility. I suspect the real parameters of happiness have eluded these people.

article thumbnail

Singapore Startup Picky Launches Famous Eats, A Hawker Food Guide

YoungUpstarts

'When it comes to topping international lists – from its education system to its financial hub status, for example – the tiny island of Singapore can seem like a giant. But nothing quite sets apart the city than its (almost perverse) obsession with food, especially the pride natives have for its local hawker cuisine. It’s one big reason why Singapore startup Picky has launched Famous Eats , an interactive food guide that maps out the best hawker food in Singapore.

Singapore 169
article thumbnail

Don’t Fight Depression

Feld Thoughts

'As 2013 comes to an end, I feel some relief that what has been a difficult and confusing year is almost behind me. I mark the year boundary with my birthday (12/1) so December is an “unwind” month for me. Amy and I are at our house in Keystone with a variety of friends swinging through, working some, reading some, exercising, and just hanging out.

article thumbnail

The dramatic reshaping of industry lines

deal architect

'In the early 90s at PwC we used to admire IBM’s sales organization by industry lines. In the late 90s at Gartner, we saw SAP develop ERP extensions for many industries. In the early 00s, we saw Amazon reshape the.

Sales 252
article thumbnail

Every Entrepreneur Needs Holidays To Rest And Relax

Startup Professionals Musings

'It’s been a challenging business year, but I hope you are all taking some time off this long holiday weekend, to celebrate with the family. Even those of you who are not Christian and see Christmas as just another day should still enjoy the holiday spirit, take a break from work, and enjoy your loved ones. Yet there will be some entrepreneurs can’t seem to make the decision to take a break.

Restful 252
article thumbnail

7 Must-Haves for Web Startups

YoungUpstarts

'So you’re taking your idea to the internet, and creating a web startup. Congratulations! You’ve done the hard work of developing your team, testing your prototype, and getting your initial seed funding. Now all you have to do is launch your startup and start shipping your products or services. Here are seven must-haves to help you successfully get your web startup off the ground: 1.

Web 167
article thumbnail

9 common mistakes developers make

The Next Web

'In the startup world today, we’re used to tradeoffs, especially in the service of speed. And developers – who, like just about everyone else on the team, get into a habit of putting out fires all day – can get caught up focusing on the wrong thing and consequently, create problems for the company. In order to find out what kind of mistakes are most common, I asked a panel of nine successful entrepreneurs from the Young Entrepreneur Council the following question: What’s one common (and easily a

Developer 162
article thumbnail

Looks back and forward

deal architect

'I recently wrote about the Magazine Renaissance. Over the next 10 days I am running a series from a scan of over magazine issues on New Florence of best of 2013 and things to look forward to in 2014. They.

207
207
article thumbnail

Organic Growth Startups Won’t Scale Competitively

Startup Professionals Musings

'Startups are usually so focused on selling more of their branded product or service to their own customer base (organic growth) that they don’t consider the more indirect methods (non-organic growth) of increasing revenue and market share. Non-organic growth would include OEM relationships, finding strategic partners, “coopetition,” as well as acquisitions.

Merger 243
article thumbnail

Keeping Healthy On The Job

YoungUpstarts

'by Ken Myers, founder of Longhorn Leads. When you are young it can feel like you are invincible. You have the energy to keep going all day long and make the most of your day. However if you keep up too hectic of a schedule without having your health in mind it can lead to a big crash. Here are some ways you can stay healthy and on the ball: Take your lunch (and snacks).

Restful 163
article thumbnail

Startup Boards – Operation Pre-Order

Feld Thoughts

'My newest book, Startup Boards: Getting the Most Out of Your Board of Directors , will ship at the end of the month. As a result, I’m activating Operation Pre-order today. Between now and Sunday, if you pre-order a copy of Startup Boards on Amazon , you will be entered into a random drawing. If you need immediate gratification, the Kindle version of Startup Boards is already shipping.

article thumbnail

Building a mobile app startup is about solving problems, not chasing ideas

The Next Web

'Rahul Varshneya is the co-founder of Arkenea , a company committed to helping entrepreneurs and businesses build, market and monetize their mobile apps. Building a mobile app startup is the “I want to build an Internet startup” of the late 1990s. The only difference is, this time, there is no bubble waiting to burst. At least not so, in my opinion.

Mobile 151
article thumbnail

Smart Entrepreneurs Don’t Overstay Their Welcome

Startup Professionals Musings

'For most entrepreneurs, their current business is not where they intend to stay until they die. At the right time, they all intend to make a graceful exit, and leave while still perceived to be on top of their game. The challenge is how to know and exit gracefully when the right time has come, without trauma to either the company or themselves. I haven’t seen much insight on this subject, so I was intrigued by a recent book “ Leaving on Top: Graceful Exits for Leaders ,” by David Heenan, a busi

article thumbnail

The Stakeholder Theory And How It Ties Into Your Corporate Objective

YoungUpstarts

'The Stakeholder Theory owes its origin in modern business management to the 1984 book “ Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach “ written by R. Edward Freeman. Freeman challenges the conventional view that the needs of shareholders in a company and increasing value for them should always be the primary focus of a business. What is Stakeholder Theory?

article thumbnail

A Month of Android Instead of iOS

Feld Thoughts

'I’m going to spend January using an Android phone and tablet instead of my iPhone and iPad. My Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 are charged up and ready to go – all I need is a SIM card. I’ve been an iPhone user since I ditched my HTC Dash running some version of Windows Mobile 6 oh so many years ago. I’ve struggled with battery life, broken screens, water damage, and this insatiable urge to upgrade to the latest iPhone the day it comes out.

Mobile 141
article thumbnail

Why founders should never sacrifice company culture

The Next Web

'Anthony Del Monte is the CEO and founder of Squeaky Wheel Media , a Web design and development agency based in NYC, as well as the co-founder of IHadCancer.com , one of the first social-networking sites for cancer survivors, fighters and supporters. As an entrepreneur, it’s important to realize one surefire reality: you will be spending more time with your partners/employees than with your own family.

Founder 149
article thumbnail

Do venture capital firms or private equity funds offer debt financing for startups?

Gust

'The direct answer to your question is NO, VC and PE funds do not provide debt financing for any companies. Their entire business model is based on investing in companies that can potentially offer very high returns. For venture capital, this is typically ten times the invested capital, and those returns can only be achieved through equity appreciation, not debt service.

article thumbnail

Hiring Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

YoungUpstarts

'by Mark Potter of Namecheap.com. Hiring a new employee is a big decision, especially if you have a small company. Mistakes can be time-consuming, costly, and damaging to the business. They can also be easy to make – particularly if you don’t know what you’re looking for. The first step to avoiding a hiring mistake is to be prepared. Knowing the common pitfalls of recruitment is key to avoiding them.

Hiring 154
article thumbnail

Apply to Techstars New York Before New Years Eve

Feld Thoughts

'The deadline for applying to Techstars New York for the next program is 11:59:59pm PST on 12/31/13. I’m extremely excited about the upcoming Techstars New York program. Alex Iskold is the new managing director. I was an angel investor in Alex’s previous company ( AdaptiveBlue - also known as GetGlue ) and have known and worked with Alex since 2006.

New York 130
article thumbnail

Metrics That Matter Most for 2014 (free PDF)

Life Beyond Code

' Note : I created this checklist a couple of years ago and it has served me well. No changes on the checklist except the dates. Please feel free to download, modify, re-use or share. We are obsessed about measuring everything. We want to know the number o connections, number of followers, number of pageviews, number of minutes someone spends on our website, number of clickthroughs, number of times the shopping cart was abandoned, number of repeat visitors, number of new visitors. and the list g

Metrics 130
article thumbnail

What is the maximum amount of money a pre-revenue mobile Internet startup can expect to raise from the VCs?

Gust

'To start with, a pre-revenue mobile company cannot expect to raise anything from “the VCs” Venture capital funds invest in only one out of every 400 companies seeking funding, so the odds of your particular startup getting funded are astronomically against you. Next, venture capital funds invest primarily in later stage companies that have already shown significant indications of success (known in the industry as “traction” ) Of the roughy $20 billion invested eve

Revenue 136
article thumbnail

Career Resolutions for 2014 – Commit to Improving Your Brand

YoungUpstarts

'by Thomas Moran, CEO of Addison Group. The New Year is almost here, and instead of a common resolution like focusing on fitness or getting organized, resolve to improve your personal brand and career path. There are ways to become a stronger and more sought-after employee. For millennials and established employees alike, the New Year brings an opportunity to reevaluate what your long-term career goals are and how to accomplish them.

Chicago 150
article thumbnail

Apple TV and Google DNS Issues

Feld Thoughts

'A few days ago I suggested anyone using Google Apps should use Google Public DNS. The performance difference at my house in Keystone (which uses Comcast) has been dramatic for almost everything. The one disaster has been Apple TV. Suddenly, Apple TV which previously worked no longer buffered well and HD shows took an interminably long time to load.

IP 126
article thumbnail

Have some empathy this Christmas

The Equity Kicker

'Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you had a great year, and thanks for reading The Equity Kicker. I’m going to leave you with a short video and some thoughts on empathy, which Google defines as: noun. 1. the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Empathy is a great thing to possess. In my book one of the greatest. It makes you stronger and kinder as a human being, and in many professions it makes you better work.

article thumbnail

How to draw in the best computer science interns to your company

The Next Web

'Nathan Parcells is co-founder and CMO of InternMatch , an online platform connecting the best intern candidates and employers. Connect with Nathan and InternMatch on Facebook , LinkedIn , and Twitter. It’s no secret that the field of computer science is booming. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that 70 percen t of all new jobs across STEM fields during this decade – which includes everything from engineering to the social sciences – will be in computer science.

Salary 124
article thumbnail

The Bitcoin Industry Takes Root in Austin

SiliconHills

'By LAURA LOREK Founder of Silicon Hills News A new industry is brewing in Austin in a back room at Scholz Garten where dozens of people meet regularly to talk about Bitcoins. They are pioneers in the crypto-currency marketplace, founded in 2009 with the birth of Bitcoins. The industry is in its infancy, but gaining […] The post The Bitcoin Industry Takes Root in Austin appeared first on SiliconHills.

Austin 127
article thumbnail

1Q is too good to be true

David Cohen

'I am an investor in a startup company called 1Q that can use your help and benefit you at the same time. Sign up with 1Q and you (or a designated charity) receive $1 every time you respond to a multiple choice question sent to your cell phone via the app. Companies pay $2 to 1Q for every response they receive. Companies get market research from 1Q and you get paid.

Email 122