Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019

A popular approach for aspiring entrepreneurs these days seems to be to corner anyone who will listen, with a pitch on their current “million dollar idea.” The initial monologue usually ends with the question “How much money do you think this is worth?” In my opinion, ideas are a commodity, and are really not worth much, outside the context of a visionary leader who can execute. Over the past couple of decades, experts have perfected the art of brainstorming and other idea-generation techniques.

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Bootstrapping Angel Investor Differentiation Leadership 217

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

Haven’t you heard? Time is money. Or…so the saying goes. But before we go apologising for wasting yours, we suggest you set aside a few minutes and keep reading. Think of this as a ‘ timely ’ investment that’s guaranteed to bring you a better return than checking social media again. We know, we’ve been there. So, back to the ‘ time is money ’ thing. The saying is as old as…well, time. The core conceit is simple: if you aren’t maximising your time, you’re losing money.

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Product Startup Silicon Valley Flash 139

YFS Magazine

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019

What does your LinkedIn profile say about you? Utilize these simple tips to improve your presence in today's age of networked intelligence. Grow Marketing & Sales business networking linkedin online networking professional networking social media social media marketing

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Networking Social Media Media Sales 112

View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

*This post is part of our “pitch deck” series where we dissect the seed stage pitch deck and discuss the ideal flow for a pitch. You can read the rest of the posts in the series by clicking here *. So you’ve covered the “who”, “what”, “why”, & “when”. Now it’s time to discuss the “where”. As a seed-stage company, it is understandable to have a nascent (or non-existent) product and a barebone team relative to the great ambition of the company.

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Seed Stage CTO Forecast Differentiation 160

Speaker: Nick Noreña, Innovation Coach and Advisor, Kromatic

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 their own ecosystem. He'll also go over metrics we can use to measure the health of our ecosystems as we build more resources for innovators.

Metrics

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2019

In my years of mentoring entrepreneurs, a problem I have seen too often is low self-esteem, and over-compensating through arrogance and ego. These entrepreneurs find it hard to respect customers or team members, and their ventures usually fail. As a team member, low self-esteem leads to low confidence, poor productivity, and no job satisfaction. Fortunately, both can be fixed.

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YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

by Randy Patterson , author of “ The Matriarch Rules: How to Own Your Power, Know Your Worth, and Lead the Life You’ve Always Wanted “ Becoming an entrepreneur is no joke. But if you are a woman and an entrepreneur, you have some serious advantages. I’m not saying that owning a business is easy, but nothing driven by passion, ever is….

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View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019

*This post is part of our “pitch deck” series where we dissect the seed stage pitch deck and discuss the ideal flow for a pitch. You can read the rest of the posts in the series by clicking here *. Although most pitch decks follow a logical progression, we think the best pitches are ones that evolve into spirited discussion after the first 10 minutes.

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Metrics Seed Stage PR Leadership 157

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

Deciding to be an entrepreneur is a lifestyle move, and should be part of a long-term strategic plan. You shouldn’t be making this decision just because you are mad at your boss, or you would like to be rich, or someone else thinks you have a good idea. In these changing times, if you already have a startup, with no plan, maybe it’s time to think ahead for a change. Formally, that’s called developing and maintaining a strategic plan.

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Demand Management Customer Developer 186

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

From medical emergencies to investments, business and personal development, we are all faced with the need to borrow money to fund a certain need at some point in life. Luckily, financial institutions and private lenders are always waiting on the other end to provide you with the much-needed financial assistance, of course, at a profit. However, not all loans are equal and it’s important to be smart when taking a loan regardless of the type.

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Equity Security Finance Naming 147

ConversionXL

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

The way we do retargeting is restrictive. Creating a tailored, personalized campaign is often done with micro-triggers: Did the user spend more than X minutes on the site? Did they view more than Y pages? Did they add to cart? Are they visiting on mobile? All of these data points personalize the messaging for retargeting campaigns. But even a talented campaign manager can juggle only so many variables. Eventually, you end up with tons of segments that are difficult and time-consuming to manage.

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CPA Campaign Audience Metrics 104

View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019

When I started out in VC, there was a strong consensus around early stage investors that the “right” level of ownership was 20%. Pretty much every firm was targeting at least 20% ownership. And I found that pricing, check sizes, and deal sizes were strangely shaped by the 20% target as much as the actual needs of the company. As someone who was new to venture at the time, I understood that more ownership of a good company was better.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

When the economy tanks as it did in the last recession, that’s a strong signal that things have to change, and it’s hard to miss. But most of us in business have to deal most of the time with weak signals, or change that is happening in a far more subtle way. These changes can be cultural, like the increasing need to be social, spawning Facebook and a hundred others, or technological, like the explosion of mobile devices around the world.

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Entrepreneur Agile Metrics Government 183

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

by Grant Parr , author of “ The Next One Up Mindset: How To Prepare For The Unknown “ The workplace, like the playing field in sports, is packed with competition — often against oneself. It demands being at your best, reaching and exceeding goals, working hard to master all aspects of a position, and proving you’re capable of taking on more.

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Rembrandt Communications

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

How PR Pros Can Help Their CEOs Thrive With the Right Communications. Work together and everyone wins! Do you have the right communications in place? Your B2B CEO, CMO, CFO, and other executives have a lot going on, and you only see a small portion of what they have to deal with on a daily basis. Behind closed doors, they handle stressful investor issues, legal hassles, employee situations, and much more that they keep private.

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B2B Leadership Employee PR 100

ConversionXL

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

Historically, CRO has taken a backseat to SEO, PPC, and other forms of digital marketing. But it’s on the rise— 60.8% of businesses are making CRO a priority. As more companies think about starting or expanding CRO programs, the “agency or in-house?” question is also earning more attention. Hiring an agency can make sense for companies that don’t have the time or resources to build an in-house team. But to find the right agency, you need to do your homework.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2019

One of the most common complaints I hear from entrepreneurs is that they are overwhelmed by the workload and stress of starting their company. Then there are the additional challenges of balancing the demands of family and friends. Having too much on your plate can turn your dream into a nightmare. Some people will tell you to just get a bigger plate, meaning hire some help.

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Management Demand Hiring Entrepreneur 175

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

by Akin Tosyali, Director of Digital Marketing for Tiege Hanley. In the digital age, it pays to keep your skills sharp. Whether you’re hoping to get a promotion at your current job or you’re searching for employment, maintaining your hireability is key to getting ahead in your career. Although, saying that you’ll do something and actually doing it are two different things. That’s where creating a career growth checklist can come in handy.

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PPC Chicago SEO Networking 133

YFS Magazine

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

Time is, arguably, our most valuable asset. Here's a look at three solutions to improve business operations and spend it wisely. Grow Operations productivity productivity tips workplace productivity

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Employee Management Operations Product 94

Version One Ventures

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

A few weeks ago I shared my reflections on my first year as a GP. Along with all the well wishes (thank you!!), many asked what Version One is investing in these days. Our portfolio companies aren’t as quick to publicize fundraising rounds like they used to and as such, we’re not making as many public announcements about our activity. So, as a follow up, I thought I’d share some high level stats on our investing activity since we kicked off Fund III nearly a year ago in October 2018. .

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North America Seattle America Early Stage 94

Haystack

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019

About a year ago, a friend told us about this new work app they were using. Didn’t think much about it. Then, the same thing happened a few days later. It’s just the Bay Area echo chamber at work. And then finally, a few weeks later, their usage started to spike, and a real investment round came together, and we scrambled, triangulated, and spent a bunch of time with Will and Macgill, the original creators of Humble Dot. And, we became small investors in the company.

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Malaysia Open Source Software Product 84

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019

A business card is like your information calling card. It is used as a marketing tool to help people learn more about your products and services. A sound business card is one that is designed in a way that will make people remember your company. Unfortunately, many people make common mistakes while getting their business cards printed online. Below are some of the more typical mistakes to try and avoid. Not a Unique Design.

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Design Reputation Stock Distribution 125

YFS Magazine

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019

Influencer marketing has quickly become one of the most effective PR and social media strategies for marketers and individuals alike. Grow Marketing & Sales Influencer Marketing marketing social media social media marketing

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PR Marketing Social Media Media 89

VC Adventure

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

A few years back I blogged about the hard data behind venture outcomes and the challenge of creating a venture portfolio that produces strong returns. That blog post – which turned into one of my most read posts ever – grew out of a study done by Correlation Ventures showing the distribution of outcomes across over 21,000 financings during the years 2004-2013 as well as some of my own observations.

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Finance Venture Capital Distribution Portfolio 80

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

Pulling off the first few sales on a new ecommerce website can be an exciting experience for anyone. . However, for some ecommerce startups , that is also where the excitement ends. To keep those orders coming and to grow the business into a large empire or at least a successful venture becomes a big challenge. The most common reason is that the ecommerce business wasn’t set up properly.

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YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

by Alejandro Cremades , cofounder of Panthera Advisors and author of “ The Art of Startup Fundraising: Pitching Investors, Negotiating the Deal, and Everything Else Entrepreneurs Need to Know “ Why should entrepreneurs intentionally be generous when negotiating with investors? Generous is not a word often associated with talking about negotiations between startup entrepreneurs and their investors.

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Entrepreneur Term Sheet Post-Money Valuation Reputation 118

YFS Magazine

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019

Can you beat Warren Buffett at investing and earn 50% annual returns on stock market investing based on Buffett’s strategies? Absolutely. Finance Grow business finance

Stock 87

Stock Marketing Finance 87

Hearpreneur

SEPTEMBER 15, 2019

Poor performance in business doesn’t always imply the failure of a business. It can be an improving point for a business or mark its upward trajectory. Hiring an expert or a coach to walk you through this stage can help you minimize the chances of failure although identifying the problem first can be a great way to create a long-lasting strategy. Whichever path works best for you, improvement should be the ultimate goal.

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Bankruptcy Entrepreneur B2B Bootstrapping 76

The Startup Magazine

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

Event planning is a lucrative venture that should be given the credit it deserves. If you already have the passion and talent for managing events, it’s high time you gave it a shot. All you need is the talent, zeal and consistency to become a successful event planner. To start a successful event planning business, there are several things you need to do. Photo by Jakob Dalbjörn on Unsplash. Get Listed on Event Planning Websites.

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Hosting Portfolio Advertising Finance 104

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019

Are you a very social person who enjoys bringing people together for the purpose of having a great time? You might want to consider a career as an event planner. There are more than 130,000 event planners working all across the nation at this time. They specialize in mapping out everything from weddings to business conventions, and they’re some of the most organized and detail-oriented people you’ll ever meet.

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San Francisco Portfolio Public Relations Video 118

SiliconHills

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

Austin ranks number one as the hottest real estate market in the country, according to the Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2020 report. PwC US and the Urban Land Institute released the report this week which also included another Texas city: Dallas/Fort Worth, which claimed the sixth spot. Others in the top ten included Raleigh-Durham […]. The post Austin Ranks First as the Hottest Real Estate Market in the Country appeared first on SiliconHills. Austin

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Raleigh Fort Worth Dallas Texas 90

Where to Play

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019

The post Intriguing takeaways from a Where to Play workshop appeared first on Where to Play. I just came back from running a full-week ‘Where to Play’ workshop for postdocs at Cornell Tech’s Runway Program. This is a small group of bright researchers on a mission to found a start-up and commercialize their tech expertise.

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The Startup Magazine

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

Healthcare administration is a broad-ranging field with many healthcare career opportunities for dedicated individuals. The field as a whole is concerned with making the healthcare system run more efficiently while meeting the needs of the general public. Seth Whitmer, a seasoned healthcare administrator , gives an overview of healthcare administration and introduces some specialized careers within the field. The Mission of Healthcare Administration.

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Management Chicago Demand Programming 103

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

A vital aspect of supply chain management is demand planning — identifying and forecasting trends in the demand for products or services based on past data, surveys, market research, etc. Businesses must implement effective demand planning to stay competitive in the modern market, as customer demand is more volatile than ever. Doing so is not a trivial task, but there are ways to improve your business’s current demand planning, address errors and respond to unforeseen changes.

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SiliconHills

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

At Brown University, Roman Gonzalez studied philosophy to understand big things like love and purpose. He wanted to distill these difficult concepts and relate them in a way to make people’s lives better. At the same time, he was working to reshape his relationship with food, and he learned that to make a good salsa, […]. The post Austin-based Gardenio Caters to Millennials Looking to Grow Their Own Food appeared first on SiliconHills. Austin

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Austin 88

YFS Magazine

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

Here's a look at three ways to regain control of your brain when you’re in the hot seat—Emotional intelligence expert Bill Benjamin calls it the SOS system. Lead emotional intelligence health and wellness leadership mental health personal development

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Developer Leadership 60

The Startup Magazine

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

No one has ever said it’s easy to start a business. Many people try but even more fail. Startup companies often face numerous obstacles that stand in the way of their desired level of success—from lack of planning to inability to scale up or poor management to neglecting marketing. Among these obstacles exists the idea of product viability and adaptability. Customer feedback plays an important role in overcoming these obstacles.

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