Both Sides of the Table

JULY 26, 2015

The hardest thing about starting a company is that from day one you emerge as this completely vulnerable entity trying its hardest to project success, power, trajectory and inevitability while you secretly know that you’re one knock-out blow from extinction. Think about it: You start with nearly no money, you bring on some co-founders and if they quit it could completely derail your mission, you talk to journalists who if they decide to be cranky can ruin your reputation, you pitch investo

Oauth 286

Oauth Software Review Technical Review IPO 286

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2015

These days, it is almost impossible to find a small business where everything is done at the home location, by full-time employees. We are in the age of outsourcing, by any of many popular names, including subcontracting, freelancing, and virtual assistants. These approaches allow your startup to grow more rapidly, save costs, but costly mistakes can lead to business failure.

Philippines 214

Philippines Startup Bandwidth Cofounder 214

YoungUpstarts

JULY 28, 2015

by Arthur Pait, AVer Information, Inc. Modern day businesses need to incorporate videoconferencing into their repertoire – whether it be for the rise of satellite employees or to speak with a client. It’s not as common (or necessary) to meet face-to-face anymore with new technology, however, technology still poses its pitfalls. Here are some tips on how to pick the appropriate videoconference solution: Make sure to measure how large your conference room is.

Video 193

Video Technical Support Audio Canada 193

Brandanew

JULY 31, 2015

The good thing about online marketing is that it is not very hard to learn. In fact this is true for everything on the internet. It provides us more information that we can ever consume and that too for free. In fact it is complete opposite to the formal education we are used to. Actually everything in the online world evolves and changes so rapidly that it is not possible to create formal courses and taught through an academic year as the scene may change drastically even before the year ends.

Social Media 185

Social Media Media Software Review Campaign 185

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

ConversionXL

JULY 29, 2015

Crowdfunding is painful. With standard conversions, people receive value immediately. They buy your product. Then they receive your product. Done and done. That’s not crowdfunding. With crowdfunding, the end product doesn’t even exist. You need to convince people to give you money for something that they won’t receive for months (and possible longer).

Campaign 103

Campaign Reputation Metrics Naming 103

Up and Running

JULY 31, 2015

This week Peter and Jonathan talk to Tim Berry, founder of Palo Alto Software, about lean business planning, strategy, tactics, specifics (milestones), and the forecast. Subscribe: Stitcher | TuneIn | Pocket Casts | PlayerFM | Soundcloud. Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on the show? Tweet at us: @Bplans (include the hashtag #BCast).

Lean 70

Lean Business Plan Forecast Software Review 70

deal architect

JULY 27, 2015

I was reviewing Duncan Chapple’s latest influence quadrant and thinking how much the analyst relations world has changed since my days at Gartner in the 90s a) Vendor product portfolios have exploded Microsoft needs a “One Microsoft” initiative to bring.

Portfolio 247

Portfolio Product 247

View from Seed

JULY 28, 2015

While the startup environment in Boston has vastly improved over the last several years , I continue to hear the sentiment that it’s really tough to build a great consumer startup in Boston. This is expressed by people outside of Boston, but it often comes from those within our community too. There are a couple reasons cited for the challenge of building a consumer company in this city, but I want to focus on one in particular.

Boston 224

Boston Marketing Early Stage Startup 224

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2015

Every entrepreneur needs a value proposition statement for his or her startup that can hook potential investors and partners in less than a minute -- the short time you might join them in an elevator on the way to their offices. This may sound easy, but every investor I know is frustrated by wasted time listening to rambling, emotional pitches that are not to the point.

Elevator Pitch 213

Elevator Pitch Angel Investor Differentiation Business Plan 213

YoungUpstarts

JULY 27, 2015

by Joey Wang, founder and Managing Director of Appiloque. Putting the user first is key to success online. Whether you are setting up a new website, releasing a new app or launching a new product, by putting the user at the center you will be setting yourself up for success. Many digital products fail because of this lack of focus on the user, so how can you go about making sure you put the user first?

Singapore 198

Singapore Marketing Design Hiring 198

Brandanew

JULY 29, 2015

Two Social Accounts: A Wise Thing To Do? Maybe. Maybe not. As social media is becoming increasingly popular for both work and play, there is one question that haunts the professionals these days. Do you need to run separate accounts for living their professional and personal lives? What happens when you are a Startup owner and your Startup brand gets starkly impacted by your personal brand?

Social Network 188

Social Network Networking Social Media Audience 188

deal architect

JULY 29, 2015

I saw this 1986 photo of Steve Jobs by Doug Menuez. “He is outlining what remains to be converted from analog to digital.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2015

Every entrepreneur realizes that building a great team is critical to the success of his or her startup, but many don’t realize that it takes more than multiple qualified employees to make an effective team. It’s possible, or even likely, that a set of skilled individuals can result in a dysfunctional team, where contention, jealousy, lack of communication or work habits jeopardize results.

Due Diligence 207

Due Diligence Startup Differentiation Entrepreneur 207

YoungUpstarts

JULY 31, 2015

by Aleda Schaffer , a strategic partnerships manager at American Airlines. Launching a startup can be expensive. Many entrepreneurs take DIY to the extreme and would rather go broke than seek help. But there’s a highly underutilized option out there that could provide valuable products and services to startups and allow entrepreneurs to invest those resources in other areas of growth for their companies: a corporate sponsorship.

Small Business 178

Small Business Balance Sheet Cloud Programming 178

Brandanew

JULY 28, 2015

Our world is dominated by brands. Brands are everywhere. Whenever we buy something, we usually check what brand it is. Brands tell us about the existing reputation of the product. But what exactly is a personal brand? Can individuals build brands ? Well, surely various celebrities and sportspeople have built such brands around themselves already but what about the normal people?

Coder 178

Coder SEM Reputation Social Media 178

Gust

JULY 30, 2015

2015 is shaping up to be a strong year for the startup and early stage investor ecosystem. Total startup funding applications are up across the globe and in multiple sectors, especially in the United States where the surging New York City tech industry is leading a nationwide growth in new startups. Coming out of the second quarter of the year, the total number Read more >.

New York City 139

New York City United States Early Stage New York 139

Feld Thoughts

JULY 28, 2015

I got the following email recently, titled “Unicorns Without The Magic.” “With the rise in venture capitalism it’s hard to say the word “start up” and not be offered an abundance of accelerator programmes, free office space, free apartments & a free bible of connections. I myself have felt the pressures of the world of start up wonders & the prospects of investment.

Silicon Valley 132

Silicon Valley Algorithm Venture Capital Partner 132

YoungUpstarts

JULY 26, 2015

By Roman Yarovyi, PR and Communication Manager for One Visa Ltd. If you are reading this article, you are: a) an entrepreneur who values simplicity and innovative approach to business; b) you have gone through the whole Internet looking for the ideal conditions for your startup, and you already know that Singapore, which offers unparalleled boosts, is a bargain alternative to the expensive Silicon Valley (or at least Hong Kong).

Singapore 166

Singapore Limited Liability Company PR Silicon Valley 166

Brandanew

JULY 30, 2015

What is content marketing ? You write something useful in your blog, rank high in google search and expect people to read it and become your fans and the gradually morph into your customers. Is that not enough? What is so complicated in it? Why do we need a content marketing audit? Image credit: Flickr. Well, things are not as simple as some of you might think.

Marketing 146

Marketing SEO Analytics Search 146

The Next Web

JULY 28, 2015

Earlier this year, I closed my startup. So now I get to reflect on what I’d have done differently. Hindsight is unfair and inaccurate, but I still enjoy its lessons. This is one, a note to my future self: Don’t call your projects ‘startups’. It’s a semantic trick, but a really important one. Here’s why. ‘Startups’ have become a commodity in an industry of startup conferences, websites, courses and competitions.

Semantic 132

Semantic Startup Web Founder 132

This is going to be BIG.

JULY 30, 2015

One of the first things I did when I joined the venture asset class as a lowly institutional LP analyst in 2001 was to build the VC fund cashflow model. Just about every analyst who looks at fund investing has built one. You incorporate expected company returns, mortality rates, and fee structures to try to predict how a venture capital fund works from a cash in, cash out, and NAV standpoint.

Venture Capital 131

Venture Capital Pre-Money Valuation IRR Valuation 131

YoungUpstarts

JULY 28, 2015

In today’s digital age, more and more young people are turning to social media to influence almost every decision they make from the clothing they wear, to the jobs they seek, to investments in their future. As a result, social media is having a huge impact on literally every investment platform in ways that just weren’t possible as recently as a decade ago.

Social Media 148

Social Media Media Audience Cost 148

Version One Ventures

JULY 27, 2015

These days, we’re hyper-focused on marketplaces, communities and social platforms. We love these platforms for many reasons, but the primary one is the power of their network effects and how they create a high degree of defensibility for startups. What are network effects? “Network effects” is a frequently used term and it is sometimes confused with having a large customer base.

Networking 131

Networking Community Viral Social Network 131

Up and Running

JULY 30, 2015

If you’re keeping your day job while you start a business, it can be hard to find balance. So, you’re ready to start your business, but not quite ready to give up your day job. Maybe you’re planning to use your income from your day job to help fund your new business, or are simply relying on that income to sustain your living expenses until your business can generate a profit.

Entrepreneur 122

Entrepreneur Social Media .Net Media 122

Feld Thoughts

JULY 30, 2015

Yesterday we closed our fifth fund, Foundry Venture Capital 2016, L.P. As with all four of our other funds, it’s a $225 million fund. In 2007 we raised our first fund – Foundry Venture Capital 2007. We subsequently raised a $225 million fund in 2010 , another one in 2013 , and a late stage fund in 2013. Our 2013 fund was originally raised in 2012, but we didn’t start investing it until 2013 so we renamed it 2013.

Minneapolis 122

Minneapolis Phoenix Portland Syndicate 122

YoungUpstarts

JULY 31, 2015

If you’re going away this summer, it’s possible that you’re already creating lists of the holiday essentials that you need to pack. You’ve probably already thought about your sunscreen, your swimsuit and all your toiletries, but have you considered what you’re going to do while you’re away? Unless you’re filling all of your time climbing mountains or doing water sports, it’s likely that you’re going to have a lot of down time that you could fill by getting lost within a good book.

Audio 145

Audio Search Technology Mobile 145

The Next Web

JULY 31, 2015

Building a mobile app these days is easy. However, monetizing that same app has become nearly impossible, given how saturated the market is with free options (and potential customers unwilling to pay). So to find out how founders can make money from their app, I asked a group of entrepreneurs from YEC the following: Monetizing a mobile app has only gotten harder.

Mobile 117

Mobile Web Email Founder 117

Rembrandt Communications

JULY 30, 2015

Are you following these steps to advance your career and make more money? Recently, I was looking for BtoB content writers and requested applications. It’s amazing what people sent to me… the good, the bad, and the (very) ugly. Let’s just say that the applicants who followed directions accordingly were placed in the “possible” pile. […]. The post How to Win a BtoB Content Project – Or Any Job For that Matter!

PR 116

PR Sales Management 116

Up and Running

JULY 29, 2015

Whether you’re looking to start a business or want to expand an existing one, finding the cash to do so can be tough. While the most traditional option is to go to the bank for a loan, there are many other choices that you may not know about. To help you secure the capital you need for your business, we’ve compiled a list of the funding resources that every entrepreneur should look into.

Angel Investor 115

Angel Investor Equity Small Business Delaware 115

YoungUpstarts

JULY 29, 2015

You cannot book world class musicians to play in your office. For one thing, they would never turn up! But, that doesn’t mean you cannot bring them into the office period. All you have to do is a bit of research to find out who are the ideal musicians for the office. Robbie Williams. Robbie Williams is a pure entertainer, and Rock DJ is one of his most entertaining tunes.

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Feld Thoughts

JULY 25, 2015

I’m ending a full day in Denver with a talk about the potential invasion by the Europans at Startup Grind from 6pm – 9pm on 7/30 at Galvanize. The post Talking At Startup Grind in Denver on 7/30 appeared first on Feld Thoughts.

Denver 112

Denver Startup 112

YFS Magazine

JULY 29, 2015

Loneliness doesn’t have to be your constant companion in business, and if it does visit once in a while, that’s okay too.

Developer 130

Developer Leadership 130

Up and Running

JULY 31, 2015

Josh Fegles and his wife Bethany selling Jude’s Foods at an industry event. Husband and father of three Josh Fegles loved to bake, and his family had recently gone gluten-free. They were all fond of cookies, and the existing gluten-free cookie options were just missing the mark of what his family was used to eating. Josh started experimenting with gluten-free cookie baking to try and recapture the taste he and his family had loved.

Oregon 112

Oregon Portland Small Business Community 112

YoungUpstarts

JULY 29, 2015

By Benoit Gruber, Vice President of Corporate Communications, Sage Enterprise Market & Sage X3. If you’re looking to conduct cross-continent business, know that you can, but the task is not easy. Managing one location has it’s own challenges like keeping up with all of your departments including Human Resources, sales, marketing and the like. Now, think about doing that, but all over the world where there are different time zones, cultures and expectations.

Global 141

Global Cloud Agile Employee 141

Feld Thoughts

JULY 26, 2015

Ernst Cline’s second book, Armada , is almost as wonderful as his first book, Ready Player One. While plenty of folks on Amazon are giving it mediocre ratings, I think it’s because they don’t understand what Cline really did here. Both books are scifi. Both books are heavily gamer influenced. Each moves fast. However RPO is complicated while Armada is straightforward.

Vietnam 108

Vietnam Restful Video 108

YFS Magazine

JULY 25, 2015

All said and done, one cannot deny that being aware of a color’s psychological effect can go a long way in allowing you to choose an outfit that leaves a lasting impression.

Developer 107

Developer Sales 107