Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 25, 2009

Beware of VC Seagulls, who shit on you and then fly away (or worse yet leave you with Red Herrings). This is part of my ongoing series Startup Advice. I write this post as a warning to pick your VC’s carefully. I like to say to first-time entrepreneurs, picking a VC is more permanent than marriage.

VC 297

VC board consulting advice 297

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 3, 2016

In the VC insider baseball world a discussion has gone on about “VC platforms” over the past 5 or so years. While firms define platforms differently, let’s just say they are the services that a VC offers outside of investment capital and partner time on boards or providing intros.

VC 198

VC peer-to-peer mix-use leadership 198

Berkonomics

MAY 23, 2024

Here is my best advice, based upon many boards and many years. You do not pay professional investors who are serving on behalf of an investment company or VC and paid by that company. VC board members sometimes request this, other times do not. It should not be offered to the VC members unless requested.

board 62

board VC consulting advice 62

TechCrunch

MAY 6, 2022

We start with a historical run of stories beginning last December, threading through the start of the year until we reach the latest data from the VC ecosystem. Here’s how far VCs have lowered revenue expectations for seed through Series B (January 2022). The following digest of TechCrunch coverage looks to answer that question.

advice 78

advice startup venture capital SaaS 78

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2010

One of the questions I’m most often asked is, “what’s it like being a VC?&# I’ve been a VC for nearly 3 years now. I always start my answer to this question with, “you’d have to be a pretty big baby to complain about being a VC.&# And the VC job has plenty of admin and minutiae.

VC 312

VC consulting entrepreneurs creativity 312

Entrepreneur's Handbook

AUGUST 2, 2021

Photo Credit: Fortune Adding to the lack of female representation in the industry, research also shows that only 8% of the investment professionals at the top 25 VC firms are women. As Lindquist adds, “We all have unique networks, personal relationships, market knowledge, and talents, which contribute to the fabric of a VC ecosystem.”

VC 111

VC venture capital mentorship leadership 111

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

I came across this blog post about getting a computer science degree as the best degree for getting into venture capital or working at a VC-backed start up. I just completed an exercise where I went out to hire a new associate for my VC firm, GRP Partners. My first job after college was as a developer at Andersen Consulting.

VC 337

VC peer-to-peer advice consulting 337

Entrepreneurs' Organization

DECEMBER 15, 2023

Evaluate investors thoroughly, not just based on the size of their check, but whether they can provide strategic advice and introductions that support your vision. Seek investor advice to strengthen your business model. He serves as the CEO of the boutique future-of-work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts.

pitching 220

pitching consulting advice communities 220

This is going to be BIG.

AUGUST 8, 2011

How about as a VC? Fred has basically always been a VC, Mike was a reporter, and Jim worked in product marketing and management consulting. Surely--but then I realize how difficult it is to be an early stage VC in NYC. Really never managed anything of significant or built anything major.". what has this guy done?

VC 275

VC peer-to-peer board advice 275

TechCrunch

JULY 16, 2021

Our ongoing search for the best startup growth marketers is yielding results: reporter Anna Heim interviewed SaaS and early-stage startup marketing consultant Lucy Heskins to learn more about the mistakes her clients are most likely to make before they seek her help. India poised for record VC year as unicorns head for decisive IPOs.

VC 99

VC pitching venture capital consulting 99

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 29, 2012

And no wonder, lately he and his partners are on a tear, investing out of their $200+ million VC fund. We also spent a fair bit of time talking about the changing nature of venture capital and in particular the hand-on practitioner role of early-stage VC led by accelerators such as YC, 500Startups, Betaworks and the like.

VC 279

VC culture incubation venture capital 279

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 26, 2010

With VCs my strong suggestion is that you be open & realistic. Leaving your real competitors off of you presentation to a VC is not recommended. Think back to the slides in the VC deck where you define the customer problem you’re solving and what your solution does. Two-by-two matrix.

VC 313

VC education strategy opportunity 313

TechCrunch

JUNE 7, 2021

David Teten is founder of Versatile VC and writes periodically at teten.com and @dteten. How to win consulting, board and deal roles with PE and VC funds. 5 innovative fundraising methods for emerging VCs and PEs. Consulting. David Teten. Contributor. Share on Twitter. More posts by this contributor.

founder 126

founder consulting angel investing venture capital 126

David Teten VC

MARCH 21, 2024

My Partner Winter Mead, Founder & CEO of Coolwater Capital , the accelerator for emerging VC fund managers, said: “Fewer than 5 of the 180 emerging managers we’ve worked with are raising via 506c, in order to get in front of more retail LPs, who are generally already following the GP, e.g., through the GP’s newsletter or community.

capital 52

capital advice consulting VC 52

A VC: Musings of a VC in NYC

FEBRUARY 14, 2023

First and foremost, this is not tax advice. I am not a tax advisor and you should never take anything you read here as tax advice. If you read something here that makes you think you should take some tax-related action, please always consult your tax advisor.

advice 232

advice consulting strategy founder 232

TechCrunch

DECEMBER 10, 2021

Software consultant Andrew Drach’s two companies Callentis and Solwey demonstrate his entrepreneurial skills, but his clients also value his educational background, as we learned through TechCrunch’s survey to identify the best software consultants for startups. Why did you choose the boutique consultancy model?

development 102

development consulting advice strategy 102

David Teten VC

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

Here’s what I said: In your career in tech and VC, how has your focus on ESG responsibility changed over time? How do you leverage your VC expertise in politics? I think the most common ethical issue in VC is when I’m talking with another possible investor in a portfolio company. Are you politically active? Why is that?

venture capital 52

venture capital VC capital ventures 52

TechCrunch

JULY 6, 2022

What do early-stage founders need to know to capture VC interest, and dollars, in a challenging market? It’s a vital question, and it’s why we’ve invited three investors — who we think know their stuff — to share their insight and advice on the TechCrunch+ stage at TechCrunch Disrupt on October 18-20 in San Francisco.

ventures 95

ventures education venture capital disruption 95

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 15, 2010

It’s always fun chatting with Jason because he’s knowledgeable about the market, quick on topics and pushes me to talk more about VC / entrepreneur issues. The following was available: “I kept hearing about startups that raised VC funding, but which hadn’t filed Form Ds (nor issued a press release).

VC 285

VC financing finance advice 285

Entrepreneur's Handbook

NOVEMBER 15, 2022

You’ll receive practical startup advice straight to your inbox every week. Do the opposite of everything you’ve learned in entrepreneurship Al Anany has spent 10 years consulting. But blindly following some of that advice led him to multiple failures. But blindly following some of that advice led him to multiple failures.

entrepreneurship 83

entrepreneurship advice consulting venture capital 83

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2016

Gregg Johnson, CEO of Invoca For the first 5 years or so after I became a VC I didn’t talk much about what I thought a VC should be excellent at since frankly I wasn’t sure. The number one advice I give is “stop trying to be too smart”. That’s why I often say The role of VC is “chief psychologist.”

venture capital 363

venture capital capital ventures VC 363

Entrepreneur's Handbook

DECEMBER 23, 2022

I never liked being a consultant; I always thought I wanted to create and not “just” give advice or solve problems for others. Looking back at my time as founder and CEO, it would have helped me so much to have someone by my side giving me not only advice but something I would call active guidance. But then something happened.

startup 74

startup consulting advice frameworks 74

AsiaTechDaily

JANUARY 30, 2023

In addition to his rich experiences working in the venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) sectors, Joseph has also sharpened his investment acumen through his multiple years in the audit and stock-broking industry before deciding to finally launch his cross-border investment firm, Kairous Capital , in 2015.

capital 96

capital investing investment venture capital 96

David Teten VC

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

Here’s what I said: In your career in tech and VC, how has your focus on ESG responsibility changed over time? How do you leverage your VC expertise in politics? I think the most common ethical issue in VC is when I’m talking with another possible investor in a portfolio company. Are you politically active? Why is that?

venture capital 40

venture capital VC capital ventures 40

TechCrunch

APRIL 4, 2022

The company has partnered with 100 experts from its existing network, including doulas, psychologists, therapists, sex coaches and sleep consultants. Peanut provides access to a community of women who are part of the network to share information and offer advice. The app currently has more than 2.5 million users.

networking 85

networking consulting advice communities 85

TechCrunch

NOVEMBER 9, 2020

There has been little movement in the amount of VC dollars going to women-founded companies since 2012. Though by no means does this mean that women aren’t doing incredible work in the field and it’s only right that women founders receive their fair share of VC investment. Venture capital is far from a level playing field.

VC 123

VC startup leadership communities 123

David Teten VC

NOVEMBER 18, 2021

One of the first decisions we had to make in setting up our new VC fund, Versatile Venture Capital , was our CRM and marketing technology infrastructure. . I’m very interested in the tech stack of private equity/VC firms , both to improve the efficiency of Versatile VC and also as a focus area for our investing.

venture capital 123

venture capital capital ventures VC 123

Berkonomics

MARCH 8, 2018

Here is my best advice, based upon many boards and many years. You do not pay professional investors who are serving on behalf of an investment company or VC and paid by that company. VC board members sometimes request this, other times do not. It should not be offered to the VC members unless requested.

board 102

board VC consulting advice 102

David Teten VC

JULY 27, 2021

We have collected a wide range of freebies, contests, accelerators, online communities, and VCs designed for student tech founders. I have been researching this both to support Versatile VC ’s portfolio companies and also as part of research for my new book, To University and Beyond: Launch Your Career in High Gear. 1) Your school.

founder 144

founder mentorship peer-to-peer pitching 144

David Teten VC

FEBRUARY 25, 2022

I’m presenting on May 3, 2022, to the Harvard Alumni Global Financial Markets Forum on “ How to Win Consulting, Board, and Deal Roles with Private Equity and Venture Capital Funds “ I’ve embedded below the slide deck. You can see an essay summarizing my advice here and a video here.

venture capital 75

venture capital consulting board capital 75

TechCrunch

AUGUST 24, 2023

Erik previously worked on Wall Street as a VP for AIG investments and was a co-founder and consultant of other startups. It most recently raised $125 million in January and has raised more than $400 million to date. The last startup he co-founded before Blockstream was Dan’s Plan, a health tech company.

founder 72

founder consulting disruption advice 72

Dream It

APRIL 7, 2020

Expect quick loan application processing once banks formalize their processes Work with specific investors and your law firm on affiliation to address specific problematic covenants, if your company is VC-backed. What protective provisions are VC firms willing to forgo to ensure that my company doesn’t get deemed as affiliated?

startup 348

startup communities VC ventures 348

TechCrunch

AUGUST 10, 2022

The company provides prescriptive advice and suggested changes to manufacturers’ recipes to avoid making the defects that cause their products to be scrapped or reworked. And in cases where clients don’t follow the advice DataProphet provides, the company engages with the customer to understand their concerns.

advice 67

advice enablement support consulting 67

David Teten VC

MARCH 8, 2022

But I also invested in a number of VC funds in parallel. VC is truly a very separate, unique and complex asset class that requires real expertise to achieve returns. For an FO looking to start making direct VC investments, investing in and forming a deeper partnership with a VC fund (or several) makes a lot of sense.

investing 105

investing investment technology VC 105

This is going to be BIG.

MAY 5, 2011

VC Blogger Fanboy This geek reads all the blogs religiously and is a lean startup ninja. Businessguy Bob On the other hand, having a 35 year veteran of the management consultant consulting industry doesn't mean automatic business success when your industry is being highly disrupted by technology this person doesn't even use.

board 278

board advice consulting angel investing 278

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 15, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series Startup Advice. I had an MBA, had done a few years of strategy consulting and knew all of the management theory. 2 weeks later and we may never have raised any more VC. I did almost every VC meeting myself save for when one of my co-founders, Tim Barker, was in town.

startup founder 299

startup founder founder startup VC 299

TechCrunch

JANUARY 26, 2021

Jam Genies is a network of highly experienced product experts that Jam users can tap for guidance and advice around their specific issue or challenge. It can be incredibly difficult to get bite-sized advice at a reasonable cost. The list includes: Brianne Kimmel – Angel investor and founder of Worklife VC.

collaboration 69

collaboration startup advice angel investing 69