Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

She hasn’t raised any venture capital. She drove her company to profitability before paying herself a modest salary. She leveraged herself and even sold many of her possessions to get started. And when her assets were tapped she rented out her bedroom and even her couch on Airbnb to afford her year-one operations. More on that later.

peer-to-peer 363

peer-to-peer entrepreneurs startup entrepreneurship 363

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 had to laugh a bit reading it. I just completed an exercise where I went out to hire a new associate for my VC firm, GRP Partners. I listed on many databases – some MBA, some not.

VC 337

VC peer-to-peer advice consulting 337

This is going to be BIG.

MAY 29, 2012

Being a good angel or VC has a lot to do with pattern matching. You need to see more patterns of success and failure than just the ones you experienced yourself as an entrepreneur. In fact, taking your own startup experience and assuming that all of your lessons learned apply to every startup is probably a really bad idea. 3) Start with funds.

peer-to-peer 333

peer-to-peer angel investing advice entrepreneurs 333

Entrepreneurs' Organization

JANUARY 15, 2020

Before diving into entrepreneurship, wouldn’t it be ideal to tap into the knowledge of experienced, thriving business owners for advice on failure-proofing a new business? Validate product-market fit. “Do Do whatever legwork is possible to validate your product-market fit before investing everything in your concept. Beware of overbuilding.

strategy 255

strategy entrepreneurs peer-to-peer mix-use 255

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 26, 2010

We like to use new product and gain benefits before our peers. If you didn’t read that yet it might be worth having a quick skim as a primer. Social proof is defined as “looking for others to guide our decisions&# and is also one of the most important techniques in acquiring customers in your company. We are evangelists.

peer-to-peer 294

peer-to-peer advice innovation support 294

Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

Growing up in Peru, Déborah noticed that individuals with disabilities were not able to easily study or create alongside their abled peers. How this theater director built accessible creative spaces to connect communities in Peru By Jewelle Saunders “Art can transform society,” says Déborah Grández Seminario.

creativity 290

creativity communities peer-to-peer culture 290

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 11, 2010

[if you're not old enough to get the reference between this image and the title you can click on the image for a prompter]. This past December I spent a week in Boston to try to get to know some of the local VC’s and entrepreneurs a bit better. We know prices of deals, compensation, who’s doing well / poorly, etc.

peer-to-peer 285

peer-to-peer incubation startup advice 285

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 8, 2010

Let me start by saying two things: Events like this are invaluable to startups because the significant value comes from building the network across portfolio companies and the discussion one can have with your peer group. I’m going to save that for a future blog post. It is the key to “customer development” that Steve Blank talks about.

peer-to-peer 279

peer-to-peer advice VC board 279

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 6, 2020

We have been advising a lot of entrepreneurs so I thought I’d “open source” some of the advice I have been sharing. So my only goal is to give you insights into the conversations we’ve been having in case you don’t have the same access or advice. I am not claiming to be the world expert on this. Am I eligible for the PPP Loan?

VC 279

VC peer-to-peer startup advice 279

Entrepreneurs' Organization

MARCH 11, 2022

Emma Allen is active in the Charlotte, NC chapter of EO Accelerator , which empowers first-stage entrepreneurs with the tools, community and accountability necessary to catapult their business to the next level. EO staff member Cydney Melton asked Emma about her experience. In 2013, Allen went into business in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

accelerator 252

accelerator peer-to-peer culture entrepreneurs 252

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 9, 2014

I only say that because after years as a VC I can always tell when my peer group invested in something because “it seemed like it would make money” versus when they invested out of passion. But without a passion for what you do I am dubious about your chances for success. Are your investors truly passionate about what you do?

peer-to-peer 373

peer-to-peer VC pitching entrepreneurs 373

Entrepreneurs' Organization

APRIL 3, 2020

Kent Gregoire is an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) member in Boston and CEO of Symphony Advantage , which helps CEOs achieve ongoing personal and professional success through strategic thinking, advice and planning. Here’s what he shared: I invite you?CEOs, CEOs, entrepreneurs, business leaders?to Finding My Tribe in EO.

peer-to-peer 220

peer-to-peer capital creativity leadership 220

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 15, 2010

The premise was that some leaders are too enamored with the approbation of their peers than making the tough decisions in the business that are bound to upset some people. You make too many reference calls or want to see three more candidates before you decide. Recruiting is an emotional decision. So you make four more reference calls.

peer-to-peer 299

peer-to-peer advice entrepreneurs leadership 299

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 11, 2014

In short his argument seems to boil down to, “Look at me and my peers. There’s an article making the rounds in tech circles titled “ Growth Hacking is Bull ” written by Muhammad Saleem. I’d like to make the case that the article is wrong. I’d strongly encourage you to read it. We were here first.”

peer-to-peer 384

peer-to-peer strategy culture advice 384

Entrepreneurs' Organization

FEBRUARY 28, 2020

With a curious mind, the leader will seek knowledge and understanding from a variety of sources including subordinates, peers, experts, and trusted advisors. Jackie Jenkins-Scott has more than three decades of experience in executive leadership positions in public health, higher education and corporate and non-profit governance.

leadership 292

leadership peer-to-peer advice board 292

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 23, 2014

The following post is advice I gave to my good friend Sam Teller when he was just a junior baller, “ Never Ask a Busy Person to Lunch.” ” It was meant mostly as tongue-in-cheek advice but basically said senior people should be coffee not lunch unless you really know them well. All originally through Twitter.

networking 366

networking peer-to-peer advice mentorship 366

Entrepreneurs' Organization

DECEMBER 12, 2017

Psychology Today notes that taking advice somehow feels like admitting that we don’t really deserve our high status. But truly successful people understand that the advice and knowledge of people who have been-there, done-that is priceless. What would you ask them? Robert Kraft, CEO of the Kraft Group. Strauss, Esq.,

advice 130

advice peer-to-peer sustainability entrepreneurs 130

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2012

You’ll have a peer relationship with another CEO that you have a vested interest in that crosses over to a board – CEO relationship. . So I’m going to follow Brad’s advice. I recently read Brad Feld’s thought provoking piece encouraging founders to sit on the board of another startup company.

board 294

board startup founder peer-to-peer founder 294

Founders Coop

APRIL 29, 2024

In that prior post, I had offered Y Combinator as a positive example, but I didn’t break down exactly why. This post is an effort to unpack what’s required of a startup accelerator to truly serve the needs of high-performing founders. Step 1: Find the best founders An uncomfortable truth about this work is that not all founders are created equal.

startup accelerator 149

startup accelerator accelerator peer-to-peer startup 149

Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative

FEBRUARY 1, 2022

How entrepreneurs are building resilience in their communities. By Shannon Courtney. Developing the skills to be resilient is essential in order to be a strong leader, to recover from setbacks and to adapt to whatever challenges come your way. Renewing Ecuadorian communities after a natural disaster. to herself over and over.

communities 246

communities entrepreneurs peer-to-peer entrepreneurship 246

Entrepreneurs' Organization

FEBRUARY 9, 2022

A Forum, which is also often referred to as a Mastermind, is a group of peers who meet regularly, with the goal of helping each member improve personally and professionally. Given the request for input and feedback, you might expect a presenter to receive various advice from the other Forum members. In my experience.

peer-to-peer 278

peer-to-peer advice frameworks accelerator 278

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

It got me thinking about the advice that I often give to new VCs. For years I saw myself as the new guy in VC but then you wake up one day and realize that 50% of your peers have been doing it for less time than you and time has moved on. Somehow the world seems to be spinning faster these days than just a few years ago. And so forth.

peer-to-peer 317

peer-to-peer pitching VC accelerator 317

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2009

You see that peer who always pushes things further than you normally would. I originally posted it on VentureHacks , one of my favorite websites for entrepreneurs. If you haven’t spent time over there you should. I wanted to also post the series here to have it as a resource on my blog for future entrepreneurs who stop by. Yeah, right.

entrepreneurs 338

entrepreneurs peer-to-peer advice VC 338

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 22, 2010

This is part of my startup advice series. It’s still important advice for startup founders and something that I’m passionate about. This post isn’t going to be popular. I’m sure of that. That’s OK. And I care more about the debate than trying to be popular. I never hire job hoppers. Not job hoppers.

advice 392

advice peer-to-peer consulting startup founder 392

This is going to be BIG.

JUNE 30, 2011

A lot of times I think that's because there's way more advice out there about how to climb than there is about to succeed--and we confuse the two. Be a leader among peers, helping others succeed. I generally find that people are way to focused on finding the next job than they are at being awesome in the role they currently have.

peer-to-peer 369

peer-to-peer innovation advice board 369

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 31, 2010

The next few posts are going to talk about scaling your sales operations as you move out of the evangelical phase. In the early days of selling it can sometimes be an advantage to not have rigid pricing schedules, complex service level agreements (SLAs), hard-and-fast rate limits, etc. Ultimately he & I had a bad cultural fit.

peer-to-peer 286

peer-to-peer advice culture leadership 286

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 18, 2016

We also are dependent on money, advice and support of many of our friends & colleagues in the venture industry who co-invest with us in nearly every deal we do. For this year’s analysis we turned to our peers to gather their points-of-view on the state of the market. Of course we fund companies in good markets and bad.

peer-to-peer 277

peer-to-peer VC advice ventures 277

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 9, 2013

What does it mean for the purchasing process to be aligned? Well think of it this way – you have your sales process. You know exactly when you want to sell to this customer and presumably it’s this quarter! And with scarce resources it’s your job to decide which door this lead must go through – sales or marketing.

peer-to-peer 324

peer-to-peer advice technology innovation 324

Entrepreneurs' Organization

MAY 17, 2017

For EO Chicago’s Zak Dabbas and Ryan Unger , co-founders of Punchkick Interactive, a mobile app and web development agency, the secret to their sustainability comes from “going flat.” WALK US THROUGH THE ORIGINS OF PUNCHKICK INTERACTIVE. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START A BUSINESS TOGETHER? I wanted to be a part of it, so we started working together.

peer-to-peer 130

peer-to-peer advice accelerator development 130

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 4, 2013

Since Arrested Development is back I thought I’d resurrect Gob Bluth’s answer when he was told he needed a “business model” – he quickly figured out that he was missing one so he asked Starla, the Bluth company secretary, if she would be his business model. My take on his argument is this: 1. ” True.

strategy 401

strategy startup peer-to-peer advice 401

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 28, 2013

” Your peer group is envious of your finally doing what they’ve always wanted to do but found it too hard to give up the golden paycheck and predictable future. ” Your peer group is envious of your finally doing what they’ve always wanted to do but found it too hard to give up the golden paycheck and predictable future.

startup 417

startup peer-to-peer VC culture 417

This is going to be BIG.

AUGUST 8, 2011

The other day, I got interviewed for Business Insider. It was a good interview, save for that little vein that I had no idea was so prominently featured on the side of my head--but what's a bald guy to do? At least it's not a weird fold in the back or a dent at the top. All hat and no cattle as they say. How about as a VC? And you know what?

VC 275

VC peer-to-peer board advice 275

Entrepreneurs' Organization

MARCH 17, 2020

EO members whose businesses are coaching, strategic planning and consulting are offering free services to help their peers get back on their feet. They gave their advice to other members to help them prepare for the arrival of COVID-19 in our communities. We all are waking up to find ourselves in an altered world each morning.

peer-to-peer 260

peer-to-peer hospitality consulting entrepreneurs 260

Entrepreneurs' Organization

DECEMBER 30, 2020

Whether it’s securing investment capital, marketing a concept, recruiting new talent or leaning on peers for support and advice, having a solid network can seriously work to your benefit. Let’s focus on the traits shared by most entrepreneurs—and how you can tap into these characteristics to jumpstart your own success. .

entrepreneurs 236

entrepreneurs peer-to-peer creativity networking 236

This is going to be BIG.

AUGUST 11, 2010

I'll bet not too many other VCs in my peer group could name five… Go me! The other day, I unlocked the "I'm no racist" badge in the VC game. All I had to do was to name 5 black tech startup entrepreneurs in New York City when asked by a reporter to do so. Kidding aside, I did feel a totally misplaced sense of pride. Absolutely.

peer-to-peer 271

peer-to-peer VC entrepreneurship education 271

Entrepreneurs' Organization

APRIL 28, 2016

As someone who’s dedicated her career to helping small-scale entrepreneurs grow their businesses, I’ve heard many skeptics say a business accelerator program is just a cover for startups looking to increase capital. On a personal level, giving entrepreneurs the support and resources to realize their potential is immensely valuable on many levels.

accelerator 130

accelerator peer-to-peer incubation education 130

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2019

I called every person I knew in Accenture Europe and asked for advice to get transferred. I even visited and made friends and went out every night with my peers. I even visited and made friends and went out every night with my peers. Life at Your Crossroads Photo by Justin Luebke on Unsplash Crossroads Cal Poly Pomona!

peer-to-peer 253

peer-to-peer networking advice ventures 253