Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2017

Many board meetings are bored meetings. This is a shame since the value that the right board could add is immense if you select the right board members and manage them effectively. Yesterday I wrote a blog post about what the role of a board actually is. Some boards are highly functional, many are not.

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Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

Pre-seed is just a narrower segment where you might raise $1–3 million on a SAFE note and not give out any board seats. There are of course many Seed VCs who take board seats, don’t over-commit to too many deals and try to help with “company building” activities to help at a company’s vulnerable foundations.

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ventures VC venture capital funders 471

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

You are constantly faced with decisions and there is always incomplete information. Getting suppliers to accept terms that they said they never normally agree, getting accepted to speak on a panel when the conference organizer initially said “no,&# getting people to moonlight for you until you have the cash to bring them on board.

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Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

When you set up a board it is often initially a combination of the founders and the early investors. This post sets out how I believe founders (and investors) should think about independent board members having worked with many of them for the past 20 years. The board is where large equity investors get their representation.

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Source Link

FEBRUARY 23, 2022

While it might be tempting to jump right in, it’s important to take the time to evaluate successful outcomes and develop a strategy to achieve your goals. How can you get others on board to help support your vision? Network Communicator: It’s critical to share information about your work and celebrate successes with the community.

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Both Sides of the Table

MAY 2, 2015

One area I’ve had much discussion with the companies in which I’ve invested in is bringing on board an operationally focused CFO. I think Ophir would agree that the business was transformed after we brought on board Phil Schraeder at the CFO (and later promoted to COO). And board confidence matters in growing companies.

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American Entrepreneurship

MARCH 19, 2025

March 18, 2025) Last week, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board approved the creation of the Next New Jersey Program – AI and the AI Innovation Challenge Administration Grant Program. For more information, including additional eligibility requirements, click here.

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Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2013

We think transparency and easy access to information benefit our entire ecosystem. At any moment in time one of Upfront’s associates are likely to be working on: a pricing strategy, a market-expansion strategy, an M&A review, or helping build a company’s first board deck template.

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Both Sides of the Table

JULY 7, 2015

Another founder … “When I pitched the idea to Adam, he was super on board,” Mr. Sloyan said. But we’ve gotten the point where ENIFA and they will invest with no information based solely on the name of who else has invested. Information Leaks are a Real Problem. Having too many investors can lead to information leaks.

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startup advice pitching VC 323

TechCrunch

FEBRUARY 11, 2021

Board meetings are quickly increasing in their significance to foster consistent and vital interactions as an organization. Are you giving people time to digest information? As we move into 2021 and Q1 meetings are being put onto calendars, take some time to modernize how you conduct your board meetings. Has the team changed?

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This is going to be BIG.

APRIL 13, 2022

VCs aren’t experts at every aspect of a startup at the same level across the board. I’ll keep you informed on other parts of the business, of course, but just want to let you know that it would be helpful if you gave some context or relevant examples you’ve seen when you weigh in on other things.”

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Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 5, 2014

We are expected to know everything and many people rush to conclusions given a limited set of information. But as I rose in my career (and post MBA) I moved into a role in which I was to advise board-level executives on topics where I was expected to rapidly become an expert. We are their sparring partners, their sounding boards.

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This is going to be BIG.

APRIL 23, 2012

So much of this is gut feel with a thin later of strategy retrofitted to seem more than random. The biggest problem is that what gets lauded as successful strategy isn't replicable--or at minimum should never be advocated. Maybe you reminded them unconsciously of an entrepreneur they regretted passing on in the past.

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advice startup VC strategy 416

Entrepreneurs' Organization

OCTOBER 15, 2021

The Board approved the choice, and the new CEO was announced without ­explanation or context. The company leadership decided to hold a special company-wide meeting to communicate the change to employees but had no idea how to build and execute a strategy that would accomplish their goals. Is the Board aligned with management?

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leadership strategy board entrepreneurs 275

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2011

What we’re doing at Meebo is trying to socially enable websites by allowing them to immediately get not only the social graph information but to do useful stuff with it. He grew up in Connecticut attended Yale undergrad and worked for IBM after graduation doing M&A, strategy and venture capital. I totally agree.

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board culture VC education 286

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 12, 2013

Now that he’s become a VC he’s promising me he’ll provide way more public information and discourse so please welcome him by following him on Twitter and better yet welcoming him with a Tweet of your own linking to his Twitter handle or this post. Hamet is an extension of this strategy. Thank you.

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Entrepreneurs' Organization

AUGUST 5, 2022

MyEO DX attracts EO members who are looking to transform or reinvent their business strategies or overall engagement with entrepreneurship. Some MyEO DX members are angel investors and serial entrepreneurs with deep knowledge about the process and strategy behind buying and selling companies. Who is the ideal attendee for DX22?

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This is going to be BIG.

MAY 6, 2013

Board meetings are a pain in the ass. Investors are less likely to ping you with random stuff when they feel well informed on a consistant basis. So, from a purely selfish perspective as an entrepreneur, if you really want to deal with investors less, you''ll setup a good communications strategy.

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Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 17, 2016

It is a hugely compelling show because Zakaria covers world issues that will affect all of us in ways that are accessible and with frameworks for processing disparate information. I have a board meeting coming up this week and I just reviewed the agenda. Is she getting enough board exposure? Is she feeling motivated?

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Dream It

AUGUST 2, 2021

A channel sales strategy is crucial to scaling a startup. If not, Evan recommends that you go back to the drawing board. Alright, we know that’s a lot of information. However, most startups fail to launch and execute a successful channel sales program. What is your ideal partner profile and how can you be meaningful to them?

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The Zapier Blog

APRIL 10, 2023

If you're a beginner learning the ropes or a veteran B2C marketer making the shift, trying to work with anything other than a purpose-built B2B email marketing strategy is a recipe for disaster. B2B emails tend to perform better when they focus on providing information and resources.

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This is going to be BIG.

AUGUST 8, 2011

So how can a relatively junior VC hope to add any value to an investment and on a board--and is it enough value that you should have one on your board? He said the best thing you can do for a company as a board member at this stage is to help them make a great hire, and I tend to agree. 3) Network, network, network.

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Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

I’ve seen too many companies go off track by a VC hell bent on the team pursuing the VCs strategy which at times is about chasing the next shiny object. I would think it would be a big f **g nightmare to have a VC on my board who simply doesn’t get what I do and yet my perception is this happens often. It’s not you.

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VC advice board leadership 364

Entrepreneurs' Organization

MAY 24, 2023

Contributed by Chris Kirksey, an EO member in Austin who is the founder and CEO of Direction , an SEO software and services company that helps entrepreneurs set their online strategy in the right direction to accelerate sales, grow the business, and dominate your market. Prioritize tasks Prioritization is essential.

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culture innovation strategy entrepreneurs 210

The Zapier Blog

APRIL 24, 2023

If you've been wanting to learn a new skill or even strengthen existing ones, here are the seven tried-and-trued strategies I used to boost my expertise—and how you can, too. Now that we're on the same page, let's dive into the seven strategies you can use to learn a new skill or enhance the ones you already have.

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NZ Entrepreneur

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

This isn’t just about crunching numbers; it’s about gaining valuable financial insights that empower you to make informed decisions. It outlines the strategies that will be employed to achieve short-term and long-term goals, providing a roadmap for growth and sustainability.

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Startup Blogpost

OCTOBER 6, 2023

The 15 Best Strategies for Developing New Business in a Crowded Market In the quest to uncover effective strategies for developing new businesses in a crowded market, we turned to fifteen Founders and CEOs for their tried-and-true tactics. By analyzing the feedback and sign-ups, you can gauge the demand for your product.

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Dream It

APRIL 3, 2020

His strategy for selling in 2009 is relevant to any economic downturn. Luckily, the strategy can be broken down into 3 steps. Identify a problem that resonates with the decision-maker at your target organization Moore recommends that you put yourself in the shoes of the CEO or Board of Directors. What keeps them up at night?

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pitching strategy advice board 221

Entrepreneurs' Organization

AUGUST 2, 2023

Then, we develop a communication strategy to convey the value of these face-to-face tasks to hybrid employees, to get their buy-in on coming to the office for high-impact work pursuits. In-depth training A survey by The Conference Board reveals the key role of professional development for employee retention.

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TechCrunch

JUNE 23, 2021

For many companies in the United States, a board of directors is a fact of doing business. The board’s goal is to ensure the best is done for the company and its shareholders. While many entrepreneurs see board meetings as a chore, they can be a powerful tool if used well. Communicate often. Reach out when in need.

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Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 11, 2019

I’m going to focus this post around the concept of a “board dinner” or “board lunch” since this is part of a series around how to more effectively run board relationships but most of these tips can be broadly applied. Why a Board Dinner (or Lunch)? Managing a board is a bit like flying?—?the

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networking board construction disruption 262

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

.” The reason is that at a VC you have a group of partners who often have different focus areas of excellence, each pursues deals in their respective field, each makes investments and sits on boards and each spends their most difficult hours tackling problems at portfolio companies vs. solving the challenges at the VC itself.

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culture VC communities venture capital 339

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 25, 2013

bang on the windows of a board meeting recently and stick his tongue out at all of us. She debates manufacturing strategies. Soleil is paranoid about leaking design & product information because she’s been burned. Aka Punky Brewster. We’ve had many celebrities walk through our doors including a-list film stars.

startup 398

startup creativity advice entrepreneurs 398

Entrepreneurs' Organization

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

Get involved with non-profits where CEOs serve on the board, attend their galas and events, and get to know the leadership. CEOs may resonate with a higher-end content strategy such as white papers, books, or even a branded podcast. In addition to high-level conferences, where else can you meet CEOs? None in your area?

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Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

But if you’re a concentrated investor who takes board seats then you know the hard bit starts the day after. When they really start working you have asymmetric information and can “lean on your winners,” which is an inviable investment position to be in. Co-investors are critical. Price matters.

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Y Combinator

JULY 15, 2019

One of the most common questions we hear from founders is “How do I manage my board?” It’s something that provokes anxiety, because this is the first time the founder/CEO is subject to external supervision, and the board has powers that include the firing of the CEO and the senior management. But first, what’s the purpose of a board?

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StartupNation

JUNE 7, 2021

It may seem counterintuitive to think of your exit strategy in the early stages of starting and running your business, as there is much to do as a young company — product development, go-to market strategy, hiring, etc. Today, I am an angel investor as well as a board member and advisor to early-stage companies.

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