Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 8, 2014

And there’s none that makes me happier than to announce that Jordan Hudson has been promoted to a Principal at Upfront Ventures. What is a principal at a VC firm and how does it work at Upfront Ventures? I think it’s great for some people because it really does give you some solid benefits: board exposure / experience.

investing 365

investing investment VC board 365

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

I’ve sat on ad tech boards with board members who clearly knew little about impressions, fill rates, CTRs, RTB, eCPMs or the difficulties & opportunities of embedded mobile SDKs vs. HTML5. And so is venture capital. The best way – of course – is to reference check. Industry or Operating Experience?

VC 364

VC advice board leadership 364

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 12, 2013

Like any firm we of course invest in the San Francisco Bay Area where 33% of my personal boards are. I made some reference calls. We settled on Venture Partner as is now being reported and also picked up here. So we talked about his joining. They were effusive. ” And then we settled in on his role. What does that mean?

VC 360

VC communities investing investment 360

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

I was having dinner with a friend last night and we were chatting about venture capital and a bit about what I’ve learned. But if you’re a concentrated investor who takes board seats then you know the hard bit starts the day after. You can’t reference check your way into a “yes.” Upfront Ventures'

VC 374

VC investment investing entrepreneurs 374

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 21, 2014

When you’re hiring most reference checkers focus on the person’s former bosses. Just literally this week I had breakfast with a guy giving a reference who said, “He’s brilliant. Our founder, Yves Sisteron, was my mentor and board member at my first startup. In many ways that can be way more telling.

board 320

board VC construction opportunity 320

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 3, 2013

We co-led the A-round with IA Ventures. We co-led the next round with IA Ventures without even asking other VCs to participate so we did an A-1 round. In the B round we invested the maximum amount we could alongside the lead – Scale Venture Partners. Now can we please do at least one board meeting in LA?!?

board 358

board disruption media SaaS 358

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 8, 2010

Greycroft is Alan’s venture capital firm that recently raised its second fund ($130 million) with offices in both New York and LA. My favorite two quotes of the weekend were: “Never trade your cat for somebody else’s dog” (referring to selling your company for stock to another privately held company – quote was from Alan.

peer-to-peer 279

peer-to-peer advice VC board 279

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 12, 2016

When I did my customer reference calls with some of the largest corporate buyers in the country who have adopted Tact I heard the same narrative repeatedly “We use CRM tools but our mobile workforce always struggled with adoption. To say that the board, investor base and management team of Tact is stacked would be an understatement.

real estate 244

real estate leadership board investing 244

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2016

Today is amongst the proudest days I’ve had at Upfront Ventures — getting the chance to announce that Kevin Zhang has been promoted to Partner. years at Upfront has been both a pleasure and also has taught me a lot about venture capital. Watching him develop over the past 4.5 Kevin joined Upfront in 2012 as an Associate.

ventures 159

ventures peer-to-peer venture capital VC 159

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 30, 2013

The reference to Andy Dunn and me is responding to this post I wrote (in response to Andy’s earlier post). The first time I met Andy Dunn he was working for the venture capital firm Maveron. Raising Venture Capital Tech Market Analysis' But this one is for Dorrian. And his Tesla Statue project. by Dorrian Porter.

VC 315

VC pitching venture capital innovation 315

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 2012

One day if you’re lucky you’ll be big enough to work with recruiters to hire senior members of your team or your board. And in it he profiles the work of Coach Campbell who was once on the boards of both Google & Apple. VENTURE CAPITAL. And finally that brings me to obvious topic of venture capital.

startup 363

startup real estate VC venture capital 363

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 3, 2009

This is part of my ongoing Raising Venture Capital (VC) series. When people refer to a strategic investor they are usually talking about an investor that comes from the industry you serve as opposed to an independent venture capital investor. The reality is that their core business is not venture capital.

advice 279

advice venture capital frameworks entrepreneurs 279

This is going to be BIG.

OCTOBER 7, 2013

Because I''m in my market and in the flow of top teams and networked with the right folks, I''m never more than a character reference away through someone I trust and know well to just about all of the people I''ve backed. Venture Capital & Technology' The people I''ve backed don''t really come out of nowhere.

investment 335

investment investing construction venture capital 335

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 24, 2018

If you’ve read any of my ongoing series on fund raising from venture capitalist (episode 1?— ?controlling You can’t try to meet the executive team at Bird to understand the Upfront Ventures partnership dynamics because they’re too damn busy dealing with explosive growth. This is critical to build a cohesive venture capital firm.

VC 314

VC board investing investment 314

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 13, 2011

I recently filmed a show for This Week in Venture Capital in which I talked about how to prepare for a VC meeting: whom you’ll meet, who should attend from your side, what materials you should bring and how you should run the meeting. In Bijan’s post he references Bryce Roberts who recommends getting up and white-boarding.

VC 299

VC board pitching venture capital 299

This is going to be BIG.

AUGUST 19, 2010

Despite the fact that I'm a blackbelt in Tae Kwan Do (haven't practiced in a few years though), what I'm referring to has nothing to do with kicks or punches. Would you stay on the venture capital side? Sounds like a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie doesn't it? I'm talking about innovation in New York City and a very basic thought exercise.

education 225

education incubation innovation communities 225

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 17, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series about Raising Venture Capital. But I’m no longer an entrepreneur – I’m a VC at a $200 million fund called GRP Ventures , the largest active fund in Southern California. I would say the same thing about True Ventures. Is an average of $675k each a seed deal?

VC 283

VC real estate advice venture capital 283

This is going to be BIG.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2024

I coached investors to promotions, first board seats, internal personnel decisions and even a long overdue resignation. I’d often refer to this as figuring out what the “eleven out of ten” was for any given situation. It wasn’t until recently that I realized the reference was lost on most of my younger clients. Is it any louder?”

VC 195

VC board venture capital communities 195

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 1, 2010

Of course I knew that they sat on other boards that kept them busy but somehow it seemed like I had all of their attention to myself during the fund raising process – especially the ones who seemed to like me and spend time with me. Imagine he or she sits on the boards of 5 companies. Imagine your VC as an airport.

VC 275

VC venture capital pitching board 275

This is going to be BIG.

MAY 27, 2010

Kinda seems like that sometimes, right—that the venture capital community seems to chase after the bright shiny object of the moment in droves and then just as quickly moves on to the next new new thing. Back when I was at Union Square Ventures, Fred started to get really excited about podcasting. Geolocation is so 2009.

VC 186

VC venture capital media board 186

Dream It

APRIL 3, 2020

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. This is why provocation-based selling requires the vendor to utilize what Moore refers to as “soft power”, specifically “relationship capital.”

pitching 221

pitching strategy advice board 221

Revolution

FEBRUARY 3, 2021

Having the opportunity to learn from the founders you back is by far one of the most rewarding parts of being a venture capital investor. I used to joke that the company moves at “the speed of Jonathan,” referring to the founder’s incredible impatience with the status quo. Anna Mason serves on the board of APPH. and should?—?be

venture capital 173

venture capital economic development sustainability capital 173

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2020

with $15 million to Prove It The venture capital world has started firing up a few cylinders again and looking for businesses that it believes will help us all succeed in ways that resonate with new ways of working as we begin to return to work. Ryan Smith, the founder of Qualtrics, also invested and has joined the board of directors.

communities 234

communities peer-to-peer venture capital enablement 234

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 7, 2014

Who else is going to tell a VC if he got a bad reference from an entrepreneur or fellow VC? As a VC if you don’t have that sounding board you’re missing a very important input into your business. And that perhaps some of the past actions could also involve mistakes you have made.

peer-to-peer 341

peer-to-peer VC entrepreneurs support 341

This is going to be BIG.

JANUARY 18, 2024

Still, there are a lot of downsides to taking venture money—the push to grow at all costs, our desire to be all up in your business, literally, and sometimes, we’re kind of obnoxious. I’m talking about what someone I know recently referred to as “dentists”. That’s why I normally ask for a Board Observer seat.

investment 221

investment investing startup real estate 221

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 21, 2010

If you don’t follow the image reference above or the tag line, “ You don’t need double talk; you need Bob Loblaw “ (try saying it out loud) , and if you care! When we invest they are often the company counsel so we see them at board meetings. The website for their Venture Pipeline group is here.

startup 318

startup advice entrepreneurs VC 318

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2016

Mark dutifully went to partner meetings, back-channel references began, firms started calling existing VCs to “test prices” and we started debating whom our best partner would be. The Invoca board and Mark gathered and discussed how our process was going.

SaaS 236

SaaS VC board financing 236

David Teten VC

MARCH 1, 2022

This is part of a series on building your career in venture capital: Reading list for working in private equity/venture capital , including all of the major online communities, programs, and educational options for people studying VC. How to get a job in venture capital. How to find a job as a VC scout. Monetizing our deal flow.

VC 128

VC venture capital accelerator ventures 128

This is going to be BIG.

MAY 27, 2010

Kinda seems like that sometimes, right—that the venture capital community seems to chase after the bright shiny object of the moment in droves and then just as quickly moves on to the next new new thing. Back when I was at Union Square Ventures, Fred started to get really excited about podcasting. Ok, so we’re all doing social TV now.

VC 150

VC venture capital media board 150

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 27, 2011

I was meeting regularly with entrepreneurs and offering (for better or for worse) advice on how to run a startup and how to raise venture capital from my experience in doing so at two companies. They achieved all of this before they raised even a penny of venture capital. People often ask me why I started blogging. Some search.

startup 373

startup advice communities VC 373

Gust

NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Angel investors typically provide early-stage funding, while venture capital firms typically come in at later stages. This is the realm of venture capital professional investors, with funding amounts of $1-10 million, often referred to as the “A-round,” or first institutional funding. Funding or rollout stage. Exit stage.

venture capital 171

venture capital investment investing sustainability 171

TechCrunch

FEBRUARY 16, 2022

.” We have collected a wide range of resources for founders who may be considering launching a new company; angel investing/becoming a VC; buying a company; joining boards; consulting; serving as an interim executive; or just getting a job. We may as well get compensated for referring them to others. Monetizing our deal flow.

VC 93

VC peer-to-peer consulting board 93

Dream It

SEPTEMBER 8, 2020

Managing Partner Steve Barsh refers to this as being a “mercenary” entrepreneur, as opposed to a “missionary.” The VC you're bringing on board should consist of people who you want to work with. What is the perception once you bring them on board? M&A Insight #2 There’s always a buyer for a great company.

board 195

board VC strategy construction 195

Gust

MAY 24, 2012

As a quick review, most startups begin life as corporations with a single class of equity securities, referred to as Common Stock , issued to founders, employees, and outside service providers. Options and warrants, when issued, are also typically exercisable for shares of Common Stock.

board 159

board incumbents angel investing investing 159

Hunter Walk

SEPTEMBER 10, 2024

I asked some investor friends to share, as the title suggests, one thing they wished people better understood about venture capital. Here’s Part II: While the venture and tech community is incredibly collaborative, VC is an inherently lonely role. It’s way easier to get divorced than get someone off of your board.

venture capital 70

venture capital ventures capital board 70

TechCrunch

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

Gaetano Crupi is a partner at venture capital firm Prime Movers Lab. He serves on the boards of OCEANIX, Atom Computing, Conscious Cultures and MycoWorks. I have also heard it referred to as a “narrative deck” — basically a detailed, written version of your pitch. Gaetano Crupi. Contributor.

founder 97

founder strategy pitching venture capital 97

TechCrunch

DECEMBER 20, 2021

They started Searchlight in 2018 to develop technology that uses behavioral reference data and prescriptive analytics to give employers a more 360-degree view of a potential candidate’s strengths and weaknesses that might not appear on a resume or come out during an interview. million seed round in 2019.

capital 98

capital data collection board venture capital 98