Don’t ask for introductions to investors
Raising money is hard, and there’s no way to screw it up faster than going around asking, “Hey, could you introduce me to some investors?” It’s sort of like when, on the…
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Continue Reading: Don’t ask for introductions to investors
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How to handle a VC who flies First
Continue Reading: How to handle a VC who flies FirstI’m continuing to enjoy Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson’s outstanding book, “Venture Deals”. On page 106 (of the Kindle edition, at least) they address an issue that’s very minor unless you’re dealing…
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What to do when an investor asks you for your business plan
Continue Reading: What to do when an investor asks you for your business planI’m digging in to Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson’s outstanding new book, “Venture Deals”. It’s full of both thoughtful analysis and commonsense wisdom about how to make a financing successful. In one…
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How to use your Android phone to get on the internet in the UK
Continue Reading: How to use your Android phone to get on the internet in the UKHere is the simple process for getting your Android device online with a data SIM in the UK. It’s terribly fun, I recommend it to everyone. Before leaving, turn off your phone…
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A Twitter, a Hoverboard, or something in between
Continue Reading: A Twitter, a Hoverboard, or something in betweenThere are two very special types of startups that you should know about: the Twitter Startup and the Hoverboard Startup. If you’re one of these and don’t know it, you’re going to…
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Why I sold my startup, Sparkbuy, to Google
Continue Reading: Why I sold my startup, Sparkbuy, to GoogleShortly after the sale closed, John Cook interviewed me about the experience. He did a great job of transcribing all of my verbal gems, like “Maybe that is an economic way of…
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Open letter to Mike Arrington: Please stop investing in startups
Continue Reading: Open letter to Mike Arrington: Please stop investing in startupsHi Mike, I’m one of your customers. We don’t really know each other. We’ve chatted at a few events, you’ve covered some of my antics, but I’m mostly just a guy who…
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The only wrong answer is 50/50: Calculating the cofounder equity split
Continue Reading: The only wrong answer is 50/50: Calculating the cofounder equity split(Note: there are great conversations about this article happening at Geekwire and Hacker News) The question of equity brings out the most fundamental differences, perceptions, and values in an aspiring startup. In fact…
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My new company, Sparkbuy, is public
Continue Reading: My new company, Sparkbuy, is publicCheck it out at www.sparkbuy.com and see what I’ve been working on for the past 6 months or so. You can also read about it: The New York Times The Wall Street…
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How much are startup options worth?
Continue Reading: How much are startup options worth?Startups ply you with ownership in the company, typically in the form of stock options. They will argue that there’s tremendous value in those shares, more than you’ll get from a big company, but they tend to get all nervous-looking when you ask them how *much* value. So what are they worth?