Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 5, 2010

Through comment conversations with many of you I tried to emphasize that it isn’t enough to just have one attribute. A caller dialed in to ask us questions about his startup. He was from South America but living in Switzerland and had launched a startup while holding down a day job at a consulting firm (McKinsey if memory serves).

Entrepreneur 293

Entrepreneur CTO Hire South America Salary 293

Steve Blank

MARCH 26, 2014

This post follows directly on Steve’s earlier excellent post, Why Companies are not Startups. In this post, I want to share some new thoughts that build on Steve’s post, and connect them to Lean Startup methods. A startup is a temporary organization in search of a repeatable, scalable business model.

Startup 331

Startup Business Model Lean Russia 331

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 2, 2016

I found the conversation a bit disconcerting. But the celebratory nature of today’s conversation felt tone deaf and seemed to ignore the rules that get bent in favor of those with resources or born into privilege. VCs also get capital gains tax rates on “carried interest,” which is what irritates the masses.

Dividend 150

Dividend Silicon Valley Capital Gains Stock 150

Hunter Walker

MARCH 30, 2023

While many of the engineers I’ve know are perfectly sociable, well-adjusted, highly conversant people, the ‘sullen hacker in a hoodie on the spectrum’ is anywhere from an antiquated stereotype to a true segment of our community. The extroverted engineer looks at *your* shoes when he talks.

United States 92

United States Carried Interest Engineer Viral 92

Agile VC

JULY 11, 2012

AGILEVC My idle thoughts on tech startups. Merrill, Pickard, Anderson & Eyre [Silicon Valley] –> Itself an outgrowth of the venture investing arm of the original Bank of America (based in SF), Merrill Pickard backed many startups that ultimately went public. How to Evaluate Firms for a Seed VC. July 11, 2012.

Silicon Valley 240

Silicon Valley Carried Interest Cofounder Boston 240

Seeing Both Sides

MARCH 22, 2011

But recent conversations that I have had with bankers has carried a different, even more depressing message. But then everyone got distracted with the financial crisis and (yet) more regulation related to SEC registration and battles over the tax treatment of carried interest. John McCain's on Twitter (@SenJohnMcCain).

IPO 38

IPO Investment Bankers Massachusetts SEC 38

This is going to be BIG.

JANUARY 10, 2021

Similarly, I just got a pitch for a startup providing telehealth access that specialized in allergies—which I was pretty excited about until they told me that pharmaceutical companies were fronting the cost of their marketing. Was there ever that kind of conversation at the board level?

Venture Capital 151

Venture Capital Cap Table Accredited Investor Silicon Valley 151