TechEmpower

APRIL 21, 2015

'Round 10 of the Framework Benchmarks project is now available! It has been a little less than a year since the previous round and in that time, approximately 133 contributors have made 2,835 git commits. These contributions have improved the project''s toolset and added many new framework test implementations. We retired our in-house i7-2600K hardware environment for Round 10, and we changed our Amazon EC2 environment to c3.large instances.

Framework 392

Framework EC2 Caching Java 392

View from Seed

APRIL 21, 2015

'On the heels of our research on HBS entrepreneurs , NextView’s Dimitri Dadiomov (HBS ’15) interviewed several top founders on the early stages of their companies. Below is a summary of some of their answers in which they discuss the genesis of each company, their views on when MBAs should start companies, and more. On Launching and Finding Early Traction.

Founder 255

Founder Las Vegas Entrepreneur Cofounder 255

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2015

'The era of stable lifetime jobs for business professionals within a single company are gone. Companies are rightsized quickly now as markets change rapidly, and business professionals are quick to jump to new opportunities for growth and survival, with no ties to special benefits or pension plans. Thus smart business professionals are rapidly becoming the new entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneur 205

Entrepreneur Angel Investor Social Media LLC 205

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 9, 2015

'2014 will be remembered for many reasons, one of them being the rise of cyber crime by sophisticated hackers who managed to breach startups, international corporations, and government agencies to steal sensitive data , inject malware in corporate servers, and cause other types of damage. All these industries incurred losses from investments in cyber mitigation, restructuring of servers, class-action lawsuits, and damaged brands.

API 200

API PHP Stealth Security 200

Speaker: Nick Noreña, Innovation Coach and Advisor, Kromatic

Every startup and innovation project exists within an ecosystem that either helps or hurts that project. As innovation managers, we need to keep a pulse of that ecosystem and make sure we're helping those innovation projects we're managing every step of the way. In this webinar, Nick Noreña will walk through an Innovation Ecosystem Model that he and his team at Kromatic have developed to help investors, heads of product, teachers, and executives understand how they can best support innovation in

Startup

Feld Thoughts

APRIL 13, 2015

'I miss capital efficiency. It seems like you were our best friend just yesterday. Were you a myth? A lie? A justification by VCs to explain away their lack of capital to invest? A rationalization by entrepreneurs to explain away their inability to raise capital? Do you remember all the blog posts about how companies needed so much less money? All the articles about how capital efficient businesses were a result of AWS, better software development tools, easier starting points, better scaling te

Venture Capital 126

Venture Capital Software Developers Software Development Equity 126

David Teten

APRIL 17, 2015

'I gave a presentation to Womensphere a few months ago on the most valuable lessons I learned early in my career. Back when I was an entry-level investment banking analyst at Bear Stearns (R.I.P.), our trainers gave us some basic advice on how to be a good financial analyst. At the time these sounded obvious, but now with hindsight I think that most of your success in your career is just executing on these basic points…whether you’re a CEO or aspire to be a CEO.

Technical Review 101

Technical Review Software Review Software Developers Software Development 101

View from Seed

APRIL 30, 2015

There’s been a lot of digital ink spilled around the various types of capital available to startups today. At NextView, for instance, one of our more popular posts centers on atypical seed rounds to know. Today, we wanted to share some basics of another source of capital: venture debt. What is it, and how should founders think about it? As a startup grows, venture debt becomes a viable option to continue that growth.

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Term Sheet Equity Startup Seed Stage 263

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2015

'Every entrepreneur I know has their favorite excuse for a previous failure – an investor backed out, the economy took a downturn, or a supplier delivered bad quality. These things outside your control do happen, but based on my years of experience as a startup advisor and Angel investor, I still see too many common failure causes that are inside the entrepreneur decision realm.

Intellectual Property 215

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Viral Distribution 215

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 6, 2015

'by Tal Segalov, CTO & co-founder of Mintigo. Last year, Twitter announced that it would unveil its Buy Button in the first quarter of 2015, cementing the role social commerce will play in the way businesses must market their products to consumers. In an age where consumers’ attention spans are somewhere around 8 seconds, businesses must adapt quickly to keep up with the changing landscape or they’ll be left in the dust by their competitors.

CTO Hire 174

CTO Hire Cofounder Social Media Mobile 174

OnlyOnce

APRIL 9, 2015

'Honey, Does this Make My SaaS Look Big? I’m going to go on record now as saying that the world will soon be on “SaaS overload,” and that there will be a backlash. I am wondering if any other companies are feeling overloaded by SaaS applications as USERS of them, or are running into client objections of “I have too many SaaS apps” as VENDORS of them.

Software Review 87

Software Review Technical Review Cloud Software 87

ConversionXL

APRIL 22, 2015

'While testing is a critical part of conversion optimization to make sure we actually made things better and by how much, it’s also the tip of the iceberg of the full CRO picture. Testing tools are affordable (even free), and increasingly easier to use – so pretty much any idiot can set up and run A/B tests. This is not where the difficulty lies.

Analytics 98

Analytics Technical Review Conversion Framework 98

Up and Running

APRIL 24, 2015

Millennials are now filling up the job market and with them has come a different mindset—sharing, caring, and a low level of commitment is trending in Western cultures. While this seems troubling for larger corporations who are looking to keep their payroll stocked with dedicated, lifelong employees, there exists a benefit for smaller, low-staffed companies who are looking to save money wherever they can.

Small Business 113

Small Business North America Los Angeles Technical Review 113

David Teten

APRIL 28, 2015

I read a few books over the spring/summer that I thought were worth highlighting/recommending (belatedly): The book that has had the most practical impact on my life was The Paleo Manifesto: Ancient Wisdom for Lifelong Health , by John Durant. This is a thoughtful analysis and explication of the “paleo” or “ancestral health” school of thought. The fundamental idea is that our bodies and minds were designed to function in a world very different than our modern desk-bound sphere, and that you’ll

Technical Review 96

Technical Review Early Stage Matching Global 96

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2015

'Every startup founder loves to prompt for questions from investors and potential key team members about their vision, and the huge opportunity that can be had with their disruptive technology. Yet if you are on the other side of the table, there are some other key questions that you need to ask, which will tell you more about the real success prospects for this business.

Technical Review 211

Technical Review Due Diligence Sweat Equity Burn Rate 211

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 28, 2015

by Todd McDaniel, Vice President at Dynavistics Inc. One of the biggest mistakes a company routinely makes is waiting until a bill is past due to begin collection efforts. A good credit department reduces bad debt and past due accounts by getting proactive about debts collected, preferably before the due date. Collection of debts should be the final step in the sales process, beginning as soon as the debt is incurred.

Software Review 160

Software Review Software Developers Software Development Software 160

Diego Basch

APRIL 26, 2015

A few days ago a neighbor in her eighties offered me a piece of advice regarding my six-month old son: “start a college fund.” For some reason it sounded to me as if she’d told me there’s a great future in plastics. I have no intention of starting a college fund for my son, and this post is an attempt to explain why. When I entered the workforce in the early nineties I had only one tool to increase my chances of getting the job I wanted: my resume.

Software Developers 61

Software Developers Software Development Differentiation Software 61

Duct Tape Marketing

APRIL 28, 2015

5 Relatively Simple Steps to Dominate Local Search written by John Jantsch read more at Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing. If you do business mostly in your town, your marketing efforts must be hyper focused. You’re only targeting a very select group of people so, when those people go out there looking for a business in their community, you want to show up, right?

Search 61

Search Technical Review Software Review Engineer 61

Up and Running

APRIL 15, 2015

'Being an entrepreneur is a pursuit that can have tremendous rewards for those with the gumption to pursue it. Starting and growing your own enterprise requires patience, tenacity, and creativity. When you transition from working for others to building your own business, there are new challenges that you will face. One of these is learning how to be an effective leader.

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Leadership Sales Audience Employee 110

David Teten

APRIL 6, 2015

'Both founders and researchers in healthcare are spending far too much of their energy in areas where they’re not going to make maximum impact. Most health problems are self-inflicted, but the innovation economy doesn’t reflect the power of preventive healthcare. Dr. An Nguyen and I just completed an analysis of VC and research funding compared with the cost to society of different diseases, and the results show wildly disproportionate funding for certain diseases relative to their impact in s

Venture Capital 96

Venture Capital Technical Review Non-Compete Philadelphia 96

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2015

If you are like most entrepreneurs I know, there just aren’t enough hours in a day to get all your own work done, as well as run the many one-hour meetings each team member seems to demand for decisions and mentoring. I have found it to be more productive and effective to lead with the model that no meetings will take an hour, and may be done in as little as five minutes.

Founder 205

Founder Product Elevator Pitch Startup 205

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 15, 2015

'By Ron Kaufman, author of “ Uplifting Service: The Proven Path to Delighting Your Customers, Colleagues, and Everyone Else You Meet ”. We love receiving great customer service. That’s no surprise. But did you know that great service can actually elicit a physical reaction? Well, it can! A recent American Express Service Study found that 63 percent of its 1,620 respondents said they felt an increased heart rate when they just thought about great service.

Maldives 178

Maldives Mauritius Singapore Employee 178

Hunter Walker

APRIL 7, 2015

'I honestly don’t recall how Zach and I met but it was likely via a mutual NYC tech friend or his snappy Twitter stream. Either way, he’s cost me thousands of dollars alerting me to notebook and backpack/gearbag projects on Kickstarter that deserve support (he’s also into pens, but that I just don’t get). Codecademy has been focused on helping people worldwide learn to code.

Cofounder 77

Cofounder New York Application Development Programming 77

crowdSPRING Blog

APRIL 13, 2015

'Business owners and managers tend to focus on business. This is right and this is good; it is our responsibility to our stakeholders to responsibly lead our companies towards success and to prioritize operations and profitability. We work hard every day to improve efficiency, acquire customers, increase margins, analyze results, craft strategy, execute tactics, and track growth.

Small Business 77

Small Business Management Startup Leadership 77

Up and Running

APRIL 27, 2015

Even Bill Gates, one of the most successful people in the world, isn’t immune to mistakes. It’s true that no one is perfect, and this shows itself in the business world as much as it does anywhere else. While entrepreneurs strive to do their best, mistakes are sometimes unavoidable. However, we small business owners can take some comfort in the fact that we’re not at the helm of a massive corporation where a mistake can cost millions.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Mexico Cofounder Angel Investor 109

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2015

'Why do we do all that we do? Is it for the money? The recognition? Is work a part of life and life a part of work? Is it just the next rung in the ladder after we finish college and join the next grouping of people we’re tied to for a brief period in time? These aren’t generally the thoughts of 20-year-olds. That is the age where you do more than think. “Of course I work!

Entrepreneur 281

Entrepreneur Leadership Developer Video 281

deal architect

APRIL 26, 2015

Amazon finally broke out AWS revenues – it has an annual run rate of $ 5 billion with growth accelerating, and that is profitable. Lots of people are shocked Amazon has built a solid business in yet another sector –.

Revenue 271

Revenue Cloud 271

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 8, 2015

'Mobile apps are a big deal these days, and with more and more traffic to companies’ web presences coming from smartphones and tablet devices, it is clear that the businesses who take their mobile websites and services seriously are the ones primed to gain the most success. Whatever the size of your business and whatever your industry, making it possible for your customers and marketing prospects to interact with you easily from their mobile devices is going to pay dividends.

Developer 169

Developer Customer Mobile Dividend 169

View from Seed

APRIL 28, 2015

Ed. note: In 2013, Rob Go published a flowchart articulating his VC decision making process. Below, we’ve updated that graphic with new information in order to stay current and provide more context and transparency around each node. At NextView, we hold regular team offsites to step back and think about how we do everything from invest in seed-stage companies to create better platform initiatives in support of the Boston and New York startup ecosystems.

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Seed Stage Boston Early Stage New York 264

Duct Tape Marketing

APRIL 8, 2015

'How to Find Your Breakthrough Idea and Build a Following Around It written by John Jantsch read more at Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing. Marketing Podcast with Dorie Clark. I think there’s plenty of information out there about personal branding and self-promotion. The thing that’s often lacking or not said is that in order to really stand out you’ve got to have an idea or point of view that people want to be a part or at least spread.

PPC 54

PPC Software Review SEO Email 54

Up and Running

APRIL 13, 2015

'Having a stable website has long become an imperative for almost any organization, company, or one-person business that aims to expand its online authority and reach connected consumers. As digital marketing strategies become commonplace in businesses of all sizes, the demand for reliable web hosting services increases and the choice of a web host becomes one of the critical decisions.

Hosting 103

Hosting eCommerce Web Cloud 103

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 26, 2015

We recently released the video sharing app Ferris and announced that Upfront Ventures led the funding in the company in our seed round of $2 million and I personally joined the board. We hit the top spot recommended on Apple’s iOS App Store on the day of the launch, which is a testament to the team and all of their hard work. I wanted to spend the rest of the blog post telling you why we decided to fund the company, how we settled on the final product design and our unique way of launching

Video 265

Video Cloud Cofounder Mobile 265

deal architect

APRIL 10, 2015

'As we approach SapphireNOW, I notice more comments and blogs from SAP executives and partners which in some shape of form touch on HANA. In many ways, HANA has dominated SAP world for the last few years so it’s not.

Software 261

Software Partner 261

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 6, 2015

'The line between workspace and personal space is gradually blurring due to the constant connectivity provided by technology, and increasingly businesses are looking at BYOD – Bring-Your-Own-Device – policies to allow employees to use their own personal devices for work. In fact, research and advisory firm Gartner has predicted that by 2017 at least 50 percent of white collar workers in the United States will be part of the BYOD movement.

United States 196

United States Technical Review Security Employee 196

View from Seed

APRIL 2, 2015

'Accidental VC is a series written by me, Jay Acunzo. Though I never planned it, I somehow wound up working in VC in 2014 as NextView’s head of platform. And since I’m an operator, not investor, I recognize just how valuable all the casual, daily discussions inside a VC’s office can be to fellow operators and entrepreneurs. So, while I’m thankful for what I’m learning, this series is my attempt to share this knowledge far beyond our office walls … one random l

Seed Stage 256

Seed Stage Design Startup Early Stage 256

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 12, 2015

'You have to be extra tough mentally to be an entrepreneur. While thinking about it, I realized that it’s really not that different from the toughness required and trained into America’s elite military force of Navy SEALs, who are known to be cool under fire, able to sense danger before it’s too late, and never give up on achieving their objective. I learned some good lessons along these lines from a recent book “ The Way of the SEAL ,” by Mark Divine.

Entrepreneur 233

Entrepreneur Differentiation Business Model Global 233

Up and Running

APRIL 8, 2015

'Do you have an early-stage startup? Your business might need a safe place to come out of its shell. A business in its early stages can often use a leg up, whether in the form of wise words from a mentor or an introduction to a strategic partner. When you’re first starting out, you may not know who to connect with, or indeed how to do it. This is where incubators come in.

Incubator 99

Incubator Cofounder Founder Early Stage 99