Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 26, 2016

There has been a lot of public debate over the past several weeks about whether it’s a good thing to be “gross margin positive” or not and commentary always reminds me that some people at startups don’t quite understand financial metrics or even how to think about which ones are healthy. When I publicly Tweeted that all companies should be gross margin positive many people pointed out that Amazon wasn’t profitable for many years.

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Metrics Cost Acquisition Startup 236

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 7, 2016

Photo credit: Canada flag from Shutterstock. By Raj Narayanaswamy, cofounder and Co-CEO, Replicon. For aspiring entrepreneurs, it’s hard to resist the allure of Silicon Valley. The access to some of the world’s brightest minds in technology, the proximity to some of the industry’s most influential brands, and the vast networking opportunities in both start-up and investor communities is hard to ignore.

Canada 136

Canada Silicon Valley San Francisco Technical Cofounder 136

View from Seed

APRIL 11, 2016

Editor’s note: The NextView team periodically holds internal “shootarounds,” where we discuss a startup topic or trend and try to make sense of it for everyone involved: entrepreneurs, investors, and consumers. Below is a lightly edited transcript of our latest shootaround on voice technology. ROB GO: Okay, so as you know, I’m passionate about this space, and I think there are three main things to think about around voice.

Technical Review 146

Technical Review Technology Audio Startup 146

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 9, 2016

Technical entrepreneurs love to compare the number of features in their product to competitors, and they love to keep adding features -- just because they can. Unfortunately, this approach often turns off mainstream customers, who find the result hard to use. Even worse, this “feature creep” often makes the final product late to market, sluggish and more expensive than competition.

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Product Coder Dilution Agile 143

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

Brandanew

APRIL 25, 2016

As you’re aware, we have a fully online content marketing workshop available at Brandanew. Now, the course allows everyone to send in their questions on a special email address after they have gone through the material and soaked in the information. Content marketing with limited resources seems to be a common paint point for many. This is the top question most workshop attendees have been asking us.

Marketing 122

Marketing Curation Channel Small Business 122

ConversionXL

APRIL 25, 2016

If you’re launching a mobile app, you’ve likely considered the differences between optimizing a simple site and a mobile app or game. But have you considered how the measurement and data analysis process will be different? Without a definitive plan and deep understanding of the fundamentals, your mobile app data will get complicated quickly.

Analytics 75

Analytics Mobile Metrics Acquisition 75

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 5, 2016

By Margorie McLenan, alliantgroup Senior Associate Director. With tax filing deadlines right around the corner, and with tax planning still on everyone’s mind, I thought now would be the perfect time to remind entrepreneurs and executives in the software and tech space of an opportunity that could be the difference in ensuring the future success of their businesses.

Technical Review 122

Technical Review Software Review Software Startup 122

Up and Running

APRIL 11, 2016

If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you love talking to others, building connections, and helping out—you’re a people person. If this is the case, the real estate industry is a perfect career choice because it relies on you having excellent people skills in order to be successful. And, if on top of being personable, you’re also organized, ambitious, goal-oriented, and up for a challenge, you’ve hit the metaphorical jackpot.

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Reputation Cofounder Naming Business Plan 104

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2016

Every entrepreneur and business executive knows that continuous innovation is required to survive, but most struggle with this more than any other challenge they face. They know they need to act proactively, but still are often blindsided by a new competitor coming out of the blue with a future they never imagined. Innovation driven by the next crisis is not leadership.

Leadership 138

Leadership Framework Engineer Revenue 138

Brandanew

APRIL 22, 2016

Any Digital Marketer living in today’s age will tell you that Content Marketing is a must, for not only promoting your brand to new prospects, but also to maintain a relationship with your existing customers. While we’ve often talked about organic Content Marketing, today we have guest blogger and entrepreneur, Garett Gan sharing his views on Content Marketing with paid advertising.

Advertising 116

Advertising Distribution Marketing New York City 116

ConversionXL

APRIL 11, 2016

You often read that most people prefer to watch a video than read text. How true is that statement, really ? You’ve been hearing about video for years now, but it’s still relatively uncharted. Big brands are spending tens of thousands on videos that fall flat while a lucky few are going viral. But even they struggle to repeat their original success.

Video 76

Video Conversion Mobile Search 76

Mike Michalowicz

APRIL 11, 2016

Profit in your Yoga or Pilates studio is critical to your success. It takes more than setting up a brick and mortar studio to stay in business and be profitable. In some areas, there is a lot of competition – with as many as three to four studios on the same block. It’s important to focus on how your studio differentiates itself from the one down the street.

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Differentiation Audience Employee Hiring 95

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 21, 2016

by Diana Ennen and Kelly Poelker, co-authors of “ Virtual Assistant, The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA “. Money management is one of those topics many virtual assistants and small business owners routinely put off and hope for the best. It’s front and center on the mind on April 1 st in anticipation of the April 15 th tax deadline, but then it goes straight to the back burner for the rest of the year.

Small Business 157

Small Business Management Software Review Affiliate 157

Up and Running

APRIL 13, 2016

Pot is a hot topic, even for those who don’t smoke it. The recent legalization of marijuana in several states has been an unprecedented process. By legalizing both recreational and medical marijuana, states have opened up a new industry—one that people are clamoring to take advantage of. If you are one of the many entrepreneurs interested in opening a marijuana dispensary, this article can guide you through the necessary steps.

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San Diego Colorado California Business Plan 95

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 10, 2016

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.

Sweat Equity 136

Sweat Equity Burn Rate Technical Review Intellectual Property 136

Version One Ventures

APRIL 19, 2016

In the past, we typically wait until the end of the year to recap what’s happened here at V1. But with a group of incredible startups doing great things, we’re determined to provide more frequent updates. If you’re not already familiar with the startups and founders making up the V1 portfolio, here’s a summary of some of this quarter’s news clippings.

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Portfolio San Francisco API Software Review 90

thebarefootvc

APRIL 13, 2016

Once every 20 years or so, new technology comes to market that has the potential to change how we communicate, how we do business, and pushes the boundaries of everything we thought was possible. In the 1970’s it was the personal computer; in the mid-1990’s, the commercial Internet. We are now in the early stages of another major technological development called the blockchain.

Artificial Inteligence 65

Artificial Inteligence United States Technical Review Global 65

VC Cafe

APRIL 23, 2016

Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has shared a circular (a regulatory document, in Vietnam speak) for improving the legal environment for venture capital investing in the Socialist state. The circular is now – since 16 th April – open for public comment. The aim of the circular is to improve the ease of setting up and running VC funds in Vietnam, and importantly for the MPI Agency for Enterprise Development (the AED) , make it easier and more attractive for angels and VCs to in

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Vietnam Venture Capital Silicon Valley Early Stage 81

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 6, 2016

As the owner of a startup, health and safety probably aren’t the first things on your mind. After all, you’re busy building a company from the ground up! You’re meeting investors and keeping the company ticking over. There are hundreds of other things to consider and thousands of decisions to make. Health and safety hardly seems like an issue when you’re working with just a small group.

Startup 122

Startup Employee Hiring Operations 122

abovethecrowd.com

APRIL 20, 2016

Why the Unicorn Financing Market Just Became Dangerous…For All Involved. In February of last year, Fortune magazine writers Erin Griffith and Dan Primack declared 2015 “ The Age of the Unicorns ” noting — “Fortune counts more than 80 startups that have been valued at $1 billion or more by venture capitalists.” By January of 2016, that number had ballooned to 229.

IPO 79

IPO Term Sheet Silicon Valley Valuation 79

Hearpreneur

APRIL 16, 2016

Share Being in love is great. Being in love with your business, when you’re an entrepreneur, is even better. Waking up each morning knowing you are getting to do exactly what you love is more than most people could ever say about any “job” they have had. Although there are days when tossing in your hat seems like a viable option, remembering how much you love your “job” can quickly snap an entrepreneur out of that mentality.

Italy 76

Italy Entrepreneur San Francisco PR 76

ConversionXL

APRIL 14, 2016

According to Google Trends , the term “conversion rate optimization” is an official “breakout”, meaning “searches for that phrase have jumped by +5,000 percent” over the last few years. While this proliferation of all things CRO is good news for the industry, it does have one painful drawback. For most websites, the biggest barrier to CRO lies it one of its most fundamental commandments: thou shall test.

Conversion 76

Conversion Technical Review Audience PPC 76

crowdSPRING Blog

APRIL 28, 2016

Many young entrepreneurs and business owners think that innovation, marketing and financial know-how are the keys to the success of a business. Those are all important factors, but there is a single, more important factor. Entrepreneurs and business owners spend a majority of their time talking to people: explaining ideas, directing others, helping, listening, speaking , networking , and taking advice.

Technical Review 75

Technical Review Conversion Viral Small Business 75

OnlyOnce

APRIL 7, 2016

(The following post was written by one of Return Path’s long-time senior managers, Chris Borgia , who runs one of our data science teams and has run other support organizations in the past, both at Return Path and at AOL. I don’t usually run guest posts, but I loved the topic with Chris suggested it, and it’s a topic that I’d only have a limited perspective on!).

Management 70

Management Global Employee Operations 70

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 23, 2016

Not all mobile app designers are created equal. Some app designers are difficult to work with or fail to deliver on their promises. Even worse, some don’t know what they are doing. This is not the case with companies like Magora , who understand why high quality business app design is essential. These are the main reasons why proper mobile app design is so important: User Acceptance.

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Mobile Design Developer Employee 116

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 28, 2016

Lead — It’s hard to be a real leader. Decisions are never black or white, so most people fudge. The straddle middle grounds to keep everybody happy. They make compromises to try and hold together constituencies. On business decisions they want to hedge their bets so they do a little bit of everything but nothing extremely well. As highlighted by Brad Garlinghouse years ago in the famous “ peanut butter manifesto ”— it’s like spreading peanut butter evenly over a piece of bread.

Leadership 252

Leadership PR Programming Conversion 252

Hearpreneur

APRIL 3, 2016

Share The idea of exactly what your business is going to be usually comes first. Secondly, most often, is giving a title to your idea. What exactly is going to be the name of your business? Some people turn to their childhood for inspiration or a beloved family pet. It could be a made up word you dream of one night and feel it has the right ring to it.

Naming 76

Naming Technical Review PR LLC 76

ConversionXL

APRIL 28, 2016

Web personalization is all the rage, but are you trying to run before you’ve learned how to walk? Don’t trip and stumble in your drive to master shiny, new techniques – instead, learn what you need to get accomplished first, and what the pitfalls are if you don’t. The State of Personalization Today. Personalization is a buzzword that you hear mentioned in all of those articles predicting next year’s marketing trends.

Algorithm 62

Algorithm Artificial Inteligence Technical Review Cost 62

deal architect

APRIL 29, 2016

I spent a few days at Plex’s user conference in Detroit this week. For me, the backdrop was the invigorated city as I describe here. That amplified the many upbeat conversations and presentations I witnessed at the event.

Detroit 239

Detroit Conversion 239

Duct Tape Marketing

APRIL 18, 2016

Five Tips for Using Local Networking Groups to Grow Your Business written by Kevin Jordan read more at Duct Tape Marketing. photo credit: SDF2016 RUMBLE I via photopin (license). In today’s digital world, the hot topics in the small business marketing industry tend to be things like SEO, responsive web design, pay-per-click advertising, and of course whatever the latest fad in social media happens to be in any particular week.

Networking 44

Networking Jordan Software Review Limited Liability Company 44

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 11, 2016

by Will Bridges, HR Consultant at Unum. While poor management has a financial cost, it also has a wider detrimental cost to a business, as well as individuals. Bad leadership can be the result of insufficient training, an inadequate understanding of the business, and weak management skills. So, what exactly is bad leadership costing your business and what can be done to safeguard against it?

Leadership 116

Leadership Cost Employee Retention 116

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 10, 2016

My partner Greg Bettinelli (worth following on Twitter) was recently named by The LA Business Journal as the “ Top deal maker in Los Angeles in Venture Capital.” Numero uno. I was nowhere to be found. And that’s a true reflection of just how successful and prolific Greg has been in LA. In a world that is hyper competitive – even amongst VCs – I can honestly say that not only is the media recognition accurate but it is amongst the proudest days I’ve had in dev

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Los Angeles Early Stage LP Community 200

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 30, 2016

Being an entrepreneur is a lifestyle that requires staying power, because starting a new business is a long-term process with many tough challenges. As an angel investor, I look diligently for signs that an aspiring startup founder has what it takes to thrive and prosper for the long haul ahead. Passion and vision are necessary, but not sufficient, to really change the world.

Entrepreneur 167

Entrepreneur Flash Angel Investor Channel 167

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

APRIL 12, 2016

Edison spent 18 months on the drudgery of trial and error to produce the first workable light, which lasted only 13 hours before the carbon fiber filament would burn out. He then spent another 18 months on the drudgery of trial and error before discovering that a carbonized bamboo filament would last 100x longer, and finally a modern-like light-bulb was born.

Audience 164

Audience Engineer Developer Startup 164

deal architect

APRIL 13, 2016

Harald Stuckert passed away a couple of days ago. It was a shock to everyone who knew him, and especially so to me. I had just seen a Facebook entry with him commenting on The Masters. He loved golf. I.

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Duct Tape Marketing

APRIL 7, 2016

Four Things to Do Before Emailing an Influencer written by Guest Post read more at Duct Tape Marketing. photo credit: Pixabay. It’s a common scenario: you find an influencer on social media, and you want to contact them for a project. Maybe you think they would make a great guest blogger, or you just want to feature their story on your site. But is it time for a cold email yet?

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Email Social Media Media Software Review 42