Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 2, 2010

It’s the story of persistence in entrepreneurs. As a VC I’m acutely that a “yes&# decision to support an entrepreneur can do just that, yet I only write 2-4 of them per year and maybe another 3-4 as an angel. I try not to go out to entrepreneur events in LA every night – I have work to get done and a family.

Europe 352

Europe France San Francisco Chicago 352

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2020

Yet every entrepreneur I meet wants to talk about the idea, and rarely mentions the team. Thus I was happily surprised when I found the classic book, “ The Tech Entrepreneur’s Survival Guide ,” by Bernd Schoner, PhD, and cofounder of ThingMagic, which leans heavily on the people side of the equation.

Technical Cofounder 308

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Stock Options 308

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2022

Yet every entrepreneur I meet wants to talk about the idea, and rarely mentions the team. Thus I was happily surprised when I found the classic book, “ The Tech Entrepreneur’s Survival Guide ,” by Bernd Schoner, PhD, and cofounder of ThingMagic, which leans heavily on the people side of the equation.

Technical Cofounder 309

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 309

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 6, 2010

Options are gravy - I lived through the first dot com era where we used stock options as a recruiting tool. We give out stock options. Do the harder work and convince them to join anyways – without the stock option bravado. ** Unless you really are Mark Pincus, Mark Zuckerberg, Ev Williams or similar.

Stock Options 294

Stock Options Stock Valuation Liquidation Preference 294

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2015

If you think you are the perfect fit for the entrepreneur lifestyle, but you’re not yet sure if you’re ready to start your own, then I recommend that you take a job with an existing startup first to validate the culture realities against your dream. Hang out where entrepreneurs meet. Who gets stock options, and how many?

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Entrepreneur Stock Options Silicon Valley 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2014

Yet every entrepreneur I meet wants to talk about the idea, and rarely mentions the team. Thus I was happy to see a new book, “ The Tech Entrepreneur’s Survival Guide ,” by Bernd Schoner, PhD, and cofounder of ThingMagic, which leans heavily on the people side of the equation. dream team entrepreneur startup technical'

Technical Cofounder 245

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 245

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2022

The best entrepreneurs, and the best executives in mature businesses, have learned how to foster both high efficiency and high creativity, in a balance that keeps their business ahead of the pack on both sides of the equation. An even better alternative could be stock options, linked to the long-term success of the company.

Stock Options 277

Stock Options Incubator Framework Stock 277

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2010

I learned how to retain employees when stock options were no longer a real currency. Tags: Entrepreneur Advice Start-up Advice Startup Advice. I learned how to integrate customers into our product development process. I learned how to better set goals for employees and reward those that performed well.

Venture Capital 285

Venture Capital Hiring Software Review Stock Options 285

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2013

Thus, stock doesn’t “pay the mortgage” today, so to speak. Unless you have a sizable nest egg, or a working spouse with an income to support you, I would recommend that you consider any stock options as a “potential bonus,” rather than a key part of your compensation for joining a startup. 7% Product Manager,2 -.3%

Stock Options 224

Stock Options Stock Advisory Board Startup 224

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2012

Thus, stock doesn’t “pay the mortgage” today, so to speak. Unless you have a sizable nest egg, or a working spouse with an income to support you, I would recommend that you consider any stock options as a “bonus,” rather than a key part of your compensation for joining a startup. Advisory Board Member, 1% Senior Engineer,3 -.7%

Stock Options 230

Stock Options Stock Advisory Board Startup 230

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

He’d wasted a year of his life and had a pile of stock options that weren’t very interesting. Why Entrepreneurs Hate Lawyers. In many of them I get asked similar questions, including the inevitable “what makes a great entrepreneur?” If you’re an entrepreneur, the glib answer is “no.” Tesla is not.

Fractional CTO 248

Fractional CTO Startup Venture Capital Cofounder 248

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 6, 2019

The best entrepreneurs, and the best executives in mature businesses, have learned how to foster both high efficiency and high creativity, in a balance that keeps their business ahead of the pack on both sides of the equation. An even better alternative could be stock options, linked to the long-term success of the company.

Stock Options 236

Stock Options Incubator Framework Stock 236

The Next Web

JUNE 15, 2012

Any decision to hand out stock or stock options should be made within the big picture context of your company’s valuation and the total number of shares you’ll be granting. Many young tech startups reserve 15%-20% for employee stock options. Imagine if you grant stock options to a handful of consultants.

Equity 116

Equity Stock Options Vesting Stock 116

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

Mark: 10% warrant coverage is like stock options. Icing is the warrant for banks – stock they can buy in future but don’t have to buy so they make their $$ later in the future. On Entrepreneurship: What makes a great entrepreneur? And he said ok got it. So he got a 30 day stay for more watrrant coverage.

Acquisition 304

Acquisition Warrant Customer Term Sheet 304

View from Seed

APRIL 27, 2020

I’m reading letters (public and private) every day from relentless entrepreneurs who have been forced to make some of the hardest decisions of their lives as they fight to keep their companies going. Some are staring into the abyss and they know they are not going to get out.

Cofounder 194

Cofounder Software Review Portfolio Technical Review 194

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2018

Entrepreneurs see “no risk” as meaning “no reward.” There are no guarantees in business, but it pays to learn from the experiences of entrepreneurs and business experts who have gone before you. Many entrepreneurs think they can reduce and predict risk by emulating previous winners like Google and Twitter.

Forecast 161

Forecast Stock Options Technical Review Metrics 161

YoungUpstarts

MAY 7, 2017

Moy is eager to pass on his knowledge about tech startups to young entrepreneurs who are just as captivated by the field as he has always been. Jonmichael Moy]: I’ve personally found that today’s tech entrepreneurs are so much more advanced compared to when I was working in Silicon Valley.

Silicon Valley 183

Silicon Valley Technical Review Product Canada 183

Feld Thoughts

SEPTEMBER 2, 2011

As first time entrepreneurs they did not create an employee options pool; we’ll fix that in a little while. They come up with two options: Hire Praveena as an employee and offer her stock options. Bring Praveena in as a founder and offer 10-20% of the company as stock.

Cap Table 133

Cap Table CTO Hire Technical Cofounder Cofounder 133

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Entrepreneurs need to find a way to get traction (sales) without funding. If entrepreneurs are only pitching to angel groups, they’re only pitching to 6% of the active angels, and 0.4% However, entrepreneurs still need to approach angel investors offline for larger amounts of capital. Stock Option.

Angel Investor 159

Angel Investor Technical Review Software Review Accredited Investor 159

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 17, 2011

It’s time for the nation’s education leaders to start operating like scrappy entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs create success by being agile and by making effective but quick decisions based on what they have in front of them. This will require that they use the creative thinking of an entrepreneur. Learn to do more with less.

Cofounder 222

Cofounder Programming Leadership Ohio 222

The Next Web

MARCH 11, 2014

In many cases, these are good advice but sometimes it’s a waste of time or worse, directs entrepreneurs away from something truly great. WhatsApp, recently acquired by Facebook for $19 billion in cash and stock options , challenged traditional Silicon Valley logic. Entrepreneur Analysis and Opinion'

Silicon Valley 151

Silicon Valley Cofounder Stock Options Mobile 151

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 23, 2023

Entrepreneur : A successful CIA case officer must be able to operate amid ambiguity and make judgment calls that require strong second- and third-order thinking. Most people believe case officers and entrepreneurs are big risk takers, when, in fact, they’re risk mitigators. A Board of Directors has a formal and legal role.

Government 241

Government Advisory Board Salary Sales Cycle 241

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2018

Yet every entrepreneur I meet wants to talk about the idea, and rarely mentions the team. Thus I was happily surprised when I found the classic book, “ The Tech Entrepreneur’s Survival Guide ,” by Bernd Schoner, PhD, and cofounder of ThingMagic, which leans heavily on the people side of the equation.

Technical Cofounder 144

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 144

The Startup Magazine

MAY 19, 2020

For many entrepreneurs and startups, investing in stocks is a good option for building more capital. So knowing more about stocks and trading is critical. A stock, which can also be referred to as a share or equity, is a proof of ownership of a fraction or part of a business entity.

Stock 107

Stock Securities and Exchange Commission United Kingdom Technical Review 107

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

Entrepreneurs see “no risk” as meaning “no reward.” There are no guarantees in business, but it pays to learn from the experiences of entrepreneurs and business experts who have gone before you. Many entrepreneurs think they can reduce and predict risk by emulating previous winners like Google and Twitter.

Startup 120

Startup Forecast Stock Options Technical Review 120

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 19, 2017

The best entrepreneurs, and the best executives in mature businesses, have learned how to foster both high efficiency and high creativity, in a balance that keeps their business ahead of the pack on both sides of the equation. An even better alternative could be stock options, linked to the long-term success of the company.

Stock Options 141

Stock Options Incubator Framework Stock 141

The Next Web

OCTOBER 25, 2013

Fully stocked options at the HotelTonight Bar. Design & Dev Entrepreneur How-To''s' “Food is a uniting force when we celebrate great news, such as an amazing new customer or product feature, as we celebrate with donuts and pink champagne,” Mitchell says. Sharing is caring. What perks does your company offer at the office?

San Francisco 167

San Francisco Design Product Startup 167

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2016

The reality is that entrepreneurs usually don’t have the money or time for executive recruiters to do the filtering and selection for them. The most effective and productive team members are positive, driven and want to be measured by results rather than hear work hours, perks or stock options. Personal character and chemistry.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Stock Options Salary Hiring 120

crowdSPRING Blog

OCTOBER 10, 2014

Why entrepreneurs should learn to say “I don’t know” more often – crowdspring.co/1pGXXeF. Stock option questions startup employees should ask | Business Insider – crowdspring.co/1n8lUje. The Ultimate Startup Marketing Strategy | by Venture Harbour – [link] crowdspring.co/1xxV8lb.

Social Media 97

Social Media Small Business Design Media 97

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Even though I’m a big proponent of becoming an entrepreneur, it is definitely not for everyone. In my view, entrepreneur roles need to be planned carefully rather than made on the spur of the moment. Adopt the Silicon Valley entrepreneur family model. Founders stock and stock options are worth nothing for the first few years.

Silicon Valley 315

Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Stock Options Flash 315

Feld Thoughts

JANUARY 17, 2013

I embrace this – my goal is to help these entrepreneurs and management teams win. I’ve never really understood why the majority of stock option refresh grants are stacked grants mid-way through the granting process. I know compensation is an important part of the feedback / reward loop. Let me give an example.

Stock Options 135

Stock Options Stock Vesting Retention 135

Startup Lessons Learned

MARCH 13, 2015

We live today in a golden age of writing and resources for entrepreneurs. Even 10 or 15 years ago, when I first cut my teeth as an entrepreneur, there were very few things to read. It wasn''t meant to be an encyclopedia or a work of theory, but it had one overriding virtue: it was useful to actual practicing entrepreneurs like me.

Entrepreneur 60

Entrepreneur San Jose Technical Review China 60

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2015

Thus, options don’t “pay the mortgage” today, so to speak. Unless you have a sizable nest egg, or a working spouse with an income to support you, I would recommend that you consider any stock options as a “potential bonus,” rather than a key part of your compensation for joining a startup. 7% Product Manager,2 -.3%

Stock Options 120

Stock Options Stock Advisory Board Startup 120

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

SEPTEMBER 29, 2015

The proper ambition for a tech entrepreneur should be to join the ranks of the great tech companies, or, at least, to create a profitable, independent company beloved by employees, customers, and shareholders. Jake Lodwick wrote an article on PandoDaily entitled “An acquisition is always a failure.”

Acquisition 120

Acquisition Technical Review Stock Options Employee 120

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

Yet every entrepreneur I meet wants to talk about the idea, and rarely mentions the team. Thus I was happy to see a recent book, “ The Tech Entrepreneur’s Survival Guide ,” by Bernd Schoner, PhD, and cofounder of ThingMagic, which leans heavily on the people side of the equation.

Technical Cofounder 120

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Stock Options 120

The Next Web

AUGUST 12, 2013

It’s part three of a series, cross-posted from his own blog , in which he draws on his experience to offer advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in Europe and beyond. If you want to be an entrepreneur, think like an athlete and define your own mission. Entrepreneur Insider Analysis and Opinion' Why do you want to build a business?

Cofounder 119

Cofounder CTO Hire Startup Europe 119

Hearpreneur

DECEMBER 31, 2017

So that’s why we are excited about 2018 because there will be more and more entrepreneurs and businesses. Here’s something other entrepreneurs look forward to:: #1- Bring in a new team. I have spent a great deal of time studying the fundamentals of stocks, option trades, goal-setting, and public speaking. 10- Team growth.

Entrepreneur 86

Entrepreneur Stock Options Programming Washington 86