Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 27, 2011

There are very few people in Silicon Valley who have such a precise grasp on what defines success of early-stage startup companies than Eric Ries. Importantly we also discussed: should startups raise small amounts of money or large? when is the right time to go big with PR? how should you organize teams in a startup?

Silicon Valley 301

Silicon Valley Lean Social Media PR 301

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

I made every textbook mistake at my first startup, which is why I believe I was much more effective at my second one. The following are some lessons I learned about early-stage startup marketing. Because market is such a broad topic, I’m restricting these lessons to PR marketing (as opposed SEO, SEM, product marketing, etc.).

Early Stage 380

Early Stage Stealth Marketing Startup 380

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2022

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. Outsourcing your core competency does not work.

Technical Cofounder 309

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 309

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

Reading the NY Times article “ Jeffrey Katzenberg Raises $1 Billion for Short-Form Video Venture, ” I realized it was time for a new startup heuristic: the amount of customer discovery and product-market fit you need to find is inversely proportional to the amount and availability of risk capital. It’s the antithesis of the Lean Startup.

Lean 335

Lean Burn Rate Startup IPO 335

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2016

conversation literally every week with startups. It is a truism that with more capital you will hire people more quickly and spend more liberally whether it’s on external contractors, PR firms, attending events, doing legal work (trademarks, patents) or whatever. million or $4 million. Read the responses to this story on Medium.

Pre-Money Valuation 292

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Early Stage Startup 292

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2010

I recently did a post for startups on understanding sales people. A few people have asked me to try and define the perfect startup organization chart. But I do have more insight into understanding your startup team. Often I’m asked by startup CEO’s about how to best build an engineering team.

Fractional CTO 400

Fractional CTO CTO Hire Fractional VPE Part-Time VPE 400

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 4, 2011

It’s a very important concept for me because in a startup you are constantly under pressure and have way too many distractions. Commitment & urgency are key drivers of success in startup businesses. I was recently talking with a startup company who wanted me to try their product. You already know it from your personal lives.

Metrics 346

Metrics Startup Acquisition SEM 346

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 26, 2024

Financial public relations (PR) has moved past conventional techniques in today’s fast-paced digital environment, adopting new platforms to increase its influence and reach. In order to remain competitive and relevant, companies in the financial industry need to use digital platforms for their financial PR campaigns.

PR 147

PR Public Relations Social Media Audience 147

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 9, 2013

And I think of it as a failure of Silicon Valley startups (and occasionally SV VCs who lack an understanding of enterprise purchasing) to assume you don’t need a sales process and sales reps. And failure to show customer adoption is the death of startup companies. Startup Advice'

Customer 324

Customer PR Marketing Technical Review 324

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2011

What could you learn from looking at your competitors or other tech startups in a different way? Or you think their startup is a passing fad and yours is the real deal? I was at a dinner about a year ago with a few VCs and startup founders. Do we have the wrong PR firm? I hear views like this all the time.

Startup 313

Startup Guerilla Silicon Valley Portfolio 313

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2014

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. dream team entrepreneur startup technical'

Technical Cofounder 245

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 245

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 22, 2011

After 10 minutes I felt like we were old buddies because we had both been through the trenches of startup tech land and had had similar experiences. He was recounting one of his higher profile startups to me. When Dave McClure announced “500 Startups” even I chuckled.

Leadership 418

Leadership Technical Review Software Review PR 418

Steve Blank

APRIL 5, 2017

I was having coffee with the CEO of a new startup, listening to her puzzle through how to communicate to potential customers. Founders ask me all the time whether they should hire a PR agency. Understanding your audience(s) is important for not just startups, but for companies already selling products. The question is when ?”

Marketing 318

Marketing Audience Technical Review PR 318

YoungUpstarts

MAY 4, 2020

For many startups, one of the biggest challenges is to build brand visibility and awareness. A strong social media presence works wonders for startups since it can help increase the company’s exposure. Benefits Of Press Releases For Startup Businesses. Useful For Brand Building. Acquire More Funding. Conclusion.

Social Media 147

Social Media Startup Distribution Public Relations 147

Hunter Walker

OCTOBER 14, 2024

I was working at a venture-backed apparel startup for 4 years and saw the power of building digitally-native brands through Facebook and Instagram (TikTok was still nascent). Here are Five Questions with Sandro. Hunter Walk: Backstory time! Tell us a bit about Sanzo and how it was founded? Sandro Roco: I had the idea for Sanzo in 2018.

New York City 110

New York City Hockey Stick Distribution Angel Investor 110

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. And of course ultimately on profitability.

Metrics 150

Metrics Cost Acquisition Startup 150

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 25, 2014

I’ve been having this PR discussion with three separate portfolio companies at once so I thought I’d just publish my thoughts more broadly. I have written many times about PR so if you want a deep dive on the “how” of PR you may enjoy reading some of these posts. PR pays dividends in Biz Dev.

PR 415

PR Early Stage Dividend Acquisition 415

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2020

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. Outsourcing your core competency does not work.

Technical Cofounder 308

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Stock Options 308

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 23, 2011

One of the most frequent questions entrepreneurs ask about when they raise a little bit of money or are getting close to launching their first product is whether they should hire a PR firm. PR is a process, not an event - For starters let me say that you shouldn’t do PR around milestones. In a startup this is a mistake.

PR 349

PR Startup Hiring Social Network 349

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 16, 2015

Fred Wilson also wrote on a similar topic in his usual more succinct manner , with a great quote being: “One thing I know for sure is that those who advise and invest in startups cannot and should not meddle in the day to day decision making. It’s harmful and hurtful to the startup and those that lead it. ” PR.

Startup 150

Startup CTO Hire Sales PR 150

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

Many startup businesses – tech or otherwise – fail. Trying outrageous new things or even trying mundane things but in new ways but with extreme quality & innovation is what fuels the tech startup industry. But today I want to give you advice on how to decrease your odds of failure in a startup.

Startup 150

Startup Seed Money DC Software Review 150

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

Most technology startups seem to be funded by product people or business people. My first startup was no different. These days there are even startups like SalesCrunch to make this easier for all of us. This is why I tell startups that most seasoned sales execs aren’t right for startups.

Sales 316

Sales Technical Review Matching Hiring 316

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 5, 2012

Coworking spaces are a really cool option for a lot of workers that, for whatever reason, don’t really fit in to a traditional office space like startups, telecommuters, small businesses, and especially creatives in search of collaboration. The Hatchery in San Francisco is a great place for startups to take root. Office Nomads.

San Francisco 253

San Francisco Las Vegas Seattle Phoenix 253

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 11, 2014

The father of “Growth Hacking” appears to be Sean Ellis who wrote this widely read post, “ Find a Growth Hacker for your Startup. For starters it brings a mindset to startups that not all of them have innately. If your startup isn’t committed to growth hacking you’ll never find extra-ordinary growth.

Technical Review 384

Technical Review Hockey Stick SEM Channel 384

YoungUpstarts

DECEMBER 2, 2018

6. Advertising and PR. If you are good with setting up ads an PR campaigns, you can help companies set up the scheme to draw more traffic to their businesses. Mindful approach to daily routine helps relieving stress just as much as when you buy college essay. Beware that a certain budget is involved here.

Cost 185

Cost Technical Review Social Media PR 185

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

I’m inspired by the enthusiasm of the young, emerging startup ecosystem that is here. And I think about the “Seattle issue&# as a metaphor for startups and business in general. I was meeting with a first-time CEO of a very promising young startup recently and offering my advice on what his priorities should be.

Seattle 317

Seattle Silicon Valley Technical Review Los Angeles 317

ReadWriteStart

MARCH 8, 2021

Every startup entrepreneur wants to see their company grow. But none of that can happen if you have an impediment to growth – an invisible (or perhaps visible) force keeping your startup from creating the momentum it needs to keep growing. . You could work to get more PR exposure. You could invest in marketing and advertising.

Startup 127

Startup Retention Acquisition Agile 127

ReadWriteStart

NOVEMBER 30, 2021

If you’re new to marketing and amid a startup, all of it can seem overwhelming. Check out these critical tips for developing an effective marketing strategy for startups in boring industries. This is especially concerning for startups, since you need to be prepared for unexpected financial obstacles more than legacy enterprises.

Developer 159

Developer Marketing Social Media Startup 159

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

Of course it is super helpful if a VC can drop you in to important people for business development, recruiting, PR, sales and eventually M&A. Politics are a part of human nature and thus a part of all startups. Startups are hard. Startup Advice VC Industry' Connections? FourSquare. Everywhere. Commitment.

Portfolio 364

Portfolio Chicago Sales Incubator 364

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2018

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. Outsourcing your core competency does not work.

Technical Cofounder 144

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 144

View from Seed

JANUARY 27, 2021

You have an authentic passion for technology, startups, and a deep respect for entrepreneurship. Supporting other external PR and media relations for the firm. You have 2-4 years of professional experience in marketing, social media, event coordination, or business operations. You act as an “ invited guest.”. What Will The Job Be Like.

Operations 227

Operations Hiring Seed Stage Software Review 227

VC Cafe

MARCH 16, 2025

Mention that you do “Consumer tech” as a startup founder and you’d be limiting your funding options to one third of the venture capital funds (in Israel that figure is probably closer to 10%). Despite the renewed potential offered by AI, consumer startups still need to overcome significant challenges.

Technical Review 78

Technical Review B2C Generative AI IPO 78

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 23, 2019

Our startup, TempaGoGo , a comparison website for temporary agency recruitment, won 3 awards within 6 months, including the Innovator of the Year award from Hounslow Chamber of Commerce , in partnership with Heathrow. Early-stage startups might want to consider local opportunities first before plunging into national awards!

Technical Review 147

Technical Review Startup Balance Sheet Cofounder 147

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2014

Yesterday I wrote a post about The Silent Benefits of PR in which I pointed out that most young companies I encounter don’t fully grasp the benefits of PR because they are less measurable than product milestones or customer acquisition analyses (like CAC/LTV). When to start PR? It’s a continual process.

PR 319

PR Venture Capital Hiring Seed Capital 319

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

If you’re a technology startup you need to excel at product, of course. While many tech startups do this intuitively (say, SnapChat thinking it would be much better if our photos out partying disappeared) it still happens. Startup Advice' It’s worth a quick read. My argument is pretty simple.

SEM 379

SEM Viral Marketing Widget 379

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 1, 2011

Let me say this – whether you believe in marketing at startups or not, I think we’d all agree that you can’t have a great marketing program around a mediocre product. Only after you’ve done all this can you consider whether or not it makes sense to pay for any marketing such as SEM, PR, trade show expenditure, etc.

Entrepreneur 398

Entrepreneur Atlanta Audience SEM 398

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 16, 2018

It is equally significant for the startups, small businesses and large scale organizations. The entrepreneurs and startups should need to learn where to put their efforts and how to do it right otherwise their money would be in bonfire. You can also go for the survey but that is not much working idea for the startups.

Marketing 133

Marketing Entrepreneur Startup Social Media 133