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Managing seed / angel to Series A

on Wed, 10/10/2012 - 14:27

Angel investors have been around for a long time. But starting 2-4 years ago, the growth in wealth of successful entrepreneurs & investors means angels are proliferating at a geometric rate.  They've also been able to become more organized, with angel groups like the Common Angels, and angel investor products like Angel List.  At the same time, classic venture firms started making small, angel/seed-stage investments. Lots of investments, in fact.

The result has been really great in some ways: There is an amazing explosion of startups that are getting a chance at building a business.

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Drupal world domination - step 2

on Wed, 08/22/2012 - 09:35

In recent years, a new breed of incubators called seed accelerators have had success helping new companies get started. They provide mentoring, connections, and capital. Depending on the accelerator, even the branding from having been accepted into the program adds value.

The best example I've seen is TechStars. TechStars has helped launch dozens of companies over several years by attracting extraordinary mentors, and running a well-thought-out program for getting startups off the ground.

Book review: The Rat and the Serpent

on Tue, 08/14/2012 - 14:22

The Rat and the SerpentThe Rat and the Serpent by Bryn Llewellyn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stephen Palmer (Bryn Llewellyn is an old pseudonym he doesn't use anymore) is always a treat to read. His writing proceeds at such a good clip. The stories have a rhythm that seems to flow just perfectly; the stories all seem to accelerate as his books proceed to conclusion, and this book is no exception. But along the way, the comfortable start and cruise through his imagination is a fun ride to be on.

The Rat and the Serpent describes a world that is both fantasy, and simultaneously a world we recognize.

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The most common startup problem: lack of go-to-market answers

on Fri, 07/13/2012 - 06:25

Last night I was asked to give a short talk at Co-Founders Lab on how to make sure you find a co-founder that is a good match for you - and avoid a bad "marriage" (and thus avoid a bad divorce in your business). The room was full of around 10 people who were either founders looking for a co-founder, or people interested in joining a startup as a co-founder (or both).

Harpooning the Whale

on Mon, 06/18/2012 - 14:43

Last Saturday I rode the 2012 edition of the Harpoon Brewery to Brewery (B2B) ride.  This was my fifth time doing it.  It's one of those rides that I both love, and hate: love because after the fact I feel a good sense of accomplishment having done, and hate - especially in the last couple of hours of the ride and the day or two after - because it is painful. Typically, every year, I finish and say "That's the last time I'm doing that ride."  A week later, I'm starting to think about training for the next one.

The ride is long - 148 miles - with about 7,000 feet of vertical.

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