Venture Hacks

Good advice for startups.

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Entries Tagged as 'Entrepreneurs'

10 skills I look for before writing a check, Part 3: Detail Orientation, Competitiveness, Decisiveness

January 26th, 2010 · 15 Comments

This post is by Mark Suster, a serial entrepreneur turned VC at GRP Partners. If you like it, check out Mark’s startup advice blog and his tweets @msuster. And if you want an intro to Mark, send me an email. I’ll put you in touch if there’s a fit. Thanks. – Nivi

This is the last [...]

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Learn more about: Entrepreneurs

Top 10 reasons why entrepreneurs hate lawyers

January 14th, 2010 · 42 Comments

Thanks to Walker Corporate Law Group, a boutique law firm specializing in the representation of entrepreneurs, for supporting Venture Hacks this month. This post is by Scott Edward Walker, the firm’s founder and CEO. If you like it, check out Scott’s blog and tweets @ScottEdWalker. He’s also writing a new series on VentureBeat: Ask [...]

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Learn more about: Entrepreneurs · Lawyers · Sponsor

5 New Year’s resolutions for closing deals in 2010

January 6th, 2010 · 11 Comments

Thanks to Walker Corporate Law Group, a boutique law firm specializing in the representation of entrepreneurs, for supporting Venture Hacks this month. This post is by Scott Edward Walker, the firm’s founder and CEO. If you like it, check out Scott’s blog and tweets @ScottEdWalker. – Nivi

It’s a new year — which means it’s [...]

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Learn more about: Closing · Entrepreneurs · Lawyers · Psychology · Reverse Diligence · Sponsor

10 skills I look for before writing a check, Part 2: Perspiration and Appetite for Risk

January 5th, 2010 · 27 Comments

This post is by Mark Suster, a serial entrepreneur turned VC at GRP Partners. If you like it, check out Mark’s startup advice blog and his tweets @msuster. And if you want an intro to Mark, send me an email. I’ll put you in touch if there’s a fit. Thanks. – Nivi
There are 10 skills [...]

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10 skills I look for before writing a check, Part 1

December 7th, 2009 · 48 Comments

This post is by Mark Suster, a partner at GRP Partners. If you like it, check out Mark’s blog with startup advice and his tweets @msuster. And if you want an intro to Mark, send me an email. I’ll put you in touch if there’s a fit. Thanks. – Nivi
One of the questions I’m most [...]

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“It ain’t about right, it’s about money.”

November 15th, 2008 · 8 Comments

You’ll probably learn more from this clip than two years at Harvard Business School. From HBO’s The Wire:

(Video: The Wire)
I bet you didn’t know this is Obama’s favorite TV show.

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Learn more about: Entrepreneurs · IP · Video

Randy Komisar’s ‘The Monk and the Riddle’

June 25th, 2008 · 3 Comments

More wisdom from Randy Komisar’s The Monk and the Riddle (emphasis added):
Passion
“So why were they doing this? Why was it worth their time? I am always amazed that venture capitalists don’t ask that question. Perhaps at this point everyone assumes it’s obvious: to get rich.
“Passion and drive are not the same at all. Passion pulls [...]

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Learn more about: Books · Entrepreneurs · VC Industry · Value Add

Entrepreneurs: Missionaries, not mercenaries

April 1st, 2008 · 5 Comments

This is a great slide from John Doerr’s talk at Stanford:

It’s a little hard to read but it’s worth a squint. Or just watch this 4 minute video where he lays it out:

Video: John Doerr on Mercenaries and Missionaries.

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Should I sell my company or raise capital?

October 17th, 2007 · 1 Comment

Q: Should I sell my company or raise capital and go for it?
Sell if it dramatically changes the lives of the founders and the early team. Every dollar after your “fuck you money” is icing—get your financial independence first and make the icing at your next company. You can also use an earn-out at the [...]

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Learn more about: Entrepreneurs · M&A · VC Industry