Startup One Stop

Good morning, All,

Our next EW+SOS+ER breakfast will be December 6th, and it’s the Midtown Edition, centrally located at Wichcraft at 555 Fifth Avenue. Yes, we do keep them intime so that everyone is able to participate and tell us what you’re up to – and what you need. RSVP here: http://roottbreakfast2.eventbrite.com/

It’s December. Holiday music is in the air and early stage investors are pretty much in the wind. Or will be soon enough. Many of them will be at the many parties/events that are happening around the world this time of year. To help you make the most of it: The Basic Rules of Networking – in no particular order. Read More...

Good morning, All,

Our next EW+SOS+ER breakfast will be December 6th, centrally located at Wichcraft at 555 Fifth Avenue. We keep it to a small group; everyone introduces him or herself, and everyone has the opportunity to talk about what they’re doing – and what they need to get to the next level. Hope to see you there!  RSVP here: http://roottbreakfast2.eventbrite.com/

Cross one off the bucket list: last week we met one of our personal favorites – Mark Suster – who spoke at the Vator VentureShift conference and stated unequivocally that the current tech bubble will burst next year – 2013 at the latest. His recommendation: take as much money as you can – NOW – and since there are a number of people out there who are suddenly ‘investors,’ he also warned about inexperience/newly minted investors, and we’d like to share an excellent blog post Mark Birch on this very subject not too long ago: (The Trouble with Non-Investor Investors. “You can file this under investors to avoid,” states Birch, and to read on: http://bit.ly/vZRaFH). Suster also said that there’s no such thing as superangels, and mentioned the barbell, which, if you haven’t been paying attention, is the industry term du jour. ‘Barbell’ refers to that investment no man’s land between early stage and serious VC money, where the investment landscape almost literally flatlines. It’s also the place that separates out the serious companies: where you literally have to make it on your own petard or close up shop. You’d better have something no one can live without – and are willing to pay for – or has made a dramatic change in the landscape, and no one can live without, like twitter. Just something to think about. That said, the angels are out there, but spend your money and build your product wisely and yes, Virginia, you do need a business model. Read More...

Good morning, All,

Long one this week, but next week’s a holiday, and we’ll keep that one short and pithy. First, our rooftop event is tonight and we’ve got some new investors for you to meet so register now and don’t miss out: http://terraceparty5-auto.eventbrite.com/. NOTE: the address is 121 West 45th Street, 3rd Floor. Our next EW+SOS+ER breakfast will be December 6th, centrally located at Wichcraft at 555 Fifth Avenue, RSVP here: http://roottbreakfast2.eventbrite.com/

We ran into an old friend not too long ago – a former VC who decided to return to his entrepreneurial roots. We noted that funding shouldn’t be a problem for him, given his success record and the fact that he knows a number of prominent VCs personally. “That’s the last money I’d take,” he noted. “Too expensive.” Entrepreneurs are a scrappy lot and there’s always another way, and lo and behold, look what we found, from BI: The Way Companies Are Getting Financed Is Completely Changing (http://read.bi/u7bIve). The article goes into the alternate means to funding – crowdfunding, accelerators, superangels, et al, and good timing, but wait, there’s more! It mentions a few from each category, but for more complete information worldwide, knock yourselves out: Read More...

Good morning, All,

First, our thanks to those who came to our first EW+SOS+ER breakfast last week. We really enjoyed meeting you in a more intime setting for a change and we promise the next one is more geographically desirable/accessible to public transportation – Wichcraft at 555 Fifth Avenue, on December 6. RSVP here: http://roottbreakfast2.eventbrite.com/ and looking forward to seeing you there! In the meantime, our next rooftop event is coming up November 15^th, and make sure to register now: http://terraceparty5-auto.eventbrite.com/ And note: in keeping with the theme of the newsletter – we’ve got some new investors for you to meet, and this time, we’ll be conveniently located in midtown!

We’re getting to that time of year again: holiday season, when people start to take off for points unknown, hit the party re: networking’circuit (as if we’re not out networking every night, anyway – or potentially can be) – and the flow of investment money into startups start to slow down. But tech never rests, and it’s not over yet. For inspiration this week: the angels are out there, and here’s how to find them, no matter where in the world you happen to be: Read More...

Good morning, All,

Mark your calendars: November 15^th, the early bird rate is available, so make sure to register now: http://terraceparty5-auto.eventbrite.com/ We’ll have a new crew of investors on hand, and we’ve moved the venue to Hubitat, a new space that’s opening for entrepreneurs on 26^th Street, and it features excellent amenities, associated corporate services – and it’s backed by a team of mentors, including serial entrepreneurs and angel investors to help members where and when they need it. It seems to us a cross between an accelerator and an incubator/shared office space, with mentors in residence. The best of all worlds, and Neil Anderson, who has organized the space and who is himself an angel investor, will be on hand to tell you all about it – and to talk to early stage startups, so be there, and our thanks to Neil and Hubitat for hosting.

We’re also starting our EW+SOS+ER breakfast series – Rock Out For Breakfast – this Thursday, and here’s the drill: $25 includes breakfast at Wichcraft, and your chance to have intime conversations with fellow entrepreneurs, possible mentors, and angel and VC investors.  ONLY 30 TIX available for each breakfast, which starts at 8.30 am; personal introductions around the table at 9; and networking until 10. A great way to start the day and it kicks off this Thursday, November 3^rd. You don’t really have to rock. Just be there, and we’ll be kicking off a lunch series, too, for those of you who like to sleep in. To register: http://breakfastevent1.eventbrite.com/ Read More...