Startup One Stop

Good morning, All,

We debated whether to call this the ‘startup’ or ‘entrepreneur’ checklist. We opted for ‘entrepreneur’ since, when Web 1.0 began, newly-minted endeavors were not called ‘startups': they were called ‘companies.’ The idea was, and presumably still is, to build a business. To do what you set out to do, and to finish what you start up - which is to build a viable business. We’ve all seen the 10-slide investor decks. We know what investors are looking for. But what are the points entrepreneurs need to consider? Here are some things to keep in mind for your own internal slide deck/startup checklist:

In the beginning there is The Idea, but that's just the beginning… 1. Is there a real problem that needs to be addressed? 2. Do you have the right experience to address this problem? 3. Can you afford to do this? Can you afford not to? 4. Is what you are creating truly unique and necessary, or are you reinventing the wheel? What have you done to validate your idea? 5. What are your immediate plans for keeping the lights on? Keeping your day job for the time being? Are you self-funding and can you afford that? Friends and family can help - and can you afford that? 6. Are you the person who can build the product, the one who can get the customers, or the one who can convince the investors? It takes a team: figure out which one you are, then find the people who are much better at the other functions than you are - and don’t forget to let them do their jobs. 7. Who are your competitors and how do you differ? Really? Can you convince an investor or a customer of that? 8. Have you checked in with your customers/beta testers lately? What are their suggestions/opinions? Know your audience. And listen to them. 9. How are you going to reach your market? What if your product is a runaway hit: how will you scale it? What if it isn’t: what’s the Plan B to get to Plan A? 10. What are your major risks/pain points/fears and how do you plan on managing them? Hint: what keeps you up at night? 11. First mover advantage is nice, but how easily can your idea be replicated by a competitor? Do you have a Next Phase/feature that they won’t see coming? 12. If you’re getting no traction with investors/customers/buyers, are you talking to the wrong investors/audience, or does your product need refinement/rethinking? 13. Who are your mentors/subject matter experts/advisors? You do have them, right? 14. Is your product something that will help people to make money/save money/improve their lives so that they will want to spend money? Love and good press will get you just so far… 15. This industry is full of nay-sayers (aren’t they all?). Bad days aside, do you have the passion/fortitude/fire in the belly to keep going, and to keep the company going? 16. Is this something you need to attend to personally, at all times, or is it sustainable, even if you’re off on a beach somewhere? If the answer to the first part is ‘yes,’ you’re self-employed. If the answer to the second part is ‘yes,’ you’re building a company. 17. Is this something you really need to do, that you’ve thoroughly researched and thought out and damn the torpedoes, or has someone close to you suggested that you might be clinically insane and professional counseling might be a good alternative? Read More...

Good morning, All,

First came the facebook movie, and remember, there are three sides to every story (his side, her side and the truth). Well, four, if you count Hollywood’s. We see Dennis Crowley in commercials. Techstars and Quirky with their own television shows. "Shark Tank," is a pitch panel by any other name and with higher-paying sponsors. Ashton Kutcher, Justin Timberlake, MC Hammer, Lady Gaga, Adrian Grenier, Justin Bieber, Natalie Portman and other celebrities are making their way to Silicon Valley to invest in technology startups. And now there’s Randi Zuckerberg’s soon to be aired startup show, which we like to call the Reel Houselives of Silicon Valley. It’s not shot in Silicon Valley, but rather in the much more scenic San Francisco (ever been to Sandhill Road? Next). As to the show’s stars themselves being representative of the Cali-based tech world, it seems anyone in the startup world who isn’t white, a millenial, camera-ready and who doesn’t look great in a bathing suit just didn’t get the email for the casting call. What can you do? The industry at large is up in arms about this show, which from what we’ve seen so far, is about a bunch of twenty-somethings boozing hard, taking off their tops at every opportunity, proclaiming that they’re inventing tomorrow, and doing anything but working on their startups (Sneak peek: 'Start-Ups: Silicon Valley' full of bikinis, booze and bawling http://bit.ly/Pw3vfr). According to the press release, the series supposedly will explore the "intertwining lives of a group of (six) young entrepreneurs on the path to becoming Silicon Valley's next great success stories." Sucesses they may be, but most likely not in tech. Reality check: the producer is Mark Zuckerberg’s sister, and this is television. Bravo, in fact, not the Discovery Channel, so get over it. In short, “Startup: Silicon Valley” is not representative of startup life as we know it anywhere in the known universe. If you want to know who the real tech stars are these days, as always, follow the money (Revenge of the Nerds, the Sequel: Silicon Valley Wallflowers Now Hot. As Web Darlings See Stocks Fall, Spotlight Hits Business Tech; 'Sexy Again'. Spoiler alert – most are over 30 and don’t wear hoodies: http://on.wsj.com/VyEkrv). In TV land and the media, young techies are the new rock stars. Nerd is cool. Geek is chic. And with reality television now covering everyone and everything, we all want our 15 minutes in the spotlight, and do make sure to get my good side. Since this is "Startup: Silicon Valley," can "Startup: Silicon Alley/Prairie/Roundabout/Falafel" be far behind? Boozing, brawling and looking good in a bikini - that may be how you make television. But building something that changes lives for the better, or that somehow helps to move the human race forward – that's how you make history. Stay tuned or stay focused. Either way - onward and forward.

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Good morning, All, First, our next SOS gathering is next week, October 18. Register here: http://sosoctobermixer.eventbrite.com/ There were two events of note on Friday: First, it’s official - 1 out of every 7 people on the planet has a facebook account. (We are aware of the at least 8.7% bogus accounts - Facebook officially passes 1 billion monthly active users: http://tnw.co/StamXY). It was also a year since the death of Steve Jobs. Facebook is one of the largest countries in the world, based on population, and Apple one of the wealthiest, based on GNP. We work in an industry where a premium is placed on number of registered users. While FB literally’s got a billion of them, last time we checked, the stock was still well below its IPO price, although slightly up from previous weeks. One more thing happened on Friday: a friend pinged me to tell that his company had just been funded. Sans business plan. What he did have was a vision, a team, potential partners in place, an addressable market, a clear path to revenue. And a real pair on him. There are no hard and fast rules in this industry (see Business Insider’s Digital 100 below). True visionaries are few and far between – and seldom readily recognized. You don’t need to be one, but having a vision is helpful – and we mean a ‘vision’ rather than a willingness to fall back on/retrofitting the same old models we’ve seen before. Failing that, always good to have a plan, or at the very least, a strategy. By sheer numbers, Facebook is an extraordinary achievement which could potentially forge something transformational, and hopefully in a good way. How to do that? To paraphrase Steve Jobs, quoting Wayne Gretzky, skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been. With all due respect to the puck, having balls helps, too. Don't just create - invent. That's how the future is built. Onward and forward. Deadlines: The list of Startup Weekend Upcoming Events The Awesome Foundation wants to give you $1000 for your best idea – almost anywhere in the world. We give micro-grants each month to projects that are inspiring, delightful, and elegant: in a word, Awesome. To apply in NYC: http://bit.ly/NWueRO For more information and the complete list of chapters all over the world: http://www.awesomefoundation.org/ NEW NYU-Poly Incubator Accepting Fall Applications, deadline unknown. At the NYU-Poly Incubator we understand the needs of early-stage startups. We focus on providing our startups with the key resources that they need to be successful. This fall, we are excited to accept a few more startups at our DUMBO location in Brooklyn. Our incubator is looking for energetic and innovative startups that want to be apart of the bigger NYC Tech Community. For more information and to apply: http://bit.ly/Q85fbI LeWeb'12 Paris, deadline October 21^st. We are looking for the most exciting and innovative startups and of course if your company or your product is in the "Internet of Things" space (LeWeb12 theme) this will be even better (but not compulsory!). If that sounds like your startup, entry is free and to apply: http://bit.ly/SrYhl2 DreamIt Ventures inaugural Austin accelerator program, deadline October 26^th. The details are here: http://bit.ly/OVWQ8y. Demo Day will take place during SXSW. To apply: http://dreamitventures.com/apply/apply-now/ . NEW NYC SeedStart Enterprise-Focused Accelerator, deadline November 9^th. NYC SeedStart: Enterprise is looking for software and web-based teams with technical co-founders launching companies in the enterprise software area. The program will take place in New York City from January to March 2013. Particular areas of interest are SaaS, Real-time Analytics, Security, Cloud Services and Consumer-enabled Enterprise Products. Up to ten teams will be selected to participate, with each company receiving $20,000 in funding in exchange for a 5% equity stake in the business. For more information and to apply: http://www.nycseedstart.com/Or contact us @ info@nycseedstart.com AWS Global Startup Challenge, deadline November 9^th. The Amazon Web Services (AWS) Global Start-Up Challenge is a way for promising start-ups to get noticed and compete for an opportunity to win some great rewards. This year’s challenge offers prizes such as $100K in combined cash and credits for multiple winners, VC introductions, PR support, and more. If your start-up is built using AWS, we want you to apply! Meet Tier One Investors: Finalists will be flown to San Francisco where they will meet 1:1 with top VCs More Winners, More Prizes: This year we will award winners in four categories, and award each of the four winners $50,000 in cash and $50,000 in AWS credits Press and Attention for Your Start-Up: Past winners have been covered by top tech news outlets, and AWS offers other free promotion to top teams as part of the contest. For more information and to apply: http://bit.ly/OwE8ny

NEW BlueprintHealth Accelerator, deadline November 19^th. The program is geared towards healthcare companies that want an intensive three-month program to help find customers and capital. Selected companies range from two founders with an idea to businesses that have customers, investors and are generating significant revenue. The foundation of the program is a community of over 150 healthcare entrepreneurs, investors and industry executives that are committed to helping you build and grow your business. We have the largest network of mentors with healthcare expertise of any accelerator, which can provide you with warm introductions and the strategic and tactile advice you need. If you are accepted to the accelerator program, you will receive $20,000 in cash, over $50,000 in perks, office space at our SoHo office, and a community that is dedicated to seeing you succeed. For more information and to apply: http://bit.ly/Q926Y5

ER Accelerator Winter Session, deadline November 30^th. ERA one of the top accelerators in the country, if not the world. Get $25k in funding; free office space in the heart of NYC; access to 200+ amazing mentors (http://eranyc.com/mentors/ and yes, Yours Truly happens to be one of them). For more information: http://eranyc.com/ To apply: http://eranyc.com/apply/ Take the HELM, deadline November 30^th. The Take the HELM (Hire & Expand in Lower Manhattan) Competition will select up to 20 finalists that best meet the goals of the competition and seek to open an office in Lower Manhattan. Finalists will each receive a $10,000 cash grant, an opportunity to interview with the distinguished Take the HELM Selection Committee, and will participate in two days of exclusive business development programs in Lower Manhattan. Up to four Take the HELM winners will receive an additional $250,000. At least one $250,000 prize will be reserved for startup applicants. For more information and to apply: http://www.takethehelmnyc.com/ THE NEW ENGLAND VENTURE SUMMIT Call for Top Innovators, and it’s not too late to apply to present. http://bit.ly/OVZQBF. The New England Venture Summit provides an unparalleled opportunity for startups to meet, network and showcase their innovative investment opportunities to a leading group of investors. This exclusive venture summit will feature over 40 leading VCs on timely panel discussions; presentations by 50 cutting edge companies and high-level networking opportunities. It happens in Boston on December 5^th. If you plan on attending, register now and save 50%: http://bit.ly/LjlttK powered by Movable Ink For you edification this week: BusinessInsider’s DIGITAL 100: The World's Most Valuable Private Tech Companies. Caveat: BI states that rankings are based on several metrics, including revenue, users, market opportunities, growth rates, and the perception of investors and tech gurus. It’s that last bit that always gets us: http://read.bi/SyjOr9 For inspiration, lest we forget, Here Is Apple's Tribute To Steve Jobs, Who Died A Year Ago Today: http://read.bi/SxzWLo Keeping with the theme: Facebook, a Company without a Vision. http://bit.ly/U1RfVP Why Zynga Failed. Short answer: no strategy. http://tcrn.ch/QSKSh3 Spotify Financials Deemed Unsustainable. Again, no strategy. The idea is to make sure the numbers work so that you’re revenue positive. See iTunes. http://bit.ly/QSL9Rj Startup Funeral: Honoring The Lessons Of Failure [Video] http://rww.to/PzEF8P Too Much/Too Little Money. The challenge for the entrepreneur is to for each financing to find the Goldilocks amount to raise: http://bit.ly/ThgfHl Top 10 reasons your business plan blows chunks… http://bit.ly/Q82AyL 10 Ways Startups Can Deal With Patent Troll Demands. It’s no fun receiving a patent demand, but rest assured, you are not alone. http://tcrn.ch/TgS6Rp The Top 10 Types of Douchebags in Tech and How NOT to Be One. This one’s been around for a while, but some things never get old: http://bit.ly/f8YLT4 Goodies for you - BestVendor helps you save time finding the best software, apps & tools: http://www.bestvendor.com/ Special for SOS Members: JOIN US FOR THE #1 BUSINESS TRADE SHOW on October 17th! Admission is free! Register now: http://bit.ly/PQPDb Promo Code: EXPO15 10,000 Business Owners • 40+ Seminars • 200 Exhibits • Unlimited Networking * 50+ Speakers And BonnieFoods will be there, so stop by and try some! Startuponestop.com is proud to partner with the LARGEST business expo and networking event in the Northeast. We invite you to pre-register for the 8th Annual New York Business Expo and Conference for FREE ADMISSION. This is a MUST-ATTEND if YOU want to network with peers, purchase discounted products & services, identify NEW B2B resources and attend cutting-edge seminars that deliver actionable strategies. Date: October 17^th 2012 Location: Javits Center Hall 1A - 655 West, 34th Street, New York, NY 10001 Website: www.EventManagement.org/newyork NY Expo offers over 40 business seminars designed to SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS in social media, sales, advertising, technology, accessing capital, healthcare, mobile, global trade and MORE! Attend one of our cutting-edge HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS and walk away with fresh techniques and indispensable takeaways. This is the MUST-ATTEND event for entrepreneurs, small business owners and executives who want to gain a competitive advantage, network with peers, purchase discounted products, engage with vendors and deepen their business education. This is the ONLY conference in New York where you can access a world of fresh ideas in one place - SAVING YOU TIME & MONEY! Register now: http://bit.ly/PQPDb Promo Code: EXPO15 Elevator Pitch/Member News Hint, hint: Feel free to tell us what you're working on, or if you've been featured in the press...Share, and we will, too! That's it from us this week and hope to see you at theNew York Business Expo and Conference and our SOS gathering October 18^th: http://sosoctobermixer.eventbrite.com/ Until then, always, help is on the way... Read More...

Good morning, All,

We always see lists of the steps to take to succeed in technology. What about the things and people to avoid, sometimes at all costs. Starting with advice from the piece that inspired today’s newsletter: Why I got Fired from Facebook (a $100 Million dollar lesson): http://bit.ly/RqDgp1 Worth a read, and one of my favorites, yea, even as a networker. And blogger: “The BEST way to get famous is make amazing stuff. That’s it. Not blogging, networking, etc.” Make sure to read the note from Zuck – and see if you can find Waldo. Networking is important – but not to the exclusion of all else, or to validate your overwhelming desire to procrastinate. New rule: Check to see who’s going, or who’s hosting. Give yourself an hour to go and meet the people on your list. Also make sure to meet at least one new person. Once you get the feeling that your work there is done, leave. And don’t look back. One more lap around, just to be sure, is permissible, but just one, unless it was really worthwhile. After all, networking is part of your jobs, too (and yes, the next SOS networking event is October 18^th. RSVP now for the early bird rate: http://sosoctobermixer.eventbrite.com/

You’re not the star – your product is. What we mean by that, well, once again, there’s the lessons of Color (and just for the record, Elvis has left the room - Bye Bye, Bill: How Nguyen Doomed Color from the Start: http://bit.ly/P4tAC3). It was a startup without a product. Or a plan to capture users (yes, we know you need a product first, but when investors throw $41 million at you, guess you don’t sweat the details. Bill Nguyen: The Boy In The Bubble: http://bit.ly/UAkutF As the article says, Bill Nguyen launches startups with haste, never researches the competition, and makes the same mistakes "again and again." So why do people keep giving him so much money? Hope the investors on the list are paying attention to this one and yes, there is such a thing as Silicon Snake Oil Syndrome, which is the concept that if you’ve hit it once, whether by pluck or luck, you’re destined to be a Successful Serial Entrepreneur, which might help to explain The Venture Capital Secret: 3 Out of 4 Start-Ups Fail: http://on.wsj.com/PDkx7z Read More...

Good morning, All,

We got to a lot of pitch events – where investors are always present – as well as accelerator demo days – where there are even more investors present. Of course we always query them for their feedback post-event.  Most often we hear: ‘yes, interesting, but we’ve seen this before.’ Or, ‘they’re in a crowded space.’ Newsflash: libraries and bookstores – on and offline – are filled with books, and yet when you get down to it, there are only seven plots in all of literature, and actually, they can be boiled down to three: man v man; man v nature and man v himself. So any fiction writers on the list? Give it up: it’s been done and why the New York Times should even bother with a bestseller list is beyond us. To make matters worse, Mark Zuckerberg Says There Are Only ‘6 People In The World With Good Ideas’ (http://read.bi/QmXzDU) – himself included, of course, and let’s not forget that FB was far from being the world’s first social network. (Oh, and in case you missed it, and speaking of social networks, they’re back: https://new.myspace.com/play.) Remember: only seven plotlines.

Given all of this, what’s an entrepreneur to do? Answer: what you’ve always done. Keep building. Never give up on building the better mousetrap. Of course, Einstein’s definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, but that’s not what we’re talking about. As Erin Griffin notes in her pandodaily piece about ER Accelerator Demo Day which took place last week, “If Facebook has taught us anything it’s that an idea doesn’t have to be original or first to succeed. It just has to be executed the best.” (Politics, Planes and Paperwork: http://bit.ly/Q2cPpD). A fine point, that may well elude many an investor. (She also notes that conversely, the best execution doesn’t always win, either. Remember betamax?). Investors like founders with great backgrounds or track records. Look, they dumped millions into Color (Color.com Raises $41 Million For Building Location Photo- and Video-Sharing Social Network: http://bit.ly/SNchkr) yet a handful of unknowns founded instagram – an industry hit which left the Color investors waaay in the red. Pun intended. You’ve never heard of Sulia – but you someday may: This Tiny New York Startup Is Showing Facebook How It’s Done. http://read.bi/USQ87O. It’s the world’s first subject-based social network. They organize short-form content into channels. It’s free, and built in a way so that they can someday monetize their content. No brainer for advertisers:  here’s your dedicated audience. You don’t have to go looking for them. They’re right here in this channel. May be time to take a cue from companies like Sulia and don’t just make your focus to build lean, or do more faster. Build smart and build it your way. As Oscar Wilde said, be yourself… everyone else is already taken. End of story. Onward and forward. Read More...

Good morning, All,

The iPhone 5 was introduced last week and while it has made moves forward (Apple introduced iPhone 5, 4” screen, 7.6 mm thick, 112 grams, 4G LTE capable, A6 processor, Lightning dock connector: http://tnw.co/Raj50k) – and is the fastest-selling iPhone to date, the battery is still not removable, and we know that the FBI can listen in, even when the phone is turned off – which is true of all smartphones, just for the record. Still, supposedly forward technology moves. So quickly, in fact, that again, we don’t stop to consider the consequences. When gmail was first introduced in 2004, no less than 30 civil liberties groups were in court arguing that with their ad serving, GOOG was reading our email and targeting us – a clear invasion of privacy. Was then and still is, yet gmail has become part of the internet landscape and we have happily given up our privacy and lots of it for the sake of convenience (How Google products go from creepy to cool: http://cnet.co/LU15kA). If they can do it, so can the government. A precedent has been set. As the writer says, convenience trumps privacy – are you cool with that? Now with Google Glasses, the company literally wants to get inside your head – and that’s just not cool by any stretch of the imagination (Google’s Project Glass is cool, but it raises a number of privacy concerns: http://tnw.co/OulVHe). Technology and the internet have certainly sped things up – including the rate at which we get used to things, like the disappearance of our rights. We’re like children who’ve been distracted by the lollipop and don’t see that doctor (or worse) coming at us with the needle. Social media has only exacerbated the issue. We’ve said it before: with all of the information we readily share via facebook, twitter, foursquare and whatever other SM technologies you care to throw into the mix, there’s nothing that can’t be known, mined and discovered within a few simple keystrokes. We know that this isn’t news to you. Every now and again, we like to tap you on the shoulder as a gentle reminder, since we are the early adopters and more importantly, the creators of this brave new world. The so-called information highway is being charted, and moreso every day. Let’s be careful out there, and respectly of our users/customers. We live in a world where there are so many security cameras out there watching that we now have security cameras watching the security cameras (apologies: we can’t find the link to the article, which appeared last week). Remember the expression, ‘off the grid?’  We have seen the grid, and it is us.  Onward and forward.

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Good morning, All,

It’s 9/11, and maybe because it’s also a Tuesday, as it was on that 9/11 eleven years ago, it’s especially difficult for those of us who were in New York City that morning not to recall the events of that day. And to reflect on what we’ve lost since then.

We had quite a few friends who escaped from the fall of the towers and we’ve heard the stories, first hand, about how they made their way uptown, on foot, since public transportation had been shut down, and did it, exhausted, emotionally drained and covered in the remains of both the buildings and of the people who lost their lives in them. Read More...

Good morning, All,

We’ve always wondered what the tipping point is, when a startup goes from ‘startup’ to ‘company.’ We often wonder the same thing about Founder/CEO. Corporate paperwork aside, does founding a company make one a CEO? Having a great idea is one thing; knowing how to implement is quite another matter. Early stage companies may not have the juice or means to bring on a CEO who is a subject matter expert/can appeal to investors, so the founders often fill the role. Does that mean that the founder should keep the job, once the company is ready to moved to the next level? Not necessarily. A founder is a person who will sacrifice everything to build something out of nothing. A CEO is someone who takes care of the business end of the business and not uncommonly, someone the investors may bring in at some point to help take it to the next level. Not all founders like the idea of giving up the reigns – it’s their baby. Newsflash: always a good idea to play to your strengths – and to be aware of your shortcomings. Founder and CEO - not everyone is good at both, especially in an industry rife with youth, and with youth comes inexperience in business. Don’t be upset if/when it’s time for you to step aside, at least for the time being. Remember: a then young Larry Page and Sergei Brin gave up the reigns to Eric Schmidt, and Steve Jobs was much better suited to be Apple’s CEO the second time around. Mark Zuckerberg has long been the online media’s apotheosis of the startup CEO: young, brash – and he built a company with one of the largest populations on the planet. And like most countries right now, well, the economy isn’t doing very well. FB is working on a business model (Facebook’s New Retargeted Ads Performing “Very Well”, Adds Partners To Run Them: http://tcrn.ch/Og00p0) But targeting users – and having them actually click - are two different things, and do you go to FB to do your shopping? Know your audience – and decide whether or not you’re really up to the job of CEO. Having the passion doesn’t mean you have the skills to run a company. That’s what distinguishes a true leader: you know when to get out of your own way. Facebook has it’s place in the world – for now – until something else comes along, and maybe that’s why something else almost always comes along in the world of technology. Is it really the short attention span of users, or the person at the top's failure to innovate? Consider Amazon and Apple - companies that create new models and markets. Amazon started as a bookseller, grew to become an online shopping center - then changed the game with the Kindle. Apple, which nearly disappeared at one point, is now one of the most successful companies in the world. And there’s the lesson for you: know your users/customers/members and give them something they don’t even know that they need – yet. The true winners are the market-makers. They’re industry leaders that inspire Macolytes rather than follow the old models and devolve into just another company seemingly destined to dot come and go. Onward and forward.

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Good morning, All,

Our next SOS gathering is tonight, August 20^th, so don't forget to register and looking forward to seeing you there. To RSVP: http://sosaugust2012-zvents.eventbrite.com/ discount code: sos. It was another bad week for three Web 2.0 darlings: Facebook is at ½ its IPO value; Zynga is down 69% and Groupon is off by 82%. We're not saying it's a bubble: it was more a wakeup call. And it seems to have roused the sleeping giants, so in case you missed it: A massive partnership was just announced between some of the largest retailers and merchants in the US, including 7-Eleven, Best Buy, Sears, Walmart and Target, to name a few. The plan: to create a mobile wallet that would be honored at its members' retail locations (Tired of Being Cut Out of Mobile Payments, Major Retailers Strike Back: http://rww.to/SEg5oq). This comes on the heels of the NY Times' announcement that it is unloading about.com, which it bought from Primedia (who paid over $600 million for it) for $410 million in 2005, to answers.com, for $270 million (The New York Times Is About to Say Goodbye to About.com: http://dthin.gs/RAxCSy). So don't bank on starting a company called YouNeedToBuyUsBeforeGOOGDoes.com: You prove your worth, or you're off the island. We see this as a harbinger and our takeaway: we’re on the eve of Web 3.0 and it won’t be about the Rise of Mobile (which is part of it) or the Demise of Social (which needs to come to the realization that there’s no free lunch: eventually the waiter does comes around with the check). Amazon never concerned itself with its stock price: the online retailer was busy building a business, and customer service was always front and center: after all, it was the customers who were paying the bills. Does Walmart care how many likes they get on FB? Haven’t seen them post too many – or any – Groupon offers, either, for that matter. You might be a media darling for 5 hot minutes, but careful: the adults are now stepping into the room. It seems they weren’t asleep after all: they’ve quietly been watching from the sidelines and they’re getting ready to stake their own claims in our brave new world. That’s Web 3.0, in our humble opinion and you’d be better be prepared to play in the big leagues now, and maybe even do business with the big guys. They mean business – and always have. If you don’t realize that playtime’s over and that the game is changing, you may well find yourself in way over your hoodie. Onward and forward.

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Good morning, All,

Don't forget that our next SOS gathering is Monday, August 20^th and just under a week away, so don't forget to register and looking forward to seeing you there. To RSVP: http://sosaugust2012-zvents.eventbrite.com/ It’s August. Big vacation month – especially for investors. Since rust - and an entrepreneur - never sleeps, good time to work on your game face – and your pitch. Let’s face it: there’s nothing new under the sun. Facebook? Back in the day, there was sixdegrees.com. Amazon is an online store, albeit a successful one and expanding globally. We go to pitch events all the time. Nine times out of ten, we’ve heard it before. So, how do you get an investor’s attention? Here are some basic helpful hints/rules of thumb:

1. If you want investors’ attention, have a story that gets their attention. 2. If you plan on disrupting an industry, you’d damned well better have a pitch that wakes up the room. 3. Something compelled you to start this company. Share. Don’t keep it a secret. It may just be that pain point with which your potential investor can identify. 4. Speak from the heart. Keep it real. 5. Don’t be yet another concept on steroids. Heard it before – ad nauseam – and besides, steroids should only be administered under a doctor’s care and are illegal, if you happen to be participating in competitive sports. 6. Keep your message simple. And memorable. That way, it’s more likely to be remembered and hopefully, so will you. 7. An investor deck is also a business plan. Just remember that you’re building a business and make sure you have a pathway to profitability. 8. If you’re depending on an ad revenue model, ask yourself: when was the last time I clicked on an ad or a banner*? 9. *The SOS Donate button at the top of this page should be a notable exception, and do feel free to click. 10. Be able to describe your business in one sentence – sometimes, that’s all the time you have. Talking fast doesn’t count. 11. If you have a stellar background – or have unique personal experience having to do with your startup - spell it out. Front and center. It may be the thing that makes you uniquely qualified to do what you’re doing, and potential investors need to know that. 12. Don’t end your deck or presentation with contact information. It needs to be in there, but this is an advertisement for you and your company: leave them with a sound bite that they’ll remember. Read More...