Category: Startups

Does a University like Stanford Produce more Successful Startups? This Might be Why

Friday, 05 April 2019 by SEO'Brien

Culture. It all, always, comes down to the culture of community. Why does Silicon Valley produce startups differently than elsewhere? Why does Hollywood have a style and way about their films that really isn’t replicated elsewhere? Why is Arizona State University a “party school” that produces highly social people? As entrepreneurs, we like to THINK

Published in Austin, Insights / Research, Startups

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The Rookie Mistake Investors Make Getting into Venture Capital

Tuesday, 02 April 2019 by SEO'Brien

Venture capital investing is the riskier version of gambling in Las Vegas. Truly. 90% of startups fail. FEW are experienced with discerning any difference between those likely to fail and those not. What’s the rookie mistake in venture capital investing? Being a rookie. Without experience in startups, your odds are against you as much as

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Published in Insights / Research, Startups

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How do you compete with a startup doing the same thing as you?

Tuesday, 19 March 2019 by SEO'Brien

Also known as Cheaper / Better / Faster, you get to pick two. How do you compete with a startup doing the same thing as you? You study them. It’s called Marketing. That’s what Marketing actually is, too many think it means promotion or advertising. see: Is Advertising Marketing? The Best Marketing Advice to Give a Startup

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Published in Advertising, Featured, PR, Search, Startups

20 Comments

The Networking to do BEFORE you Startup

Monday, 18 March 2019 by SEO'Brien

A simple list of five. The FIVE groups of people to start networking before you start anything… Toward investors. Start now. Getting know them before you need them. Get to know those who will likely support what you’re doing. They’re advisors so they can invest, not banks that are just there for capital. With potential

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Published in Industry, Startups

3 Comments

The Hub of Entrepreneurial Artists; Making the Most of SXSW

Monday, 11 March 2019 by SEO'Brien

This is my… 13th SXSW (I think). Hazy to recall. Having had so many experiences with the conference, the question of WHO excels there, why, and how to help others make the most of one of the world’s most culturally and economically important events, struck me as a worthwhile question. I like to refer to

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Published in Austin, Conferences, Startups

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Before You Start, Define the Outcome

Sunday, 10 March 2019 by SEO'Brien

How do you determine when your business is going to be successful? When it meets your definition of success. Many, I’ve found, start businesses thinking forward; the test and validate, customer feedback oriented development. I have a hypothesis or a business I want to start, what do I do first? That’s generally actually bad idea because every

business entrepreneurship exit founding funding outcome success

Published in Startups

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How Startups and Small Businesses Differ When it Comes to Funding

Monday, 04 March 2019 by SEO'Brien

Funding doesn’t determine a startup from a small business; the nature of the business determines the funding. Twist of logic perhaps, so let’s explore it. Very frequently, I find small businesses looking to raise venture capital; let me cut to the chase that such efforts are almost always wasting their time. The distinctions between small

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Published in Startups

4 Comments