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What do MommyBuzz and Ziki Have in Common

Posted on June 15, 2006 ·

(Updated)
MommyBuzzMommyBuzz launched today announces Steve Rubel.

Business model? The same that Ziki started with: commission-based deals with sunglass-manufacturers. If you visit the site, you’ll see it yourself – but not for long, your eyes will burn (sans shades).

Ziki toned down there colors in a few days – let’s see how soon Mommy gets the buzz ….

Btw, in my usual Johnny-come-lately fashion I thought I would register Toddlerbuzz … too late.

Update (1029):  Mommybuzz does not seem to care.. apparently they think the eye-burning colors work. See VentureBeat on this and other Mom-sites.

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Filed Under: Humor, Marketing / PR, Social Networking, Startups ·
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SVASE VC Breakfast Club with Ken Elefant, Opus Capital

Posted on June 13, 2006 ·

The next SVASE VC Breakfast Club meeting is on Thursday, June 15th in Menlo Park – the VC Mecca, Sand Hill Road. As usual, it’s an informal round-table where up to 10 entrepreneurs get to deliver a pitch, then answer questions and get critiqued by a VC Partner. We’ve had VC’s from Draper Fisher, Hummer Winblad, Kleiner Perkins, Mayfield, Mohr Davidow, Emergence Capital …etc.

Thursday’s featured VC is Ken Elefant, General Partner, Opus Capital. The Zvents post has all the info and a map, and if you plan to attend, please register here.

These sessions are an incredible opportunity for Entrepreneurs, most of whom would probably have a hard time getting through the door to VC Partners. Since I’ve been through quite a few of these sessions, both as Entrepreneur and Moderator, let me share a few thoughts:

  • It’s a pressure-free environment, with no Powerpoint presentations, Business Plans…etc, just casual conversation, but it does not mean you should come unprepared!
  • Bring an Executive Summary, some VC’s like it, others don’t.
  • Follow a structure, don’t just talk freely about what you would like to do, or even worse, spend all your time describing the problem, without addressing what your solution is.
  • Don’t forget “small things” like the Team, Product, Market..etc.
  • It would not hurt to mention how much you are looking for, and how you would use the funds…
  • Write down and practice your pitch, and prepare to deliver a compelling story in 3 minutes. You will have about 5, but believe me, whatever your practice time was, when you are on the spot, you will likely take twice as long to deliver your story. The second half of your time-slot is Q&A with the VC.
  • Last, but not least, please be on time! I am not kidding… some of you know why I even have to bring this up.

Here’s a participating Entrepreneur’s feedback about a previous event.

See you on Thursday! Zbutton

Filed Under: Bay Area, Business, Social Networking, Startups ·
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Techdirt Greenhouse Launches New Social Experiment

Posted on June 10, 2006 ·

I’m at the Techdirt Greenhouse, starting in just a few minutes. The previous one was a great experience, and now I am back to lead one of the discussion groups.

One way to measure the success of a conference (unconference?) is how often you talk about it long after it’s over. Ever since the first Greenhouse I could not attend a conference without bumping into a few participants who’d start the conversation by saying how boring the old way felt after the Greenhouse experience.

Greenhouse has become the “gold standard” for participation, interactivity – there are no speakers and audience, just participants.

And now Techdirt is taking it one step further, by launching a social experience: at the end of the day, when everyone’s left, the discussions will not be closed. Greenhouse “lives on” here– courtesy of WetPaint. The site brings the best of wikis and forum discussions together, in an easy-to use format. Feel free to navigate around, and don’t just read – participate! You all have edit rights. Registration is not necessary, but helpful, especially if you’d like to be recognized for your contribution.

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Business, Collaboration, Social Networking, Startups ·
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Advisory Capital: a Lunch Discussion hosted by SVASE

Posted on June 7, 2006 ·

(Updated)
Advisory Capital is a relatively new term introduced by Stowe Boyd recently. Whether you’re a startup entrepreneur, a Consultant potentially offering such services, or simply are interested in finding out what it’s all about, here’s your chance:

Join Stowe Boyd, Advisory Capitalist No. 1 and Manka Johnson, Management Consultant for a lunch discussion hosted by SVASE and Notre Dame de Namur University this Friday.
Schedule:

11:30-11:45 Registration, Networking and Food
11:45-12:00 SVASE/Startup-U Overview, Introductions, Speaker Intro
12:00- 1:25 Speaker Presentation and Interactive Q&A
1:25- 1:50 Networking with the presenters!

See event details and hurry to register, this event will likely sell out.

See you on Friday. Zbutton

Update (6/7): Stowe just posted about the event on his blog, with a link to his presentation– but like he says, it’s not fun to read without the stories. As it should be – if a presentation can be read in itself, it’s not a presentation. Better join us to get the real scoop from Stowe and Manka.

Update (6/13): See a summary of the event at Hot from Silicon Valley.

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Social Networking, Startups ·
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SVASE VC Breakfast Club with Menlo Ventures

Posted on June 6, 2006 ·

amarchick.gifThe next SVASE VC Breakfast Club meeting is on Thursday, June 8th in Menlo Park – the VC Mecca, Sand Hill Road. As usual, it’s an informal round-table where up to 10 entrepreneurs get to deliver a pitch, then answer questions and get critiqued by a VC Partner. We’ve had VC’s from Draper Fisher, Hummer Winblad, Kleiner Perkins, Mayfield, Mohr Davidow, Emergence Capital …etc.

Thursday’s featured VC is Adam Marchick of Menlo Ventures. The Zvents post has all the info and a map, and if you plan to attend, please register here.

These sessions are an incredible opportunity for Entrepreneurs, most of whom would probably have a hard time getting through the door to VC Partners. Since I’ve been through quite a few of these sessions, both as Entrepreneur and Moderator, let me share a few thoughts:

  • It’s a pressure-free environment, with no Powerpoint presentations, Business Plans…etc, just casual conversation, but it does not mean you should come unprepared!
  • Bring an Executive Summary, some VC’s like it, others don’t.
  • Follow a structure, don’t just talk freely about what you would like to do, or even worse, spend all your time describing the problem, without addressing what your solution is.
  • Don’t forget “small things” like the Team, Product, Market..etc.
  • It would not hurt to mention how much you are looking for, and how you would use the funds…
  • Write down and practice your pitch, and prepare to deliver a compelling story in 3 minutes. You will have about 5, but believe me, whatever your practice time was, when you are on the spot, you will likely take twice as long to deliver your story. The second half of your time-slot is Q&A with the VC.
  • Last, but not least, please be on time! I am not kidding… some of you know why I even have to bring this up.

Here’s a participating Entrepreneur’s feedback about a previous event.

See you on Thursday! Zbutton

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Social Networking, Startups ·
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How To Be a Good Panel Audience – or Not

Posted on June 1, 2006 ·

There are there roles in a conference/ panel discussion:

How? You can learn it here, at the Techdirt Greenhouse. Zbutton No, you don’t really have to be a Bay Area resident. Last time we had participants from Chicago, the UK … come on, it’s fun, and a life-changing experience: you won’t ever want to passively sit in a conference where the panel talks and you listen …or sleep.

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Social Networking, Startups ·
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SVASE VC Breakfast with Diamondhead Ventures – Almost Sold Out

Posted on May 29, 2006 ·

The next  SVASE  VC Breakfast Club meeting is on Thursday, June 1st in Menlo Park – the VC Mecca, Sand Hill Road.  As usual, it’s an informal round-table where up to 10 entrepreneurs get to deliver a pitch, then answer questions and get critiqued by a VC Partner. We’ve had VC’s from Draper Fisher, Hummer Winblad, Kleiner Perkins, Mayfield, Mohr Davidow, Emergence Capital …etc.

Thursday’s featured VC is Raman Khanna, Founding Managing Director, Diamondhead Ventures. The Zvents post  has all the info and a map, and if you plan to attend,  hurry to register   – at the time I’m writing this there are 3 seats left of the 10 maximum.

These sessions are an incredible opportunity for Entrepreneurs, most of whom would probably have a hard time getting through the door to  VC Partners.   Since I’ve been through quite a few of these sessions, both as Entrepreneur and Moderator, let me share a few thoughts:

  • It’s a pressure-free environment, with no Powerpoint presentations, Business Plans…etc,  just casual conversation, but it does not mean you should come unprepared!
  • Bring an Executive Summary, some VC’s like it, others don’t.
  • Follow a structure, don’t just talk freely about what you would like to do, or even worse, spend all your time describing the problem, without addressing what your solution is.
  • Don’t forget “small things” like the Team, Product, Market..etc.
  • It would not hurt to mention how much you are looking for, and how you would use the funds…
  • Write down and practice your pitch, and prepare to deliver a compelling story in 3 minutes.  You will have about 5, but believe me, whatever your practice time was, when you are on the spot, you will likely take twice as long to deliver your story.  The second half of your time-slot is Q&A with the VC.
  • Last, but not least, please be on time!  I am not kidding… some of you know why I even have to  bring this up.

See you on Thursday! Zbutton

Update (5/30):  Here’s a participating Entrepreneur’s feedback about a previous event.

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Business, Social Networking, Startups ·
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Sold-out SVASE Events

Posted on May 22, 2006 ·

(Updated)
Here’s another example of the blogging effect: the SVASE Breakfast Club Session I’ll be hosting this Thursday is already sold out.  These events are normally available for online booking until the day before… the difference?  The VC, Will Price is an active blogger himself, and he posted about the event.

In June Stowe Boyd will talk at an SVASE Startup-U event about Advisory Capital. Zbutton Since Stowe jost posted this on his top-rated blog, guess what will happen soon … hurry up to register, while you can.  

See you there

Update: The Capitalizing On Emerging Markets and Technologies event Zbutton  on June 1st is still available for registration.

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Blogging, Business, Social Networking, Startups ·
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The da Wiki Code

Posted on May 19, 2006 ·

The (likely) most controversial movie of the summer, the da Vinci Code opens today.  Why just watch it?  Be part of uncovering the  Secrets Behind The Da Vinci Code.  This site is put up on the WetPaint platform, an easy-to-use mix of wiki / blog / forum software which the founders hope will facilitate interesting and vibrant online communities.  I wrote about them in the past, although at the time did not fully understand what they were all about.

Since most pages are “unlocked”, i.e. anyone can edit them, this will be an interesting social experiment to watch participate in.

Related posts:

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Filed Under: Collaboration, Social Networking, Software, Startups ·
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SVASE VC Breakfast with Will Price, Blogger, Hummer Winblad Principal

Posted on May 15, 2006 ·

The SVASE  VC Breakfast Club session I’ll be moderating on Thursday, May 25th in San Francisco will be somewhat exceptional: this will be the first time pitching entrepreneurs get to know the VC closely prior to the event.  That’s because Will Price, Principal at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners is an active blogger himself.  His recent post Questions to Ask is a must-read – but I really don’t want  to pick one post only: if you plan to attend the session, do yourself a favor and check out his blog (and if you don’t come to our breakfast, it’s still worth reading)

That said, my standard pitch:  The VC Breakfast is an informal round-table where up to 10 Entrepreneurs get to deliver a pitch, then answer questions and get critiqued by a VC Partner. We’ve had VC’s from Draper Fisher, Hummer Winblad, Kleiner Perkins, Mayfield, Norwest,  Trinity, Mohr Davidow, Emergence Capital …etc.

These sessions are an incredible opportunity for Entrepreneurs, most of whom would probably have a hard time getting through the door to a VC Partners.   Since I’ve been through quite a few of these sessions, both as Entrepreneur and Moderator, let me share a few thoughts:

       

  • It’s a pressure-free environment, with no Powerpoint presentations, Business Plans…etc,  just casual conversation – but it does not mean you should come unprepared!   
  • Bring an Executive Summary –  some VC’s like it, others don’t.   
  • Follow a structure, don’t just talk freely about what you would like to do, or even worse, spend all your time describing the problem, without addressing what your solution is.   
  • Don’t forget “small things” like the Team, Product, Market..etc.   
  • It would not hurt to mention how much you are looking for, and how you would use the funds…   
  • Write down and practice your pitch, be ready to deliver a compelling story in 5 minutes.  You may have more time, but believe me, whatever your practice time was, when you are on the spot, you will likely take twice as long to deliver your story.   
  • Last, but not least, please be on time!  I am not kidding… some of you know why I have to even bring this up. As a matter of fact, our host, Deloitte & Touche specifically asked participants to allocate an extra 5 minutes to get through building security.

For event details check the  Zvents post  and remember to click through to register – there are only 10 slots and this one will sell out early!

See you there! Zbutton

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Filed Under: Bay Area, Blogging, Business, Enterprise Software, SaaS, Social Networking, Software, Startups ·
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