This is the final post (18) of the Techstars Mentor Manifesto. As with item 17, Brad Feld let me complete the list with my own submission for this final item. During one of the Techstars Boston cohorts where I’ve been Mentor-in-Residence, I worked with a 20-something CEO founder (code named Mary) who, shortly after raising aContinue reading “Mentor Manifesto 18/18 – Have Empathy. Remember that startups are hard”
Category Archives: startups
Founders: How are you making money & generating cash?
Tech startups often do not think deeply enough about how they are going to make money. More focus on this would be greatly helpful. During most of my weeks I’ll meet with anywhere from 5-10 founders of tech companies to talk about their business. Many are looking for investment, and though I’ve invested in a fairContinue reading “Founders: How are you making money & generating cash?”
Mentor Manifesto 17/18 – Be Challenging/Robust but Never Destructive
Brad Feld wrote 16 posts detailing each item of the Techstars Mentor Manifesto. However, there are 18 items in the manifesto and he never got around to writing the final two. I prodded him several times; but after a year without the posts appearing from him, I volunteered to write them; and he has graciously accepted themContinue reading “Mentor Manifesto 17/18 – Be Challenging/Robust but Never Destructive”
Angel Invest Boston podcast, with me and Saleh Daher
I was recently invited by Sal Daher to be interviewed for his Angel Invest Boston podcast series. Sal’s series invites various tech angel investors from around the city and asks them a variety of questions about their own background, how their background influences their investment, and about things they commonly see in, and suggest to startupContinue reading “Angel Invest Boston podcast, with me and Saleh Daher”
Should the interest on convertible notes be paid in cash in some cases?
When startups raise capital from outside investors, one financial structure commonly used is called a convertible (promissory) note. There are several motivations for startups & investors to use this arrangement. One thing is coming back to bite me, though, and makes me wonder if the terms of it ought to change in common use: conversion of the interest intoContinue reading “Should the interest on convertible notes be paid in cash in some cases?”
JAB Ventures 