Knowing When To Scale

Recently, I was working on an application that required multiple repetitive tasks to be activated all at once. These…

Valuing Startup Common Stock

Over the years, I have had many occasions to talk about company valuations with founders. Whether negotiating the terms of an investment or discussing option grants at board meetings, the topic is central to the relationship between a company and its closest stakeholders — its…

The first mile of product

Building technology products is an incredibly complex process no matter what industry you’re working in. Just look…

How To Build A “WOW” User Experience

And It Has Nothing To Do With Software Development

What Is Pre-Seed?

I was talking with a group of accomplished technologists this week — academics, former entrepreneurs — discussing the fundraising strategy for a company that has raised some angel funding. At one point, there was discussion of a “Series A” financing in the near-term future of the company. The…

An Open Letter to Other VCs

To Whom It May Concern,

As may already have happened, my firm, CoVenture, will occasionally send you investment opportunities. When these companies are from our portfolio, we obviously know them well and are sending them to you because we feel they are…

The Speed vs. Scalability Dilemma, or: How I learned to stop worrying and love CI

Features Don’t Make a Company

I assume you’re expecting a pep talk about cutting down your feature list. Well, you are absolutely right…

Building a Dream Product

You Are Damaging The Success Of Your MVP