10 Marketing Lessons for Early-Stage Tech Startups

I made every textbook mistake at my first startup, which is why I believe I was much more effective at my second one. I have adopted the motto “good judgment comes from experience, but experience comes from bad judgment.” We need to learn…

Why Startups Should Raise Money at the Top End of Normal

This article originally appeared on TechCrunch.

Understanding Changes in the Software & Venture Capital Industries

The Venture Capital industry has changed over the past 5 years that I would argue are a direct result of changes in the software industry, not the other way around. Specifically, Amazon has changed our entire…

Changes in Software & Venture Capital — Part 2

Yesterday I wrote Part 1 of the series on the changes to the software industry over the past decade that has led to changes in the venture capital industry itself.

What to do When a Tech Giant Decides to Eat Your Lunch

An edited version of this post originally ran on TechCrunch. This version has some additional details on a portfolio company I’ve invested in, which are disclosed below.

The Harder I Work, The Luckier I Get

Overnight success. It’s one of the biggest myths in the tech industry.

On Bubbles … And Why We’ll Be Just Fine

This post originally ran on TechCrunch.

I recently spoke at the Founder Showcase at the request of Adeo Ressi. I asked what the audience most needed to hear.

What Should We Make of Peter Thiel’s “20 Under 20” Education Program?

Several people have been asking me to weigh in publicly on the “20 under 20” initiative announced by Peter Thiel in which he will award up to $100,000 to 20 people under the age of 20 who agree immediately to…

Why Twitter Favorites Aren’t Really Your Favorite Tweets

Twitter is an ephemeral service. It’s what I love about Twitter. When I’m in the mood to consume what my world is telling me right now I can “tune in” to Twitter and digest the rapid stream. I don’t really worry about missing stuff…

Angel / VC Funding in A Frothy Market

I had the privilege of keynoting at the Founder Showcase tonight in San Francisco.

Adeo asked me to speak about fund raising. I generally don’t like to speak about fund raising in a frothy market. If you’re bullish you seem like a…