Two years ago, I received an email from a young man named Derek Keller asking me about the possibility of interning at Highway 12 Ventures for the summer. He was a Boise native and was in the middle of working towards a finance degree at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He had also begun […]
Archive for the ‘VC’ Category
May
05
Apr
14
In Defense Of Venture Capitalists
I came across a blog post by Ben Horowitz this morning, a tremendously successful silicon valley entrepreneur who very recently became a venture capitalist, partnering with another highly successful entrepreneur, Mark Andreessen to form Andreessen Horowitz. Now by all accounts, Ben’s a terrific guy who is passionate about building great businesses and I think it’s […]
Apr
08
The RMVCA, Leadership Observations & Opportunity in the Rocky Mountain Region
Yesterday I led my first Rocky Mountain Venture Capital Association board meeting as the new chairman of the organization. I left the meeting excited about the momentum of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region and completely jazzed about the positive energy exhibited by a board that has undergone more than 50% turnover in the last […]
Feb
22
So What Is Your Start-Up Worth?
As venture capitalists, one question we get asked all the time is “How do you value a seed or early-stage company?” The truth is that there really aren’t many tools. Later-stage companies are often valued based upon metrics such as discounted cash flows and revenue or earnings multiples. The challenge is that many of the […]
Feb
18
My New Role as Entrepreneur-In-Residence
I’m thrilled to be taking on the role of Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Highway 12 Ventures. I’ve learned a lot from Phil, George, Glenn & Mark over the last couple of years, and am looking forward to learning a lot more as I embark on this new role. It’s a terrific group that I’m proud to be […]
Feb
12
Our New Entrenpreneur-In-Residence (2.0)
As many of you know, last year we enjoyed a terrific experience and built a sure-to-be lifelong friendship with Tac Anderson, our first-ever Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR). Tac was a real visionary in the area of social media whose inspiring leadership galvanized the members of Boise’s innovative community like no one before him. Over the last several […]
Feb
08
The Open Angel Forum & The Changing Face Of The Venture Industry
Last week I had the opportunity to attend the first Colorado Open Angel Forum (OAF). The OAF was born out of the frustration of some well-known investors including Brad Feld (An Angel Investor Group That Makes Me Vomit), David Cohen (An Offer To Funding Universe) and then inculcated and formed by Jason Calcanis (Why Startups […]
Feb
02
Saying No Sucks (Part II)
(This is a follow-up to yesterday’s post) A couple of months ago, I met with a particular entrepreneur who was looking to raise capital for his startup. This guy acted particularly coy with me saying that he wasn’t sure we were the “right firm” or that I’d really “get” his business. Nevertheless, as he described […]
Feb
01
Saying No Sucks…
Every single day, my partners and I have to tell passionate entrepreneurs that we’re passing on an investment in their company. For me, saying “No” to someone who has poured his or her heart and soul into a start-up is hands down the hardest thing I have to do as a professional investor. Actually, it […]
Jan
24
5 Minutes With OpenView Venture Partners
In 2009, I was introduced to Scott Maxwell and George Roberts when their firm, OpenView Venture Partners led the $7 million Series C round of Boise-based Balihoo, a company that we’ve been invested in since 2007. From the very beginning, it was clear to me that OpenView was a different firm. Based in Boston, they […]