Mark Suster
2x startup Founder & CEO who has gone to the Dark Side of VC. His first company, BuildOnline was sold in 2005, his second, Koral was acquired by Salesforce.com and became known as Salesforce Content, while Mark served as VP Product Management. In 2007 Mark joined GRP Partners in 2007 as a General Partner. He focuses on early-stage technology companies, usually looking at Series A investment, and blogs at the aptly titled Both Sides of the Table.
Two Amazing Women Setting Out on Their Startup Journey
Note: if you’re a parent please check out their website. Kara called me on a Tuesday. She was leaving IAC to start a company. “Tasha, clear some space on my calendar tomorrow. OK?” “I want you in my offices tomorrow, Kara. Does that work for you?” Kara came. She didn’t tell me she was bringing [...]
My Favorite Entrepreneur Story in a Long Time
If you don’t like it hot, use less,” he said. “We don’t make mayonnaise here.” This morning I was reading my social media and came across an article that Christine Tsai had posted on Facebook. It was about the founder of Sriracha sauce, David Tran, displaced from Vietnam when the North’s communists took power. As the son [...]
Stop Trying to Catch Lightning in a Bottle
I’m sure you’ve all heard saying derived from Voltaire, “don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good” which in a way is encapsulated in the lean startup movement and the ideology of shipping a “minimum viable product” (MVP) and then learning from your customer base. Or to borrow a simple life lesson from Gretchen [...]
How to Sell Your Roadmap Without Selling Your Soul
This is my third post in a series on Enterprise Software. In part one I covered the need for early-stage enterprise software companies to build up professional services staff to ensure successful implementation projects. This goes against the conventional wisdom of VCs. In part two I talked about how to ensure that your professional services [...]
How to Better Manage Relationships with Your VC
Just back from 2 solid weeks on the road in Boston, New York & Philly. I spent countless hours with VC firms, startups & LPs (the people who invest in VC firms). I find these trips invaluable both from a relationship-building perspective as well as stretching my mind about our industry. I ask questions, test [...]
How to Make Sure Professional Services Don’t Take Over Your Software Company
I recently wrote a blog post in which I pointed out that many investors & advisors discourage enterprise startups from having a professional services (PS) business and I think this is a big mistake. I think it’s important for enterprise startups to layer in professional services into your revenue stream. PS capabilities are important for enterprise [...]
One of the Biggest Mistakes Enterprise Startups Make
The era of VCs investing in successful consumer Internet startups such as eBay led to a belief system that seemed to permeate many enterprise software startups that hiring sales or implementation people was a bad thing. “We want low-touch or zero-touch businesses” was the mantra. I believe it’s flawed. While I have some sympathy with [...]
Why Your Marketing Campaign Sucks
Creating awareness for your brand and products is one of the lifebloods of technology startups yet in a world where so many companies are being created it becomes difficult to rise above the noise. Ever notice how some companies tend to be in the press all the time and your big new product launch struggled [...]
Consequences. And The Decisions We Make. Or Don’t.
Every decision has consequences. We often don’t fully perceive the consequences because they are often hidden by the compromises that make us feel better. Every step forward requires a decision. Or the inverse – indecision. Or as I call it, “decision, by indecision,” which is insidious. It rots the core very slowly until you don’t realize [...]
The Importance of Benevolent Dictators
I believe that groups coming together to make tough decisions driven by consensus tend to make poor decisions. This is especially true in startups where speed matters and where there is a need to constantly calibrate direction and where these decisions can have existential outcomes. Should you increase your burn rate by adding 2 senior [...]
In 15 Years From Now Half of US Universities May Be in Bankruptcy. My Surprise Discussion with @ClayChristensen
“In 15 Years From Now Half of US Universities May Be in Bankruptcy.” Such was the quote of Clayton Christensen followed by, “… in the end I’m excited to see that happen. So pray for Harvard Business School if you wouldn’t mind.” Who else does Clayton pray for? Apple. Yup! Watch the 30-minute interview to hear why [...]
The Most Interesting Online Video Trend & Where It’s Headed
By now many of you know the Harlem Shake but what you may not appreciate is the broader trend behind the video and it has mirrored my general views on how TV will work in the future Harlem Shake is a YouTube phenomenon that in just 2 weeks has gone from nothing to on air on both [...]
Beware of Ballers on a Budget
The other day I was at a Mercedes dealership. Unfortunately my wife was hit head on in December by a woman who lost control of her car. It was time to get a new car and my wife’s requirements were: The safest thing on the road As many air bags as possible I researched the [...]
Announcing a Deal I’ve Wanted to Talk About for a Year
Let me not bury the lede. I’m super excited to announce that GRP Partners led the investment in Ethan Anderson’s new company MyTime (link has LA-based merchants but will give you a good feel for the product). I am taking the lead from GRP and we also invested alongside a number of friends including Dave McClure, [...]
How to Configure Your Startup Team
I am fond of quoting that about 70% of my investment decision of an early-stage company is the team. My rationale is simple: everything goes wrong and only great teams can respond to competitors, markets, funding environments, staff departures, PR disasters and the like. Final startup grind from msuster Final startup grind from msusterHow you [...]
