gigamon

7 ms·

1.
by gigamon 19y ago
Take it as a redeemable loan with the condition that it will be converted into equity upon closing of your next (first) round of investment. You don't need a lawyer for this, just write it in plain English so everyone can understand.
2.
Today is a Proud Day to be an American (by Denny K Miu)(lovemytool.com)
1 points by gigamon 19y ago|0 comments
3.
by gigamon 19y ago
I think YC is a great concept. It is actually not a VC but more like an adoption agency that takes promising orphans off the street (not based on needs and not based more merits, but based on genetic match) ... feed them and cloth them, the
4.
What matters is how we live ...(s224403325.onlinehome.us)
1 points by gigamon 19y ago|0 comments
5.
by gigamon 19y ago
I never said that we don't take VC money. I just said that we take VC money when all we need is money. Which by way is exactly what these gentlemen did? They didn't treat VC money as R&D money but instead they treat them as working cap
6.
by gigamon 19y ago
This reminds me of the old joke about the wife asking the husband on whether or not her butt is fat. There is no good answer here and the absolute wrong one is when the husband asks for the definition of fat. There is no definition of smar
7.
by gigamon 19y ago
For a bootstrapping entrepreneur, VC money is a drug and a distraction. And by calling it "Smart" money, the popular culture is attempting to turn it into a "legalized" drug. This is a really good article and having been in the trenches f
8.
by gigamon 19y ago
I agree. I think the article basically summarizes what we have all learned (the hard way) ... ahead of your competitors but never too far ahead of your customers.
9.
by gigamon 19y ago
Thanks. I am from the old World.
10.
by gigamon 19y ago
Perhaps we should focus on the message and not messager (sp??). --Denny-- Note: English is my second language.
11.
by gigamon 19y ago
This is a fantastic article summarizing what I have learned and what I tried to write on my own ( http://www.startupforless.com ). I am humble by it. Basically it boils down to the following ... 1) Create "value", not "valuation" 2) Be a "s
12.
by gigamon 19y ago
Yes, it is the first user conference for the open source network analysis software. Sharkfest is the new name for Ethereal. It will be a great conference, meeting the man himself, my hero, Gerald Combs. And it is in our neighborhood.
13.
Ethereal becomes Wireshark ... now Sharkfest(lovemytool.com)
4 points by gigamon 19y ago|2 comments
14.
by gigamon 19y ago
This opens up another topic that is equally interesting, which is the relationship between entrepreneurs and risk management. My observation is that entrepreneurs are NOT risk takers. They are very much risk-averse. This is a strange comm
15.
by gigamon 19y ago
It depends entirely on the criminal ... ;-)
16.
by gigamon 19y ago
It is a tough call. The primary site, LoveMyTool, is an on-line marketing site for network monitoring TOOLs so at least there is some excuses for it. It is a difficult name to forget. --Denny--
17.
by gigamon 19y ago
That's exactly right, thank you. In some way, VC money is a contaminant and startups that have lots of VC money (my first startup was one of those) tend to forget this truth. --Denny--
18.
by gigamon 19y ago
Sorry about that. I hope all is forgiven. --Denny--
19.
by gigamon 19y ago
I agree with that. I think they are closely related. However, my experience is that as entrepreneurs we can lure ourselves into thinking that bringing good to the world and building a great company is the end and not the means. And if we
20.
Entrepreneurs Must Make Money Before Making Meaning(lovemytool.com)
9 points by gigamon 19y ago|14 comments
21.
Bootstrapping Entrepreneurs' Instrument-of-Choice is an LLC(lovemytool.com)
2 points by gigamon 19y ago|0 comments
22.
Anyone can bootstrap a startup to riches ... how about this one?(lovemytool.com)
2 points by gigamon 19y ago|0 comments
23.
by gigamon 19y ago
This might help ... http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=79626
24.
by gigamon 19y ago
Hope this helps ... http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=79626
25.
by gigamon 19y ago
Actually #2 is relevant. "2. When asked how you will launch if no investors are found, your mind goes completely blank." Sadly I suspect a large number of Hacker News readers are more interested in getting VC funding than they are in bootst
26.
by gigamon 19y ago
I agree with comments from other posters. The only two things that I would add are that ... 1) you don't need to like someone to work with them in a startup. In fact, it is very important that you surround yourself with people who have c
27.
by gigamon 19y ago
I do not disagree with Zak. However, stereotype has its limits in startups. My own experience is that most formal training is counter-productive when it comes to running a startup and all of us need to "unlearn" whether we are a lawyer o
28.
by gigamon 19y ago
Samantha: In one of my earliest post, I wrote about what makes startup fail (or succeed). http://www.lovemytool.com/blog/2007/09/why-startups-fa.html What I have learned in the last five years turns to be very different from what I have
29.
by gigamon 19y ago
Rafael: Good luck. It helps to know that none of us is alone in our struggle. --Denny--
30.
by gigamon 19y ago
I recently wrote up my own experience on how to recover from a startup failure. http://www.lovemytool.com/blog/2007/10/riding-a-bike.html Hope it helps. If there is any other way I can help, please comment. Good luck. --Denny-- Denny K

More ›