Disqus - Latest Comments for ceonyc

Re: Chasing Innovation and Steak in New York City

ceonyc — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:25:46 -0000

Ruth's Chris is solid, too... I should have added that. Their service
is excellent.

Re: Chasing Innovation and Steak in New York City

ceonyc — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:40:57 -0000

Will do!

Re: Chris Hughes

ceonyc — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:09:24 -0000

I think this is part of a greater trend... retail across the board is in trouble. When I walk around my neighborhood, I count up all the stores that simply don't *need* to be there anymore because of the web--and try to think about how that could totally crater the real estate market even further.

Just imagine what would happen to storefront commercial real estate if we didn't need 24 hour ATMs, b/c we went cashless. Manhattan seems to avg two ATMs per block.

But back to the books... I don't think selling via AMZN would be that much of a help. Do you think the problem is people leaving b/c books aren't in stock, or the fact that they're just not going to small bookstores with serious intent to purchase in the first place? In big cities, its easier to go to B&N if you know what you want. In small towns, getting in your car to drive to an indy store is too big of a cost if you know what you're looking for anyway.

Unfortunately, I think you'll see indy book stores go the way of local video stores--away. Early on, I might have thought that these places could compete on recommendations, community, and personal service... but honestly, the web does that pretty darn well, too.

I'd love to put together an in person discussion with a bunch of Manhattan indy retailers--booksellers, clothing, etc. about the threats and opportunities of online models... In person commerce is an interest of mine as well.

Re: Where’s your head at? A good example of an entrepreneur thinking about the right stuff

ceonyc — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:35:09 -0000

You have to be 51% right 10% of the time. The 51% is at the level of
each individual decision...10% is at the company level.

Re: Where’s your head at? A good example of an entrepreneur thinking about the right stuff

ceonyc — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:10:31 -0000

You just gotta be right 51% of the time.

Re: Throw The Bums Out

ceonyc — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:24:41 -0000

The fact that Thompson got as many votes as he did was utterly ridiculous--because he has a record of near zero positive accomplishment. If he did accomplish anything positive, or have a plan for the future of NYC, besides "taking it back", I would have liked to hear about it during the campaign. I don't even know what "taking it back" means... from who? To do what with it?

There are a lot of people in the city who don't like Bloomberg because of his wealth--when as comptroller and head of the board of Ed, Thompson probably still makes more yearly than 90% of the city's residents--but at least it's not billions. We want our kids to grow up to be wildly successful, but then we knock down the existing wealthy.

The fact that city unions endorsed Thompson in droves is reason enough to not support him--as NYCs union labor structure, despite the quality, hard work and dedication of the individuals within them--contributes highly to our financial issues. The people that voted for Thompson are the people that don't like the idea of the city being run as a business--with accountability, focus on the bottom line, etc.

It's never positive to be an incumbent in a bad economy, despite the fact that the executive branch has little to zero effect on economic conditions.

Re: Why is the Kindle so anti-social?

ceonyc — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:51:06 -0000

I think it's just got to be done right... I agree that you don't want
purchase notifications and friend requests interrupting your reading
experience... but when you're shopping or looking for new ideas, social
recommendations would be helpful.

Re: Why is the Kindle so anti-social?

ceonyc — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:18:59 -0000

I had no idea. *Almost* but not quite... I feel like that's got to be
on someone's roadmap.

Re: Top 5 things missing from most entrepreneur pitches

ceonyc — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:28:14 -0000

By theory, I just meant an understanding of how you're going to do it,
even if it hasn't been built out yet... and even better is a set of
results from an experiment, even if it's a small one, that proves your
theory.

Re: Top 5 things missing from most entrepreneur pitches

ceonyc — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:23:18 -0000

Im just saying for a quick pitch...just trying to lead the horse to
water...not dunk his head and baptize him.

High level is a *start*

Re: FRC biz cards FTW!

ceonyc — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:23:18 -0000

They're little pieces of paper you hand to women you meet out. Ask
Mo...he'll explain it to you.

Re: Never Enough Competition | from This is going to be BIG! - Comments on New York Tech Community, Startups, Venture Capital and Career Education

ceonyc — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:04:02 -0000

I think any investor worth there salt should seek to understand why you
can disrupt a "crowded" industry vs being dismissive about it... so
one of your sword edges shouldn't be so sharp.

Re: Never Too Early

ceonyc — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:19:31 -0000

I dont play that much... would be better with practice. Quirk and I have
played at Ft Greene Pk and I can play at Fordham LC.

Re: Never Too Early

ceonyc — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:18:32 -0000

Tennis Saturday morn?

Re: Never Too Early

ceonyc — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:21:14 -0000

+1 on that

Re: The problem with not hitting your seed round milestones

ceonyc — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:18:26 -0000

Here's the problem though.

If I'm a Series A investor looking at a deal that Betaworks showed me,
I'm going to go to RRE and ask them what they thought. If they didn't
like it, I'm going to wonder just the same as if they were in it from
the beginning--because I absolutely know they saw it.

Same with angels... I'm going to do my homework and ask whether the
angels want their prorata in this next round. If it's your parents, of
course the answer is no, but your theory means I shouldn't ever take a
Roger Ehrenburg or someone like that who might at least be willing and
able to step up for a little of the Series A.

On the other hand, if all you take is a bunch of angels who can't step
up, what happens when you run out of cash? Don't you think it's better
to have someone who *could* step up in case of bad times... b/c then
they'll know you, see how hard you've worked, etc. and be willing to
support an insider round, then to have no one who could?

Re: The problem with not hitting your seed round milestones

ceonyc — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:25:03 -0000

I really think you need to get the best possible people you can find as
early as possible... and do your best to execute so that none of this
is an issue.

Trying to overthink this process just in case you're a borderline case
doesn't seem like a very good strategy to me.

Re: The problem with not hitting your seed round milestones

ceonyc — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:05:15 -0000

What % of 20 companies who take 300k from *anyone* do you think will be
viable VC investments a year later?

Re: Startup Lessons - Having industry momentum at your back

ceonyc — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:02:56 -0000

Answer: "more difficult to raise money from VC's because of the sector
that you were in"

Unfortunately, my industry sucks and people were content to keep doing
things the old way. :)

Re: The problem with not hitting your seed round milestones

ceonyc — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:54:22 -0000

The remaining companies might not have existed had they not taken this
kind of funding in the first place... they might not even be anything
resembling a company at the end of the seed round. Maybe the tech
didn't work or they didn't gain the right traction.

It's a small minority of companies that 1) are viable companies with
viable product 2) need VC capital and are still a VC trajectory deal
but 3) aren't appealing to the seed VC.

Re: The problem with not hitting your seed round milestones

ceonyc — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:30:13 -0000

If you shift, and you have good reason for it, and the VC is right there
with you during the whole process, wouldn't the seed VC be *more* likely
to support a shift if it was well thought out and a good opportunity...
versus getting angels who can't follow, shifting, and then running out
of cash b/c you had to shift, which was best for the company, but left
you halfway there. Then, you'd have to pitch to a bunch of VCs that
didn't know you as well as the seed VC does--who might get your back at
that point b/c you have a built up relationship.

Re: Startup Lessons - Having industry momentum at your back

ceonyc — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:40:51 -0000

hmm... lemme think about that gatekeepers thing

Re: Dear VCs and Angels: Please stop participating in events where people have to pay to meet you

ceonyc — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:21:20 -0000

Charging to pitch coach should be separate from charging for access to
investors

Re: Startup Lessons - Having industry momentum at your back

ceonyc — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:55:15 -0000

Sports is much hotter... stick with that. :)

Re: Dear VCs and Angels: Please stop participating in events where people have to pay to meet you

ceonyc — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:11:41 -0000

If you need to pay for a pitch coach, pay for a pitch coach.

There's nothing wrong with charging people to be a pitch coach if you're
good at it. That's not what this event is advertised as. It's a
paywall for access to investors--investors who would otherwise be glad
to take your business plan for free.

But, from an investor POV, awesome products and shitty pitches still get
funded, while the opposite is not true.

Most people should instead be paying for classes on how to run an
awesome business--that will give them the highest chance of getting
funded: having a good business or idea, not having a good pitch.

If you want practice, practice in front of funded entrepreneurs or just
other successful businesspeople who care about helping you out.