Highlights for Entrepreneurs (09/05/24)

This week's edition is coming to you from an undisclosed location far far away from Santa Monica. I hear it's really really hot in LA this week; guess it's good I'm not home since our AC wasn't working when we left! Anyway, some great content and events posted this week - I hope you find something that interests you. Oh yeah, I had an interview published in Canvas Rebel; please check it out:? https://canvasrebel.com/meet-paul-shapiro/?

PSA:?I'm well into the outreach for my 2024?Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF)?100 mile bike ride which will be in Idaho this year! My goal is to raise?$30,000?once more for?Type 1 diabetes research (almost $15,000 raised to date with another $7,600 in pledges)?If you'd like to lend your support, here's the link:?Click here: No donation is too small and every dollar truly makes a difference.?Thanks to everyone who has already donated!

More events are being added to the calendar at #LATechWeek starting Oct 13.?More LA#TechWeek events Oct 13 to 20?This particular event looks interesting:?

LA #TechWeek: Santa Monica Innovation Hub - Ocean Ave Street Fair (In Person Oct 14 $$ Early Bird pricing through Sep 11)??

Have a great week, be safe and healthy...?and take some time to care for yourself!?Here are this?week's resources for you to check out?and thank you again for reading, subscribing and sharing! Welcome to all the new and recent subscribers!?

Best,

Paul

?

1)?Idea to IPO: Common Myths about Intellectual Property (Online TOMORROW! Sep 6)

- Silicon Valley intellectual property attorney Jordan Becker will discuss how to protect your IP, including some of the most common myths.?Hurry! Slots are limited!

2)?USC Marshall School of Business - Lloyd Greif Center: Looking for Cofounder(s)? Part 1 (Online Sep 12)

- Join for a dynamic workshop designed to help you navigate the ins and outs of building a successful entrepreneurial partnership! Whether you're looking for a cofounder now or in the future, or want to strengthen an existing relationship, this event is for you.

3)?Sandhill Markets: Venture Research Roundtable (Online Sep 12)

- Join as they take a deep dive into the private markets and the latest venture news with Tyson Hendricksen CEO @Notice, Adam Hardej CEO @Sandhill Markets, and Walter Chen Co-founder @Sacra

4)?Airbase: Getting Sales Tax Compliant Without Alienating Your Customers (Online Sep 17)

- Probably among the least favorite subjects for any company, but one that needs to be addressed. Best to be informed, particularly about Sales Tax, than ignoring it

5)?Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center: GTM Success in an Unpredictable Market Part of the Business Strategy collection (Online Sep 17)

-?Gain expert insight into crafting a GTM strategy that can withstand unpredictable market dynamics with Erika Velasquez!

6))?Glendale Tech Week: Startups 101: The Fundamentals to Starting Up Right (In Person Glendale Sep 17)

- ? features Ani Petrosyan and Jared Brenner, attorneys at Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP, in a comprehensive presentation designed for startups, founders, investors, and the general public.?

7)?Katsh: Breaking Barriers: Navigating the Intersection of Security and User Experience (Online Sep 16)

- Explore the challenges and solutions in balancing security and user experience in today's digital landscape, with a focus on managing credentials and the shift towards password-less authentication.

8)??Community Collective: Please RSVP Here: [email protected] (In Person Santa Monica Sep 18)?

-?monthly invite-only series at The Viceroy bringing like-minded community leaders to connect and propel collaboration and business opportunities.

- To learn more about Michelle Edgar, please read this Substack...she's a force!?Michelle Edgar: Driven By Service: Unleashing Your Drive for Change

9)?AI LA: LA Founders & Investors (In Person Culver City Sep 18 $$)

- Join AI LA and Emerging LA at Techstars Culver City for a fireside chat with a soon-to-be-announced serial entrepreneur.

10)?Data-Driven VC: The Perfect Pitch Deck Based on Data & Facts + 10 Examples (Blog Post)

- Just about everyone has their personal preference when it comes to pitch decks. Here's a summary based on some of the best back when the companies were looking for Pre-Seed and Seed Funding. Do you have a favorite?

11)?The SaaS Academy: Lead Your SaaS with the Right Data & Metrics (Video Training)

- ? In this 3-part video training series: 1) the key SaaS metrics you need to track, 2) the 4 key finance data sources that feed those metrics, and finally, 3) how to align metrics with your business goals.

12)?Pitching Angels: Why You Need a Lead Investor for Your Funding Round (Article)?

-? Have you wondered why you need a lead investor to close your deal? Or what makes a good lead investor? Check out this article for the answers to those questions and more

13)?Carta: State of pre-seed: Q2 2024 (Article & Analysis)

- My favorite stat: New Jersey is a pre-seed hotspot. (I like this one the best - over 10% of all pre-seed capital raised from Q3 '23 to Q2 '24!) But there's plenty more here

14)?Rho: Guide to SAFE notes: How they work and why startups use them (Article)

- SAFE notes are all the rage and take some of the hassle out of financing, but they can still have their own quirks and confusion. They focus on Pre-Seed but now Post-Seed is more common

15)?Techcrunch: If I’m being honest, I didn’t have what it takes to be a founder (Article)

- Are you familiar with Founder Market Fit? Me neither. If you don't have it, you can learn it. You need this before you go into Product Market Fit

Musical Diversions:

Sierra Ferrell: American Dreaming Live on The Late Show

Kacey Musgraves - Cardinal

Tas Cru - Brown Liquor Woman {I'm a sucker for a good blues shuffle!}

Leon Bridges - Peaceful Place

Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks - Counties and Countries {Another great song from the founder of Yes with his new bandmates}

Ella Langley - people change

This Week's Cover:

Dave Edmunds - Girls Talk (Written by Elvis Costello)

Highlights Newsletter Soundtrack?All of 2024 music picks on Spotify

I know that you are very busy, but I hope you have time to enjoy the curated information and the?music selections?in this newsletter.?Get in touch if you have any feedback,?sources or other interested?readers - feel free to forward!??If you hear of any?upcoming events, please pass them along too! If the links speak to you, consider subscribing to the source! If you find a link particularly interesting, let me know so I can look for more like it.

Paul G. Shapiro, CPA?(Retired)

Startup Consultant

Santa Monica, CA