Author Archives: Preccelerator™

Preccelerator Workshop: Pitch Deck Preparation w/ Jasmine Foroutan

“Pitch Deck Preparation ”
Presented by Jasmine Foroutan

Tuesday, September 24th, 2019
12:00PM – 1:30PM

Featuring:

Jasmine Foroutan

Jasmine Foroutan is a full-time pitch deck specialist for tech startups, investors, and accelerators. She’s the Founder & CEO of Pitch Genius, a boutique pitch deck consulting firm on a mission to help more startups get funded. The firm is based in Los Angeles but has also helped startups successfully pitch in San Francisco & New York. She started her career in 2014 and holds a Bachelors in Entrepreneurship from Loyola Marymount University.

Follow her on Medium and Twitter, connect on LinkedIn, and learn about pitch deck services at PitchGenius.co.

Location
SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Parking

Parking Structure #4, Entrance on 2nd Street

We hope to see you there!

Preccelerator Workshop: Your Team’s Secret Weapon to Outpace the Competition w/ Christine Perakis

“Your Team’s Secret Weapon to Outpace the Competition”
Presented by Christine Perakis

How will you lead your company to 10x your growth and outpace the competition?

Find your “Mars Group”: identify and engage your internal influencers, including senior managers and key personnel, who embody your company’s spirit and future.
Understand why you’re in business: your Mars Group will identify, develop, and articulate your core ideology – the values and purpose that set you apart from the competition.
Dive deep into your business: identify and communicate industry trends, core customer cares, and company strengths to become a leader in your constantly-changing competitive climate.
Spread the word: share this roadmap to exponential growth with your teams, customers, and vendors, empowering decision-making that aligns with your company’s vision and legacy.

Thursday, September 12th, 2019
12:00PM – 1:30PM

Featuring:

Christine Perakis

As a survivor of two Category 5 hurricanes, a 100-ton boat captain, and an attorney, entrepreneur, and certified executive coach, combined with her experience as a certified mountain rescuer and EMT, Christine is the perfect and unique choice to teach her signature Cat 5 Leadership strategies to help professionals navigate their unavoidable business storms to reach clear skies and calm seas. She is also the author of the bestselling book and small business survival guide, The Entrepreneur’s Essential Roadmap: Take Your Business from 0 to 7 Figures in Record Time and the upcoming release The Power of the Storm: Becoming a Storm Warrior in Life and Business

Connect with her on Twitter and Linked-In.

SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

We hope to see you there!

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

Preccelerator Chairman and Board Member Scott Alderton Featured on SoCalTech

Preccelerator Chairman and Board Member and Stubbs Alderton & Markiles’ Managing Partner, Scott Alderton, was featured this month on SocalTech Interviews series. In his interview with Ben Kuo, founder and editor of SoCalTech.com, Scott discusses the Preccelerator Program and its offerings, as well as his top pieces of advice for startup entrepreneurs.

Scott Alderton is a Founding Partner of the Firm, Managing Partner, and a member of the Firm’s executive committee. Scott is co-chair of the Firm’s Venture Capital and Emerging Growth practice group. Scott is also Chairman and a Board Member of the Preccelerator.

Scott advises clients across a number of industries, including software, technology, digital media, interactive entertainment and video games, cyber security and life sciences.

Scott’s practice focuses on advising early stage to middle-market technology and emerging growth companies in all aspects of capital formation, venture capital and finance, corporate and securities laws, mergers and acquisitions, high technology, intellectual property, licensing, interactive entertainment and video games, the internet,digital media, manufacturing and distribution of goods in commerce and commercial contracts. Scott also regularly advises senior executive officers with respect to employment, compensation and equity incentives. Scott is frequently referenced as one of the top “start-up” lawyers in Southern California, and with over thirty years of experience working with technology and emerging growth companies at all stages along their evolutionary path, is sought out for his business as well as legal advice.

Scott is a frequent speaker on matters relating to technology, intellectual property, capital formation, capital raising transactions and emerging growth companies, and was formerly an adjunct professor of law at Loyola Law school, teaching securities regulation.

To learn more about our Venture Capital & Emerging Growth practice, contact Scott Alderton at (818) 444-4500 or salderton@stubbsalderton.com

Preccelerator Workshop: UX Primer for Entrepreneurs w/ Rich Abronson

“UX Primer for Entrepreneurs”
Presented by Rich Abronson

User experience design is much more than creating “clean” interfaces or deciding where to place buttons. In actuality, the UX design process is key to knowing your target users, defining core features, and uncovering your minimally valuable product (MVP). From the start-up perspective, this session will introduce entrepreneurs to the concepts, expectations, and techniques for bringing the user experience design process into the mix. This session will discuss:

What UX is (and isn’t) and why it’s important
UX costs and how to incorporate it into your strategy
The UX process including brainstorming, feature prioritization, and usability testing

Tuesday, August 20th, 2019
12:00PM – 1:30PM

Featuring:

Rich Abronson
Founder and User Experience Designer – Zero 2 Eleven

Zero 2 Eleven was founded by Rich Abronson, a veteran Internet professional and entrepreneur with an extensive, multidisciplinary background leading online product development, marketing, and user-experience design. Rich began his career as a Web designer in 1995, and has been engaged in shaping, defining, and communicating the online experience ever since.

Rich is an entrepeneur, and he created Zero 2 Eleven for entrepreneurs. In 2006, he co-founded a profitable mobile publishing platform company, Gumiyo, that was successfully sold in 2013. As a co-founder, Rich was immersed in many aspects of the tech start-up world including product and business development, fund-raising, and marketing. Rich continues to be involved in the Los Angeles tech start-up community, a.k.a. Silicon Beach, as a general partner for Accordance Ventures and board member of the Los Angeles Venture Association (LAVA).

As a result of this experience, Rich understands the mindset to create something from nothing, and he empathizes with the tension that exists between boundless creativity and scarce resources. With that, Zero 2 Eleven seeks to help the small business or online startup conceptualize and realize web and mobile projects in a manner that balances this tension.

Zero 2 Eleven encourages active collaboration with clients who want to solve problems, fill market needs, and build cool stuff. With that, Rich becomes part of the team, and invests himself in the results.

richabronson@gmail.com

LinkedIn | Website

*User-experience design, online marketing, product development, business development, fund-raising

SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

We hope to see you there!

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

You’re Invited to a Preccelerator Workshop: Strategic Partnerships with Jonathan Tavss

“Strategic Partnerships”
Presented by Jonathan Tavss

Strategic Partnerships: Everything is a Dance. Care to Join?

Strategic partnerships are integral to businesses both big and small. Unfortunately, most partnerships are not created equal and outcomes can be deeply affected when not giving deliberate consideration to who should be teamed up with and why.

Consider how the venture should regard partnerships – what they should be looking for in a partnership – and what those partners are actually looking for in return.

Put a simpler way: everything is a partnership. What are investors, collaborators, employees, vendors, and conferences looking for from you? With this understanding, better sourcing, agreements, communication, and outcomes can be had.

Tuesday, August 27th, 2019
12:00PM – 1:30PM

Featuring:

Jonathan Tavss
Co-Founder and Director – Kaleidoko

Operating as a world-renowned guide to organizations and individuals globally who wish to understand discourse on exponential technological growth and its connection to cultural change, Jonathan Tavss triggers springboards for business realignment to drive impact and results. At his core, he is a connector – literally and figuratively – between the realities of today and the sustainable possibilities of tomorrow. Jonathan is sought out by companies ranging from Fortune 100 to start-ups – including international entertainment studios, media firms, CPG brands and service corporations – to advise in business strategy, product development, content creation, distribution, change management and global positioning.

In 2017, Jonathan launched the global venture, Kaleidoko, bringing transformation and shifted perspectives to its clients as they optimize productivity, expand audiences and more deftly handle inevitable change. Kaleidoko prods corporations, organizations and individuals to see things differently in order to achieve true potential through consulting, multi-modal training and inspirational keynotes.

Over the decades, Jonathan has planned and directed operational transformations, content initiatives, product development, integrated marketing campaigns or advised companies including 21st Century Fox, Warner Bros., Disney, MGM, ABC, OwnZones Media, ABS-CBN International, ALTAR Furniture, Real Medicine Foundation, PromaxBDA, and Sporcle.

Based in the heart of Silicon Beach, Jonathan is also a professor and advisor for Boston University’s Graduate Program in Media Ventures, a Fellow of The Royal Society of the Arts and a mentor with the Stubbs Alderton Preccellerator and Accellerator programs. Jonathan’s insatiable thirst for knowledge drives him to constantly dig deeper – leading to his ability to provoke and inspire others for the mindful betterment of society.

Tavss is a frequent speaker at media, entertainment, business transformation, museum and retail conferences. Past engagements include GoaFest, Leaders in Islamabad, Ad:Tech, Cynopsis, Digital Hollywood, AdAsia, San Diego Comic-Con and the Southeastern Museum Conference.

Twitter: @JTavss
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathantavss

SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

We hope to see you there!

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

You’re Invited to a Preccelerator Workshop: Priced to Grow – Build Pricing for Sustainable Growth with Ed Lee

“Priced to Grow – Build Pricing for Sustainable Growth with Ed Lee”
Presented by Ed Lee

Pricing is one of the most powerful growth tools in an entrepreneur’s toolkit, but also one of the most misunderstood and underutilized by startups and companies. In fact, in a study of more than 1,000 companies, poor pricing is cited as a top 5 reason why new ventures fail.

Being able to build an effective pricing strategy is a critical success factor for an organization. For a company with average economics, an 1% improvement in price has up to 5X the impact on the bottom-line compared to an 1% increase in volume.

Join our session to challenge perceptions of pricing – what it is and is not – and begin laying the groundwork to integrate pricing into your company’s growth strategy that drives sustainable business goals

Tuesday, August 13th, 2019
12:00PM – 1:30PM

Featuring:

Ed Lee

Ed Lee is a pricing and go-to-market specialist and trusted advisor to leading companies and brands. He is the founder of HelloAdvisr, a growth consultancy helping companies and leadership teams use pricing and monetization to build high-impact profit growth strategies.

Previously, Ed held leadership roles with LG Electronics and Simon-Kucher & Partners, a global management consulting firm and the world’s leading expert in pricing.

Ed is regularly invited to teach and speak at leading institutions including UCLA, USC, UC, San Diego, Techstars, and the LA Cleantech Incubator.

Ed received his MBA from Oxford University, MSc from the London School of Economics, and B.A. from UCSD.

HelloAdvisr has launched a new eBook “How To Design A High-Impact Pricing Strategy”. The eBook guides entrepreneurs and businesses to design a pricing strategy geared toward business goals, success factors to help get the most out of your pricing strategy, case studies and more. Download the free eBook here.

SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

We hope to see you there!

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

You’re Invited to a Preccelerator Workshop: Fundraising Essentials: Term Sheets 101 w/ Caroline Cherkassky & Kelly Laffey

“Fundraising Essentials: Term Sheets 101”
Presented by Caroline Cherkassky and Kelly Laffey

Topics that will be covered include:

Type of financing: convertible notes vs SAFEs vs priced equity rounds
Convertible notes and SAFEs: caps, discounts, and other key terms
Priced equity rounds: economic provisions, voting rights, and other key terms

Tuesday, July 23rd, 2019
12:00PM – 1:30PM

Featuring:

Caroline Cherkassky

Caroline Cherkassky is a partner of the firm.

Caroline’s practice focuses on advising emerging growth, development stage, and middle market companies on a variety of matters, including venture capital and other financings, employee compensation, securities laws compliance, technology transactions, mergers and acquisitions, stockholder agreements, equity incentive plans, corporate governance, and other general corporate matters, including serving as outside general counsel to early-stage companies. She also advises the funds and other investors that invest in these types of companies.

Kelly Laffey

Kelly Siobhan Laffey is an associate of the firm and the Director of Business Affairs at the Preccelerator.

Kelly’s practice focuses on advising emerging growth and middle market companies in the technology, digital, internet, interactive media (i.e., AR and VR), and entertainment industries. Kelly counsels clients on issues related to corporate governance and formation, venture capital and other financing, joint ventures, employee compensation, complex stockholder and operating agreements, securities law regulation and other general corporate matters. Kelly also advises investors and funds in connection with venture capital and other financing.

Kelly also counsels clients in connection with mergers and acquisitions matters, including asset and equity acquisitions and dispositions, cross-border transactions, spin-off transactions, secured lending transactions, financing restructurings, and corporate reorganizations.

Drawing on her diverse work experience in the entertainment arena, including time spent with talent agencies, and music and television production companies, Kelly also assists on matters related to licensing, marketing, and exploitation of intellectual property rights.

SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

We hope to see you there!

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

You’re Invited to a Preccelerator Workshop: Equity and Alternative Compensation w/ Louis Wharton

“Equity and Alternative Compensation”
Presented by Louis Wharton

For a company founder, it is easy to understand the benefits of providing stock or stock options to employees. It’s a way of compensating employees that doesn’t drain cash from the business. Employees will feel invested in the future success of the company. Join us to get insights and wisdom about maximizing opportunities and minimizing mistakes in creating equity

Tuesday, July 9th, 2019
12:00PM – 1:30PM

Featuring:

Louis Wharton

Louis A. Wharton is a partner of the firm and president of the Preccelerator Program. Louis’ practice focuses on advising venture capital funds and angel networks, along with early stage, emerging growth, middle market and public companies in corporate finance, securities compliance, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters.

He counsels clients in the technology, e-commerce, digital media and entertainment industries, among others.

SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

We hope to see you there!

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

You’re Invited to a Preccelerator Workshop: Employment Law w/ Rachael Lavi

“Employment Law”
Presented by Rachel Lavi

Rachael Lavi, an Attorney specializing in Labor and Employment matters in California, will be speaking on the top employment law risks for startup companies in California, including:

(1) best practices for hiring employees;

(2) independent contractors and misclassification issues;

(3) how to utilize interns; and other significant legal risks.

Tuesday, July 2nd, 2019
12:00PM – 1:30PM

Featuring:

Rachael S. Lavi, Associate, Littler

Rachael S. Lavi advises and represents employers in all matters of labor and employment law, including discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and wage and hour claims. Rachael has vast experience representing clients in litigation in both California state and and federal court, as well as before state and federal agencies, such as the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Department of Labor Standards Enforcement, the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, the Public Employment Relations Board, and the National Labor Relations Board.

In addition to managing a diverse litigation docket, Rachael also provides clients with direct advice and counsel to help her clients come to the best legal and business decisions regarding compliance with state and federal employment and labor laws, including wage and hour requirements, leaves of absence, paid sick leave, handbooks and written employment policies, best practices for hiring, disciplining, and terminating employees.

During law school, Rachael was a judicial extern for the Hon. Andrew Wistrich of the U. S. District Court, Central District of California and was a volunteer law clerk for the Cancer Legal Resource Center. She was a lead articles editor on the Pepperdine Law Review, a teaching assistant, and a magister of the legal honor society, Phi Delta Phi. As an undergraduate, she was an intern for Hagen Resources International in Switzerland and U. S. Senator Dianne Feinstein.

SAM Preccelerator
1316 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 107
Santa Monica, CA 90401

We hope to see you there!

*You must register with your name & email to attend this event.

Preccelerator Company Checkplis and Founder Abner Flores Featured on SoCal Tech

Preccelerator company Checkplis and founder Abner Flores were featured this past week on SoCal Tech’s new video interview series. Checkplis is an early, bootstrapped startup developing software for mobile payment and restaurant maintenance. Checkplis and founder Abner Flores are part of Class 10 of the Preccelerator.

To view Abner’s interview visit here.

About Checkplis
Checkplis believes people should feel like they are visiting friends when they go out for a meal or drinks with their friends. It’s all about the experience. They are solving the last mile problem of the hospitality industry service. Whether a solo lunch, a brunch with girlfriends or a table with friends at a club, paying the check can ruin what otherwise would be a great experience after an amazing meal or drinks with friends. Checkplis is a mobile app integrated into POS systems so customers can pay, tip and split the check themselves, all from their phones. They are strategic partners and experience creators for restaurant, bar and nightclub industry leaders. Visit www.checkplis.com