Damian Peters
Stories (101/0)
10 Aspects of Entrepreneurship That Can Be Major Obstacles (and How to Overcome Them Anyway)
1. Balancing Tasks As a new entrepreneur, my biggest challenge was managing all the tasks that I had to do each day. I was the one who did most of my managing across all our teams. It is possible to overcome this obstacle by gradually training top performers into managerial roles. Each person will eventually be ready to take on the new role if they are given an additional responsibility every week.
By Damian Peters2 years ago in Journal
What is Lean Manufacturing and Why is it Effective?
Lean manufacturing is a way to reduce waste in an organization or business. This refers to the use of resources, energies and potentials that are not being used. Inefficient production is caused by not making the most of all resources. This could include managing projects, using the right manufacturing tools, or the skill level and management of the workforce.
By Damian Peters2 years ago in Journal
On Funding — The Denominator Effect
Recently, I wrote a post on funding to encourage investors to consider having a diversified portfolio. I called it "shots on target" because it is almost impossible to predict which deals will be successful. You need to have at least 15-20% of the best deals in your portfolio. Perhaps if you had 30-40 deals funded, only one or two would bring in the most returns.
By Damian Peters2 years ago in Trader
Hard Decisions Require Empathy
We have experienced perhaps the most surreal experience of our lives in the last two weeks. It may have more lasting effects than "60 days at home," and that is why many of us almost laugh when we call Zoom! Someone we haven’t seen in a while and we admit how strange it is to be feeling right now. As we are invited to this intimate world via videoconferencing, I have been inside more people's houses and apartments than I ever thought possible.
By Damian Peters2 years ago in Humans
What Did I Learn From the First VC Check I Ever Wrote?
In 2007, when deals were much slower, I became a VC 12 year ago. After the acquisition of my second startup, Salesforce.com had just made me VP, Products. When I was trying figure out my role in the VC industry, I decided to focus on companies that built highly technical products that solve business problems.
By Damian Peters2 years ago in Trader
Introducing Trust, and the Importance of Product-Founder Fit
Many startups, from e-commerce and gaming to marketplaces, rely on customer acquisition to survive. These startups spend the majority of their marketing budgets on social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Reddit. This is because customers are there.
By Damian Peters2 years ago in Journal
The Changing Venture Landscape
Technology is accelerating in more industries, creating new disruptions in the world. The society is shifting to a new norm after the pandemic. This even before the actual pandemic was over. The loosening federal monetary policies in the US has seen more money flowing into venture ecosystems at all stages of funding.
By Damian Peters2 years ago in Journal
Managing Your Startup Board — A Short Presentation
This week, I was invited to give a keynote speech at the Khosla Ventures CEO Summit in Sausalito. It was a great gathering of ambitious early-stage CEOs who are looking to make a difference in areas such as healthcare, biology, and AI. It is encouraging to see that there are still outstanding VC firms such as KV looking to make these small but significant bets on shaping our future. It was fascinating to hear Bill Gates' views on how the world addresses issues such as climate change. Jack Dorsey spoke about the role social platforms play in government. Also, discussions with Todd McKinnon (Okta) and Kevin Systrom (Instagram) were interesting.
By Damian Peters2 years ago in 01
