Yesterday, I met with someone at the early stage of a startup. Here were some of his particular issues: Most of the firms that come up are actually website design firms not website development firms. The result of web design are static pages as graphics or HTML. Also, you often find He has a great concept with some complexity to it. He was struggling to find high quality developers in Los Angeles.

started out with a handful of dimes making cold calls from a phone booth in Grand Central Station. was on the way back to LA from a ski vacation in Switzerland where I decided while sliding down a glacier that if I survived I would start my own advertising agency. We've been through a number of down business cycles, recessions, tech wrecks, the dotcom crash, and other burst bubbles and are still around to tell the tale. So cheer up everybody, this too will pass. The I've known Farida for quite a while. Maybe ten years.

Good idea & plan: You must start with a good idea and a PowerPoint deck (my outline is here , scroll down mid way).  Jarl know you’re not a tech guy and haven’t done anything other than an HTML course you once took, but if you’re inspirational and a leader you’ll find somebody to moonlight for free to get your prototype built.  If And a great product starts with the founder. This is part of my ongoing series Pitching a VC . Last night I attended a DealMaker Media (whom I love because they always host such great discussions) panel on raising