For newcomers: StartupDigest Reading List is the members-only weekly email newsletter of the best articles in the startup world.

You can become a member for free here.

Happy Holidays! This week I’d like to introduce everyone to our new co-curator for the StartupDigest Reading List, Chris Burnor! Chris is our lead engineer and felt the reading list needed some more technical articles. Super excited to have him with us :)- ChrisStartupDigest Reading List is curated by:
Chris McCann – Co-Founder, StartupDigest
Chris Burnor – Lead Engineer, StartupDigest

 

 

StartupDigest Reading List is supported exclusively by:
Check out these sketchbook videos on “finding the magic sauce of entrepreneurship” and “three things entrepreneurs do” and more from the Kauffman Foundation.

 

 

What You Need to Read This Week

An interesting interview with Nick Swinmurn, the original founder of Zappos, about the company’s early days.

 

An internet of people
by Chris Dixon

 

A short post about why companies that have been tried before like Etsy, Kickstarter, and AirBnb are succeeding today.

 

A Tmux Crach Course
by JDClayton

For developers who spend most of their day in the terminal, tmux is a great GNU Screen replacement to augment your workflow.

 

Hiring the best people
by Scott Wiess

Why the best people join the best companies.

 

Finance for Geeks
by Eric Sink

A quick overview of financial statements, profit margins, and funding.

 

Exploring Client-side MVC with Backbone.js
by Jared Carroll

A rails developer tries out a different MVC framework: Backbone.js

 

Assessing a Company: Questions you need to ask in an Interview
by Michael Chen

This post will help you decide if the startup you are thinking about joining is right for you.

 

See all of the previous resources and articles we’ve featured here.

For newcomers: StartupDigest Reading List is the members-only weekly email newsletter of the best articles in the startup world.

You can become a member for free here.

Last night we visted Causes to hang out with them after they hired our friend Herman Ng through StartupDigest VIP. Check out the awesome view from their office of downtown SF!

- Chris

StartupDigest Reading List is curated by:
Chris McCann – Co-Founder, StartupDigest

 

 

StartupDigest Reading List is supported exclusively by:
How do new businesses get ahead in the “Money Game”? Navigating the growing startup financing landscape is the focus of the latest animated video from the Kauffman Foundation’s sketchbook series. Watch “Money Game,” where Kauffman Senior Fellow Paul Kedrosky breaks down the methods entrepreneurs use to raise capital, and the benefits—and hazards—of each.

 

 

What You Need to Read This Week

David is a partner at SV Angel, Ron Conway’s investment fund.

 

 

Everybody loves to talk about starting new companies (and exiting them) but no one talks about the many projects that struggle to take off and when to stop working on them.

 

Some of the most creative ideas come from the empty space while you aren’t working.

 

Sometimes old-fashioned sketching is the best way to visualize a design idea and iterate on it. Our team does this all the time on our whiteboards at home :)

 

Make sure that you surround yourself with some people who don’t just pat you on the back all of the time.

 

Derek started CD Baby, which became the largest seller of independent music online with $100M in sales for 150,000 musicians. Here is his talk on 8 different profit models.

See all of the previous resources and articles we’ve featured here.

Below is an archived version of the Silicon Valley StartupDigest Events List – a weekly curated listing of the best tech startup events in Silicon Valley. If you would like to get next week’s digest on Monday, sign up here.

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Today we are trying out something new – on our Silicon Valley city page are all of the events featured below in an open Google calendar format. Feel free to use, repurpose, or share the calendar in any way you would like. All we ask is that if you use the information, link back to StartupDigest. Thanks :)- Chris

Silicon Valley StartupDigest is curated by:
Chris McCann – Co-Founder, StartupDigest
Santiago Zavala – Partner, Mexican.vc

 

 

Silicon Valley StartupDigest is supported exclusively by:
How do new businesses get ahead in the “Money Game”? Navigating the growing startup financing landscape is the focus of the latest animated video from the Kauffman Foundation’s sketchbook series. Watch “Money Game”, where Kauffman Senior Fellow Paul Kedrosky breaks down the methods entrepreneurs use to raise capital, and the benefits—and hazards—of each.

 

 

What’s Going On in the Silicon Valley Startup Community

For newcomers: StartupDigest Reading List is the members-only weekly email newsletter of the best articles in the startup world.

You can become a member for free here.

This week I got to hang out at one of the Singularity University sessions with Vivek Wadwha and I saw a talk on cyber crime that completely blew my mind. Not startup related but if you’re interested in this kind of stuff check out this video. I have a whole new perception on privacy and security now.

- Chris

StartupDigest Reading List is curated by:
Chris McCann – Co-Founder, StartupDigest

 

 

StartupDigest Reading List is supported exclusively by:
How do new businesses get ahead in the “Money Game”? Navigating the growing startup financing landscape is the focus of the latest animated video from the Kauffman Foundation’s sketchbook series. Watch “Money Game,” where Kauffman Senior Fellow Paul Kedrosky breaks down the methods entrepreneurs use to raise capital, and the benefits—and hazards—of each.

 

 

What You Need to Read This Week

A heavy and emotional post about the lows of startup life by Ben Huh, previously founder of a failed startup, now founder of the Cheezburger Network.

 

 

A firey post on why programming can be for anyone if you are really interested in learning. The site is a little confusing but if you’re interested in learning to program the free book starts here.

 

A very tactical post on how to respond to investor emails. Much of this also goes for responding to intro’s in general.

 

An older post about the different stages of a company’s growth and the different people needed at each stage.

 

It’s easy to blame external factors for your company or product not succeeding. It’s even harder to take responsibility and action to make it better.

 

The video was taken at Hackers and Founders to answer the question what is marketing and why is it important? Rand Fishkin is a co-founder of SEOmoz, one of the largest SEO and inbound marketing companies.

 

See all of the previous resources and articles we’ve featured here.

Below is an archived version of the Silicon Valley StartupDigest Events List – a weekly curated listing of the best tech startup events in Silicon Valley. If you would like to get next week’s digest on Monday, sign up here.

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A surprising number of good events going on across the Bay area this week!

- Chris

Silicon Valley StartupDigest is curated by:
Chris McCann – Co-Founder, StartupDigest
Santiago Zavala – Partner, Mexican.vc

 

 

Silicon Valley StartupDigest is supported exclusively by:
How do new businesses get ahead in the “Money Game”? Navigating the growing startup financing landscape is the focus of the latest animated video from the Kauffman Foundation’s sketchbook series. Watch “Money Game”, where Kauffman Senior Fellow Paul Kedrosky breaks down the methods entrepreneurs use to raise capital, and the benefits—and hazards—of each.

 

 

What’s Going On in the Silicon Valley Startup Community

For newcomers: StartupDigest Reading List is the members-only weekly email newsletter of the best articles in the startup world.

You can become a member for free here.

This is probably the most epic reading list I’ve put together so far. Hope you have as much fun reading the articles and watching the video as I did. Enjoy :)

- Chris

StartupDigest Reading List is curated by:
Chris McCann – Co-Founder, StartupDigest

 

 

StartupDigest Reading List is supported exclusively by:
How do new businesses get ahead in the “Money Game”? Navigating the growing startup financing landscape is the focus of the latest animated video from the Kauffman Foundation’s sketchbook series. Watch “Money Game,” where Kauffman Senior Fellow Paul Kedrosky breaks down the methods entrepreneurs use to raise capital, and the benefits—and hazards—of each.

 

 

What You Need to Read This Week

It takes genuine hard work to build something great. Hard work does not equal success, but it’s a pre-cursor to it.

After Arrington wrote this post, one of the engineers he quoted wrote a scathing response. Arrington responded to that here.

 

 

Sahil, who was on the founding team of Pinterest and built Turntable.fm (famous for their pivot from StickyBits) talks about the realities of pivoting.

 

It looks like Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director, is getting serious about fixing U.S. immigration law for startups. This is good news for the Startup Visa movement.

 

An eye opening article for both men and women about the importance of salary negotiation.

 

Once you officially make the leap to join a startup, that’s when the fun begins. Here’s what to expect.

 

An awesome video with Ben, previously CEO of Opsware (sold to HP for $1.6B) and co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, on the realities of starting a tech company.

He has an epic story about his company Loudcloud IPO’ing at the height of the tech bubble, everything falling apart, breaking apart its software and hardware businesses, and eventually turning Opsware (the software piece) into a success.

 

See all of the previous resources and articles we’ve featured here.

Below is an archived version of the Silicon Valley StartupDigest Events List – a weekly curated listing of the best tech startup events in Silicon Valley. If you would like to get next week’s digest on Monday, sign up here.

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Hope you had a good Thanksgiving break and you are ready to build some awesome things this week :)

- Chris

Silicon Valley StartupDigest is curated by:
Chris McCann – Co-Founder, StartupDigest
Santiago Zavala – Partner, Mexican.vc

 

 

Silicon Valley StartupDigest is supported exclusively by:
Check out these sketchbook videos on “finding the magic sauce of entrepreneurship” and “three things entrepreneurs do” narrated by Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation.

 

 

What’s Going On in the Silicon Valley Startup Community

For newcomers: StartupDigest Reading List is the members-only weekly email newsletter of the best articles in the startup world.

You can become a member for free here.

Happy Thanksgiving! I’ve been spending the week in Madrid, Spain speaking at FICOD & Netday.es and enjoying an “American Thanksgiving” dinner :) Here are the best articles on startup life for you to read after you wake up from your food coma!- Chris

StartupDigest Reading List is curated by:
Chris McCann – Co-Founder, StartupDigest

 

 

StartupDigest Reading List is supported exclusively by:
Global Entrepreneurship Week kicks off in one week. Be among of millions of people in 123 countries celebrating, networking and learning about entrepreneurship. Find an event near you or plan your own. Visit gewusa.org for U.S. info. or unleashingideas.org for all other countries.

 

 

What You Need to Read This Week

Don’t be scared to admit what you don’t know.

 

 

Here is a quick crash-course on design, explaining its background and the differences between information architecture, user interface, user experience, and more.

 

Your customers don’t care what bank you use, how your company is financed, what office food you eat, or the 100′s of other things you do to run a company that don’t directly affect them.

 

A personal story of how Matt, an ex-Marine turned entry-level PR employee, learned programming and became a paid programmer.

 

A letter from one co-founder to another that reveals the emotional bond between good business partners.

 

Find all of the best articles on starting, joining, and leading a startup here.

Below is an archived version of the Silicon Valley StartupDigest Events List – a weekly curated listing of the best tech startup events in Silicon Valley. If you would like to get next week’s digest on Monday, sign up here.

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Sorry for sending this out late! Happy Thanksgiving week :) It’s pretty quiet around the holiday but be sure to check out all of the upcoming events next week.- Chris

Silicon Valley StartupDigest is curated by:
Chris McCann – Co-Founder, StartupDigest
Santiago Zavala – Partner, Mexican.vc

 

 

Silicon Valley StartupDigest is supported exclusively by:
Check out these sketchbook videos on “finding the magic sauce of entrepreneurship” and “three things entrepreneurs do” narrated by Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation.

 

 

What’s Going On in the Silicon Valley Startup Community

Below is an archived version of the Madrid StartupDigest Events List – a weekly curated listing of the best tech startup events in Madrid. If you would like to get next week’s digest on Monday, sign up here.

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Hello startups! I’m finally back in Madrid after a very busy week! I was in Pamplona giving a Scrum course and then the weekend in Porto for the Startup Pirates Battle, an amazing team pushing for a greater startup community in Portugal.It’s been a very interesting experience because sometimes we talk about the startup community across Europe but we forget that each country, each city within a country has its own challenges. For example, I learned that Portugal has a lot of talent (I already knew that but it was good to experience it again) but very few startups. Most students have no desire to do a startup and the few tech companies that are there have a hard issue finding funding. Especially shocking is the lack of private funding. Mostly all money comes from either the government or European funds.Thankfully, this is changing and there are a bunch of guys pushing for change. On one side you have the Pirates, with members pushing TEDx events or Sandbox Network events across the country. On the other side, you see guys like Diamantino Costa, Chairman at Critical Software and general partner at Critical Ventures, one of the most successful tech companies in Portugal that is trying to fund tech projects not only in Portugal but across Europe.

Anyways, going back to Spain and Madrid in particular, we have one hell of a week! FICOD is here and we’ll have some amazing speakers coming in, including Tim O’Reilly, Gary Vaynerchuck or our beloved co-founder Chris McCann. :D So definitely check it out! Here we go!

 

 

What’s Going on in the Madrid Startup Community

FICOD (Spanish/English)
When: Tues Nov 22, 9:00am – Thur Nov 24
Where: Palacio de Congresos, Madrid

Definitely the must-go event of the week. Literally everybody will attend, ranging from investors to all of the most rperesentative entrepreneurs from Spain and several cool US friends (Tim O’Reilly, Gary Vaynerchuck, Chris McCann, etc.).
 
Inspirational 2011 (Spanish/English)
When: Wed Nov 23, 8:30am
Where: Palacio Duques de Pastrana, Madrid

The only event dedicated entirely to advertising and digital communication in Spain, there are some interesting talks here too. They’re a little unlike because they fight against FICOD for the timeslot but some impressive speakers here.

 

Founder Meet (FICOD) (Spanish)
When: Thur Nov 24, 11:00am – 1:00pm
Where: Palacio de Congresos,Madrid

While inside FICOD, I wanted to mark this event because I think it’s badly needed. Founder Meet is a speed dating event between founders so that you can find a co-founder or partner to help you with your project. It’s a very neat idea that I’m sure is going to be helpful to plenty of people.

 

iWeekend Universidad Madrid (Spanish)
When: Fri Nov 25, 12:00am
Where: Edificio Telefónica, Calle Gran Vía 28, Madrid

iWeekend comes back this next weekend! With a target of capturing the imagination of our students, I’m sure they’ll make a splash and uncover some entrepreneurs within the students.