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To
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Important Online Links
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CONVERSATIONS WITH KNOKE
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HOT CONTACTS IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA |
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WHERE TO FIND ONLINE...
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 In
the 21st century, information is at the core of any endeavor.
The Entrepreneur's Toolbox provides essential information related to
just what you need to expand your company. Above are indexed
some "how to" articles, and referrals to some of Southern
California's most notable service providers. Please contact us
with your suggestions for future information postings or if you'd
like to recommend a provider not listed. |
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[back to the top]
Hot Tip:
These "Venture" groups are attended by other entrepreneurs like yourself, and
lots of people who provide various services. Usually there is a nominal
cost associated with the meeting to cover a dinner or lunch anchored by a
keynote speaker. There is plenty of time to network with others, which is
the real reason most people attend. One tip is to mingle with as many
people as possible, exchange business cards, and follow up with more in-depth
later over the phone or lunch. Usually everybody wears a nametag that
includes ones affiliation to help you zero in. Each group has a slightly
different orientation, but the information below will get you started.
Top Five Networking
Groups in Southern California
|
Rank
|
Group
|
Information Contact |
Meetings
|
|
1
|
Los Angeles
Venture Association
(LAVA) |
Christyne
Buteyn
e-mail:
LAVA4@aol.com
web site:
www.lava.org
(310) 450-9544 |
Brentwood
2nd Tue of month, 7:00-9:00 am
|
|
2
|
Orange Coast
Venture Group
(OCVG) |
Taira Pease
e-mail:
OCVG@aol.com
web site: www.ocvg.org
(949) 859-3646 |
Irvine
3rd Tue of month
11:30 am-1:30
|
|
3
|
San Diego
Venture Group
(SDVG)
|
Erin Ellis
e-mail:
sdvgroup@aol.com
web site: www.sdvg.org
(858) 272-1985 |
La Jolla
Last Wed of month
7:00-9:00 am
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4
|
Tech Coast
Venture Network
(TCVN)
|
Michael Lasher
e-mail:
TCVN2@aol.com
web site: www.tcvn.org
(714) 505-6493
|
Irvine
4th Thur of month
6:00-9:00 pm
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5
|
Cal Tech/MIT
Enterprise Forum
|
Nick Nicholas
e-mail:
entfor@its.caltech.edu
web: http://www.entforum.caltech.edu/
(626) 395-3916 |
Pasadena
3rd Tue of month
5:30-9:00pm
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[back to the top]
Hot tip:
VCs get lots of proposals. Develop a relationship over time. If
possible, be introduced by a professional. Have your strategy and business
plan formulated in advance as it's hard to get a second shot.
Top Five VCs in
Southern California
|
Rank
|
Firm
|
Money Available
|
Contact |
Specialty
|
|
1
|
William E. Simon
& Sons |
$1,000M
|
10990 Wilshire Blvd.,
Suite 1750
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 914-2410
Contact: Wm. E.
Simon, Jr. |
Late Stage Growth
|
|
2
|
Brentwood
Venture Capital |
$720M
|
11150
Santa Monica Blvd
Suite
1200
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 477-7678
Contact: G. Bradford Jones |
Start-up
Seed
First Round
Second Round
|
|
3
|
Domain Associates |
$500M
|
28202 Cabot Road, Suite
200
Laguna Niguel, CA 92766
(949) 347-2446
Contact: Arthur
Klausner |
Seed
First Round
|
|
4
|
Enterprise
Partners
|
$425M
|
5000 Birch St., Suite
6200
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(310) 833-3650
Contact: Thomas
N. Clancy |
Early
Start Up
|
|
5
|
Levine Leichtman
Capital Partners
|
$417M
|
335 N Maple Drive,
Suite 240
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 275-5335
Contact: Lauren
Leichtman |
Late Stage
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[back to the top]
Hot Tip:
Unless you have extraordinary complex legal issues requiring diverse
specialties, a bigger firm does not mean better. Be sure to find someone
who understands the dynamics of your industry so they can teach you, rather than
the other way around. Consider having your contact a junior member of the
firm: their billing rate is less, and for the complex issues you get access to
top-notch backup. Although we listed "business specialties" below, the
truth is that each of these firms can handle just about anything.
Top Five Law Firms
in Southern California
|
Rank
|
Firm
|
Attorneys
|
Contact |
Business
Specialties
|
|
1
|
O'Melveny &
Myers |
330
|
400 S. Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 430-6000
Contact: Douglas
Kranwinkle |
Corporate
|
|
2
|
Latham & Watkins |
260
|
633 W. Fifth Street,
Suite 4000
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 485-1234
Contact: Martha
Jordan |
Corporate Finance
M&A
Intellectual Property
|
|
3
|
Gibson, Dunn &
Crutcher |
220
|
333 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90071
((213) 229-7000
Contact: Wesley
Howell, Jr. |
Business
Transactions
Entertainment
Intellectual Property
M&A
|
|
4
|
Paul, Hastings,
Janofsky & Walker
|
190
|
555 S. Flower St., 23rd
floor
Los Angeles, Ca 90071
(213) 683-6000
D.A. Daucher |
General Business Law
|
|
5
|
Irell &
Manella
|
175
|
1800 Avenue of the
Stars
Suite 900
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 277-1010
Contact: M. Chu |
Intellectual Property
corporate Securities
Entertainment
Banking
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[back to the top]
Hot Tip:
In the case of venture capital, you generally don't fancy financial histories as
the investors are looking ahead, not back. However, for IPOs or large
(over $10 million) private placements, we strongly recommend a big-name
accounting firm. An IPO needs audited financials going back three years.
Top Five Accounting
Firms in Southern California
|
Rank
|
Firm
|
CPAs
|
Contact |
Business Specialties
|
|
1
|
Pricewaterhouse-
Coopers |
530 |
350 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 356-6000
Contact: Greg Garrison |
Business mgnt.
corporate finance
M&A
change integration
turnaround, valuations |
|
2
|
Deloitte & Touche |
450 |
1000 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1500
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 688-0800
Contact: John Cardis |
M&A
corporate accounting
reorganizations
valuations
IT consulting |
|
3
|
Ernst & Young |
400 |
515 S. Flower St.
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 977-3200
Contact: Jim Freer |
General corporate,
mgnt. consulting
valuation
reorganization |
|
4
|
KPMG Peat
Marwick |
350 |
725 S. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 972-4000
Contact: Steve Riggins |
Outsourcing
business strategy
general business |
|
5
|
Arthur Andersen |
210 |
633 W. Fifth St., Suite 3200
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 614-6500
Contact: Dick Poladian |
Corporate
M&A
Mgnt. consulting
IT consulting
supply chain |
|
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[back to the top]
Hot Tip:
Brokerage Firms can be useful for IPOs and large private placements. If
your deal is of national scope, the liaisons to New York City are useful.
However, many deals are best suited to regional brokerage houses, and smaller
firm can put in more enthusiasm and do a better job. Also, some firms
specialize by industry, and some are more interested than others in creating
financial "products" with fresh entrepreneurs.
Top Five Security
Brokerage Firms in Southern California
|
Rank
|
Firm
|
Brokers
|
Contact |
Headquarters
|
|
1
|
Morgan Stanley
Dean Witter |
670
|
601 S. Figueroa St., Suite 4575
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 553-3501
Contact: Michael Noble |
New York
|
|
2
|
Salomon Smith
Barney |
550
|
15260 Ventura Blvd., Suite 1950
Sherman Oaks 91403
(818) 907-3700
Contact: Gregory Laetsch |
New York
|
|
3
|
SunAmerica
Financial Network |
460
|
One SunAmerica Center
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 772-6000
Contact: Gary Krat |
Los Angeles
|
|
4
|
Merrill Lynch
|
450
|
19200 Von Karman Ave., Suite 1000
Irvine, CA 92715
(949) 752-7900
Contact: Michael Vorst |
New York
|
|
5
|
PaineWebber
|
380
|
725 S. Figueroa St., 41st floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 253-5450
Contact: Michael Davis |
New York
|
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[back to the top]
Hot Tip:
If you are building a web site, here are some Southern California resources you
should know about. One is a network of Internet jocks (where some are
building their own sites, and others are looking for sites to build). The
other two resources are local Internet "incubators" that are looking for
entrepreneurs like yourself with great ideas; they provide the capital and
critical resources.
Notable Internet
Resources in Southern California
Item
|
Name
|
Type
|
Contact |
Notes
|
|
1
|
eCompanies |
Incubator |
Santa Monica, CA
www.ecompanies.com
e-mail business plans to:
bizplans@ecompanies.com
Contact: Sky Dayton
|
Well funded and looking for companies. Dayton was founder of
Earthlink Networks, Inc. Just bought "business.com" name for $7M |
|
2
|
Idealab! |
Incubator |
130 West Union Street
Pasadena, CA 91103
www.idealab.com
Contact: Bill Gross |
Well funded. Gross developed Lotus products and later Knowledge
Adventure with Spielberg.
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