Welcome to For Entrepreneurs

ForEntrepreneurs listed as Number 2 in Forbe’s list of 100 Best Web Sites for Entrepreneurs.

For Entrepreneurs is a blog for startups and entrepreneurs, written by David Skok, a five time serial entrepreneur turned VC (now at Matrix. Partners). It aims to address the key issues they will face in getting started, getting funded, and building a successful company. Although applicable to most startups, there is strong focus on SaaS businesses, and building a sales and marketing machine.

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You might find the following blog posts and articles a good place to start:

Hi, my name is David Skok. I am a serial entrepreneur turned VC. I have a great passion for helping entrepreneurs and startups. I started my first company a few months after leaving university at the age of 21, and over the next 25 years, founded a total of four companies (Skok Systems, Corporate Software Europe, Watermark Software, and SilverStream Software) and did one turnaround (Xionics). I have had my share of ups and downs. I was lucky enough to have three of these companies go public, one was acquired, and one initially succeeded, but then failed when I moved the company to the US. I often remark that I learned more from that one failure than I have from all of my successes.

After 25 years as an entrepreneur, I became a venture capital partner at Matrix Partners, the firm that had backed my last two companies. I had worked with 15 different VC firms, and Matrix had clearly been my best partner, earning my strong loyalty with their support through some very tough times. It was fun to move to the “dark side” and be in a position to help other entrepreneurs. As a VC, I have had the very good fortune to invest alongside some spectacular management teams, including  JBoss, AppIQ, Tabblo, Netezza, Diligent, CloudSwitch and TribeHR which have all had successful exits. I currently serve on the boards of HubSpot, Digium, CloudBees, Enservio, GrabCAD, OpenSpan, SageCloud, Salsify and VideoIQ.

I am very passionate about helping other entrepreneurs, having seen how important it is to get that help, encouragement, and support in the early days of creating my own ventures. If you are interested in learning more about what experiences have shaped my thinking, you may enjoy reading the following blog post: What drives great entrepreneurs.

If you would like to receive an email when new articles are published, please leave enter your email address in the form on the right hand side. To contact me, please email me at: dskok (at) matrixpartners.com. I would enjoy hearing from you.

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  • http://www.forentrepreneurs.com David Skok

    Hi Lisa, sorry for the delayed response. I have been struggling with email overload. You might want to consider contacting the Bridge Group who were the source of the data in this post: http://www.forentrepreneurs.com/metrics-and-compensation-for-saas-inside-sales/

  • Ali Raza

    David, I just read a fantastic resource on SaaS at http://www.interoute-iam.com/resources/saas-resources/ and you are mentioned in this. Check it out.

  • http://www.forentrepreneurs.com David Skok

    That’s a great resource. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

  • Mark

    If you want a book that is inspiring for all entrepreneurs check out http://www.TheYoungEntrepreneur.com

  • Ahmed Farooq

    Dear David, I have read many of your articles and seen the presentations on slide share – great stuff, very motivational! I am struggling with a question and thought would ask for your advice. How can I find the cost of online customer acquisition benchmarks by industry? I am particularly interested in the travel industry. Any pointers are greatly appreciated, thanks! Best Ahmed

  • http://www.forentrepreneurs.com David Skok

    Hi Ahmed, Unfortunately I’m not aware of any site that provides these. Sorry!

  • rporcello

    Hi Krishna,

    try Tommaso Di Bartolo. He has more experience in this area than anyone I know. He started a platform a few years ago called SaaS Distribution that had one of the few distribution agreements worldwide for all Microsoft cloud products, Trend Micro, Thinkware, Postini, etc. He had even created his own models for customers – repackaging the offerings from the big players.

    http://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasodibartolo

  • AK

    Hi David,

    I am running a cohort analysis and am curious if I am doing it correctly. The question comes in when we are looking at expansion customers. As you know generally a cohort analysis shows how many seats from each cohort remain at the end of each month. Generally this is a lower number, for instance, 40 in Jan and 35 in Feb, due to churn. However, we have expansion revenue in the form of customers adding more seats (not upgrades). Should those expansion seats be an addition to the cohort? For instance, if the Jan cohort started with 40 and then added 5 seats in Feb, should the number jump to 45 for Feb, or should we only be counting churn in seats and the new addition of seats be counted in the Feb cohort?

    Thanks very much for your help. We greatly appreciate it!

  • Marc Prosser

    Hi David, I am assuming that posts get edited before they go up . .so I am using this to get in touch.

    I am the publisher of Fit Small Business, a site dedicated to helping small businesses grow their top and bottom lines. We have decided to something different to gain attention and build links needed to propel out site to the top of the search engine rankings. We have decided to start creating business cartoons. I personally create the cartoons using a software tool called Pixton.

    The following cartoon is called “Hockey Stick Growth Projections” but could just as easily be called the “The Lies Companies Tell Investors”. It was originally published with some commentary at http://fitsmallbusiness.com/hockey-stick-growth-projections/

    If you like the cartoon, I would love for you to re-publish it with a link back to Fit Small Business. Thanks – Marc Prosser

  • MSmith

    Good song for frustrated entrepreneurs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AJoN1FSOGs

  • Sonia Madan

    Thank you for such nice Blogs and congrats to be 1 among Forbe’s List :) I also read blogs on SaaS here as well http://goo.gl/NxBCKl

  • Savita Thakran

    Great Sonia… even i am subscribed to these blogs… really like the blogs http://www.oodlestechnologies.com writes :)

  • http://www.forentrepreneurs.com David Skok

    Thank you Sonia!

  • http://www.gibike.com Nano Bossana

    Let me introduce you..Gi Bike! http://www.gibike.com

  • kyle Brown

    I have a question that I would like anyone’s opinion, I’m building a team of inbound inside sales reps, ie digital marketing leads are funneled to the team, they qualify and close (take credit card) or if it is complicated (cant close within 10 minutes) they hand off to field person. They are measured by how much they close, the activities we look at, are calls answered, close rate, etc. sometimes the customers know what they want based on the marketing.
    What compensation plan should I construct, salary, based plus comp? the products is established and midlife.

  • Samwilsono2

    Checkout http://www.theBillionairesBrain.com, Nice product indeed.. you’ll like it..

  • Steve Friedman

    Hi David,
    I am a retired physician/owner embedded in the IDoApp company. We have developed self-monitoring sensing devices to help people monitor behaviors that impact their health status. These Bluetooth-enabled devices report directly to their physician or personal trainer. As people become more aware of their physiologic metrics, we think that they will be better able to make changes that will improve their health. We have developed our products and apps and have received some initial orders. We need VC at this time to proceed further. What do you suggest?
    My email is steven@i-do-app.com Thanks for any assistance you can provide. We are excited about the explosion in the mobile health technology field and look forward to working with physicians and clinics, joining the effort to reduce obesity in this country.

  • http://www.forentrepreneurs.com David Skok

    Hi Steve, unfortunately we already have a competing investment in that space, so would not be able to help you. Sorry!

  • Ashley Hamm

    This is great! In my research, I have found so many articles
    and programs for entrepreneurs, some good and some not so good; however, I came across one I found to be unique. Avanze Corp offers a program called the
    “Assist & Achieve Subsidized Business Program.” They’ve got
    sponsors who match an entrepreneur’s contribution to his venture. They mentor
    businesses for 5 years and help them to start, market and manage and they get
    design work done too. These folks know their stuff, so if you’re interested,
    check them out here: http://www.avanzecorp.com
    or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AvanzeCorpInc.

  • Marie Louise Diogo

    As a great enterpreneur you have achieve alot of great goals in life and with the passion you have for other growing entrepreneurs by supporting them.I would like to also achieve mine through any form of ups and downs. keep on with the good impact in peoples life.

  • HS

    Great Blog, Thanks for the insights

  • Marie Louise Diogo

    I am a college student offering Business Administration, hoping to be an entrepreneur after i graduate from school. With my degree and masters i would like to transform my passion of being a good leader, a critical thinker, a problem solver and a good critic into a successful and productive organisation. I have ideas in mind to change my country and create a positive impact that they will benefit from.
    My country has been faced with many challenges and both environmental and societal, such as solar and other energy source. Which fuels my passion to create a successful organisation.

  • http://www.forentrepreneurs.com David Skok

    Hi Marie. It’s exciting to see your enthusiasm! I wish you the very best of luck in following you dream. It is people like you who are going to define the future.

  • John Badger

    Hi David – Great content! Here’s a free white paper that your readership might find very relevant in the later stages of venture financing. Written by Tim Harris of MoFo, the white paper covers capitalization modeling in a variety of scenarios including down round anti-dilution adjustments, recapitalizing prior investments and pay-to-play:

    http://www.sharevault.com/resources/white-papers/later-stage-financing/

    Feel free, of course, to post this and/or tweet as appropriate. While you’re on our site, have a look at the other free white papers and webinars that might also be of interest to you and your readers. Best, John

  • http://www.forentrepreneurs.com David Skok

    Thanks John.