Cloud Stocks: Google Expands Generative AI Beyond Bard

Alphabet aka Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) recently reported it’s second quarter results that continued to outpace all market expectations. After the initial hiccups with generative AI, Google has been focused on releasing much more improved generative AI offerings.

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August 10 – 615th 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are invited to the 615th FREE online 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable on Thursday, August 10, 2023, at 8 a.m. PDT/11 a.m. EDT/5 p.m. CEST/8:30 p.m. India IST.

If you are a serious entrepreneur, register to “pitch” and sell your business idea. You’ll receive straightforward feedback, advice on next steps, and answers to any of your questions. Others can register to “attend” to watch, learn, and interact through the online chat.

You can learn more here and REGISTER TO PITCH OR ATTEND HERE. Register and you will receive the recording by email, even if you are unable to attend. Please share with any entrepreneurs in your circle who may be interested. All are welcome!

Best of Bootstrapping: Bootstrapped to $10M First, Raised $25M Later

If you haven’t already, please study our Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

“Bootstrap First, Raise Money Later,” is the 1Mby1M mantra. Ashik Ahmed, Co-founder of Deputy, shared his story in 2017 of bootstrapping to $10 Million from Australia before raising $25 Million from the US in the first external financing.

Sramana Mitra: Where are you from? Where were you born, raised, and in what kind of background? Let’s start at the very beginning of your story.

Ashik Ahmed: I was born in Bangladesh. In 1997, my whole family migrated to Melbourne in Australia. I did my high school education as well as university in Melbourne. Then we moved to Sydney where I started working for my co-founder. My co-founder and I founded Deputy in 2008.

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Video FAQs

Catching Up On Readings: IPO’s First Half 2023

This feature from Zacks looks at how IPOs fared in the first half of 2023. Total proceeds raised were $7.6 billion this year, up 91.3% from last year. For this week’s posts, click on the paragraph links.

Colors: La Lune 1

I’m publishing this series on LinkedIn called Colors to explore a topic that I care deeply about: the Renaissance Mind. I am just as passionate about entrepreneurship, technology, and business, as I am about art and culture. In this series, I will typically publish a piece of art – one of my paintings – and I request you to spend a minute or two deeply meditating on it. I urge you to watch your feelings, thoughts, reactions to the piece, and write what comes to you, what thoughts it triggers, in the dialog area. Let us see what stimulation this interaction yields. For today – La Lune 1

La Lune 1 | Sramana Mitra, 2021 | Watercolor, Pastel, Brush Pen | 8  x 8, On Paper

Roundtable Recap: August 3 – Interesting Labor Arbitrage Idea

During this week’s roundtable, we worked with two startups.

Withstand Fitness

First up, we had Swagatika Priyambada from Odisha, India, pitch Withstand Fitness. I liked the idea of a labor arbitrage on personal trainers from India. Currently, personal trainers cost a fortune in the US.

8020 Excellerate

Then Ardi Ghorashy from Markham, Canada, pitched 8020 Excellerate, an executive coaching venture that is already in revenue.

You can listen to the recording of this roundtable here:

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Colors: October 7

I’m publishing this series on LinkedIn called Colors to explore a topic that I care deeply about: the Renaissance Mind. I am just as passionate about entrepreneurship, technology, and business, as I am about art and culture. In this series, I will typically publish a piece of art – one of my paintings – and I request you to spend a minute or two deeply meditating on it. I urge you to watch your feelings, thoughts, reactions to the piece, and write what comes to you, what thoughts it triggers, in the dialog area. Let us see what stimulation this interaction yields. For today – October 7

October 7 | Sramana Mitra, 2021 | Watercolor, Brush Pen | 8  x 8, On Paper

Best of Bootstrapping: Bootstrapped Multiple Education Software Companies

If you haven’t already, please study our Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

Lane Rankin, Founder at Illuminate Education, was first a teacher, then a school and school district administrator. His background is not of a typical tech entrepreneur. However, his deep domain knowledge and relationships in the education field have propelled him to become a very successful EdTech entrepreneur. Great story!

Sramana Mitra: Let’s start at the very beginning of your entrepreneurial journey. Where are you from? Where were you born, raised, and in what kind of background?

Lane Rankin: I’m currently in California. I was born in Seattle, Washington. I have a Bachelors degree in Applied Mathematics and went on to get a Masters in Leadership. I started my first company back in 1999.

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