#1 Advice for an Entrepreneur in the New Year
With the new year upon us, it is a great time to reflect on last year’s accomplishments and set new goals for the year ahead. As I read various “lessons learned” articles and annual recaps, I often th
Author: David Cummings
David Cummings is a Partner and co-founder of Atlanta Ventures and co-founder of Pardot (acquired by Salesforce). He has invested in and supported hundreds of early-stage startups in the Southeast and writes regularly about entrepreneurship, SaaS, and the Atlanta tech ecosystem.
The Power of Writing Before You Speak
A couple of months ago, I was speaking at a conference when it came time for the Q&A. Several people raised their hands, and one question after another came out. Interestingly, every question that was
Use Adjacent Markets to Shape Better Products
Last week, I had the opportunity to meet with a group of entrepreneurs building sports-related technology. They’ve created impressive tools for the high end of the market and have seen strong success
Uncomfortable as an Entrepreneur
Last week, I was catching up with a group of entrepreneurs when one of them asked, “When was the last time each of us felt uncomfortable in our business?” This made me pause and reflect. “Uncomfortabl
Value-First Reimagining of a Market
A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak at the Deloitte 500 event at the Atlanta Tech Village. At the event, the local winners were revealed and recognized. Incredibly, the fastest-growi
Tech Trends at Local Startup Hubs
Last week, I was at Atlanta Tech Village delivering short opening remarks for a large AgeTech Connect conference. AgeTech, as the name suggests, is a fast-growing sector focused on aging and the reali
Where to Start Evaluating an Angel Investment
Last week, a friend reached out asking for help evaluating a startup investment from the perspective of someone who hadn’t done it before. Normally, when thinking about a startup investment, the stand
Align Ambition with Startup Idea
Last week, I was talking with an entrepreneur who’s built an incredible business. Later in the conversation, I asked if the idea he started with was the same one that ultimately made him successful. I
The Power of an Annual User Conference
A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend AdPipe’s annual user conference and hear a number of guest speakers share their thoughts on where the world is headed regarding authentic storyte
From Grow, Grow, Grow to Grow, Margin, Burn
Last week, I had the opportunity to talk with a successful tech entrepreneur about his journey. Deep into the conversation, we reflected on the boom years of 2020 and 2021 and then the lean years from