Author Archives: Ben T. Smith, IV

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About Ben T. Smith, IV

Founder of, investor in and advisor to technology and media companies

Victor Belfor, Ben Smith: Why Startups Innovate Better Than Big Companies | peHUB

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Ben T. Smith, IV

With all their resources and talent, why do big companies have trouble innovating? How can a Blekko exist when there is a Google? Or a Tapulous when there is an Electronic Arts? Even more puzzling, why couldn’t Yahoo create Facebook … Continue reading →

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peHUB » Ben Smith: Eight Steps To Mastering Small Company Acquisitions

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Ben T. Smith, IV

One of the biggest misconceptions in technology is that small acquisitions are less risky and require less attention than large ones. It is not true. When Reply bought my company, MerchantCircle, in May it put several of my top execs … Continue reading →

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How to Blow Up an Ecosystem (and Prosper Within One)

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Ben T. Smith, IV

How to Blow Up an Ecosystem (and Prosper Within One) Are you a part of an ecosystem or do you plan to destroy one? You must decide before plotting a path to success During the four years we spent building … Continue reading →

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Ben Smith: Building Startups Is Cheap But Never Run Out of Cash | peHUB

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Ben T. Smith, IV

Internet startups have been getting cheaper to build for 10 years. So why is it more important than ever not to run out of cash? We built MerchantCircle into one of the 100 most trafficked U.S. sites and I honestly … Continue reading →

Posted in A.T. Kearney, Deals, Investments, MerchantCircle, Relationships, Silicon Valley, Spoke Software | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Ben Smith: Building Startups Is Cheap But Never Run Out of Cash | peHUB

peHUB » Will Startup Jumpers Hit It Big? Silicon Valley’s Latest Debate Is Portfolio vs Persistence

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Ben T. Smith, IV

When gambling on high-risk startups, the more bets you place the better, right? Maybe not. There is an unspoken discussion going on in Silicon Valley now about the value of “Portfolio” versus “Persistence,” especially among people who have never started … Continue reading →

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peHUB » Why Great Entrepreneurs Take Big Risks And Sometimes Get Fired

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Ben T. Smith, IV

I never met a great entrepreneur who was afraid of failure. Or who didn’t take over-sized risks to win big. This is why many get fired. I spent the first 10 years of my career at A.T. Kearney, a long … Continue reading →

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peHUB » Ben Smith: Silicon Valley Is A Multi-Inning Game, Relationships Are How You Play

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Ben T. Smith, IV

I heard two things recently. “Silicon Valley is a multi-inning game, relationships matter.“ And. “I am all business, I don’t care about relationships.” The first statement came from a seasoned venture capitalist with 20 years of experience. His point is … Continue reading →

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Economic Principles Return circa 2001

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Ben T. Smith, IV

Economic Principles Return circa 2001 Originally printed in one of the boom time internet magazines, one of my co workers from the period saw one of my recent articles and dug this one up and send to me.  I wonder … Continue reading →

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It’s called Fishing Not Catching

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Ben T. Smith, IV

It is called fishing and not catching, and it is the dirty secret of Silicon Valley. Unless your startup hits a grand slam, or you are its founder, CEO or a key engineer, your post-exit payday isn’t more than a … Continue reading →

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The Deal is Done. MerchantCirlce is now part of Reply!Media.

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Ben T. Smith, IV

The Deal is Done. MerchantCirlce is now part of Reply!Media in a $60MM deal. If you missed this morning’s announcement, I’m happy to share the news that we are now officially part of Reply! Media.The last few weeks have been … Continue reading →

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