Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2023

As a startup advisor in this age of the entrepreneur, I see many more startups, but innovation is still hard to find. In my experience, finding real innovation in existing company environments is even tougher. An entrepreneur looking for a sure thing will never innovate. Net result and reward. No risk, no innovation.

Coach 137

Coach Metrics Competition Ideas 137

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

One of the big differences between an entrepreneur and an employee of a big business is that employees tend to have a very narrow focus on their job, while entrepreneurs have to keep the broader focus on business. entrepreneurs consistently claim to be happier , and have a higher net worth than employees. In fact, U.S.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Customer Custom 93

Berkonomics

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

Almost anyone who has sold a company has a story to tell about their good deal, the problems with the buyer, a last-minute change of terms, or more. I’ve been offered $15 million for my company and my partner is suing me for all I am worth. How the industry was growing around the company. The year was 1998. What can I do?”.

Sales 120

Sales Web Design Web Design 120

InfoChachkie

MARCH 2, 2019

Though she was the de facto leader of the company, America of the last century was not ready to accept a female led company. Matson resigned and sold his shares to Ruth and Elliott less than two years after the company’s founding, due to health issues. In 1955, the company’s net work was $500,000 ($4.6

Company 100

Company Companies Sales Sample 100

Berkonomics

OCTOBER 8, 2015

We come to the end of this cycle of insights with a thought about how you might view your successful exit from the company you have spent so much effort to build. Email readers, continue here…] First there comes a sense of relief, knowing that you no longer need to worry over daily cash or threats to your net worth.

Entrepreneur 120

Entrepreneur Writing .Net Sales 120

Berkonomics

JANUARY 13, 2022

How might you view your successful exit from the company you have spent so much effort to build? You no longer need to worry over daily cash or threats to your net worth. What most entrepreneurs fail dramatically at is to celebrate the moment. Then do as all good entrepreneurs do. Many fail multiple times.

Writing 156

Writing Entrepreneur .Net Sales 156

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 18, 2012

As part of UC Santa Barbara’s Distinguished Lecture Series, serial entrepreneur and noted venture capitalist Mark Suster recently shared his advice with a large crowd of emerging entrepreneurs. In the last six weeks, I have been pitched by five entrepreneurs under 20. free weekly Infochachkie articles! The youngest was 15.

Entrepreneur 272

Entrepreneur Startup Conference Santa Barbara 272

socalTECH

JULY 7, 2010

One complaint we sometimes hear from venture capitalists visiting Southern California for the first time, is the difficulty of finding experienced entrepreneurs and executives. socalTECH.com has mined its proprietary database of high tech companies and entrepreneurs and identified just a few of the repeat entrepreneurs to watch in the region.

Southern California 228

Southern California Entrepreneur SoCal Mahalo 228

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 5, 2010

This is part of my series on what makes an entrepreneur successful. I originally posted it on VentureHacks , one of my favorite websites for entrepreneurs. I started the series talking about what I consider the most important attribute of an entrepreneur : Tenacity. Entrepreneurs are inherently risk takers.

Entrepreneur 293

Entrepreneur Startup Venture Capital CTO Hire 293

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 2, 2022

I expect that should seem intuitive to all entrepreneurs, but every investor I know has many stories about startup funding requests with major business model elements missing. A target market is the group of customers that the startup plans to attract through marketing and sales their product or service. Sales/Marketing.

Sales 102

Sales Customer Custom Outsource 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 31, 2023

Every entrepreneur knows that good demand generation marketing is the key to growth these days, but very few have the discipline or know-how to measure return in a world of a thousand tools and techniques. Selecting the right sales channels is one of the first strategic decisions that every startup faces. Lead management performance.

Metrics 102

Metrics Demand Paramount Content 102

Berkonomics

JUNE 8, 2017

Some businesses require very little capital and the founder can self-finance the enterprise and retain 100% of its ownership and control from ignition through liquidity event (startup through sale). And even with the significant cost of credit card debt, many entrepreneurs aggressively use existing cards to finance a startup.

Venture Capital 266

Venture Capital Class Invest Equity 266

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2020

Every entrepreneur knows that good demand generation marketing is the key to growth these days, but very few have the discipline or know-how to measure return in a world of a thousand tools and techniques. Selecting the right sales channels is one of the first strategic decisions that every startup faces. Lead management performance.

Marketing 174

Marketing Invest Demand Metrics 174

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 17, 2020

There is an exemption from the requirements that these investors be accredited with net worth or income minimums to qualify legally to invest in your company. If you have a virtual company with your employees working from home locations, as many startups do, it should be the location of the founder.

Equity 156

Equity Technical Review Class Organization 156

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2018

As a startup investor in this age of the entrepreneur, I see many more startups, but innovation is still hard to find. In my experience, finding real innovation in existing company environments is even tougher. An entrepreneur looking for a sure thing will never innovate. Net result and reward. No risk, no innovation.

Entrepreneur 64

Entrepreneur Coach Metrics Competition 64

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2015

As a startup investor in this age of the entrepreneur, I see many more startups, but innovation is still hard to find. In my experience, finding real innovation in existing company environments is even tougher. An entrepreneur looking for a sure thing will never innovate. Net result and reward. No risk, no innovation.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Metrics 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2020

As a startup advisor in this age of the entrepreneur, I see many more startups, but innovation is still hard to find. In my experience, finding real innovation in existing company environments is even tougher. An entrepreneur looking for a sure thing will never innovate. Net result and reward. No risk, no innovation.

Coach 144

Coach Metrics Social Network Competition 144

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2014

I used to fear that this would put me at a disadvantage in starting my own company, but now I’m convinced that it may be the other way around. In some reputable surveys , as many as two-thirds of entrepreneurs felt that their entrepreneurial spirit was more ingrained than learned, so a specific education level is at least irrelevant.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Education .Net Class 105

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 2, 2021

As it turned out, 17 of the 27 companies were still in business seven years later, which is at least double that of other studies. To determine what factors made a difference, the researchers compared the 27 companies using numerous variables. Here is my own net of those seven habits: Founder is ready, willing, and able to learn.

Startup 170

Startup Study Journal Sample 170

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 19, 2017

One of the hardest decisions entrepreneurs make when they start a company and raise outside capital is figuring out what an acceptable “burn rate” is. That is, how much should your company be willing to lose in cash every month as you make investments in staff and equipment that funds technology, sales, marketing and management.

Startup 212

Startup Venture Capital .Net Capital 212

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 1, 2022

I tell entrepreneurs that Google was an “exception” to all the investment and startup rules, but I’ve always wondered what it takes to be an exception. Since every business is built by unique individuals, I’m totally convinced that exceptional people are the key to an exceptional company. Technology alone does not make a great company.

Startup 131

Startup Google Advertising .Net 131

Berkonomics

SEPTEMBER 17, 2011

After presenting a “state of the company” report at a national meeting of resellers for a company where I sat on the board, I was approached by one of the audience members, complimenting my presentation and stating, “I have a problem. I’ve been offered $15 million for my company and my partner is suing me for all I am worth.

Sales 149

Sales Web Design Web Entrepreneur 149

TechCrunch LA

MAY 19, 2020

These are companies like the recent Y Combinator graduates Homestead and Rent the Backyard and United Dwelling, which has just raised $10 million in funding from investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners and Alpha Edison. The company uses a local nonprofit organization called Chrysalis to build its units. The Culver City, Calif.-based

Los Angeles 191

Los Angeles Startup Culver City .Net 191

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2022

They probably won’t respond well to high pressure sales tactics, information overload, or bribes. As an entrepreneur, you simply use their investor search engine to find appropriate investors for your business according to location, industry interest, and other relevant criteria. Angel investors are people too. AngelList.

Startup 135

Startup Keiretsu Platform Invest 135

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

When you raise money from investors you produce information that you are told they want and care about: A fund-raising deck that articulates your company strategy, plans, team, market, competitors and so forth. Most entrepreneurs (and VCs raising from LPs) think this means progress. against a broad range of similar companies.

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2013

I tell entrepreneurs that Google was an “exception” to all the investment and startup rules, but I’ve always wondered what it takes to be an exception. Since every business is built by unique individuals, I’m totally convinced that exceptional people are the key to an exceptional company. Technology alone does not make a great company.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Google Advertising .Net 93

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 16, 2011

After college Joanne worked for 4 years in retail apparel at Macy’s where she initially managed sales reps on the floor and then worked as a buyer of clothing. After 4 years of retail she went to “the other side of the business&# working for a clothing brand where she sold apparel to department stores and other companies.

Startup 311

Startup Sales Venture Capital Entrepreneur 311

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

” I mention journalists here because they perpetuate the myth that focusing on profits is ALWAYS the right answer and then I hear many entrepreneurs (and certainly many “normals”) repeating the same mantra. The most obvious way to explain this is with sales people. If you don’t, somebody else WILL!”

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2011

I used to fear that this would put me at a disadvantage in starting my own company, but now I’m convinced that it may be the other way around. In some recent surveys, as many as two-thirds of entrepreneurs felt that their entrepreneurial spirit was more ingrained than learned, so a specific education level is at least irrelevant.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Education .Net Class 111

InfoChachkie

MARCH 16, 2010

My House Is Not For Sale. However, in many cases, acquiring companies behave in a less rational manner than Mr. Citrix politely approached us, told us they had an interest in acquiring our company and then asked us, “How much?”. Our response was that there was no “price” as our company was not for sale.

Company 160

Company Companies Pricing Santa Barbara 160

InfoChachkie

JULY 14, 2009

“You are forty, out of a job, a newlywed, your wife is expecting a baby, you don’t own your own home, you have no specialized qualifications, the only company you ever launched went bankrupt and you have just been sentenced to one year in jail.”. Hint: He was an entrepreneur. The same is true of entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneur 153

Entrepreneur Ideas Writing Startup 153

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 27, 2010

Entrepreneurs who experience promising initial success also play a similar game. A similar experience occurred at a cloud computing company where I acted as an addVisor. The company was approached by a Big Dumb Company (BDC) who made a nominal acquisition offer within months of the company’s founding.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Acquisition Pricing 124

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 27, 2010

Entrepreneurs who experience promising initial success also play a similar game. A similar experience occurred at a cloud computing company where I acted as an addVisor. The company was approached by a Big Dumb Company (BDC) who made a nominal acquisition offer within months of the company’s founding.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Acquisition Pricing .Net 124

socalTECH

MAY 30, 2019

Richards--a serial entrepreneur who has been involved in a number of technology companies here, including NTI Group (sold to Blackboard), Internships.com, MP3.com, com, and Vivendi Universal Net USA, where he was also CEO. Richards also has been an active angel investor in local startups. What is CareerArc?

Content 193

Content Social Network Coach Help 193

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 17, 2017

The most obvious way to explain this is with sales people. If you hire 6 senior sales reps in January at $120,000 / year salary then you’ve taken on an extra $60,000 per month in costs yet these sales people might not close new business 6 months. I often ask entrepreneurs to consider, “What’s your objective?

Startup 227

Startup Venture Capital Sales Course 227

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 25, 2011

It’s nearly impossible to get a services company financed by VCs. And stop effing around trying to create a product company.&#. It is advice I give entrepreneurs often as I have written here on why most businesses should never raise VC. You’re a small fish. Why Shouldn’t Most Services Businesses Raise VC?

Services 332

Services Venture Capital IP Startup 332

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 26, 2020

Unfortunately, many inventors I know are stuck at this stage, being great technologists, but not so great as entrepreneurs. billion net worth. The Apple computer was really “invented” by Steve Wozniak , but it was the marketing and sales efforts of Steve Jobs that really led to Apple’s success.

Customer 136

Customer Custom Examples .Net 136