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. The most common failures are solutions looking for a problem, lack of a defined market, or an inadequate revenue model. Target market. Sales/Marketing.

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Sales Customer Custom Outsource 102

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

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

Gross Burn vs. Net Burn. Burn rate in case you don’t know is the amount of money a company is either spending (gross) or losing (net) per month. (it Net burn is the amount of money you are losing per month. I often see companies burning $100,000 per month (net) looking to raise $6-8 million.

Startup 383

Startup Company Companies .Net 383

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 21, 2015

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. In fact, we now live in a buyer-led digital age, where the traditional media push-marketing efforts just don’t work.

Metrics 101

Metrics Marketing Demand Paramount 101

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2022

In reality, a simple Excel spreadsheet model customized around your assumptions can save you hours and avoid a wasted expense in validating alternative vendor and marketing decisions. What if you need to change your market size and volume projections? Yet they can be done by a simple financial model in a few milliseconds.

Startup 147

Startup Pricing Sample Customer 147

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

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

Berkonomics

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

But the real asset became obvious to me at almost exactly five PM that day, when all eight stopped what they were doing and began using a tool they had licensed from a Florida company to find other Internet gamers to join them in playing intense first party shooter games over the ‘net. Everyone withdrew to consider a response.

Sales 120

Sales Web Design Web Design 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 5, 2021

Every entrepreneur wants to know how they can improve their odds on the road to success, and why some entrepreneurs seem to be able to squeeze success out of even a marginal business case. Every existing and budding entrepreneur should internalize these reality principles: Ready yourself as a founder.

Entrepreneur 145

Entrepreneur Course Ideas .Net 145

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2018

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. In fact, we now live in a buyer-led digital age, where the traditional media push-marketing efforts just don’t work.

Metrics 57

Metrics Demand Marketing Paramount 57

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

AUGUST 26, 2013

Every entrepreneur wants to know how they can improve their odds on the road to success, and why some entrepreneurs seem to be able to squeeze success out of even a marginal business case. Every existing and budding entrepreneur should internalize these reality principles: Ready yourself as a founder.

Entrepreneur 103

Entrepreneur Course Ideas .Net 103

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

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

JANUARY 6, 2020

In reality, a simple Excel spreadsheet model customized around your assumptions can save you hours and avoid a wasted expense in validating alternative vendor and marketing decisions. What if you need to change your market size and volume projections? Yet they can be done by a simple financial model in a few milliseconds.

Startup 123

Startup Pricing Sample Customer 123

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. Some people find this elitist?—?I It doesn’t.

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

Berkonomics

SEPTEMBER 17, 2011

But the real asset became obvious at almost exactly 5 PM that day, when all eight stopped what they were doing and began using a tool they had licensed from a Florida company to find other Internet gamers to join them in playing intense first party shooter games over the ‘net. Could I have found a better example of “Timing is everything”?

Sales 149

Sales Web Design Web Entrepreneur 149

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 6, 2011

Every entrepreneur wants to know how they can improve their odds on the road to success, and why some entrepreneurs seem to be able to squeeze success out of even a marginal business case. Every existing and budding entrepreneur should internalize these reality principles: Ready yourself as a founder.

Entrepreneur 92

Entrepreneur Course Ideas .Net 92

Jason Nazar

MAY 1, 2016

For startup entrepreneurs, you can also track these metrics with Google analytics. The customer acquisition cost or cost per acquisition is the basic marketing cost to acquire a customer. See what other startup mentors have to say about marketing tactics. Net Promoter Score. Paid Product Metrics. Conversion Rate.

Marketing 40

Marketing CPC Metrics .Net 40

InfoChachkie

JULY 14, 2009

Hint: He was an entrepreneur. The same is true of entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is so highly valued in the Western World that some people try to convince themselves that they are an entrepreneur, when in fact they would be better off at a Big Dumb Company (“BDC”). Entrepreneur Does Not Equal Inventor.

Entrepreneur 153

Entrepreneur Ideas Writing Startup 153

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. I love watching people develop their careers, and I love breaking into markets.

Content 193

Content Social Network Coach Help 193

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 20, 2018

Every entrepreneur wants to hear “yes” during the fund-raising process but I would argue that being too risk averse and not pushing hard enough and be willing to hear a “no” is what holds back many people from “yes.” Possibly offend and entrepreneur leading to reputation risk amongst other entrepreneurs.

Funding 189

Funding Software Review Entrepreneur Venture Capital 189

Jason Nazar

NOVEMBER 1, 2015

For startup entrepreneurs, you can also track these metrics with Google analytics. The customer acquisition cost or cost per acquisition is the basic marketing cost to acquire a customer. See what other startup mentors have to say about marketing tactics. Net Promoter Score. Paid Product Metrics. Conversion Rate.

Marketing 40

Marketing CPC Metrics .Net 40

InfoChachkie

MARCH 2, 2019

Ruth had previously headed the company’s sales efforts, but she formally moved up to the CEO role upon Matson’s departure. This is an especially remarkable feat, considering that America’s entire population at that time was 157 million, representing a sale to 1 out of every 1.7 In 1955, the company’s net work was $500,000 ($4.6

Company 100

Company Companies Sales Sample 100

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 27, 2010

Entrepreneurs who experience promising initial success also play a similar game. The startup was so nascent that the sale would have been considered a short-term gain for tax purposes, which would have significantly reduced the Founders’ proceeds, making their small fortune even smaller. The payout was also unique.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Acquisition Pricing 124

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 27, 2010

Entrepreneurs who experience promising initial success also play a similar game. The startup was so nascent that the sale would have been considered a short-term gain for tax purposes, which would have significantly reduced the Founders’ proceeds, making their small fortune even smaller. The payout was also unique.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Acquisition Pricing .Net 124

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

A great recent example of this was a successful group of entrepreneurs who had created a company that will do $10-12 million in revenue at their system integration business (read: services business) in 2011 after having done $5 million or so in 2010 and $2-3 million in 2009. And stop effing around trying to create a product company.&#.

Services 332

Services Venture Capital IP Startup 332

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 1, 2013

The publishing industry has gone through massive disruptions in recent years from advent of online book sales, to the closing of bookstore and the growth of ebooks. Social media has transformed the way books are marketed and sold. Nolan Bushnell , Serial Entrepreneur, Founded Brainrush, Atari, Chuck E. The post Publishing 2.0:

Social Media 101

Social Media eBook .Net Media 101

InfoChachkie

JULY 18, 2011

Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham and Marcia Brown’s Stone Soup , the seemingly innocuous board game Monopoly has played a pivotal role in the edification of several generations of entrepreneurs. In addition to the Luxury Tax board space, there are also Chance cards that require you to pay a percentage of your net worth in taxes.

Entrepreneur 216

Entrepreneur Startup Outsource Development Paramount 216

Berkonomics

APRIL 4, 2019

On the other side, entrepreneurs and CEO’s usually have a natural fear of giving too much information to us investors after the initial investment is received. Every investor wants regular information from companies taking their money. The minimum legal requirements. Requirements created by investment documents.

Class 120

Class Course Report Competition 120

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 28, 2015

In reality, a simple Excel spreadsheet model customized around your assumptions can save you hours and avoid a wasted expense in validating alternative vendor and marketing decisions. The way to start is with a sample financial model, freely available from many sources on the Internet, such as this one from Entrepreneur.

Startup 103

Startup Pricing Sample Customer 103

socalTECH

AUGUST 10, 2015

Our interview this morning is with serial entrepreneur Tony Farwell , the Executive Chairman and co-founder of GovX (www.govx.com), a San Diego-based online marketplace aimed at current members of the military, veterans, and government employees, including first responders, police, and others. We have started with all U.S.

San Diego 100

San Diego Sales Activity .Net 100

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 31, 2014

According to earlier studies from Forbes Insights , many entrepreneurs and small businesses not only feel the lessons learned during the past few years have helped them survive, but the recession also exposed flaws in their business strategies that they were able to fix. 2015 business optimism entrepreneur strategy' Marty Zwilling.

Study 102

Study Entrepreneur .Net Guide 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2012

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. The most common failures are solutions looking for a problem, lack of a defined market, and giving away the product. Target market. Sales/Marketing.

Sales 97

Sales Customer Custom Outsource 97

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 3, 2009

There were tons of young entrepreneurs showing their latest Web 2.0 The last couple of years has also seen the huge initial success of Ycombinator, the Lean Startup and many other product driven approaches to going to market. How will you go to market in a cost effective way to achieve similar margins as your competitors.

Web 2.0 334

Web 2.0 Venture Capital Web Technical Review 334

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2013

I will outline here ten key principles and disciplines that every entrepreneur must understand and practice to minimize surprises and failures in this area: Failure to document cash flow projections is a disaster. Seasonal sales fluctuations eat cash. Fluctuating sales means more inventory is required to cover the ups and downs.

Startup 114

Startup Sales Layoffs Slides 114