Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2016

Most new entrepreneurs have great ideas, and many are highly skilled in building their solutions. They don’t realize that strong team engagement leads to even stronger customer engagement, which can more than double your startup revenue and growth, according to experts. Facilitate and use customer, peer engagement feedback.

Software Review 57

Software Review Satisfaction Startup Training 57

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2016

It’s easy to declare yourself an entrepreneur, but it’s not so easy to convince investors, your team and customers that you are that special one to fund and follow. If you don’t consistently display the right entrepreneur mindset traits, people won’t follow and business success will likely elude you.

Startup 58

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Customer 58

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2016

Here are seven key principles that I recommend you follow as an aspiring business leader or entrepreneur, based on my own experience in large companies as well as startups: Proactively ask for input to hone your vision. Motivated team members are much more likely to delight customers and create memorable customer experiences.

Coach 64

Coach Satisfaction Organization Activity 64

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2016

Every entrepreneur knows what it’s like to face adversity. It comes with the territory, and includes cash-flow challenges, fickle customers, belligerent investors and unpredictable economic downturns. Successful entrepreneurs are not afraid to reach out and ask for help from peers and advisors. Adversity will melt away.

Satisfaction 59

Satisfaction Activity Entrepreneur Competition 59

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2016

Constant stress, tension, and unhappiness causes people to withdraw and reject new customer ideas or solutions. In the unknowns of a new business, there are no right ways or wrong ways, just new ways that need to be tested to satisfy customer needs and stay ahead of competitors. They also get satisfaction from mentoring others.

Satisfaction 59

Satisfaction Study Product Class 59

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2016

Entrepreneurs don’t realize that Facebook spent over $100 million, before revenues from advertising turned cash positive. Until a new brand has national recognition or high promotion, it won’t be found or used by local customers or out of town visitors. Isn’t it time that you joined this age of the entrepreneur?

Advertising 63

Advertising Content Social Media Satisfaction 63

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 8, 2016

One of the myths I often hear as an advisor to many entrepreneurs is that their lifestyle would somehow be better if they could more easily find other people’s money to build their startup. Most entrepreneurs never forget for a moment that having investors means owing money, even if they can legally argue that equity is not debt.

Funding 57

Funding Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur 57

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Many entrepreneurs are so passionate about their new startup idea that they can’t believe any intelligent being, investor or customer wouldn’t react just as excitedly after a quick introduction. You have to persuade the right partners to join and build the solution, the right investors to fund it and the right customers to buy it.

Ideas 56

Ideas Study Entrepreneur Customer 56

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2016

Business success is all about having the best team, yet the average entrepreneur has little prior experience with hiring people and building top-notch teams. Most new entrepreneurs assume their passion will attract and motivate the right team members. Marty Zwilling First published on Forbes on 07/02/2016.

Organization 57

Organization Entrepreneur Satisfaction Screening 57

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2016

I meet many entrepreneurs with a real passion for their new idea, but unfortunately they don’t all realize that passion is necessary but not sufficient fuel to turn their idea into a successful business. Interact with real customers to validate passion in their feedback. Reality check your potential for building a business.

Startup 62

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Statistics 62

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2016

In reality, that’s the definition of a successful startup these days, so every aspiring entrepreneur should take note, as well as every existing corporate executive. I like their seven step approach, which I have paraphrased here for entrepreneurs as follows: Pull together a great multi-functional team. A dream is not enough.

Startup 56

Startup Metrics Entrepreneur Resource 56

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

For example, in the entrepreneur world there are people like Elon Musk , who has demonstrated not only innovative ideas, but also impressive results in SpaceX, Tesla Motors, and Hyperloop. Marty Zwilling First published on Forbes on 08/27/2016. We all know examples on a smaller scale in every organization.

Resource 62

Resource Entrepreneur Examples Satisfaction 62

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2016

In my own experience as a startup advisor and mentor, I find that entrepreneurs who can’t attract and maintain a highly motivated team rarely even get off the ground. Your display of pride in the company and respect for the customer will translate directly into motivation. Marty Zwilling First published on Forbes on 06/18/2016.

Startup 58

Startup Examples Mentor Activity 58

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2016

Despite a valiant effort, we only briefly succeeded in putting IBM in the personal computer business, but our efforts changed my view of entrepreneurs forever. No consideration can be given to experience running a startup, breadth of skills, or even thinking like an entrepreneur. I still enjoy the journey as well as the destination.

IBM 85

IBM IBM Entrepreneur Technical Review 85

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2016

Every entrepreneur I know feels the pressure of the thousands of things that need to get done, all seemingly at the same time. These are the endless stream of email, phone calls, and daily crises which prevent really important accomplishments, like closing customers. There is just not enough time! Rest makes you more productive.

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Tips Activity Startup Product 100