Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2020

Entrepreneurs see “no risk” as meaning “no reward.” Many risks can be managed or calculated to improve growth or provide a competitive edge, while others, like skipping quality checks to save money, are recipes for failure. The challenge is to avoid the bad risks, while actively seeking and managing the smart risks.

Entrepreneur 129

Entrepreneur Resource Metrics Customer 129

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 4, 2021

Every entrepreneur I know is short on resources, including time, money, and skills. The last thing they can afford is to waste any of these, but in my mentoring and coaching activities, I see it happening all too often. Focus on activities rather than results. In the startup world, this is often seen as a lack of focus.

Startup 161

Startup Resource Training Entrepreneur 161

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2020

leadership, mentorship, competitiveness, communications, relationship-building?—?and The core of the investing job of course is investing dollars into startup companies and helping as a mentor, advisor and board member on the companies in which you’ve invested. She had all of the skills and traits we sought?—?leadership, I’m only 52!

Venture Capital 361

Venture Capital Startup Invest CitySearch 361

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 138

Technical Review Startup Innocal Offshore 138

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2019

In my years of mentoring entrepreneurs, a problem I have seen too often is low self-esteem, and over-compensating through arrogance and ego. These entrepreneurs find it hard to respect customers or team members, and their ventures usually fail. Identify and redirect unhealthy competition and comparisons.

Entrepreneur 98

Entrepreneur Startup Satisfaction Competition 98

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2020

Most entrepreneurs, and members of any small team, naively assume that the key to their success is hard work, dedication, and long hours in the business. It behooves all entrepreneurs and team members to recognize the positives and negatives of each type of relationship. Workship - Mentor. Workship - Advocate.

Mentor 135

Mentor Competition Summary Coach 135

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 9, 2021

If you are a new business owner or entrepreneur, you are likely to be creative and willing to take a risk , and you probably assume that most potential team members have the same mindset. Find folks who are customer-centric and sensitive to competition. Find people who enjoy being problem solvers.

Coach 174

Coach Activity Customer Custom 174

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2014

Every entrepreneur I know is short on resources, including time, money, and skills. The last thing they can afford is to waste any of these, but in my mentoring and coaching activities, I see it happening all too often. Focus on activities rather than results. In the startup world, this is often seen as a lack of focus.

Entrepreneur 115

Entrepreneur Resource Training Product 115

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2020

I was shocked to read an old Gallup study that indicates only 13 percent of employees worldwide are actively engaged at work, and more recent data shows only a small change in the right direction. Find ways to recharge your emotional batteries, through supportive relationships and community activities. Start today. Marty Zwilling.

Product 129

Product Examples Mentor Activity 129

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

As an investor in startups, I most often see entrepreneurs who are technologists, or at least have a real passion for a specific product. Typically this means describing interactions with customer groups, real customer feedback, and showing an understanding of price sensitivity, alternatives, and competitive offerings.

Startup 113

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2022

Thus, in my mentoring of potential technical entrepreneurs who have a real passion for their technology, I often recommend that they find a co-founder who can manage the marketing and execution elements of the new venture. The competition will improve, the market will change, and your customers will demand more.

Mentor 133

Mentor Startup Customer Custom 133

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

I find that the most successful entrepreneurs have mastered the art and skill of building and managing relationships. For example, we all know people who really believe that everyone in the world is their supporter, when in fact many are actively working against them. Actively court relationships with people you aspire to be.

Tips 95

Tips Mentor Coach Activity 95

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2022

In my years of mentoring entrepreneurs, a problem I have seen too often is low self-esteem, and over-compensating through arrogance and ego. These entrepreneurs find it hard to respect customers or team members, and their ventures usually fail. Identify and redirect unhealthy competition and comparisons.

Startup 101

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Competition 101

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2022

Entrepreneurs see “no risk” as meaning “no reward.” Many risks can be managed or calculated to improve growth or provide a competitive edge, while others, like skipping quality checks to save money, are recipes for failure. The challenge is to avoid the bad risks, while actively seeking and managing the smart risks.

Resource 121

Resource Metrics Entrepreneur Customer 121

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2023

Many aspiring entrepreneurs I mentor can talk at length about their innovative ideas and passions, and ask lots of good questions, but never make much progress in building a real business. Brainstorm required activities, order, and prioritize them relative to your goals. The best entrepreneurs finish something every day.

Writing 92

Writing Ideas Startup Entrepreneur 92

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2020

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Funding Innocal Offshore 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2020

With all the uncertainty in the world today, its hard for any business owner or entrepreneur to stay positive. Based on my experience and a business advisor and mentor, this is the ideal time to get back to the basics of business leadership and innovation. He considers mentoring on of his most critical roles at work.

Mentor 122

Mentor Ideas Competition Examples 122

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2015

In my years of mentoring entrepreneurs, a problem I have seen too often is low self-esteem, and over-compensating through arrogance and ego. These entrepreneurs find it hard to respect customers or team members, and their ventures usually fail. Identify and redirect unhealthy competition and comparisons.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Startup Satisfaction Competition 102

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2021

In my experience, many entrepreneurs rely too much on the perspective of a trusted advisor, or try to emulate a competitor who is getting attention. The challenge is how to develop that self-leadership in every aspiring entrepreneur and business professional role. Demonstrate integrity and strong ethics in all activities.

Entrepreneur 132

Entrepreneur Course Satisfaction Guide 132

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 15, 2021

As a long-time business advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs, I’ve always been impressed with the few who seem to always come out ahead, no matter what the challenge. Whether you are a professional in a team role, or an entrepreneur looking for a new startup, you never get anywhere unless you take a chance.

Education 148

Education Mentor Customer Custom 148

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2012

A diligent entrepreneur should certainly work the important details for his or her startup, especially when it comes to assessing any negative fluctuations in the business. In his new book, “ Out-Executing the Competition ,” seasoned executive Irv Rothman provides tips to corporate executives on how to dig in and “get their fingernails dirty.”

Entrepreneur 94

Entrepreneur Startup Template Mentor 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2021

I often think of the scope of this example in my role as mentor to a struggling entrepreneur who is quick to blame his problems on employee mistakes, or even changing customer expectations. In today’s world, every organization needs to be in a constant state of change to stay competitive.

Training 173

Training Examples Startup Social Media 173

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2020

Many aspiring entrepreneurs I mentor can talk at length about their innovative ideas and passions, and ask lots of good questions, but never make much progress in building a real business. Brainstorm required activities, order, and prioritize them relative to your goals. The best entrepreneurs finish something every day.

Ideas 121

Ideas Writing Startup Entrepreneur 121

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 14, 2011

In your opinion, are your angels more or less active this year? Investors are very focused on diligence, on business models that make sense, and those companies that have a definite competitive advantage and defensibility to what they're doing. Mike Napoli: Actually, we are seeing entrepreneurs. Interestnig.

Tech Coast Angels 231

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 231

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2014

It’s more fun tackling the challenges of a startup in between job search activities, than sitting around feeling sorry for yourself and waiting for status callbacks on interviews (which seem to have gone out of style). It will definitely show off your energy and vision, and will make you a more competitive candidate for any role.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Startup Social Network Ideas 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 13, 2015

Every entrepreneur I know is short on resources, including time, money, and skills. The last thing they can afford is to waste any of these, but in my mentoring and coaching activities, I see it happening all too often. Focus on activities rather than results. In the startup world, this is often seen as a lack of focus.

Resource 105

Resource Startup Entrepreneur Training 105

InfoChachkie

MARCH 10, 2014

Never let the odds keep you from pursuing what you know in your heart you were meant to do - entrepreneurs never calculate probabilities, even if the chances are one in a million, "one" is all you need to win. Become someone''s hero - when someone asks you to be their mentor, smile and say, "I would be honored.". Go venture.

Competition 274

Competition Mentor Entrepreneur Startup 274

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2013

Most entrepreneurs, and members of any small team, naively assume that the key to their success is hard work, dedication, and long hours at the business. It behooves all entrepreneurs, and all team members, to recognize the positives and negatives of each type of relationship. Workship - Mentor. Workship - Advocate.

Startup 99

Startup Mentor Entrepreneur Competition 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2018

Every entrepreneur I know is short on resources, including time, money, and skills. The last thing they can afford is to waste any of these, but in my mentoring and coaching activities, I see it happening all too often. Focus on activities rather than results. In the startup world, this is often seen as a lack of focus.

Resource 52

Resource Training Entrepreneur Activity 52

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2016

Most entrepreneurs, and members of any small team, naively assume that the key to their success is hard work, dedication, and long hours in the business. It behooves all entrepreneurs and team members to recognize the positives and negatives of each type of relationship. Workship - Mentor. Workship - Advocate.

Mentor 70

Mentor Competition Entrepreneur Summary 70

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2016

I was shocked to read an old Gallup study that indicates only 13 percent of employees worldwide are actively engaged at work, and more recent data shows only a small change in the right direction. Find ways to recharge your emotional batteries, through supportive relationships and community activities. Start today.

Startup 58

Startup Examples Mentor Activity 58

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2018

Most entrepreneurs see their new venture as a fun adventure, until the pressures of a cash flow crisis, or a manufacturing quality problem, or a major customer satisfaction problem hits. Even with all my years of experience mentoring in business, I can’t predict how you will prepare for and react to pressure situations.

Startup 82

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Mentor 82

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

A diligent entrepreneur should certainly work the important details for his or her startup, especially when it comes to assessing any negative fluctuations in the business. In his book, “ Out-Executing the Competition ,” seasoned executive Irv Rothman provides tips to corporate executives on how to dig in and “get their fingernails dirty.”

Startup 103

Startup Entrepreneur Template Mentor 103

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2013

Yet many entrepreneurs confuse this with a “sense of emergency,” which insidiously saps the life from their business. As a result, they are always too busy to proactively get to the urgent and strategic tasks, or provide the leadership and mentoring needed to motivate the team for the long haul. Bringing the outside in. Marty Zwilling.

Activity 105

Activity Entrepreneur Mentor Startup 105

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Reverse due diligence on the investor is a comparable process whereby the entrepreneur seeks to validate the track record, operating style, and motivation of every potential partner.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 63

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

Entrepreneurs see “no risk” as meaning “no reward.” Many risks can be managed or calculated to improve growth or provide a competitive edge, while others, like skipping quality checks to save money, are recipes for failure. The challenge is to avoid the bad risks, while actively seeking and managing the smart risks.

Startup 115

Startup Resource Metrics Entrepreneur 115