socalTECH

MARCH 5, 2014

Most of the CIOs we are talking to are at large banks and healthcare providers. The sale approach is actually very different in those markets. We had to makke the hard decision--do we turn business away, or do we build out a really large sales force? But, the way we do it is different.

Cloud Computing 217

Cloud Computing Outsource Development Outsource Startup 217

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2014

Chief Sales Officer (VP Sales). What you really need is a VP of Marketing and Customer Development, who can help with lead generation and honing the message, rather than an executive to manage a sales team and existing customers. See this anecdote by Steve Blank on how a hotshot sales executive can sink your startup.

CTO Hire 100

CTO Hire Funding Cloud Computing CIO 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 17, 2017

I had a sales force when I was at SkyPipeline, selling telecom, networking, and broadband wireless products. My CIO had been ex-CIO at Herbalife, and was an EVP of Software for Disney. We went from $9M in sales to $624M in sales in eighteen months, and sold out at 19x EBITDA.

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Technical Review Software Review 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 22, 2013

Chief Sales Officer (VP Sales). What you really need is a VP of Marketing and Customer Development, who can help with lead generation and honing the message, rather than an executive to manage a sales team and existing customers. See this anecdote by Steve Blank on how a hotshot sales executive can sink your startup.

Startup 97

Startup Invest CTO Hire Cloud Computing 97

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 15, 2011

Garth Holsinger, VP of Global Sales and Business Development, Klout. Robyn Ward, Director of Sales and Business Development, Betterworks. At BetterWorks, she’s known as the “Startup Rockstar,” responsible for business development and sales. Founder’s Table, CEO, CTO, CIO, COO, and President, CallFire.

SEO 85

SEO CTO Coach Conference Social Media 85

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2010

Chief Sales Officer (VP Sales). What you really need is a VP of Marketing and Customer Development, who can help with lead generation and honing the message, rather than an executive to manage a sales team and existing customers. See this anecdote by Steve Blank on how a hotshot sales executive can sink your startup.

Startup 90

Startup CTO Hire Cloud Computing CIO 90

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 24, 2017

Strategic decision makers need to see the data, in addition to marketing and sales. You can delegate the technology infrastructure issues and decisions to the CTO or CIO, and data gathering and cleansing matters to the new chief data officers, but don’t delegate your business strategy role. Ask for analysis rather than reams of data.

CTO Coach 59

CTO Coach CIO Startup Competition 59

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 17, 2010

You can hire a talented head of marketing, business development, technology and sales. You need to for conferences, business development and often for sales. Douglas Merrill, the former CIO of Google, is building his next company in LA. So it’s always a trade-off. Zorik Gordon is tearing it up at ReachLocal.

Company 290

Company Companies Technology Startup 290

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 22, 2009

Everyone in the outside world is talking about how great you are but internally you know that your sales aren’t ramping, your product isn’t shipping on time, you have doubts about the quality of your code, you’re not convinced you’re doing a good job on marketing – whatever. Your solution? My advice: don’t.

Startup 327

Startup Sales Class CIO 327

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 11, 2012

African ICT Achiever Awards – Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Year – WINNER multiple times (Annex.13). We are in the process of integrating into various point of sales and providing prefunded vouchers for the unbanked. African ICT Achiever Awards – OVERALL WINNER (Annex.13).

Software Review 92

Software Review Social Network Platform Technical Review 92

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 27, 2009

There was a disconnect between the product and the sales process. We found that software wasn't being bought by the team members and product leaders who needed it, but was being bought by CIOs in large corporations.

Startup 100

Startup Software Review Technical Review Software 100

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

Look beyond California and you have group purchasing (GroupOn in Chicago, LivingSocial in Washington DC), private sales (Gilt Groupe in NY, HauteLook in LA), artisan marketplaces (Etsy in NY), eCommerce (Amazon in Seattle) and on and on. Douglas Merrill, the former CIO of Google, is building his next company, ZestCash in LA.

Venture Capital 313

Venture Capital Southern California Google Startup 313