Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. Do research on investor visibility via Google and social media. The only successful entrepreneur-investor relationships are win-win ones.

Technical Review 138

Technical Review Startup Innocal Offshore 138

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 23, 2022

The result is fewer and fewer new ideas are volunteered by prospective leaders and key team members, and the business suffers from poor customer satisfaction or loss of market share. Find other situations that led to success, or explain why the environment, competition, or opportunity has changed to reduce the risk of failure.

Ideas 116

Ideas Netflix Resource Customer 116

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2023

A few are still trying to make a profitable business out of nurturing startups, but it’s a challenge to make money when your customer startups don’t have many resources to give. I believe their competitive advantage is their top on-site leadership, exclusivity, and connections to investors.

Organization 92

Organization Incubator Startup Resource 92

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 25, 2022

Research has found that people with low resilience are four times more likely to experience burnout, or even premature death. Don’t be hesitant to use coaches, mentors, and other resources to test and improve your image by others, and your perceptions of business realities and biases. Don’t let anyone kill your dreams and passion.

Startup 122

Startup Satisfaction Summary Coach 122

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

In my role as a mentor to business professionals and entrepreneurs over the years, I have found that it’s important to take a hard look at the relationships around you on a regular basis. But, like most other skills, you can learn from these priorities: Everyone benefits from active mentoring.

Tips 95

Tips Mentor Coach Activity 95

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 2, 2022

This is a tough challenge for every coach and mentor. These authors bring a broad range of experience and practice in business leadership, as executives, consultants in the real world, and academic researchers. Embrace the real you as your competitive advantage.

Entrepreneur 90

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Coach Mentor 90

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

A few are still trying to make a profitable business out of nurturing startups, but it’s a challenge to make money when your customer startups don’t have many resources to give. I believe their competitive advantage is their top on-site leadership, exclusivity, and connections to investors.

Resource 159

Resource Startup Incubator Seed Funding 159

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2020

Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. Do research on investor visibility via Google and social media. The only successful entrepreneur-investor relationships are win-win ones.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Funding Innocal Offshore 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2019

In my role as a small business consultant and mentor to many entrepreneurs, I recommend the following key considerations for the best strategy to pursue for outside funding, if you choose not to fund the business yourself: Consumer products and trends need market validation. Business-to-business products need professional investors.

Funding 119

Funding Startup Platform Examples 119

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2021

With some coaching and mentoring from other leaders, I was able to do it myself, so I know you can do it too, by committing to the following strategies: Train yourself to always look for positives, not negatives. Optimistic business leaders see value in every new business challenge, rather than stress and risk.

Coach 137

Coach Training Satisfaction Mentor 137

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Thus, as an initial step in my mentoring efforts to young or older aspiring entrepreneurs alike, I always recommend ways of dipping your toes in the water, before risking all your life savings, some important personal relationships, and your own well-being for a long time to come. You may also calibrate your own level of commitment.

Sample 126

Sample Entrepreneur Ideas Startup 126

socalTECH

OCTOBER 14, 2010

We've initially focused on university-based research groups, and as we've gotten up and running, we've found that there's no need to limit it to just universities. If an existing company is not interested in licensing, and a researcher is not an entrepreneurial spirit, those projects go no where. Where is this talent coming from?

Networking 215

Networking Research Startup USC 215

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 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

MAY 1, 2016

Access to intellectual property and current research. Other project and research reports in their library are a rich source of new ideas, if you are still looking for a place to start. Access to entrepreneurs-in-residence, business mentors. Visit the university library for access to otherwise costly business reports.

Entrepreneur 55

Entrepreneur Capital Class Startup 55

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

I acted as the occasional mentor, advisor and coach to Ethan. In the same year they won Business Insider’s Startup competition. Ethan had pointed out to me that merchants were being barraged by “deal site” wanting to drive customers in the door but they didn’t have great tools to manage their customers.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2017

Yet, in my experience as a mentor to entrepreneurs, the majority of failures I see are related to starting and growing the business, not developing the solution. In fact, I can condense the sum of my business experiences into eight key disciplines: Start with a total and ongoing customer focus. Demonstrate an ongoing sense of urgency.

Ideas 72

Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2016

Workship - Mentor. Unlike the mentor, who is a coach and teacher, the advocate inspires you to be the best that you can be. The trailblazer is not overly competitive, but always is a few steps ahead and enjoys setting an example that you are inspired by, or motivated to follow. Workship - Advocate. Workship - Communicator.

Mentor 70

Mentor Competition Entrepreneur Summary 70

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2018

A few are still trying to make a profitable business out of nurturing startups, but it’s a challenge to make money when your customer startups don’t have many resources to give. I believe their competitive advantage is their top on-site leadership, exclusivity, and connections to investors.

Incubator 87

Incubator Startup Resource Seed Funding 87

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2013

Workship - Mentor. Unlike the mentor, who is a coach and teacher, the advocate inspires you to be the best that you can be. The trailblazer is not overly competitive, but always is a few steps ahead and enjoys setting an example that you are inspired by, or motivated to follow. Workship - Advocate. Workship - Communicator.

Startup 99

Startup Mentor Entrepreneur Competition 99

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

You've got to find each one, and research them online. They've got a program called Springboard, which helps really young companies get set up with mentors, and guides you through the startup process. They act as mentors and help companies grow. Jonathan Simkin: Certainly, it is extremely competitive.

UCSD 185

UCSD Course Startup Sites 185

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 22, 2014

Through simple design, extensive sensing mechanism research, and behavioral science principles, Moving Analytics is carving out its own innovative niche in a heavily competitive space by providing a simple solution for highly sedentary people. How is Movn different than your competition? This was run out of USC?

USC 104

USC Southern California Activity Study 104

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2016

A few are still trying to make a profitable business out of nurturing startups, but it’s a challenge to make money when your customer startups don’t have many resources to give. I believe their competitive advantage is their top on-site leadership, exclusivity, and connections to investors.

Incubator 106

Incubator Startup Help Resource 106

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

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. Do research on investor visibility via Google and social media. The only successful entrepreneur-investor relationships are win-win ones.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

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 57

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Competition 57

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 6, 2017

In this new world of constant cultural and technological change, the only source you can trust is your own ability to learn faster and be more creative than your competition. Take the time to listen fully to the voices that really count, including your team leaders and customers. Also take the time to listen and believe in yourself.

Ideas 60

Ideas Social Media Press Mentor 60

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2014

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 91

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Competition 91

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2014

A few are still trying to make a profitable business out of nurturing startups, but it’s a challenge to make money when your customer startups don’t have many resources to give. I believe their competitive advantage is their top on-site leadership, exclusivity, and connections to investors.

Incubator 98

Incubator Startup Help Resource 98

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. Do research on investor visibility via Google and social media. The only successful entrepreneur-investor relationships are win-win ones.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 63

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 2, 2011

Their slideshow presentations addressed a number of questions about their products including target demographics, customer needs, marketing avenues, financial/revenue streams, leading competitors, and etc. Seek out similar academic competitions and programs. Musical Gears – BUSavvy. Don’t take no for an answer. Find a hero.

Technical Review 82

Technical Review Entrepreneur Software Review USC 82

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Based on my experience as a mentor and an entrepreneur, if you fail on your first startup, you are about average. You may have the solution to the world hunger problem, but if your customers have no money, your business won’t last long. That’s not bad, but who wants to be average? How can you improve your odds?

Startup 100

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Resource 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 1, 2012

Based on my experience as a mentor and an entrepreneur, if you fail on your first startup, you are about average. You may have the solution to the world hunger problem, but if your customers have no money, your business won’t last long. That’s not bad, but who wants to be average? How can you improve your odds?

Entrepreneur 109

Entrepreneur Ideas Resource Statistics 109

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 9, 2023

I’m sure you can imagine how much that impacts any business or startup’s ability to react to changing customer needs and growth opportunities, no matter how insightful their leaders. If you and your team are confident in each other, and proud of your business solution, you will not be afraid to innovate as customer requirements change.

Coach 117

Coach Mentor Study Activity 117

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 12, 2017

It may sound counterintuitive, but startups are often tight on cash, which doesn’t make them great customers. That leads to a mentor network packed with subject matter experts in retail, food innovation, and supply chain. Hunt – who at the time, had no real regional competitive advantage.

Entrepreneur 70

Entrepreneur Startup News High Tech 70

SoCal Delicious

JANUARY 9, 2014

Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle framework “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” Simon Sinek If your customers believe in your mission, then they’ll warm to you and listen to what you offer and how. Happy customers tend to spend more, more often and tell their friends. This is where the Golden Circle comes in.

Startup 78

Startup Design Customer Custom 78