Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2013

As I visit the websites of many startups, as well as more mature businesses, I still too often see a “contact” page offering nothing but a sterile form for customers to submit, never to be heard from again. Customers are not all like you, and they have choices, so a “one size fits all” customer service is no longer a viable option.

Social Media 99

Social Media Customer Custom Media 99

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2012

As I visit the websites of many startups, as well as more mature businesses, I still too often see a “contact” page offering nothing but a sterile form for customers to submit, never to be heard from again. Customers are not all like you, and they have choices, so a “one size fits all” customer service is no longer a viable option.

Social Media 91

Social Media Customer Custom Media 91

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2014

If you have a software development background like mine, Im sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. Outsourcing is defined as contracting the work to another company, usually located in a developing country, like India, China, or Eastern Europe. Factor in all the cost elements.

Outsource Development 95

Outsource Development Outsource Offshore Software Review 95

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2020

Strategic partnerships in this context can take the form of joint ventures, intellectual property licensing, outsourcing agreements, or even cooperative research. If your customers would benefit by having products from both companies, you might negotiate the opportunity to include the other’s product as an add-on. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 126

Startup Outsource Competition Acquisition 126

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 29, 2022

With a realistic prototype, you can get more accurate feedback from customers on their real need and what they might pay, before you invest millions on the final product. Time is money, and may be your primary competitive advantage. You should never outsource the management of your core technology.

Outsource Development 110

Outsource Development Ideas Tool Outsource 110

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2022

Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. With no competitive advantage, startups with new ideas gaining traction are never feared, and are usually eaten for lunch as sleeping giants wake up. The smart ones have a plan for how they intend to spend these resources, and measure themselves against the plan.

Startup 112

Startup News Framework Outsource 112

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2020

Then, he'll need to patent it and create a plan to show opportunity, competition, and financial projections. In addition, creating a business requires leading and interacting with other people, including partners, investors, and customers. Don’t assume you can outsource the implementation decisions.

Ideas 126

Ideas Writing Examples Outsource 126

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 2, 2020

With a realistic prototype, you can get more accurate feedback from customers on their real need and what they might pay, before you invest millions on the final product. Time is money, and may be your primary competitive advantage. You should never outsource the management of your core technology.

Outsource Development 124

Outsource Development Ideas Tool Outsource 124

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 72

Services Startup Training Writing 72

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2011

In the initial phases of any new market you’re developing a product (hopefully with a minimal set of features), getting feedback from customers, refining your product based on user feedback and then re-launching your product. Facebook, Google) to a large market opportunity then you had better have enough resources to compete.

Development Team Review 374

Development Team Review Technical Review Startup Resource 374

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2019

Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. With no competitive advantage, startups with new ideas gaining traction are never feared, and are usually eaten for lunch as sleeping giants wake up. The smart ones have a plan for how they intend to spend these resources, and measure themselves against the plan.

Startup 94

Startup News Framework Outsource 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2014

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 105

Services Startup Training Writing 105

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 29, 2016

I believe that the resourcefulness to turn constraints into competitive differentiators and new opportunities is a trait that separates the great entrepreneurs from the “wannabes.” They look for creative solutions to problems that are inhibiting progress, rather than the conventional solution of outsourcing or hiring people.

Startup 57

Startup Resource Entrepreneur Outsource 57

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

Strategic partnerships in this context can take the form of joint ventures, intellectual property licensing, outsourcing agreements, or even cooperative research. If your customers would benefit by having products from both companies, you might negotiate the opportunity to include the other’s product as an add-on. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 59

Startup Outsource Competition Acquisition 59

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2016

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 61

Services Startup Training Writing 61

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

Thus, you must first create the playbook by which an independent sales rep can readily sell your product, including: identifying objections and developing strategies to overcome them, creating reference accounts and establishing meaningful customer adoption. 2) Secure Your Intellectual Property Too Early. 3) Attempt To License An Idea.

Startup 242

Startup Outsource Development Outsource Sales 242

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 14, 2014

Strategic partnerships in this context can take the form of joint ventures, intellectual property licensing, outsourcing agreements, or even cooperative research. If your customers would benefit by having products from both companies, you might negotiate the opportunity to include the other’s product as an add-on.

Startup 97

Startup Entrepreneur Outsource Competition 97

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2015

With a realistic prototype, you can get more accurate feedback from customers on their real need and what they might pay, before you invest millions on the final product. Time is money, and may be your primary competitive advantage. You should never outsource the management of your core technology.

Ideas 107

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Tool 107

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 16, 2014

Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. With no competitive advantage, startups with new ideas gaining traction are never feared, and are usually eaten for lunch as sleeping giants wake up. The smart ones have a plan for how they intend to spend these resources, and measure themselves against the plan.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Startup News Framework 105

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2016

Strategic partnerships in this context can take the form of joint ventures, intellectual property licensing, outsourcing agreements, or even cooperative research. If your customers would benefit by having products from both companies, you might negotiate the opportunity to include the other’s product as an add-on. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 55

Startup Outsource Competition Entrepreneur 55

Jason Nazar

JULY 1, 2016

Add in public company demands, lawsuit targets, & millions of customers to continually satisfy, and you have to have great respect for those doing it well. A smaller set of stakeholders should be empowered to make bolder decisions held accountable by customers instead of surveys. Many times this is a great use of capital resources.

Entrepreneur 55

Entrepreneur Company Companies Outsource Development 55

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2013

The opportunity for change is huge, with everyone taking a new look at the world after the recession, but the competition is also huge, since the cost of entry is at an all-time low. Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. Talent can also be outsourced, but surviving in the business jungle without talent is unlikely.

Startup 99

Startup Competition News Framework 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2014

With a realistic prototype, you can get more accurate feedback from customers on their real need and what they might pay, before you invest millions on the final product. Time is money, and may be your primary competitive advantage. You should never outsource the management of your core technology.

Outsource Development 105

Outsource Development Startup Ideas Tool 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2017

Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. With no competitive advantage, startups with new ideas gaining traction are never feared, and are usually eaten for lunch as sleeping giants wake up. The smart ones have a plan for how they intend to spend these resources, and measure themselves against the plan.

Startup 57

Startup News Framework Entrepreneur 57

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2018

With a realistic prototype, you can get more accurate feedback from customers on their real need and what they might pay, before you invest millions on the final product. Time is money, and may be your primary competitive advantage. You should never outsource the management of your core technology.

Ideas 53

Ideas Outsource Development Tool Outsource 53

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2014

If you are contracting or outsourcing, this is even more important. Manage human resources. Customer service and support. But having no process does not make you more competitive. Product development process. Even if you are doing the work yourself, you need to document requirements, features, metrics, and milestones.

Startup 107

Startup Outsource Development Training Outsource 107

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 11, 2023

Most new business owners I know feel the challenges of not enough time, money, and resources, and see these as problems rather than a competitive advantage. People respond to positives, such as new growth, versus problems implying costs and loss of customers. This also applies to key customers as well as strategic partners.

Resource 111

Resource Competition Outsource Development Startup 111

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2013

If you are contracting or outsourcing, this is even more important. Manage human resources. Customer service and support. But having no process does not make you more competitive. Product development process. Even if you are doing the work yourself, you need to document requirements, features, metrics, and milestones.

Outsource Development 92

Outsource Development Training Outsource Metrics 92

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

If you are contracting or outsourcing, this is even more important. Manage human resources. Customer service and support. But having no process does not make you more competitive. Product development process. Even if you are doing the work yourself, you need to document requirements, features, metrics, and milestones.

Startup 102

Startup Outsource Development Writing Training 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2010

My clients and customers use it, and I need to stay in sync. You need to be plugged in to be career competitive with hyper-networked peers, and keep ahead of competitors. Contractor, temp, or outsource worker off site. Campus student environment with resources provided by University. To me, the answers are clear.

Social Network 87

Social Network Networking Tool Sites 87

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2010

If you are contracting or outsourcing, this is even more important. Manage human resources. Customer service and support. But having no process does not make you more competitive. Product development process. Even if you are doing the work yourself, you need to document requirements, features, metrics, and milestones.

Startup 95

Startup Outsource Development Writing Training 95

Frank Addante

OCTOBER 19, 2006

Outsourcing ► April (1) GoogleClick - Who owns your cash register? They are afraid of their competition finding out about the idea, a bigger company trying to steal it or some other entrepreneur doing it first. Yes, I did say competition. FounderBlog’s 1 Year Anniversary! A BIG THANK YOU. ► March (2) 4.

Startup 40

Startup Ideas Venture Capital Competition 40

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 6, 2016

Evaluate outsourcing as a quick solution to break the constraint. These days, there are many companies around the world, with the skills and equipment you need, ready to assist with development resources, marketing programs, or call centers immediately. It was a win-win deal, with new customers and better service for both.

Startup 56

Startup Outsource Development Organization Outsource 56

Frank Addante

APRIL 16, 2007

Outsourcing ▼ April (1) GoogleClick - Who owns your cash register? DoubleClick, like other competitors, had already underwent a successful IPO and their market cap was in the billions and their resources were virtually unlimited. What if there was another competitive cash register on the market? A BIG THANK YOU.

Google 40

Google Advertising Startup Venture Capital 40

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 19, 2012

An agile business listens to customers and proactively embraces change, rather than waiting for the pain of competitors’ arrows. Sustainable innovation is really the only sustainable competitive advantage. Once the decision is made, automate, and outsource functions that are not core to the business. It starts at the top.

Startup 94

Startup Outsource Ideas Organization 94

Frank Addante

MAY 15, 2006

Outsourcing ► April (1) GoogleClick - Who owns your cash register? I am extremely passionate about what we accomplished at L90 in a short period of time with very little resources. We focused on Global 2000, blue-chip customers such as Microsoft, Visa, Disney and Proctor and Gamble. We had customers and revenue.

Advertising 40

Advertising Startup Chief Technology Officer Technical Review 40

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2011

An agile business listens to customers and proactively embraces change, rather than waiting for the pain of competitors’ arrows. Sustainable innovation is really the only sustainable competitive advantage. Once the decision is made, automate, and outsource functions that are not core to the business. It starts at the top.

Startup 97

Startup Outsource Ideas Organization 97