Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2012

You hear a lot of talk these days about the importance of customer satisfaction, but customer loyalty is the real win. Herein lies an opportunity for startups to beat the big guys. Whatever the reasons for the change, and there are many, it represents a big opportunity to the small businesses and startups who recognize it.

Customer 104

Customer Custom Startup Competition 104

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 6, 2023

Either they are never really ready to commit, study an opportunity until it has passed, or fail with tools and techniques from a bygone business era. The challenge is to find the time and initiative to keep up with the information wave, and be able to curate the data into knowledge that must be learned, unlearned, or relearned.

Social Media 120

Social Media Startup Entrepreneur Education 120

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2022

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. Thus if you want to change the world with your new business, you need to follow the example of startups like Zappos , which hires according to cultural fit first.

Examples 145

Examples Mentor Activity Product 145

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2015

Social media is so pervasive in today’s world that every entrepreneur believes instinctively that they know how to use it for their startup. Many soon find that what you do in a personal context doesn’t necessarily translate to your business, and measuring business value is quite different from measuring personal satisfaction.

Social Media 108

Social Media Media Startup Tips 108

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 17, 2015

For the elite startups and entrepreneurs who manage to attract the investor they dream of, and survive the term sheet negotiation, there is still one more hurdle before the money is in the bank. That might start with the CEO giving the investor pitch to the whole organization, and distributing the current business plan document to everyone.

Technical Review 108

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur 108

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 13, 2022

In these days of global competition via multiple channels, you need continuous marketing to find more customers. Influencers are recognized experts and pseudo celebrities who can pick favorite products or start new trends. They won’t find you. Be proactive is reaching out for support and help.

Technical Review 142

Technical Review Social Media Conference Customer 142

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2020

No matter what people may proclaim, everyone in business is looking to achieve the highest possible level of satisfaction and financial success in their career. Maintain a meaningful competitive advantage. Entrepreneurial thinking is focused on dominating a segment of a competitive market. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 117

Entrepreneur Sales Customer Custom 117

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2023

Seek customer feedback on ways to improve value and satisfaction. These start with your brand image, search visibility and process, and extend to the actual sales transaction. Now is the time to learn and adopt these new ways of thinking, whether your business today is a startup or a corporate conglomerate.

Customer 91

Customer Custom Marketing Startup 91

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2020

Everyone on the startup team knows there is no buffer, and no personal isolation from impact based on your job description that can save you. Risks to the business drift off their radar screen, resulting in poor business decisions, as well as less job satisfaction and declining professional success. Yet nothing stands still.

Satisfaction 124

Satisfaction Organization Customer Custom 124

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 5, 2022

As a business consultant with experience in large companies as well as startups, I often hear about dysfunctional management hierarchies, as well as the value provided by exceptional ones. Examples of the new tools include online meetings through Zoom or GoToMeeting. Individual team members all dream of being unleashed.

Outsource 133

Outsource Training Organization Social Media 133

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2023

I particularly like her key points on improving the employee mindset, and I will outline here the top focus keywords we both recommend on the employee side of the equation: Efficient – tools to minimize time and effort at work. You will see greater productivity, and employees will have a better experience and more satisfaction.

Customer 113

Customer Custom Training Tool 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2020

Either they are never really ready to commit, study an opportunity until it has passed, or fail with tools and techniques from a bygone business era. The challenge is to find the time and initiative to keep up with the information wave, and be able to curate the data into knowledge that must be learned, unlearned, or relearned.

Social Media 127

Social Media Startup Education Entrepreneur 127

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 23, 2021

For example, I commonly see metrics to keep track of revenue per employee, overtime, and absenteeism, but I don’t often see measures of overall customer satisfaction with individual employees. Provide training, tools, and required decision authority. Today is the time to start down that road.

Customer 147

Customer Custom Technical Review Metrics 147

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2021

Your goal must be to make every aspect of a customer interaction a joy to both you and them, starting from the shopping experience, to the sales close, to delivery and service. At every Ritz-Carlton , for example, employees are authorized to spend up to $2,000 per guest to solve any guest issue and make the stay positively memorable.

Customer 114

Customer Custom Satisfaction Metrics 114

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2015

In my experience with startups, that is still necessary, but not sufficient. This book is focused on strategic customer support jobs in every company, but I believe the hiring rules apply equally well to every job in a startup, since customer focus has to be pervasive from the beginning in modern new companies.

Startup 100

Startup Customer Custom Tool 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2022

Leadership in business starts with making good personal choices. Everyone has some degree of strengths blindness, and will likely benefit from one of many tools, such as the Clifton StrengthsFinder. If necessary, use a strengths coach, and always start a business which highlights your signature strengths.

Capital 114

Capital Coach Satisfaction Ideas 114

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2020

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. Thus if you want to change the world with your new business, you need to follow the example of startups like Zappos , which hires according to cultural fit first.

Product 129

Product Examples Mentor Activity 129

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2019

Image via Wikipedia The challenge for all of us in business is to improve competitiveness by improving employee productivity and reducing costs. Unfortunately, work and satisfaction have become an oxymoron in many businesses. Support means tools, training, budget, and the moral support to do the job. No one likes useless work.

Tips 96

Tips Satisfaction Training Mentor 96

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2015

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. This is the first business process that every startup needs, that I wouldn’t expect to find for a hobby. Formalize the use of tools and information technology.

Outsource Development 99

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 99

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2019

I’m convinced that is why many great business leaders remember working their way up the ranks. For example, Howard Schultz was not the founder of Starbucks, but started his career in one of their first 60 shops. This starts with picking your roles carefully – to be in the right place at the right time.

Technical Advisors 75

Technical Advisors Startup Satisfaction Customer 75

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 19, 2022

As a startup advisor, I see many aspiring entrepreneurs whose primary motivation seems to be to work part time, or get rich quick, or avoid anyone else telling them what to do. Even in chaotic startup environments, you normally finish required tasks on time and to high standards.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Organization Customer Custom 110

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2022

In my role of business advisor to startups, I often recommend these to increase initial brand identity and market penetration. With the rate of market change today, and the advent of worldwide competitors, you need every strategy you can muster to keep up, and respond quickly to new threats.

Marketing 119

Marketing Social Media Mentor Conference 119

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2016

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. This is the first business process that every startup needs, that I wouldn’t expect to find for a hobby. Formalize the use of tools and information technology.

Ideas 62

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Competition 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. Thus if you want to change the world with your new business, you need to follow the example of startups like Zappos , which hires according to cultural fit first.

Startup 58

Startup Examples Mentor Activity 58

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2015

Everyone on the startup team knows there is no buffer, and no personal isolation from impact based on your job description that can save you. Risks to the business drift off their radar screen, resulting in poor business decisions, as well as less job satisfaction and declining professional success. Yet nothing stands still.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Customer Custom 106

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2016

In my experience with startups, that is still necessary, but not sufficient. This book is focused on strategic customer support jobs in every company, but I believe the hiring rules apply equally well to every job in a startup, since customer focus has to be pervasive from the beginning in modern new companies.

Startup 53

Startup Customer Custom Tool 53

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

In my experience with startups, that is still necessary, but not sufficient. This book is focused on strategic customer support jobs in every company, but I believe the hiring rules apply equally well to every job in a startup, since customer focus has to be pervasive from the beginning in modern new companies.

Customer 93

Customer Custom Tool Activity 93

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 27, 2015

Aspiring entrepreneurs who rely only on traditional learning vehicles (teachers, classrooms, and risk-free practice) are doomed to failure in founding a startup today. Either they are never really ready to start, study an opportunity until it has passed, or fail with tools and techniques from a bygone business era.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Social Media Startup Education 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2020

As a startup advisor, I see many aspiring entrepreneurs whose primary motivation seems to be to work part time, or get rich quick, or avoid anyone else telling them what to do. Even in chaotic startup environments, you normally finish required tasks on time and to high standards.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Organization Customer Custom 126

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Everyone on the startup team knows there is no buffer, and no personal isolation from impact based on your job description that can save you. Risks to the business drift off their radar screen, resulting in poor business decisions, as well as less job satisfaction and declining professional success. Yet nothing stands still.

Satisfaction 106

Satisfaction Organization Customer Custom 106

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Both want personal satisfaction and financial success. Every business depends on customers to thrive, and every employee role has some correlation to customer satisfaction. Know your peers and build your competitive advantage. In fact, U.S. This disconnect will kill your career.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Customer Custom 93

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 21, 2018

Everyone on the startup team knows there is no buffer, and no personal isolation from impact based on your job description that can save you. Risks to the business drift off their radar screen, resulting in poor business decisions, as well as less job satisfaction and declining professional success. Yet nothing stands still.

Satisfaction 57

Satisfaction Customer Custom Organization 57

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

A theme I often hear from the entrepreneurs and startups I advise is that once they see that first surge of traction from customers, they can relax and enjoy life for a change. In today’s world of growing competition and customer evolution , holding your own, and growing to the next level is a constant challenge that can never be ignored.

Ideas 77

Ideas Customer Custom Competition 77

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2016

No matter what people may proclaim, everyone in business is looking to achieve the highest possible level of satisfaction and financial success in their career. Maintain a meaningful competitive advantage. Entrepreneurial thinking is focused on dominating a segment of a competitive market. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 55

Entrepreneur Sales Customer Custom 55

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

Leadership in business starts with making good personal choices. Everyone has some degree of strengths blindness, and will likely benefit from one of many tools, such as the Clifton StrengthsFinder. If necessary, use a strengths coach, and always start a business which highlights your signature strengths.

Coach 70

Coach Satisfaction Ideas Entrepreneur 70

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2016

Either they are never really ready to commit, study an opportunity until it has passed, or fail with tools and techniques from a bygone business era. The challenge is to find the time and initiative to keep up with the information wave, and be able to curate the data into knowledge that must be learned, unlearned, or relearned.

Entrepreneur 61

Entrepreneur Social Media Startup Education 61

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 15, 2015

As a startup advisor, I see many aspiring entrepreneurs whose primary motivation seems to be to work part time, or get rich quick, or avoid anyone else telling them what to do. Even in chaotic startup environments, you normally finish required tasks on time and to high standards.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Organization Customer Custom 101