Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2015

With the advent of social media and the pervasive move to smartphones, even customers who still prefer to purchase in brick-and-mortar stores have dramatically changed their shopping habits. Many people don’t post about their experiences, but still routinely check first to see what others are saying about the brand and the product online.

Customer 103

Customer Custom Marketing Social Media 103

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

Traction is evidence that your product or service has started that “hockey- stick” adoption rate which implies a large market, a valid business model, and sustainable growth. One customer is not traction, and beta tests with a thousand customers at no cost don’t count. Free and freemium products need a solid base.

Startup 121

Startup Metrics Customer Custom 121

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 2009

This is part of my new series on what makes an entrepreneur successful. I originally posted it on VentureHacks , one of my favorite websites for entrepreneurs. I also wonder about the entrepreneur who would sign a term sheet that came from somebody they hadn’t gotten to know over time. Great entrepreneurs pivot.

Entrepreneur 291

Entrepreneur Startup Google Yammer 291

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2022

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Both of these approaches are a waste of your time and theirs.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Startup Statistics Social Media 109

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

(In case it’s not obvious it’s a play on the Nike slogan, “Just Do It.&# ) I believe that being successful as an entrepreneur requires you to get lots of things done. Entrepreneurs make fast decisions and move forward knowing that at best 70% of their decisions are going to be right. This paralyzes most people.

Entrepreneur 414

Entrepreneur Technical Review Slides CTO Coach 414

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2023

In the world of entrepreneurs and startups, high level relationships are everything. You need partners, team members, investors, vendors, and customers. You need something specific from the other person – a loan, or product order, or help solving a problem. Real same-page connection (fourth floor). Marty Zwilling

Startup 127

Startup Guide Networking Help 127

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2020

As an entrepreneur advisor, I am surprised at how often I hear the same or very similar proposals of an incremental innovation to an existing process, versus a really new or breakthrough solution. But we all know that these are not solutions by themselves, but require integration into an innovative framework to solve real customer problems.

Startup 134

Startup Artificial Inteligence Ideas Entrepreneur 134

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2023

Most entrepreneurs I meet are reluctant to disclose anything about their idea to investors before getting a signed confidential disclosure agreement (CDA). Yet I can assure you that people who are paranoid, or want to avoid all risks, won’t be happy as entrepreneurs, so it’s all about balancing the risk-reward scale.

Technical Review 101

Technical Review Patents Ideas Sample 101

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Both of these approaches are a waste of your time and theirs.

Entrepreneur 119

Entrepreneur Technical Review Statistics Startup 119

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

Jim Semick: I’ve been launching and managing software products for 15 years now, going back to when you and I worked together at Expertcity before it was acquired by Citrix. I have always worked on early stage products. Some of the products I’ve helped validate and launch include GoToMyPC, GoToMeeting and AppFolio.

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 18, 2012

As part of UC Santa Barbara’s Distinguished Lecture Series, serial entrepreneur and noted venture capitalist Mark Suster recently shared his advice with a large crowd of emerging entrepreneurs. In the last six weeks, I have been pitched by five entrepreneurs under 20. But our product wasn’t ready for primetime.

Entrepreneur 272

Entrepreneur Startup Conference Santa Barbara 272

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 7, 2020

Every entrepreneur and startup loves you, but too many forget that every potential customer is not like you. If you are a technical entrepreneur, you can count on early adopters to be first in line for your product, and they are quick to provide feedback on quality, and suggest even more features.

Startup 141

Startup Customer Custom Design 141

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2014

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. For aspiring entrepreneurs, or if your last startup failed, it’s all about standing out above the crowd of others like you. Executive summary glossy.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Startup Writing Slides 108

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2013

Customer service has always been reactionary, meaning someone has to wake up and answer website email requests. That’s just not savvy enough to hold today’s fickle, less loyal, and ready to jump customer. This exemplary customer service is just savvy marketing. Respect your customer’s view of usability.

Customer 89

Customer Custom Services High Tech 89

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2019

Most entrepreneurs I know admit to a poor first media interaction, and many are still waiting for the instant replay. He provides 101 two-page lessons divided into eight learning categories that I like as follows: Learn the ground rules for traditional media. Why do many entrepreneurs think they can “wing it” and get the same results?

Press 96

Press Entrepreneur Social Media Training 96

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 12, 2010

“Hi [entrepreneur], I hope all is well. I know the firm well and I know the entrepreneur & his business well. If the goal is simply to get the basic details (revenue, customers, staff numbers, prior funding) then no judgment is required. So I have to imagine many other entrepreneurs felt the same.

Venture Capital 294

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Email Equity 294

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 9, 2021

They typically have specific budgets lined up, and they're looking for ways to diversity, and also access new customers. A little history, we launched our product years ago, Search IQ. That product right now is on 2,000 publisher websites, it's sold under the SaaS model, and a lot of people on the free, ad-supported version.

Advertising 203

Advertising Startup Google Commerce 203

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2013

So what’s an entrepreneur to do to get his new business noticed these days? Today’s platform is built of people, including yourself, followers, and contacts, who can amplify your message through social media and spread it to your target customers. Building your home base with personal and product traction.

Platform 105

Platform Entrepreneur Startup Social Media 105

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

Most entrepreneurs I meet are reluctant to disclose anything about their idea to investors before getting a signed confidential disclosure agreement (CDA). Yet I can assure you that people who are paranoid, or want to avoid all risks, won’t be happy as entrepreneurs, so it’s all about balancing the risk-reward scale.

Ideas 159

Ideas Tips Technical Review Patents 159

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2021

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. Due diligence always involves on-site visits, informal discussions with any or all members of the team, vendors, and good customers as well as bad.

Technical Review 151

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 151

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2023

Most of the young entrepreneurs I know are classic proof of the old adage that people tend to overestimate what they can do in a short period, and underestimate what they can do over a long period. Frequent discussions with peers and customers on open questions will keep you from being led astray by your own biases.

Startup 109

Startup Writing Blogging Ideas 109

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2020

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Both of these approaches are a waste of your time and theirs.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Statistics Startup Social Media 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2012

Customer service has always been reactionary, meaning someone to wake up and answer website email requests. That’s just not sufficient to hold today’s fickle, less loyal, and ready to jump customer. I found a good summary of these new expectations in a book just published by Micah Solomon, “ High-tech, High-touch Customer Service.”

Customer 97

Customer Custom Services Startup 97

InfoChachkie

JUNE 3, 2013

Upon graduation from Wharton, John and Kyle launched a startup based upon a simple, pedestrian product: a computer mouse shaped like the head of a golf driver. Putting their expensive educations to good use, they aptly named their novelty product a "MouseDriver". It was really no longer than a page um. Do you care to hear more?

Newsletter 233

Newsletter Startup Entrepreneur Writing 233

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 29, 2020

Most of the young entrepreneurs I know are classic proof of the old adage that people tend to overestimate what they can do in a short period, and underestimate what they can do over a long period. Frequent discussions with peers and customers on open questions will keep you from being led astray by your own biases.

Startup 173

Startup Writing Blogging Ideas 173

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Entrepreneurs have always believed that their product or service must show real value to customers, but today the smart ones are even able to make their marketing valuable. The days are gone when marketing was all “pushing product.” Customers don’t even see this as advertising. The key is consistency.

Content 92

Content Marketing Advertising Customer 92

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2016

Thus the top priority of every entrepreneur who wants funding should be to build and highlight their “dream team” of co-founders, executives and advisers, to attract the biggest and best investors. Solo entrepreneurs rarely find an investor. Investors talk to each other and they love warm introductions to up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

Startup 60

Startup Entrepreneur Software Review Technical Review 60

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2012

These days every new entrepreneur understands that an innovative product or service is necessary, but not sufficient, to start a business. You have to build a web presence with marketing content to get visibility above the 300 million other new websites created last year, and attract the customers you need. Widgets and badges.

Examples 93

Examples Content Marketing Entrepreneur 93

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 29, 2009

I recently got a phone call from an entrepreneur whom I respect and who runs a company that I hope will do great things one day. Entrepreneurs get so used to friends and family congratulating them on their press coverage that they forget sometimes that this isn’t real. Many entrepreneurs have a PR page in the PowerPoint deck.

Venture Capital 291

Venture Capital Press News Startup 291

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2013

Everyone recognizes a great entrepreneur when they work with one, but most entrepreneurs don’t know what to look for in themselves that will drive that perception by others. The points are great, but can be made even simpler and more actionable by adapting then to the world of the entrepreneur: Demonstrate character.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Startup Examples Ideas 104

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

In the world of entrepreneurs and startups, high level relationships are everything. You need partners, team members, investors, vendors, and customers. You need something specific from the other person – a loan, or product order, or help solving a problem. Real same-page connection (fourth floor). Marty Zwilling.

Startup 150

Startup Guide Help Course 150

InfoChachkie

MARCH 3, 2011

In the spirit of the “land grab” mentality of the day, we emphasized usage of our screen sharing technology with no thought applied to how we would convert such users into paying customers. If you haven’t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for. free weekly Infochachkie articles! The Internet Should Be Free.

Customer 162

Customer Custom Technical Support Startup 162

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 22, 2013

Most of the young entrepreneurs I know are classic proof of the old adage that people tend to overestimate what they can do in a short period, and underestimate what they can do over a long period. Frequent discussions with peers and customers on open questions will keep you from being led astray by your own biases.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Startup Writing Blogging 100

Eric Greenspan

APRIL 11, 2013

If you knew what your customers were thinking (and saying) about your product, service, or staff, imagine what you could do with this data. Companies have taken advantage of this and have built strong followings on Facebook pages and Twitter streams. Build this into your customer service focus, right now. Get on this.

Customer 117

Customer Custom Class Services 117

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

Entrepreneurs have always believed that their product or service must show real value to customers, but today the smart ones are even able to make their marketing valuable. The days are gone when marketing was all “pushing product.” Customers don’t even see this as advertising. The key is consistency.

Marketing 100

Marketing Content Advertising Customer 100

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

Entrepreneurs have always believed that their product or service must show real value to customers, but today the smart ones are even able to make their marketing valuable. The days are gone when marketing was all “pushing product.” Customers don’t even see this as advertising. The key is consistency.

Marketing 106

Marketing Startup Content Advertising 106

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2014

Sponsored by VISA Business If you have a unique product or service, and you are not selling it around the world on the Internet, now is the time to start. Anyone can be an entrepreneur today, without a huge investment, bank loans, lawyers, venture capitalists, or Angels. The cost of entry has never been lower.

Startup 100

Startup Commerce Sites Blogging 100