Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 3, 2016

As a small business and startup advisor, I find that entrepreneurs often love to talk about their latest idea, but not their execution. Like most investors, I’m convinced that success in business is more about the plan and the person than the idea. Sets goals and milestones, with metrics to track progress.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Metrics Ideas 106

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 9, 2019

But very few are talking about how to measure your results and return on investment (ROI), and the right metrics for optimizing your marketing environment. Social media is the realm of public opinion and customer conversations. If you don’t have a clear idea of why you are there, anything you measure will be useless.

Social Media 98

Social Media Media Metrics Satisfaction 98

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2022

Technology is not the solution per se , but it provides the key enablement, drivers, and support for the required flexibility, integration, communication, metrics, and affordability that are required in the workplace today. There has to be more to your business today than making money, to get employee engagement and satisfaction.

Coach 132

Coach Satisfaction Startup Organization 132

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 30, 2023

There are many levels of innovation that go beyond copying someone else’s idea, but stop short of pushing the leading edge (bleeding edge). Or you may decide that your dream was not really the great idea that you thought it was. Market research can thus be based on real customers and a previously tested market.

Social Media 92

Social Media Study Research Satisfaction 92

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2023

Everyone in the company must adopt the principles of customer-first focus, agility in responding to change, and constant innovation to improve your processes as well as the solution. Measure progress through metrics on sales, revenue, and penetration. Seek customer feedback on ways to improve value and satisfaction.

Customer 91

Customer Custom Marketing Startup 91

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 11, 2010

But very few are talking about how to measure your results, and the right metrics for optimizing your marketing environment. Jim Sterne, who has written six books on Internet advertising, marketing, and customer service, tackled this complex world of social media metrics in his recent book titled " Social Media Metrics."

Social Media 84

Social Media Metrics Media Satisfaction 84

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2020

I still see entrepreneurs who spend money and time for months on a new business idea without any separation of personal and business funds, and any formal accounting system for their new business. Productivity and repeatability is the hallmark of a good business, whereas a hobby usually assumes everything is custom built and personal.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Outsource Development Startup Competition 131

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2020

There are many levels of innovation that go beyond copying someone else’s idea, but stop short of pushing the leading edge (bleeding edge). Or you may decide that your dream was not really the great idea that you thought it was. Market research can thus be based on real customers and a previously tested market.

Startup 157

Startup Social Media Study Research 157

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2016

I still see entrepreneurs who spend money and time for months on a new business idea without any separation of personal and business funds, and any formal accounting system for their new business. Productivity and repeatability is the hallmark of a good business, whereas a hobby usually assumes everything is custom built and personal.

Ideas 62

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Competition 62

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 10, 2017

It takes a special kind of person to turn an idea into a business, with strengths often opposite those of an inventor. You may be able to invent a product alone, but a business requires partnerships, multiple disciplines, and loyal customers. Businesses are driven by your team, investors, partners, and most of all, customers.

Ideas 67

Ideas Product Startup Satisfaction 67

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 12, 2017

But very few are talking about how to measure your results and return on investment (ROI), and the right metrics for optimizing your marketing environment. Social media is the realm of public opinion and customer conversations. If you don’t have a clear idea of why you are there, anything you measure will be useless.

Social Media 69

Social Media Media Metrics Satisfaction 69

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 24, 2017

Make sure everyone is curious and open, and not getting stuck with ideas from inside your company. Measure your agility by putting metrics on change. Count the number of new projects, time and resources required to implement, and measure the return in revenue, customer satisfaction, or cost savings.

Customer 52

Customer Custom Technical Review Summary 52

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 5, 2013

But very few are talking about how to measure your results, and the right metrics for optimizing your marketing environment. Jim Sterne, who has written many books on Internet advertising, marketing, and customer service, tackled this complex world of social media metrics in his book titled " Social Media Metrics."

Social Media 102

Social Media Media Entrepreneur Metrics 102

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

Almost every entrepreneur and new business owner I mentor is certain that his/her idea has a very high probability of success, and all find it hard to believe that ninety percent of startups ultimately fail. Look for validation from your mainstream customers. Even non-profits need income to run a business.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2022

One of the attributes that I often recommend to the business professionals and entrepreneurs I mentor is to always be totally accountable for your actions and ideas. I too often see people who are quick to make excuses, blame failures on peers or customers, or see management as the reason for their lack of productivity.

Activity 109

Activity Organization Mentor Training 109

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

My simple answer is that they keep their focus on customers, rather than technology. Jeff Bezos has kept his focus on customers. In my view, every startup in today’s world would do well to adopt a management system with the same key objectives: Start with a customer-obsessed business model.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Customer Custom 123

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2019

Technology is not the solution per se , but it provides the key enablement, drivers, and support for the required flexibility, integration, communication, metrics, and affordability that are required in the workplace today. There has to be more to your business today than making money, to get employee engagement and satisfaction.

Company 78

Company Companies Coach Satisfaction 78

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2018

They are so immersed in their mission and their own ideas, that they find it hard to change their focus to nurturing new employees, and making sure the people have the same passion and motivation for the solution. Once this product-first, customer-second, and employee-last culture is set, it is extremely hard to change.

Metrics 57

Metrics Startup Netflix Customer 57

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2015

I still see entrepreneurs who spend money and time for months on a new business idea without any separation of personal and business funds, and any formal accounting system for their new business. Productivity and repeatability is the hallmark of a good business, whereas a hobby usually assumes everything is custom built and personal.

Outsource Development 99

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 99

InfoChachkie

JUNE 2, 2014

Warning: Kelsey''s idea will make you ask yourself, "Why didn''t I think of that?". The gowns are then dry cleaned and readied for the next customer, in the spirit of the emerging sharing economy in which goods are communally used multiple times. We keep our eye on a handful of metrics, but we’re focused on customer satisfaction.

Design 208

Design Customer Custom Satisfaction 208

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2018

There are many levels of innovation that go beyond copying someone else’s idea, but stop short of pushing the leading edge (bleeding edge). Or you may decide that your dream was not really the great idea that you thought it was. Market research can thus be based on real customers and a previously tested market.

Startup 65

Startup Social Media Study Research 65

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

We have customers from so many different industries like software, financial services, healthcare, and media. Greathouse: How did you come up with the idea for ProductPlan? Semick: It wasn’t our first idea. We could also spend time talking with customers rather than updating investors. and what we wanted to avoid.

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 10, 2018

They want to grant deserving customers special concessions, or fix a broken process, but are convinced it may cost them their job, or find that no one above them seems to care. If these still exist in your organization, they are huge red flags and you can be certain that you are losing your best employees as well as customers.

Startup 62

Startup Organization Customer Custom 62

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2014

There are many levels of innovation that go beyond copying someone else’s idea, but stop short of pushing the bleeding edge. Or you may decide that your dream was not really the great idea that you thought it was. Market research can thus be based on real customers and a previously tested market.

Technology 103

Technology Entrepreneur Study Research 103

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2016

It’s easy to declare yourself an entrepreneur, but it’s not so easy to convince investors, your team and customers that you are that special one to fund and follow. Vision of providing real customer and social value. Sets realistic goals with milestones and metrics to gauge progress.

Startup 58

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Customer 58

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2016

There are many levels of innovation that go beyond copying someone else’s idea, but stop short of pushing the leading edge (bleeding edge). Or you may decide that your dream was not really the great idea that you thought it was. Market research can thus be based on real customers and a previously tested market.

Technology 57

Technology Startup Study Research 57

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 10, 2013

Making ideas reality : dependency. You always want perfect data on what customers are doing. But what does the customer physically do at the theatre when they’re there and making a choice? Instead, focus on what metric outputs, more views, more downloads? Empathy, breath, communication : focus.

Product 87

Product Fandango Design Startup 87