Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2020

Luckily, not all investors are looking for the same thing, so it pays to know what type of investors are most interested in what your startup brings to the table. The key is understanding how potential investors see you, and especially how they view the maturity stage of your startup. Congratulations!

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Startup Ideas Equity Invest 148

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 19, 2015

So it behooves every aspiring entrepreneur to understand their own DNA before picking a project to bet their life on, and to facilitate effective communication with all constituents, including partners, investors, team members and customers. The Builder excels at constructing a business from the ground up.

Startup 106

Startup Incubator Entrepreneur Metrics 106

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

Even though the color of their money is always green, all startup investors are not the same. 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. It’s no fun for either side.

Technical Review 138

Technical Review Startup Innocal Offshore 138

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2023

Luckily, not all investors are looking for the same thing, so it pays to know what type of investors are most interested in what your startup brings to the table. The key is understanding how potential investors see you, and especially how they view the maturity stage of your startup. Congratulations!

Funding 125

Funding Startup Ideas Equity 125

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 20, 2021

With real-time online reviews and feedback via the Internet, and instant relationships via social media, a voice from the top that is inconsistent with what is heard from the firing line defines a dysfunctional and noncompetitive company for today’s customer. Thus team makeup is the critical success factor. Marty Zwilling.

Class 155

Class Develop Development Startup 155

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2020

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” On the other hand, there are many additional creative options available for starting a business that you might not find for buying a car, home, or other major consumer item. Solicit venture capital investors.

Funding 174

Funding Startup Equity Examples 174

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 9, 2023

In fact, recent studies and surveys continue to show that team member engagement is at an all-time low approaching 30 percent, both within teams and across the field of larger organizations. Listen to everyone's input, encourage people to speak up, and repeat back what you have heard. Promote team inclusive activities and diversity.

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Coach Mentor Study Activity 117

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 17, 2013

Mentors tell you what you need to hear. When the message is the same from both, you don’t need the mentor anymore. In that sense, you should think of a mentor more like your advisor who has done all he can. Also don’t confuse a business mentor with a business coach. Friends tell you what you want to hear.

Mentor 101

Mentor Coach Startup Entrepreneur 101

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2023

The best startups give everyone business cards and encourage team members to talk about the business with anyone who should be interested. Team members need time, and your support, to attend conferences and professional organizations to stay in touch with colleagues and peers. Empower engagement. Encourage networking. Reward success.

Startup 95

Startup Coach Mentor Social Media 95

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2023

As a startup advisor and investor, living in an area with several local universities, I’m continually surprised by how little many entrepreneurs know about the resources available from these institutions. 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.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Class Startup Resource 110

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2023

When I heard a friend and business mentor say, “Your startup won’t fail if you don’t quit,” I realized that every entrepreneur should adopt “never give up” as their mantra. Either could improve the statistic that half of startups fail within the first five years. So why do most startups fail?

Startup 135

Startup Entrepreneur Statistics Course 135

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2022

Starting and running a business requires many different skills and interests, and not many of us have all of them. Thus, in my mentoring of potential technical entrepreneurs who have a real passion for their technology, I often recommend that they find a co-founder who can manage the marketing and execution elements of the new venture.

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Mentor Startup Customer Custom 133

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2023

These haven’t changed much over the years, but still seem to be often overlooked by business professionals and leaders in their haste to keep up with peers, competitors, and customers in today’s volatile environment. The reality is that starting a business, as well is working an existing business, has always required perseverance.

Startup 121

Startup Satisfaction Technical Review Ideas 121

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2012

Startups provide leadership in the market. Entrepreneurs provide leadership to their startup. The servant leader serves the people they lead through mentoring, direct assistance, listening, and acting on their employees input. Do others on your team communicate their ideas and vision for the organization when you are around?

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Mentor Startup Organization Ideas 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2022

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. As a business advisor and investor in new startups, I see how difficult it is to make any process work, no matter how well designed, if the team is dysfunctional.

Coach 128

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 128

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2020

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I often feel the frustration of someone trying to build a startup in the wrong place and time, and wrongly attributing their struggle to personal limitations. I saw these addressed well in a new book, “ The Startup Community Way ,” by Brad Feld and Ian Hathaway.

Resource 131

Resource Startup Capital Mentor 131

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 10, 2014

In a VC business when you raise additional capital you need to “level up” and act the round you are. I’d say 20% of startups I see level-up early after their A round. These are important leveling-up activities but the CEO is often still up at 10pm f **g around with QuickBooks entries.

Startup 381

Startup Resource Venture Capital Activity 381

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 10, 2021

I’ve extracted here some key ones relevant to startups entering the growth stage: Communication clarity is essential. Organize your work before you begin. Most startups begin first, and think about organization later. Delegation doesn’t work when you are creating your startup. Staff properly at every level.

Startup 171

Startup Organization Training Entrepreneur 171

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2020

Due to the pervasive Internet, the scope of most successful startup teams today has become global. According to recent reports , these come from all the way up and down the age and experience spectrum, including up to ninety percent of the current Baby Boomers, as well as Millennials.

Competition 168

Competition Startup Demand Training 168

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2021

You need to have business relationships with team members, investors, customers, and a myriad of other support people. See my article from way back “ Entrepreneurs Learn Best From Business Networking ” on how and where to get started. It should end by asking for something, to start the relationship. Give and you will receive.

Entrepreneur 140

Entrepreneur Startup Social Network Mentor 140

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 1, 2022

Every entrepreneur I know is dismayed by the number of friends who approach them with a line such as “I have an even better idea that will change the world, and one of these days I’m going to get around to starting my own business.” Others are debilitated by their fear, avoid risk at all costs, and never start.

Entrepreneur 153

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Knowledge Base 153

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 28, 2021

As an angel investor in early-stage startups, I’ve long noticed my peers apparent bias toward the strength and character of the founding entrepreneurs, often overriding a strong solution to a painful problem with a big opportunity. The scope of the positive leadership views included human nature, organization life, and personal purpose.

Entrepreneur 165

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Invest 165

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2020

If you want to make a great first impression on a startup investor or an advisor like me, don’t try to convince me or show me how busy you are. I’m sure you all know someone who always seems to be overworked, but often comes up short on the delivery side. As a result, he missed opportunities, and the whole organization suffered.

Product 123

Product Startup Tips Entrepreneur 123

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 28, 2017

As a long-time mentor and business advisor, I find it ironic that many look only to friends for advice. They forget that friends tell you what you want to hear, while good mentors tell you what you need to hear. When the message is the same from both, you probably don’t need the mentor anymore, but you always need the friend.

Mentor 72

Mentor Coach Help Ideas 72

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 15, 2020

In fact, I believe the majority of true entrepreneurs are not interested in this new role, and jump ship quickly by hiring an experienced CEO or merging with another company, to start their next entrepreneurial effort. With a startup, everything is an experiment. Implement metrics and set objectives for every organization.

Startup 125

Startup Training Entrepreneur Organization 125

Tech.Co

JANUARY 10, 2018

If you’re needing some tips to jumpstart your strategy and attract female consumers, take this advice from these female startups founders. “Focusing on emotion is key when communicating with female customers. Most importantly, humor can get customers talking about your product or service. Connect With Your Customers.

Tips 71

Tips Customer Custom Dollar Shave Club 71

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

Every entrepreneur and every business I meet in my consulting and mentoring role has great intentions of bringing real innovation to the market, yet I find that most ideas are merely small extensions to existing solutions. Both fail to look first at what customers really need, and are willing to pay for.

Startup 146

Startup Mentor Entrepreneur Ideas 146

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2012

Mentors tell you what you need to hear. When the message is the same from both, you don’t need the mentor anymore. In that sense, you should think of a mentor more like your advisor who has done all he can. Also don’t confuse a business mentor with a business coach. Friends tell you what you want to hear.

Mentor 95

Mentor Coach Startup Ideas 95

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2022

The largest and most successful businesses of the past have been traditionally driven by autocratic and powerful leaders who managed a highly structured organization of subordinates. It is up to you as a leader to define and communicate the company shared values that pull a team together and allow them to disagree without fighting.

Organization 105

Organization Mentor Startup Training 105

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2020

As a mentor to entrepreneurs over the years, I see many of you who don’t communicate enough, others who seem to do all the talking, and some that are hesitant to be direct and open. One of the biggest problems I see in startups is everyone trying to do too many different things, straining resources and confusing customers.

Startup 124

Startup Ideas Examples Metrics 124

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

JULY 12, 2021

Sometimes entrepreneurs are so focused on making change happen for customers that they forget that continually changing themselves and their company is equally important. Here are the key recommendations from both of us, based on my own business mentoring insights: Re-launch using your enhanced core competency.

Entrepreneur 167

Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Customer 167

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2022

Too often they are also hesitant, inexperienced, and fearful of hiring people or finding a mentor to be the partner they need. Your business is not all about what is best for you, but what is best for your customers. Startup challenges become more depressing than energizing. You start playing the blame game.

Help 131

Help Startup Entrepreneur Mentor 131

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

A continuing question I hear from young entrepreneurs is whether a university degree is important to startup success, or just a distraction in achieving their purpose in the world. He learned quickly that several pivots were required for business, legal, and customer acceptance reasons. Learning by doing is the only way to go.

Entrepreneur 157

Entrepreneur Mentor Class Resource 157

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2020

The best startups give everyone business cards and encourage team members to talk about the business with anyone who should be interested. Team members need time, and your support, to attend conferences and professional organizations to stay in touch with colleagues and peers. Empower engagement. Encourage networking. Reward success.

Marketing 130

Marketing Develop Development Startup 130

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2023

Startups provide leadership in the market. Entrepreneurs provide leadership to their startup. The servant leader serves the people they lead through mentoring, direct assistance, listening, and acting on their employees input. Do others on your team communicate their ideas and vision for the organization when you are around?

Mentor 92

Mentor Organization Ideas Examples 92

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2020

As a startup advisor and investor, living in an area with several local universities, I’m continually surprised by how little many entrepreneurs know about the resources available from these institutions. 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.

Class 124

Class Startup Resource Mentor 124