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. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. People-centric leaders drive ownership and engagement down to their customer-facing team members.

Coach 128

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 128

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2018

The market is changing so fast these days, and if you are not planning a solution today for tomorrow’s customers, you may be setting yourself up for failure and don’t even realize it. There are many free generalized tools, including Google Trends , which can be used to track customer behavior in looking for things that don’t exist yet.

Custom 57

Custom Customer Technical Review Software Review 57

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2023

Customer service has traditionally been focused on the resolution of complaints , primarily after a transaction. My recommendations always include adopting a customer mindset, as well as the following steps: Accept today’s definition of relevant customer support. Treat every customer exceptionally before they complain.

Competition 109

Competition Services Custom Customer 109

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2023

In business, these cover the gamut from vision, creativity, innovation, to sales, financial management, and negotiation. Listen to your team, mentors, and customers to recognize real successes and failures, and surround yourself with people who can fill in the gaps. We all have strengths and weaknesses.

Mentor 104

Mentor Startup Coach Satisfaction 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2019

Image via Flickr by Alan Most of you who start new ventures don’t think of yourselves as sales experts. Yet in today’s competitive and rapidly changing world, top notch sales and marketing skills are critical to the success of every business. Make it real for your customers with professionally prepared collateral based on these assets.

Mentor 90

Mentor Startup Sales Examples 90

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2022

Boomer investors are much more likely to get in the game with a high focus on mentoring and give-back, as well as the financial return potential. Manage customer service. On the other hand, there are some roles in a startup where Boomers are probably not the best candidates: Constantly-on-the-road sales territory management roles.

Technical Review 147

Technical Review Software Review Entrepreneur Report 147

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 17, 2011

Every startup mentor has his favorite list of basic strategies to avoid pitfalls, and I’m no exception. Make marketing and sales a priority. In business, “most important” means time to market, customer service, low cost, and beating your competitors. Reserve the same names on the leading social networks and blogs.

Mentor 100

Mentor Startup Social Network Patents 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2011

Julie is known as the entrepreneur’s selling mentor, for both men and women. Be passionate about what you are selling, and decide to be of service, by providing your customers with something of value in exchange for deserved payment. Make it real for you and your customers. Claim your sweet spot. Craft your irresistible pitch.

Sales 93

Sales Entrepreneur Mentor Custom 93

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 23, 2022

The result is fewer and fewer new ideas are volunteered by prospective leaders and key team members, and the business suffers from poor customer satisfaction or loss of market share. Input from outside experts and real customers is always a credibility booster.

Ideas 116

Ideas Netflix Resource Custom 116

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2020

In my role as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that most have the technical challenges well understood, but many are a bit short on some basic street smarts , or basic business realities. With information overload due to the Internet, you need to find your customers, rather than assume they will find you.

Entrepreneur 173

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Technical Review 173

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 4, 2021

The last thing they can afford is to waste any of these, but in my mentoring and coaching activities, I see it happening all too often. Waste in a startup is any activity that burns resources, but creates no value or competitive advantage in the eyes of customers. Then always measure customer results, not work.

Startup 161

Startup Resource Training Entrepreneur 161

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 23, 2022

Many of you business leaders I work with, and entrepreneurs I mentor, have a great strategy and an innovative solution , but struggle with building and motivating the team necessary to run your business. This created a connection with both his team and customers. You really need their insights and customer interaction feedback.

Mentor 108

Mentor Social Media Coach Custom 108

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2023

In my own role as advisor and mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, I was struck by how relevant and critical these same initiatives are to even the earliest stage businesses. Your standards for product quality, sales growth, and customer satisfaction must be documented and reviewed prior to results and performance reviews.

Coach 93

Coach Satisfaction Resource Entrepreneur 93

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2023

In my experience as a mentor, I find that keeping creative thinking in the balance is a challenge for every startup, due to the natural employee tendency to resist change. Sales people tend to remember the latest product when selling to clients, not the one best for that customer. Tricked by recency. Not always to good effect.

Marketing 119

Marketing Metrics Demand Statistics 119

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2023

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs, I also encourage an entrepreneur exit focus early, and I really like the specific steps outlined in the classic book, “ Exit Signs ,” by Pamela Dennis, who has helped companies through this critical transition for decades. Mature your business processes and customer base.

Startup 99

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 99

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2021

In my role as advisor and mentor to many new entrepreneurs, I often find myself suggesting that they think bigger. Major innovation, with major payback, requires real change, addresses a major pain point, and hits a large customer segment who can pay. Successful people look for complementary co-founders, and hire a multi-faceted team.

Startup 162

Startup Metrics Ideas Entrepreneur 162

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

I admit that I haven’t yet read it but I’ve had numerous discussions with Brad over the years about board structure & conduct and consider him a mentor on the topic. how much energy to put into channel partners vs. direct sales. how to build an initial sales organization. In the Early Days. Mentorship.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

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.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2021

As a long-time business advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs, I consistently find that the most thriving businesses are people-centric, and those team members create the best processes, rather than the other way around. Leaders who focus on team communication are also more successful in dealing with partners and customers.

Satisfaction 154

Satisfaction Demand Resource Competition 154

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 1, 2022

In my role as a mentor, I challenge every business leader to be more open-minded as they face the challenges of change and new competitors entering their space. Winning business owners really listen and act on feedback from customers and advisors. Don’t be totally driven by a key customer. Listening to customers also helps.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Custom Customer Social Media 120

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 know what is required, but you continue to procrastinate.

Help 131

Help Startup Entrepreneur Mentor 131

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2023

As a mentor and advisor to entrepreneurs and startups, and an angel investor, my passion is to find and nurture those entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas and acumen, to make them into successful business owners. Business owners get their satisfaction from happy customers and happy stakeholders. Funding and rollout stage.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Satisfaction 108

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2021

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs, I also encourage an entrepreneur exit focus early, and I really like the specific steps outlined in the classic book, “ Exit Signs ,” by Pamela Dennis, who has helped companies through this critical transition for decades. Mature your business processes and customer base.

Startup 173

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 173

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I tend to see many of the same obstacles appearing in every new startup, and since I don’t want to appear to be a downer , I’m not sure how to properly warn people ahead of time to be on the alert for these challenges. Funding is depleted before customer sales ramp up.

Startup 131

Startup Entrepreneur Examples Custom 131

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 20, 2023

As a mentor to startups, I see more startups that are really an individual professional, marketing themselves as a consultant or freelancer in this new gig economy. Sales Professional. The best sales people in any company are highly focused, and self-motivated by the commissions they can earn by closing a few big deals.

Startup 106

Startup Social Media Course Entrepreneur 106

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2020

In my experience as a mentor, I find that keeping creative thinking in the balance is a challenge for every startup, due to the natural employee tendency to resist change. Sales people tend to remember the latest product when selling to clients, not the one best for that customer. Tricked by recency. Not always to good effect.

Metrics 157

Metrics Demand Statistics Sales 157

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 12, 2022

As a business advisor, I have too often seen technical entrepreneurs get a product or service off the ground with ease, but then struggle mightily when their business reaches a couple of million in annual sales, or the employee count grows beyond a handful. Growing the company means growing people through mentoring and training.

Startup 137

Startup Training Entrepreneur Organization 137

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 7, 2021

As a mentor to aspiring business owners. The tougher question is whether you are also wise, in the sense of cultivating the right relationships, understanding team dynamics, and keeping to the correct side of the ethical line to maintain the trust of team members and customers alike. Be willing to adapt quickly as conditions change.

Patents 138

Patents Mentor Custom Customer 138

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2020

Boomer investors are much more likely to get in the game with a high focus on mentoring and give-back, as well as the financial return potential. Manage customer service. On the other hand, there are some roles in a startup where Boomers are probably not the best candidates: Constantly-on-the-road sales territory management roles.

Startup 124

Startup Technical Review Software Review Entrepreneur 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2021

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Ask some potential customers to see if there is real interest, and start thinking about price versus cost.

Ideas 136

Ideas Entrepreneur Mentor Resource 136

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2022

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. As your company grows, you have to host customer seminars.

Marketing 113

Marketing Entrepreneur Custom Customer 113

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 7, 2020

In my own role as advisor and mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, I was struck by how relevant and critical these same initiatives are to even the earliest stage businesses. Your standards for product quality, sales growth, and customer satisfaction must be documented and reviewed prior to results and performance reviews.

Entrepreneur 120

Entrepreneur Coach Satisfaction Resource 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2019

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. People-centric leaders drive ownership and engagement down to their customer-facing team members.

Coach 94

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 94

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 11, 2019

Every entrepreneur and business leader believes that he or she has the full trust of their team and their customers, and in fact most do in the beginning. Unfortunately, many aspiring leaders I mentor are not aware of the signals people are looking for, or are not attuned to the subtleties of their own actions.

Mentor 98

Mentor News Summary Coach 98

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2020

As a mentor to startups, I see more startups that are really an individual professional, marketing themselves as a consultant or freelancer in this new gig economy. Sales Professional. The best sales people in any company are highly focused, and self-motivated by the commissions they can earn by closing a few big deals.

Startup 164

Startup Social Media Course Entrepreneur 164

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2022

Dini, tied together several threads I have often seen in my own experience of mentoring and helping aspiring entrepreneurs. In business, entrepreneurs hunt for new innovative solutions to problems, new ways of beating competitors, new markets, and new customers.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Marketing News Slides 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 16, 2020

In my role as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that many of you have your most creative ideas for your company’s first big bang , but often get bogged down with details as the company grows. By dedicating at least one percent of sales to environmental groups, he locked in engagement from both employees and customers.

Company 148

Company Companies Ideas Mentor 148