Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2012

Since my background includes software development, I often get the question about when to build a solution in-house, versus outsourcing it to a local company, near-shore service, or off-shore organization in China, India, or Eastern Europe. Don’t outsource your core competency. It’s like giving up control of your company.

Outsource Development 89

Outsource Development Outsource Software Development Software 89

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2023

For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. If you can’t quantify or document your service for repeatability and new employee training, you will kill yourself trying to grow the business. The customer experience is more than the service.

Startup 111

Startup Training Services Writing 111

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2011

Since my background includes software development, I often get the question about when to build a solution in-house, versus outsourcing it to a local company, near-shore service, or off-shore organization in China, India, or Eastern Europe. Don’t outsource your core competency. It’s like giving up control of your company.

Outsource Development 90

Outsource Development Outsource Software Development Software 90

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2020

For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. If you can’t quantify or document your service for repeatability and new employee training, you will kill yourself trying to grow the business. The customer experience is more than the service.

Startup 174

Startup Training Services Writing 174

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 14, 2023

I see too many business plans that are really product plans for customers, touting free services and long feature lists. No product, even with a large opportunity, is ready to scale until you can show it working, with multiple customers paying the full price, to validate the business model. Word-of-mouth does not scale.

Tips 135

Tips Invest Startup Outsource 135

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2023

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.

Outsource Development 115

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 115

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2010

Since my background includes software development, I often get the question about when to build a solution in-house, versus outsourcing it to a local company, near-shore service, or off-shore organization in China, India, or Eastern Europe. Don’t outsource your core competency. Outsourcing for services needs to be carefully managed.

Outsource Development 51

Outsource Development Outsource Software Offshore 51

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2019

It’s always tempting to think that more product variations will satisfy more customers and lead to new sales. People with the wrong tools or no training. It’s no secret that some people are more productive than others, due to skills, training, or commitment. Outsourcing services that could be done in-house.

Outsource Development 122

Outsource Development Outsource Metrics Technical Review 122

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 2, 2022

You can’t succeed in business without an operational model that delivers value to customers at a reasonable price, with an underlying cost that allows you to make a profit. A target market is the group of customers that the startup plans to attract through marketing and sales their product or service. How will you reach your customers?

Sales 102

Sales Customer Custom Outsource 102

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 19, 2020

I see too many business plans that are really product plans for customers, touting free services and long feature lists. No product, even with a large opportunity, is ready to scale until you can show it working, with multiple customers paying the full price, to validate the business model. Word-of-mouth does not scale.

Startup 154

Startup Outsource Ideas Research 154

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2020

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Outsource Development Startup Competition 131

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2020

I suggest looking for painful problems to solve, rather than “easier to use” or “nice to have” solutions, for customers with money. Customers line up to believe and buy from people who are viewed as leaders or experts relative to a specific solution. Collaborate with customers to tune your solution.

Outsource Development 154

Outsource Development Social Media Software Review Customer 154

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2016

For too many small businesses, customer service is still seen as a “burden.” The report also indicates that customer problem experiences continue to increase, up four percent to 54 percent since the last study. These days, relationships and online reviews are key drivers for over 80 percent of new customers.

Customer 56

Customer Custom Startup Satisfaction 56

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2014

If you have a software development background like mine, Im sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. Outsourcing is defined as contracting the work to another company, usually located in a developing country, like India, China, or Eastern Europe. Factor in all the cost elements.

Outsource Development 95

Outsource Development Outsource Offshore Software Review 95

socalTECH

AUGUST 7, 2014

Bryce Maddock: TaskUs is the best provider in the world of customer care and back office services for emerging growth companies. Customer care, obviously, is emails, phone calls, and customer service back office services. Bryce Maddock: We''re fortunate enough to work with a vast majority of today''s most successful startups.

Startup 231

Startup Technology Outsource Santa Monica 231

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2010

I know this will fall like a lead balloon to the many people who believe it is possible to have a [insert: startup incubator or technology accelerator or technology consultant or outsource firm] build your technology. They care about the quality of what is build more than they care about end customers. I don’t believe it.

CTO Hire 400

CTO Hire Fractional VPE Startup Outsource Development 400

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. If you can’t quantify or document your service for repeatability and new employee training, you will kill yourself trying to grow the business. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 72

Services Startup Training Writing 72

TechCrunch LA

NOVEMBER 17, 2019

Enter TriNet, a human resources giant, which this week became the poster child for how how to make a genuine email to its customers look inadvertently as suspicious as it gets. Remote employees at companies across the U.S. But one employee wasn’t convinced it was a real email, and forwarded it — and its source code — to TechCrunch.

Email 119

Email Sites Outsource Resource 119

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2014

For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. If you can’t quantify or document your service for repeatability and new employee training, you will kill yourself trying to grow the business. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 105

Services Startup Training Writing 105

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 19, 2013

The most important way to sell a product for an early-stage business (or frankly any stage) is to have strong referenceable customers. How do you get referenceable customers? Your project is forked without a rollout organization, communications, measurement, integration and without turning sales into referenceable customers.

Startup 403

Startup Sales Software Review Technical Review 403

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

Customers heavily adopted in-person returns. We saw the steady stream of customers Nordstrom Rack was getting from HauteLook shoppers, and we realized that we could do that same thing with any retailer. Customers expect the retailers to pay for those returns, they expect returns to be free, and they expect outbound shipping to be free.

Training 100

Training Customer Custom Software Review 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2016

For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. If you can’t quantify or document your service for repeatability and new employee training, you will kill yourself trying to grow the business. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 61

Services Startup Training Writing 61

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2015

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.

Outsource Development 99

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2015

I see too many business plans that are really product plans for customers, touting free services and long feature lists. No product, even with a large opportunity, is ready to scale until you can show it working, with multiple customers paying the full price, to validate the business model. Word-of-mouth does not scale.

Startup 103

Startup Outsource Invest Ideas 103

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

I see too many business plans that are really product plans for customers, touting free services and long feature lists. No product, even with a large opportunity, is ready to scale until you can show it working, with multiple customers paying the full price, to validate the business model. Word-of-mouth does not scale.

Tips 111

Tips Startup Outsource Ideas 111

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2016

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.

Ideas 62

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Competition 62

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2016

I see too many business plans that are really product plans for customers, touting free services and long feature lists. No product, even with a large opportunity, is ready to scale until you can show it working, with multiple customers paying the full price, to validate the business model. Word-of-mouth does not scale.

Funding 67

Funding Startup Outsource Ideas 67

socalTECH

APRIL 21, 2017

For people who send things out, it's a chance to be in front of your customer. We're working with some very large, extremely well known CPGs to help them establish that direct selling channel, and help them create a relationship with their customer. You need to understand what it means when a customer receives a product.

Startup 145

Startup Product Customer Custom 145

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 9, 2016

When the business starts to scale, you need documented processes and people with the right skills and training who can do the right work without you. Now you have real customers who can quickly turn off hundreds of potential customers if you ignore their feedback. Trust your gut, and ignore naysayers. It’s a big change.

Social Network 59

Social Network Startup Demand Entrepreneur 59

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2017

Makerspaces and hackerspaces have sites and events, including education and training, where people with common interests can meet, socialize and collaborate. Meeting the new consumer demand for customization. Customers today increasingly demand solutions that are customized just for them.

Ideas 61

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Education 61

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2014

If you are contracting or outsourcing, this is even more important. At this stage, you should start recruiting, hiring, paying, and training others to help you run your business. Here you will likely need to train others to help you, so more detail may be required in this process. Customer service and support.

Startup 107

Startup Outsource Development Training Outsource 107

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2012

You can’t succeed in business without an operational model that delivers value to customers at a reasonable price, with an underlying cost that allows you to make a profit. A target market is the group of customers that the startup plans to attract through marketing and sales their product or service. How will you reach your customers?

Sales 97

Sales Customer Custom Outsource 97

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2012

Obviously we can find many critical success factors, like finding and retaining high-value customers, which apply to companies that are product centric or services centric. Customers don’t like people who don’t show their passion and love for the job. Customers don’t like to see you learning on the job or outsourcing.

Satisfaction 91

Satisfaction Patents Outsource Development Services 91

socalTECH

OCTOBER 20, 2011

Back in 2003 and 2004, we were focused on the international market, and started outsourcing to India and the Philippines for call center services. Dan Tamkin: Step one was to enter the marketplace, and get the platform going, derived from the existing technology, revenues, and some customer accounts. How did acquisition come about?

Outsource Development 190

Outsource Development Startup Outsource Altadena 190

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2011

You can’t succeed in business without an operational model that delivers value to customers at a reasonable price, with an underlying cost that allows you to make a profit. A target market is the group of customers that the startup plans to attract through marketing and sales their product or service. How will you reach your customers?

Sales 98

Sales Customer Custom Outsource 98

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2011

In the initial phases of any new market you’re developing a product (hopefully with a minimal set of features), getting feedback from customers, refining your product based on user feedback and then re-launching your product. The former was outsourced, the latter was our own team. Rinse & repeat. This is total bullshit.

Development Team Review 374

Development Team Review Technical Review Startup Resource 374

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2013

If you are contracting or outsourcing, this is even more important. At this stage, you should start recruiting, hiring, paying, and training others to help you run your business. Here you will likely need to train others to help you, so more detail may be required in this process. Customer service and support.

Outsource Development 92

Outsource Development Training Outsource Metrics 92