Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2020

On the product side, once you have a proven product and business model, all you need is money to build inventory, and a sales and marketing operation to drive the business. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price.

Startup 174

Startup Training Services Writing 174

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 20, 2013

In my first enterprise software company we developed a methodology for sales that we called PUCCKA , which I wrote about previously. Having a good sales methodology can help you ensure your company runs more disciplined campaigns and focuses scarce resources on your best opportunities. It the second rule of sales, “Why Buy Me?”

Sales 336

Sales Startup Competition Customer 336

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2022

Hiring requirements must be anticipated and implemented with the same precision and tracking as manufacturing volumes, sales leads, and customer service. Your gut-feelings are important, but need to be validated by normal background and reference checks. Hiring before organizational structure is defined.

Organization 104

Organization Satisfaction Entrepreneur Screening 104

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 14, 2018

Whenever you write your deck and send it out I think you should actually think to yourself, “my competitors are probably going to read this one day and this will be forwarded widely” and if your response isn’t “so what!” What should not be in your deck? Many of my colleagues do, too. Competition isn’t won or lost by your marketing decks?—?it’s

Funding 239

Funding Venture Capital IP Email 239

Eric Greenspan

MAY 29, 2010

Using social media to increase your company’s touch and reach with each of your customers may be the most important reason to jump in to this game changing strategy. Social media can help bridge a long standing gap between customers and the companies they trust with their hard earned cash. 40,000) to join me on Facebook.

Social Media 214

Social Media Customer Custom Media 214

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

So I thought I’d write about out with what I would look for in a VC knowing what I know now and why. Of course it is super helpful if a VC can drop you in to important people for business development, recruiting, PR, sales and eventually M&A. and I realized that without years of experience it is tough to answer this question.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2020

Hiring requirements must be anticipated and implemented with the same precision and tracking as manufacturing volumes, sales leads, and customer service. Your gut-feelings are important, but need to be validated by normal background and reference checks. Hiring before organizational structure is defined.

Organization 135

Organization Satisfaction Entrepreneur Screening 135

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 15, 2014

In their book, The Leadership Challenge , James Kouzes and Barry Posner reference three surveys, each of which lists honesty as the most admired trait among successful leaders. Employees, investors, customers and suppliers seek entrepreneurs they trust. Write down the three things you want people to remember about you.”

Entrepreneur 189

Entrepreneur Sales Writing Customer 189

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 2, 2009

As noted in Pour and Stir Part I , the key to the successful execution of this strategy is managing the following equation: The cost to acquire a customer < lifetime value of a customer. Decreasing Your Customer Acquisition Costs. This is equivalent to being handed a free customer for every ten customers you acquire.

Customer 164

Customer Custom Advertising SEM 164

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 21, 2014

You join teams that got good write-ups on TechCrunch, have great VCs, have star CEO’s, whatever. ” Who cut you in on their bonus because even though you’re “just an sales engineer” they know you really deserved more credit for this deal. Writing a book will be fun. After 6 months – you know.

CTO Hire 320

CTO Hire Startup CTO Coach Venture Capital 320

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

On the product side, once you have a proven product and business model, all you need is money to build inventory, and a sales and marketing operation to drive the business. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price.

Services 72

Services Startup Training Writing 72

InfoChachkie

APRIL 25, 2011

If you are a leader at a startup and you are reading a business book, you are not closing customers, raising capital, improving your product, or spending time with your loved ones. It has also influenced my thoughts, as evidenced by the six infoChachkie blog entries which reference Art. I was not disapointed. Tricking The Jedi.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Blogging Class Entrepreneur 279

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

You’ll get sales information from your VP of Sales, marketing information from your VP Marketing, tech information from your CTO and so on. An obvious example would be in sales. By going on sales calls you pick up directly the feedback of what customers want and also what they’re telling you about competition.

Startup 308

Startup CTO Coach Technical Review CTO Hire 308

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2014

On the product side, once you have a proven product and business model, all you need is money to build inventory, and a sales and marketing operation to drive the business. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price.

Services 105

Services Startup Training Writing 105

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 19, 2011

Often recruiters want to handle the final negotiations on package and/or do the reference calls. I’m also reluctant to hand over reference calling. I know that no recruiter will agree with me on this point, but I’ll tell you that I’m certain there’s a positive bias in reference calls.

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Pricing Startup Outsource 319

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2016

On the product side, once you have a proven product and business model, all you need is money to build inventory, and a sales and marketing operation to drive the business. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price.

Services 61

Services Startup Training Writing 61

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

1) Expect Independent Channel Sales Reps To Perform Missionary Sales. Rationale: I cannot afford to hire a direct sales force. Fallacy: Third-party, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) representatives succeed once the sales process is defined, proven and documented. 5) Allow Partners To Write Your Agreements.

Startup 242

Startup Outsource Development Outsource Sales 242

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 8, 2010

I guess let’s file this under sales & marketing advice. Define your customers, partners and other relevant people to your organization (e.g. That’s blogging to the echo chamber unless they’re your target customers. Much of my traffic is through referring websites and/or social media. Some search.

Blogging 286

Blogging Startup Writing Summary 286

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2015

So that we’re speaking the same language I would define “exclusive” as a period in which your company is prohibited from doing business with certain customers or business partners, which is why many incorrectly assume this is necessarily bad. Why Exclusivity Matters to Your Customers or Business Development Partners.

Outsource Development 150

Outsource Development Startup Customer Custom 150

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

After my company was acquired by Salesforce.com I was asked to stop blogging and they took over my blog as an asset in the sale of the company. I had seen many cycles and decided that since I was going to do it all over again I should write about it. I decided to write about my experience and to be blunt. And covered we did.

Venture Capital 274

Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2016

Hiring requirements must be anticipated and implemented with the same precision and tracking as manufacturing volumes, sales leads, and customer service. Your gut-feelings are important, but need to be validated by normal background and reference checks. Hiring before organizational structure is defined.

Organization 57

Organization Entrepreneur Satisfaction Screening 57

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

Ask your customer why you lost. Write things down. Looong Appendix (only for those interested in reading another story about losing a sale & key lessons): A personal story of losing a sale that haunted me for years. We helped the write out their requirements for a system. Specifically: 1. Be gracious.

Outsource Development 333

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 333

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

Ask your customer why you lost. Write things down. Looong Appendix (only for those interested in reading another story about losing a sale & key lessons): A personal story of losing a sale that haunted me for years. We helped the write out their requirements for a system. Specifically: 1. Be gracious.

Outsource Development 328

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 328

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 13, 2011

I talked about this in the TWiVC video but I didn’t do a good enough job of writing it up in the summary notes in the post. And when you finish the demo you can bring in the other important components such as competition, team, customer acquisition strategy, etc. But flip you must – just as in a sales meeting.

Venture Capital 299

Venture Capital Slides Technical Advisors Startup 299

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 21, 2010

If you don’t follow the image reference above or the tag line, “ You don’t need double talk; you need Bob Loblaw “ (try saying it out loud) , and if you care! I write about some of the lessons in my post on Startup Mistakes. Shame about not getting it in legal writing that you owned the original IP.

Startup 318

Startup IP Southern California Entrepreneur 318

Eric Greenspan

FEBRUARY 2, 2010

Anyhow, I replied and asked who pays who here and found that First Data pays Chad a commission for his sales. He told me this was a service the BBB provided to its customers since they saved so much money on the same service. In most cases these viewings are done by potential customers who are checking on your company’s rating.

Santa Barbara 265

Santa Barbara Technical Advisors Email Technical Review 265

InfoChachkie

MAY 23, 2011

Exclusivity excludes your startup from taking full advantage of future customer, partner and market opportunities. Once you establish a non-exclusive partnership, you can reference it when other BDCs ask for excludesivity. Instead, define the sales commitments as a minimum threshold by which excludesivity remains in place.

Technical Review 183

Technical Review Marketing Sales Competition 183

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2009

I was working hand-in-hand with my close friend and associate Stuart Lander who was running our UK office and with one of our local sales reps. We helped the write out their requirements for a system. We helped the write out their requirements for a system. I later learned one of my biggest lesson in sales.

Startup 151

Startup Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review 151

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2009

release out the door and get some customers using it, or friendly people piloting it then at least there is some validation to the product and some people to speak to about their experiences. The key to getting money is that the people writing the check trust you. Market validation – This one is optional but important.

Angel 291

Angel Funding Venture Capital Startup 291

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2011

An inflated sense of financial well-being can result in sloppy budgeting and accounting as you write checks here and there without pause. If you spend $50K on a website selling party supplies but you soon realize it's the sales of catering supplies you offer that have taken off, you will want to have a site that promotes your newfound focus.

Startup 92

Startup Capital Blogging Ideas 92

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 19, 2012

While intriguing for consumers, daily deal couponing platforms like Groupon have not always been beneficial for business owners who often see a spike in business with little retention of those customers. “A Mobile coupon redemption has always struggled with ensuring a seamless experience at the point of sale,” contemporary research states.

Mobile 85

Mobile Software Review Statistics Technical Review 85

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 27, 2011

But should you actually write one if you’re a startup, an industry figure (lawyer, banker) or VC? This is a post to help you figure out why you should write and what you should talk about. I’ll bet your customers, business partners or suppliers would love similar. Who are your customers, partners or suppliers?

Blogging 373

Blogging Startup Writing Venture Capital 373

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

A business plan is the outward facing definition of the business you hope to drive with your hardware solution, with a hardware overview in the intro to highlight customer value and competitiveness. Use non-fuzzy terms to quantify customer value. Provide specifics on the customer business model.

Product 169

Product Summary Startup Examples 169

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 11, 2012

The multi-tiered platform allows for money to be transferred between Facebook friends, the ability to click and purchase any item that you see on Facebook and through the published API’s, developers can integrate and write their own applications on top of the ZunguZ platform. Why the name? We liked the Z on the beginning and the Z on the end.

Software Review 92

Software Review Social Network Platform Technical Review 92

InfoChachkie

JULY 14, 2009

A Writer Is Someone Who Writes. A writer is someone who writes, not someone who goes about telling their friends that they are “a writer”. Repeatedly organize yard sales in which you sold your broken toys, books you wrote and illustrated, along with overly sugared lemonade and burnt cookies. Hint: He was an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur 153

Entrepreneur Ideas Writing Startup 153

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 29, 2018

As a long-time advisor to small businesses and startups, I still find many who think marketing is still primarily broadcasting your message to as many customers as possible, hitting them again and again, until it sticks. They don’t realize that customers today are looking for relationships, meaning two-way conversations with your business.

Marketing 91

Marketing Examples Startup Customer 91

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 13, 2011

With all these companies vying for attention & others just here to soak up the vibe I thought I’d write a much broader piece on how startups can make the most of their attendance at conferences & events. Feel good in knowing that while they’re at the latest conference, you can be back home stealing all their customers !

Conference 289

Conference Startup Technical Review Writing 289