Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2023

That doesn’t mean that entrepreneurs should ignore business and market realities, under the assumption that success is a random phenomenon. Find a recognized billion dollar and growing market. Thus I’m suggesting that you do your due diligence carefully, and pick the right idea before you start.

Ideas 106

Ideas Technical Review Patents Startup 106

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 24, 2020

As a frequent advisor to new entrepreneurs and startups, I often hear your frustration with being treated differently from other startups by investors, on expectations for valuation , traction, and market size. On the other hand, if the market is super-hot, many will be willing to jump in to make your case.

Marketing 174

Marketing Startup Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 174

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 6, 2021

A closer analysis often indicates the cause to be a lack of diligence in handling common business finances. If you fail to pay a cash obligation when it is due, the business is technically insolvent. Not producing and reviewing financial reports regularly. Prepare it, update it regularly, and use it.

Technical Review 151

Technical Review Startup Summary Pricing 151

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 14, 2011

The debt market has pretty much shut down for people, though there is some money coming out of the SBAs that have been somewhat helpful. And, the equity markets are certainly a more challenging environment. Mike Napoli: We've revised the way we review companies at the prescreening stage. Mike Napoli: Obviously, it's still tough.

Tech Coast Angels 231

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 231

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

Since its 2017 inception, SpotOn has been focused on providing software and payments technology to SMBs with an emphasis on restaurants and retail businesses. SpotOn will now have over 500 employees on its product and technology team, according to co-founder and co-CEO Zach Hyman.

Technical Review 296

Technical Review Software Review Invest Acquisition 296

socalTECH

MAY 21, 2013

One of the largest concentrations of technical talent in Los Angeles is in Glendale, at YP -- staffed with a surprising number of Los Angeles startup vets. Our whole product and technology team is about 500 people. Talk about the technology behind your operations here? What''s your background and how did you end up at YP?

Technical Review 223

Technical Review Glendale Advertising Google 223

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 5, 2020

Companies that have leveraged technology to make the procurement and delivery of food more accessible to more people have been seeing a big surge of business this year, as millions of consumers are encouraged (or outright mandated, due to Covid-19) to socially distance or want to avoid the crowds of physical shopping and eating excursions.

Technical Review 343

Technical Review Startup Marketing San Diego 343

socalTECH

MAY 21, 2013

One of the largest concentrations of technical talent in Los Angeles is in Glendale, at YP (www.yp.com) -- staffed with a surprising number of Los Angeles startup vets. Our whole product and technology team is about 500 people. Talk about the technology behind your operations here? Louis and Atlanta.

Technical Review 211

Technical Review Glendale Advertising Google 211

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 26, 2023

Every one of you business owners I know periodically introduces new products and services to sustain growth, fight off competitors, or take advantage of new technologies. The cost of any new product these days must include education and rollout marketing, perhaps equal or greater than the development costs.

Product 141

Product Services Technical Review Artificial Inteligence 141

Tech.Co

JANUARY 3, 2020

However, as a business owner, you know that resting on your laurels can be dangerous, which is why staying up to date with the latest business technology is a necessity. And if you aren't making good use of this business tech, you're missing out. Digital Marketing Platforms. Get started with a digital marketing platform today.

Technical Review 91

Technical Review Software Review Social Media Platform 91

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 26, 2010

Many of you have read or at least know the primary thesis of “ Crossing the Chasm &# the seminal book on marketing your products to mainstream consumers by Geoffrey Moore. It influenced a generation of tech marketers. We all intuitively know this curve now but we don’t all market effectively to it.

Marketing 294

Marketing Customer Custom Technical Review 294

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2019

During the holiday season, our tradition over the last few years has been to post reflections on the past year and some predictions for 2019 from Southern California's technology industry. Are there any technology innovations, gadgets, devices, software, that you found most interesting in 2018?

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Software Review Startup Coach 157

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 9, 2013

This is final part of a series that describes a sales methodology for technology companies or frankly many other types of companies, too. And with scarce resources it’s your job to decide which door this lead must go through – sales or marketing. ” Hand this deal over to marketing to nurture for you.

Customer 324

Customer Custom Marketing Newsletter 324

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 19, 2012

He is not a technical person, but is somewhat web savvy. It's the same as when I've created financial models and then have it reviewed by a hard-core CFO, sophisticated investor or similar kind of expert. Conversations with a technical advisors or possible developers should be iterative. Go find a new technical resource.

Develop 354

Develop Development Technical Review CTO Coach 354

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

Every new business dreams of growing from a startup to a global market leader in a few years, like Amazon.com, but that goal is elusive. My simple answer is that they keep their focus on customers, rather than technology. Jeff Bezos has kept his focus on customers. They help hiring managers raise the bar for every interview.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Customer Custom 123

Tech Coast Venture Network

AUGUST 11, 2015

While Google still gets stellar reviews for pay, perks and advancement, there are also some employees who note growing pains that you’d expect from such a huge company, including the stress associated with a competitive environment. Even the best examples of culture on this list have detractors. Sujan Patel. Contributor.

Examples 100

Examples Company Companies Google 100

Tech Coast Venture Network

AUGUST 11, 2015

While Google still gets stellar reviews for pay, perks and advancement, there are also some employees who note growing pains that you’d expect from such a huge company, including the stress associated with a competitive environment. Even the best examples of culture on this list have detractors. Sujan Patel. Contributor.

Examples 100

Examples Company Companies Google 100

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

If you’re a technology startup you need to excel at product, of course. But being best-in-class at online marketing is also a sine qua non to standout from your peer group. The starting point of product IS marketing, which is what a lot of young entrepreneurs that never studied business don’t realize.

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2022

For example, TOMS shoes inspired everyone by highlighting and effectively communicating a higher purpose from founder Blake Mycoskie of helping the needy by donating a pair of shoes for every pair sold. Challenge yourself to delivering a technical innovation. Sharing is a lot more effective with customers than selling and marketing.

Technical Review 143

Technical Review Coach Mentor Customer 143

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 23, 2021

As a consumer, I rarely pay attention to your marketing pitch, but I certainly always remember a exceptionally positive total experience with your team, based on a memorable set of interactions from first contact to discussions with friends. Provide training, tools, and required decision authority.

Customer 147

Customer Custom Technical Review Metrics 147

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

If you are the hot-shot technical innovator that invented your solution, make sure you have an equally adept business and marketing expert to complement your skills. “If For example, I believe Bill Gates would have failed without his partners Steve Ballmer and Paul Allen. The market is unpredictable and changes fast.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 16, 2018

As the rate of change continues to increase in business and technology, the more I’m convinced that marketing is the primary key to success for a new venture. Yet I find that many technical founders don’t feel they need it at all, or at best point to one person on the team who is marketing. The result is no deal.

Marketing 71

Marketing Tips Technical Review Social Media 71

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2020

For example, Xerox tried to broaden the use of "xerox" as the standard term for "photocopying" to extend their existing customer segment into office automation and all kinds of computing. The result will be less visibility, slower growth, with fewer delighted customers and little word-of-mouth marketing.

Customer 123

Customer Custom Technical Review Examples 123

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 21, 2009

On the third Wednesday of every month I co-chair a meeting called the SoCal VCA (venture capital alliance), which represents participants from all of the top venture capital firms in Southern California as well as prominent members of the Tech Coast Angels (TCA). We feature a prominent speaker at every event.

Venture Capital 241

Venture Capital Technical Review Southern California Company 241

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 22, 2019

Most of us have blind spots in our ability to build a business, due to lack of experience, too much ego, over-confidence, or unjustified faith in a subordinate. It’s fair to start with what people think they know, as long as you use that to zero in on corroborating evidence and real examples.

Technical Review 127

Technical Review Activity Mentor Entrepreneur 127

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 6, 2014

Today, there are many companies competing for innovation in the field of wearable tech. Not only can wearable technology make our lives easier, but it can also help to make the lives of many with illnesses or disabilities more comfortable and productive. Google Glass is one of the most famous examples of wearable Tech.

Technical Review 88

Technical Review Technology Software Review Google 88

socalTECH

JUNE 3, 2019

Citron previously founded and sold Mogreet, a developer of mobile marketing software, among other ventures. If you see all of the examples, like Salesforce, Warby Parker, the companies that do good outperform all of their peers. I personally got fixated on this notion of can technology actually do good? What is Pledgeling?

Technical Review 113

Technical Review Software Review Mogreet Platform 113

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

I wrote this conundrum and the need to take charge of how the market define your skills in my much-read blog post on “ personal branding.” ” If you don’t create the message about yourself, the market will. He or she has worked at some very successful big technology or media companies and went to a great school.

Technical Review 150

Technical Review Startup Venture Capital IP 150

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2013

As the end of the year approaches, it’s a good time for every startup to assess the metrics, technology, and platforms they’re using to manage the business. This metric is a measure of the total cost associated with acquiring a new customer, including all aspects of marketing and sales. Variable cost percentage.

Metrics 100

Metrics Technical Review Sales Customer 100

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

According to a recent Forbes article , UC Santa Barbara''s Technology Management Program offers students a superior startup education over the University of Pennsylvania (home of Wharton), as well Harvard, Northwestern and even its acclaimed southern neighbor, the University of Southern California. The TMP is an example of lean academia.

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2014

I think this is a Seriously great example of how this process works for at least one VC – Upfront Ventures. We did a full-court press led by Steven because once we decided this was the team we wanted to work with and this opportunity mapped to our belief system that content + tech will build a generation of great Internet companies.

Funding 373

Funding Technical Review Startup Screening 373

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

You can review all the specifics of this approach in the classic book by Nathan Furr and Paul Ahlstrom, appropriately titled “ Nail It then Scale It: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Creating and Managing Breakthrough Innovation ,” but I will net it out here. Nail the go-to-market strategy. Nail the business model.

Technical Review 143

Technical Review Customer Custom Entrepreneur 143

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2022

With the power of the Internet, and the impact of the recent pandemic , the world of business services, such as accounting and marketing, have gone more and more remote. In my experience, the good news is that everyone is becoming more and more comfortable with relationships via the new media and technology.

Services 121

Services Technical Review Social Media Case Study 121

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2020

This distrust for the scripted message has led to a new demand for unfiltered marketing, and the emergence of business credibility heroes, like Elon Musk, with his bold statements about space travel, and sometime villains, such as Mark Zuckerberg defending Facebook privacy practices. Unscripted communication builds trust and credibility.

Customer 173

Customer Custom Social Media Technical Review 173

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

We thought today for our interview, that we'd get an update on the angel investment environment here in Southern California from Scott Sangster , the incoming President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Tech Coast Angels , the biggest angel investment group in Southern California.

Tech Coast Angels 182

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 182

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2015

For example, mobile now has become the formidable new communication channel, posting a year-over-year growth rate of 47 percent in 2014, according to WBR Digital Research. That means your marketing must now include shopping apps, location-based services and mobile wallets. One example of this is Nike’s shoe size page.

Customer 103

Customer Custom Marketing Social Media 103

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 12, 2013

Full-service Pinterest marketing and technology startup – HelloSociety recently announced it had driven $30 million in additional sales revenue for its over 350 brand clientele through Pinterest. HelloSociety’s successful marketing and branding campaigns run on Pinterest for a reason.

Sales 101

Sales Technical Review Marketing Technology 101