Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

What I’m talking about here is a level of discipline and skill necessary to collect and analyze the relevant business data, known as metrics. Here is my selection of ten key metrics that every six-sigma joint like GE tracks without thinking, but too many small businesses only monitor haphazardly, if at all: Sales revenue.

Metrics 106

Metrics Startup Sales Statistics 106

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2023

All the investment money in the world won’t make your company succeed, if you have the wrong team. investors invest in people, not ideas) Effective and timely go-to-market. Have you set the right price for your entree, and correctly included all costs? Show return on investment, growth rates, and market penetration.

Startup 112

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 112

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

Obviously this definition is generic, so my first recommendation is that you take the lead in defining traction metrics for your startup, and then selling your results convincingly to investors. But never forget that traction is necessary, but may not be sufficient, to lower the risk perception of investors, and assure an investment.

Startup 121

Startup Metrics Custom Customer 121

Berkonomics

NOVEMBER 7, 2019

What metrics will you use to fairly evaluate each direct report? Many companies do not take the time to perform such reviews and end up paying the price in adverse rulings by courts or commissioners based upon verbal statements alone. So, protection of the corporation is reason number one for investing in such a process.

Metrics 120

Metrics Report Email Pricing 120

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2018

According to most investors I know, traction is some clear evidence that the “dogs are eating the dog food” – usually meaning that you have at least one customer paying full price for your solution. Define metrics on customer feedback and user counts. Count connections with experts, media, and influencers.

Tips 79

Tips Metrics Technical Review Custom 79

SoCal CTO

MARCH 9, 2007

skip to main | skip to sidebar SoCal CTO Friday, March 9, 2007 Map of VC Investments Found this Map of 2006 VC Investments post. Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. Some very interesting graphics including this heat map: Very cool visualization tool!

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Invest CTO Coach Southern California 150

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2022

These only come with the proper training, investment in tools, and focus on customer relationships. Managing business growth is more than metrics. You can hire the best salespeople, have great products and define good metrics, but without decisive and innovative managers, the sales organization will not reach its full potential.

Sales 147

Sales Metrics Guide Startup 147

SoCal CTO

MARCH 11, 2013

Yes, the investor may literally have said to you: "That is something I'd seriously think about investing in when you have your product built." If you do build the MVP and show it to them, they will ask you about your metrics. They really want metrics, not a product. " But the reality is that they don't mean that.

Metrics 264

Metrics Venture Capital News Product 264

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

All the investment money in the world won’t make your company succeed, if you have the wrong team. investors invest in people, not ideas) Effective and timely go-to-market. Have you set the right price for your entree, and correctly included all costs? Show return on investment, growth rates, and market penetration.

Startup 156

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 156

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 17, 2018

A firm like ours has almost 100 different investments across all the various partners so we get to see some businesses very intimately. " Revenue doesn't pay your bills, GM does  —  @msuster 2/ Founders obsess with revenue as a vanity metric. Some even grow "bad" revenue just to show growth.

Software Review 242

Software Review Technical Review Pricing Metrics 242

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

2 preamble issues having read the comments on TC today: 1: I know that the prices of startup companies is much great in Silicon Valley than in smaller towns / less tech focused areas in the US and the US prices higher than many foreign markets. You can be pissed off, but I don’t set prices. That’s stupid.

Startup 336

Startup Pricing Technical Review Marketing 336

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

During my time in Silicon Valley, I was struck by the fact that most successful entrepreneurs seemed to personally know and regularly hear from all the “movers and shakers” who had the investment capital and leadership they needed. Using metrics to measure results and commitments. Maintaining an insatiable curiosity about change.

Startup 113

Startup Custom Customer Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2021

Startups usually think in terms of a million to 10 million dollar infusions, but aspiring unicorns usually need to seek financial investments of hundreds of millions, or even a billion dollars. Then there is the pressure to go public ( IPO ), and open your investment to thousands, maybe millions, of small investors.

Startup 151

Startup Course Sales Entrepreneur 151

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 2, 2010

Some objections are real and they end up becoming changes to your product, your service plan or your pricing / bundling. As a founder, when you’ve been dealing with these kinds of objections for a couple of years it becomes natural and you easily handle objections on price, product & competition without much thought.

Sales 289

Sales Startup Training Pricing 289

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2023

Products and services for a business need to be attuned to customer requirements, cost and quality tradeoffs, with milestones for pricing and completion. Even if you are not requesting outside funding, I would expect a clear process for sourcing and managing the investment you plan to apply. Preparation and management of funding.

Outsource Development 115

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 115

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

I recommend a trial run with an experiment or MVP (minimum viable product), at full price and cost, before the big bang launch, risking your investment money and a major time commitment. Paul Allen was the technical visionary, Test the viability of your business parameters.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2021

Features, availability, and brand are just the price of entry. Simple metrics and your personal knowledge of the industry can’t keep up with all the relevant competitive forces. You need a platform that is comfortable with the global scope of today’s market, with it’s wide range of social and economic cultures, trends, and needs.

Competition 142

Competition Software Review Social Media Custom 142

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 13, 2013

Once you build it, they will now ask you about the key metrics that they need proven in order to see if you really are a good investment. Once you build it, they will now ask you about the key metrics that they need proven in order to see if you really are a good investment. To prove/disprove a hypothesis.

Technical Review 338

Technical Review CTO Hire CTO Coach Software Review 338

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

This financial leader could well have come through the finance org at another startup or at a larger company but they often also can come from strategy consulting (Bain, BCG or McKinsey) or through investment banking (Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, etc.). We built a strong brand in the city and acquired a ton of organic traffic.

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Custom Customer 286

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

For example, many investors I know tell me they look for business plans that allocate the largest portion of a requested investment to marketing, but most often see the top “ use of funds ” to be further product or service development. Show customers how you bring more value to them. Allocate resources to handle bumps along the way.

Marketing 133

Marketing Custom Customer Outsource Development 133

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 6, 2010

But in my experience as an entrepreneur and now spending my time amongst investors I can generalize that almost all VC investments in early stage technology & Internet investments come down to just four key factors. I obviously don’t speak for all investors. And VC’s are tough customers.

Startup 360

Startup Venture Capital Invest Slides 360

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2010

In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Things that make it investment-grade for outside investors will also benefit you, since you are the ultimate investor. Investors invest in people - not just ideas. Executive team.

Invest 74

Invest Tips Competition Metrics 74

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 6, 2012

Many companies do not take the time to perform such reviews, and end up paying the price in adverse rulings by courts or commissioners based upon verbal statements alone. So protection of the corporation is reason number one for investing in such a process.

Metrics 153

Metrics Email Pricing Tool 153

Berkonomics

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

As a bonus, the “quick read&# eBook and Kindle editions are priced as “singles&# at only $2.99 Creating metrics. Finding sources of investment. New forms of metrics for your business. The role of investment bankers. Setting goals. Creating strategies. Developing your vision. 2 RAISING MONEY.

eBook 168

eBook Press Metrics Startup 168

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

You have to understand whether they’re likely to yield revenue growth in the near term OR whether you have access to cheap enough capital to fund your losses until your investments pay off. If you have a market lead then raising capital and making investments now will help you as others enter the market. ” The Details.

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2020

Products and services for a business need to be attuned to customer requirements, cost and quality tradeoffs, with milestones for pricing and completion. Even if you are not requesting outside funding, I would expect a clear process for sourcing and managing the investment you plan to apply. Preparation and management of funding.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Outsource Development Startup Competition 131

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 26, 2018

As a member of an angel investment group, I have to admit this is probably the most common rejection we issue. I learned this the hard way a few years ago in a startup where customers loved our idea and the free prototype, but we couldn’t sell one for the full price needed to meet our financial projections.

Custom 59

Custom Customer Pricing Startup 59

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2019

These only come with the proper training, investment in tools, and focus on customer relationships. Managing business growth is more than metrics. You can hire the best salespeople, have great products and define good metrics, but without decisive and innovative managers, the sales organization will not reach its full potential.

Startup 97

Startup Sales Metrics Guide 97

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

In the short term you need customers to find you at any price, and in the longer term you need revenue, profit, and return loyalty. In a larger public company, it’s all about making your quarterly numbers, versus investing in strategic growth alternatives that may not pay off until several quarters later.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2018

All the investment money in the world won’t make your company succeed, if you have the wrong team. investors invest in people, not ideas) Effective and timely go-to-market. Have you set the right price for your entrée, and correctly included all costs? Show return on investment, growth rates, and market penetration.

Startup 81

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 81

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2017

A successful business requires focus – define the customer need with a specific solution for a specific price and cost. Normally the goal is to make enough money to be sustainable and provide a return on the investment of constituents. Manage the business with metrics and goals. Treat every business dollar as a personal one.

Ideas 72

Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2019

These days, a fun shopping experience, or no-question returns, often tips the scales over extra product features or a lower price. Thus incremental investments are better spent figuring out ways to extract further value from sticky customers at any given point in time. Believing customer retention rates remain constant over time.

Custom 85

Custom Customer Product Metrics 85

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2019

Image via Pixabay After a frustrating meeting with a small business client recently who didn’t “have time” for social media, I was surprised to find evidence on the Internet that up to one quarter of small business owners are still hesitant to invest time, money, and effort into a social media strategy. Do your homework before you begin.

Social Media 99

Social Media Media Tool Startup 99

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

The VC industry has different segments in it that have different fund sizes, different investment amounts and different risk / return expectations. If you’re an angel you invest your own money and you have nobody to answer to except your spouse. If you invest it in startups you’re a VC professional money manager.

Venture Capital 308

Venture Capital Training Startup Entrepreneur 308

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2016

All the investment money in the world won’t make your company succeed, if you have the wrong team. investors invest in people, not ideas) Effective and timely go-to-market. Have you set the right price for your entrée, and correctly included all costs? Show return on investment, growth rates, and market penetration.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Metrics 93

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Things that make it investment-grade for outside investors will also benefit you, since you are the ultimate investor. Investors invest in people - not just ideas. Executive team.

Competition 113

Competition Metrics Startup Invest 113

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

I recommend a ten-slide pitch to start, reviewed by friends and advisors, to be expanded to a ten-to-twenty-page business plan with opportunity sizing, cost and price details, competitors, marketing and sales strategy, financial projections, and resources required. Make sure your solution is defensible and unique.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94