Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2021

There is always the next generation of workers coming of age who expect more, as well as the current generation already having the lowest engagement and productivity levels that business has ever seen. It seems they are both looking for more personal satisfaction and sense of purpose for their efforts.

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Tips Satisfaction Coach Mentor 159

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2023

This is the confirmation that your product or service fills a real need in the marketplace. Similarly, it will be very satisfying to see the productivity increases from your leadership and mentoring. Even with the perfect product, your customers won’t even know you exist without marketing.

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Startup Satisfaction Customer Custom 118

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2022

In my own experience as a startup advisor and mentor, I find that entrepreneurs who can’t attract and maintain a highly motivated team rarely even get off the ground. There are many ways to add levity to a tough challenge, and engaging the team occasionally in some fun activities will work wonders for your team’s productivity and motivation.

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Examples Mentor Activity Product 145

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2020

This is the confirmation that your product or service fills a real need in the marketplace. Similarly, it will be very satisfying to see the productivity increases from your leadership and mentoring. Even with the perfect product, your customers won’t even know you exist without marketing.

Satisfaction 174

Satisfaction Customer Custom Outsource 174

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2023

I have personally worked as an employee of large businesses, as well as a partner in new ventures, and found the latter to have more potential for satisfaction. Business owners whose priority is only a financial gain will struggle to find satisfaction and happiness. The return and satisfaction were greater than the cost.

Startup 111

Startup Satisfaction Metrics Customer 111

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2023

These should come as no surprise to you, since they haven’t changed in many decades, and I expect will serve you well in the current turbulent times we all face: Spend time nurturing productive work relationships. Stretch here also increases job satisfaction. Loners need not apply. Hone your project management skills above all others.

Startup 121

Startup Satisfaction Technical Review Ideas 121

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 4, 2023

Ironically, as a startup investor and mentor, I have seen too many failures caused by just the opposite – too much money spent too soon, taking time to get product perfection, and assuming customers will wait. Startups funded by rich uncles rarely think about productivity. Rethink or reframe the challenge.

Resource 112

Resource Ideas Competition Entrepreneur 112

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2023

Many people believe that new ideas are the critical element of innovation, but in my experience as a mentor and investor, long-term business success is more about implementation than ideas. Developing the ideal product the first time around is unlikely, high risk, and very expensive in today’s chaotic market.

Artificial Inteligence 114

Artificial Inteligence Ideas Satisfaction Customer 114

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 19, 2022

Yet as I mentor entrepreneurs around the country, crowdfunding still seems to be one of the least understood approaches to startup funding, with more myths than accredited angels and professional venture capital investors combined. The crowd gets the satisfaction of helping, with minimal risk, and no expectation of any high return.

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Funding Startup Outsource Development Satisfaction 141

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2019

Image via Wikipedia The challenge for all of us in business is to improve competitiveness by improving employee productivity and reducing costs. According to Gartner , one of the biggest drags on productivity is employee engagement, still hovering around 30 percent, and costing our businesses over $450 billion per year.

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Tips Satisfaction Training Mentor 96

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2022

Yet I find, as a mentor and outside consultant, that many of you focus only on working conditions and compensation as the key factors determining team engagement , health, and productivity. Every person requires some level of positive human interaction with co-workers and others to be satisfied and productive.

Technical Review 141

Technical Review Mentor Social Media Customer 141

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2022

These challenges, with recommendations for addressing them, were detailed nicely for me in the classic book, “ The Boomerang Principle ,” by Lee Caraher, who has built several companies, and has helped many others manage Millennials, reduce turnover, and improve satisfaction and the return hire rate.

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Mentor Coach Satisfaction Training 147

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

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023

Yet there is more and more evidence that jumping tasks on every alert for a new email, text, or phone call actually decreases overall productivity. Practicing these will ensure greater productivity, less stress, more job satisfaction, and an improved overall sense of well-being. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

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Email Activity Product Social Media 96

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2023

Entrepreneurs need to be effective team leaders, since no one can transform an idea into a product and a business without some help. Unfortunately many founders I work with as a mentor are experts on the technical side, but have no insight into leading a team. If your team has trouble finding you, you won’t make productive connections.

Technical Review 127

Technical Review Development Team Review Startup Activity 127

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 22, 2021

Ask a mentor for support. Choose a friend or mentor (not your spouse) whom you trust to tell you the truth, and ask for help. Let me assure you, every startup faces more challenges than any other business – unproven product, new processes, new management, and unpredictable customers. Start a log on your efforts and progress.

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Startup Mentor Satisfaction Writing 129

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 1, 2020

You’ve probably already made your resolutions for 2020, but if not, I suggest a renewed commitment to finding happiness and satisfaction in your chosen business lifestyle. The happiest people are the ones who can split their focus between work and family, and get value and satisfaction from both. Keep expectations realistic.

Entrepreneur 137

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Mentor Writing 137

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2021

But privately, as a mentor to many entrepreneurs, I see mindsets and attributes that may be equally critical to success, but are not readily admitted, for fear of being too wacky. You need to listen to customers on how to tune existing products, but most existing customers actually fear change and avoid new technologies.

Entrepreneur 171

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Demand Customer 171

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2017

Ask a mentor for support. Choose a friend or mentor (not your spouse) whom you trust to tell you the truth, and ask for help. Let me assure you, every startup faces more challenges than any other business – unproven product, new processes, new management, and unpredictable customers. Start a log on your efforts and progress.

Startup 61

Startup Product Mentor Satisfaction 61

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2022

These events are also opportunities to get a better handle on customer requirements, as well as measure your customer satisfaction and market trends. Seek mentoring from established industry leaders. The right mentors can give you timely and unbiased feedback on your business, industry trends, and emerging competitors.

Marketing 119

Marketing Social Media Mentor Conference 119

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2023

Many entrepreneurs have a passion and an idea, or even invent a new product, but are never able to execute to the point of creating a startup. The development stage normally begins with designing and prototyping a product or service, and creating the company legal entity. Even fewer are able to grow the startup into a viable business.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Satisfaction 108

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2021

I’ve always wondered if there was some way that I could quickly deduce a new entrepreneur’s “sweet spot,” and optimize my mentoring to those strengths and weaknesses, maybe similar to the Myers-Briggs type indicator for business professionals. Ultimately, most get the best help from business advisors and mentors.

Entrepreneur 134

Entrepreneur Framework Mentor Web 134

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. Engaged people are more productive than your best process. Better relationships are necessary for a better business.

Satisfaction 154

Satisfaction Demand Resource Competition 154

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2021

As a mentor, I’m regularly frustrated by people who try to cover their lack of confidence with ego and arrogance , rather than working on the base issue. Everyone sees your energy applied more productively, and has the urge to help. Confidence and self-esteem are critical to your success as an entrepreneur, or any business role.

Mentor 174

Mentor Satisfaction Competition Marketing 174

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2023

Listen to your team, mentors, and customers to recognize real successes and failures, and surround yourself with people who can fill in the gaps. Poor work-life balance will leave you and your team working more hours but being less productive. We all have strengths and weaknesses. Commit, improve, and maintain your life balance.

Mentor 104

Mentor Startup Coach Satisfaction 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2021

Ironically, as a startup investor and mentor, I have seen too many failures caused by just the opposite – too much money spent too soon, taking time to get product perfection, and assuming customers will wait. Startups funded by rich uncles rarely think about productivity. Rethink or reframe the challenge.

Startup 164

Startup Resource Entrepreneur Competition 164

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2019

Business owners don’t like it, the new generations think promotions will solve it, and productivity levels continue to suffer. Based on my own career with small companies as well as large ones, I assure you that it’s a lot more satisfying for everyone, as well as productive, working in a happy business environment.

Satisfaction 91

Satisfaction Mentor Summary Class 91

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 3, 2022

It’s been happening for some time, but business changes, accelerated by the recent pandemic, have highlighted the need for all of us to review our positions, image, and satisfaction at work. Build a personal marketing plan, as you would for a new product, including regular highlight reports, progress, and results.

Social Media 125

Social Media Summary Startup Mentor 125

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 25, 2022

The first electric bulb was actually invented by Sir Joseph Wilson Swan, who demonstrated the concept, but gave up trying to develop a practical product after only three attempts. A first step is empowering yourself to achieve success and feel satisfaction from doing your job. Thomas Edison is a classic example.

Startup 122

Startup Satisfaction Summary Coach 122

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

In my experience, it means it will likely be necessary to supplement your product business plan with some key personal initiatives that define you as a business leader role model for all to see: Take a visible leadership role in your industry. Build relationships with known business leaders. Foster an image of open mind and learn mode.

Mentor 145

Mentor IBM IBM Social Media 145

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2021

Unfortunately, these goals are often mutually exclusive, and focusing on the wrong ones won’t bring you that business success and satisfaction you crave. For example, Richard Branson relishes the satisfaction of initiating innovative startups, and rewarding strong team members with the opportunity to run a joint spinoff.

Startup 159

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Equity 159

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. It’s an amazing ride, and there is no satisfaction like creating something out of nothing.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2022

In my years of mentoring entrepreneurs, a problem I have seen too often is low self-esteem, and over-compensating through arrogance and ego. As a team member, low self-esteem leads to low confidence, poor productivity, and no job satisfaction. Fortunately, both can be fixed. Forgive yourself for past mistakes and poor decisions.

Startup 101

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Competition 101

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2022

After years mentoring young aspiring entrepreneurs , I am now convinced that getting along and becoming more productive with other people is a skill that any professional can learn, or accomplish via a dedicated strategy. The result will be less work stress and more job satisfaction, as well as more positive movement in your career.

Startup 114

Startup Examples Satisfaction Mentor 114

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

DECEMBER 25, 2020

Yet there is more and more evidence that jumping tasks on every alert for a new email, text, or phone call actually decreases overall productivity. Practicing these will ensure greater productivity, less stress, more job satisfaction, and an improved overall sense of well-being. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Email 170

Email Activity Social Media Coach 170

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

In my role as a mentor to business professionals and entrepreneurs over the years, I have found that it’s important to take a hard look at the relationships around you on a regular basis. But, like most other skills, you can learn from these priorities: Everyone benefits from active mentoring. A good coach is not a critic.

Tips 95

Tips Mentor Coach Activity 95