Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2020

As a startup advisor in this age of the entrepreneur, I see many more startups, but innovation is still hard to find. Startups which display real innovation, such as alternative energy sources and new medical treatments, are still rare. New product process. Net result and reward. Failure is the best teacher.

Coach 144

Coach Metrics Social Network Competition 144

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 5, 2015

In his premier film appearance in the blaxploitation send-up “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka,” Chris Rock inadvertently addresses a key pricing challenge faced by most entrepreneurs. A recurring entrepreneurial challenge is to determine the optimal price of a new product, especially absent a directly competitive alternative.

Pricing 100

Pricing Product Startup Customer 100

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2019

To refresh your memory, angel investors are typically high net worth individuals, accredited by the SEC and willing to invest their own money in a high-potential startup for a share of the ownership. Business-to-business products need professional investors. Crowdfunding is not the best platform here.

Funding 119

Funding Startup Platform Examples 119

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2017

Not so long ago, every business assumed that the keys to success were the highest quality product, the best value for the buck, and the best customer service. Exploit your product and service differences. You must be able to highlight these differences between your products and services, and those of your competitors.

Customer 85

Customer Custom Product Marketing 85

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2013

I’m always looking for evidence of early startup characteristics that might be predictors of long-term success. Of course, we would all like to have a magic list based on more definitive tracking of many real startups over time. Here is my own net of those seven habits: Founder is ready, willing, and able to learn.

Startup 102

Startup Study Journal Sample 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2023

Every startup dreams of achieving that milestone, when they can focus more on scaling the business and enjoying their earnings, rather than fighting for another investment infusion. Most modern investors still look for a business model that embodies a gross margin over 50%, and a net margin in the 20% range. Martin Zwilling

Organization 94

Organization Invest Customer Custom 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2020

Every startup dreams of achieving that milestone, when they can focus more on scaling the business and enjoying their earnings, rather than fighting for another investment infusion. Most modern investors still look for a business model that embodies a gross margin over 50%, and a net margin in the 20% range. Martin Zwilling.

Organization 173

Organization Invest Customer Custom 173

Tech.Co

MAY 9, 2024

There are thousands of grants up for grabs through government website portals, but since this type of financing is designed to support the public, their eligibility criteria tend to be quite specific. We also offer some advice for writing your application, to make sure your proposal is as competitive as possible.

Outsource Development 207

Outsource Development Technical Review Research Writing 207

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2015

As a startup investor in this age of the entrepreneur, I see many more startups, but innovation is still hard to find. Startups which display real innovation, such as alternative energy sources and new medical treatments, are still rare. New product process. Net result and reward. Accountability. Idea management.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Metrics 101

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2012

I’m always looking for evidence of early startup characteristics that might be predictors of long-term success. Of course, we would all like to have a magic list based on more definitive tracking of many real startups over time. Here is my own net of those seven habits: Founder is ready, willing, and able to learn.

Startup 99

Startup Study Journal Sample 99

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 10, 2011

In my ongoing quest to get you good transcripts of the wonderful interviews we’ve done in the past, I present you with one amazing interview here with Tom McInerney – a friend, co-investor, former entrepreneur turned angel investor and “wizard of Oz&# behind the scenes at the uber hot startup Klout.

Angel 302

Angel Startup Ideas .Net 302

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2019

If you are looking for funding and customers for your new business, you need to identify your “unique selling proposition” (USP) right up front, in 30 seconds or less, to differentiate yourself in today’s information overload. Great products solve painful real problems, and are not just “nice to have” or “easier to use.”

.Net 73

.Net Examples Customer Custom 73

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 21, 2014

Introducing Bitcoinference | A Decentralized Conference , hosted by illustrious startup accelerator, 500 Startups. Bitcoin has had a rough start to the year (to say the least) – with a never-ending news feed consisting of massive bankruptcy , scandal stories, and car chase media fiascos. Getting Things Started.

Startup 104

Startup Venture Capital Draper Invest 104

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2018

As a startup investor in this age of the entrepreneur, I see many more startups, but innovation is still hard to find. Startups which display real innovation, such as alternative energy sources and new medical treatments, are still rare. New product process. Net result and reward. Failure is the best teacher.

Entrepreneur 64

Entrepreneur Coach Metrics Competition 64

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2010

I’m always looking for evidence of early startup characteristics that might be predictors of long-term success. Of course, we would all like to have a magic list based on more definitive tracking of many real startups over time. Here is my own net of those seven habits: Founder is ready, willing, and able to learn.

Startup 92

Startup Study Journal Sample 92

Berkonomics

JUNE 8, 2017

Some businesses require very little capital and the founder can self-finance the enterprise and retain 100% of its ownership and control from ignition through liquidity event (startup through sale). And even with the significant cost of credit card debt, many entrepreneurs aggressively use existing cards to finance a startup.

Venture Capital 266

Venture Capital Class Invest Equity 266

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 16, 2010

LP’s who invest in funds are typically university endowments, public & private pension funds, insurance companies, large corporations and very high net worth individuals called “family offices.&# To give you an indication of how bad, for example, university endowments are suffering check out this chart.

Venture Capital 311

Venture Capital Startup Seed Funding Rustic Canyon 311

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Once you have a potential investor excited about your team, your product, and your company, the investor will inevitably ask “What is your company’s valuation?” Well, if the parties agree to a pre-money valuation of $1M, then the post-money investor ownership is 50% (founders give up half interest, and lose control).

Startup 108

Startup Invest Patents Outsource Development 108

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 17, 2017

This market structure in which the few, large players use their market position to eliminate competition is inevitable. Of course our great technology industry did itself rise on the back of infrastructure created by telecommunications & cable infrastructure as well as decades of media production. It’s Hobbesian economics 101.

Course 280

Course Startup Framework Marketing 280

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2016

Every startup dreams of achieving that milestone, when they can focus more on scaling the business and enjoying their earnings, rather than fighting for another investment infusion. Most modern investors still look for a business model that embodies a gross margin over 50%, and a net margin in the 20% range. Martin Zwilling.

Startup 58

Startup Organization Invest Customer 58

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2016

As a startup investor in this age of the entrepreneur, I see many more startups, but innovation is still hard to find. Startups which display real innovation, such as alternative energy sources and new medical treatments, are still rare. New product process. Net result and reward. Failure is the best teacher.

Coach 64

Coach Metrics Competition Ideas 64

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2021

I was happy to see quantified evidence of this in a new book, “ Winning on Purpose ,” by Fred Reichhheld, creator of the Net Promoter system of management, in concert with Darci Darnell and Maureen Burns. Too many businesses I know still see customer service as a burden, rather than an opportunity to gain loyalty and advocacy.

Customer 114

Customer Custom Satisfaction Metrics 114

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2016

Whether you are talking to peers, competitors or investors, you as an active entrepreneur will be judged on your familiarity with today’s startup and funding jargon. This term is currently applied to recent startups who profess a current valuation which exceeds $1 billion. Could your startup be the next one? Sweat equity.

Startup 57

Startup Software Review Equity Invest 57

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 3, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series of posts and I need to file this one under both Raising Venture Capital and Startup Advice. People mistook extra doses of Ajax for a successful product. In all of these new product and cost-focused new trends, a big problem has emerged that all of these movements have not addressed.

Web 2.0 334

Web 2.0 Venture Capital Web Technical Review 334

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2019

In my work with new and aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that most struggle with putting together a written business plan, often pointing out that someone they know started a business without anything written down. Starting a new business starts with selling everyone, including yourself, on the viability and specifics of your idea.

Ideas 126

Ideas Slides Sample Examples 126

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 1, 2015

We offered a service that has a net promoter score of 87 placing us higher than such great brands as USAA, Costco, Apple and Amazon. This has been a great start we wanted to push harder. We started by beta testing ephemeral photos. Please watch this short product announcement (or click on this MakeSpace Emo product link).

Snapchat 150

Snapchat Press .Net Customer 150

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 19, 2010

Startups and entrepreneurs need to be realists. While the amounts were down, the number of startups that took slices of the pie went up by 9 percent (780 total), perhaps signaling that investors are trying to be more economical with their funds. Tags: entrepreneur startups investors venture capital business.

Venture Capital 90

Venture Capital Capital Startup Summary 90

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2015

Not so long ago, every business assumed that the keys to success were the highest quality product, the best value for the buck, and the best customer service. Exploit your product and service differences. You must be able to highlight these differences between your products and services, and those of your competitors.

Customer 100

Customer Custom .Net Competition 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2012

The competition never stands still, and new opportunities are evolving, based on culture changes in your customers, new technologies, and new problems in the world which need to be solved. I’ve netted out his and others to create the following basic strategy for entrepreneurial growth: Apply your core competency to related markets.

Startup 98

Startup Customer Custom Entrepreneur 98

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 13, 2010

I started blogging in 2005 and then re-started blogging about a year ago. You can start in a lightweight, community friendly way like on Tumblr or Posterous without much effort. The net result of my posts plus the comments forms a tighter view of my evolving belief system. Let me explain. So it goes with blogging.

Blogging 250

Blogging Social Media Writing Startup 250

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2015

Many startups and mature businesses have not yet accepted the fact that customer satisfaction and loyalty in this “always connected” age are about more than product and service quality. They operate like competitive retention, forcing you to win every transaction over competitors. Nobody said it would be easy. Marty Zwilling.

Customer 100

Customer Custom Satisfaction Social Media 100

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2013

Most startups I know that work in the Apple iOS ecosystem complain because Apple takes a 30% slice of their revenue and yet I often point out that 30% has for years been a common revenue share for one who provides “distribution.” It’s a made-up term and not even a good one at that. ” YouTube takes 45%.

Networking 366

Networking Media Content Customer 366

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 6, 2010

Once you have a potential investor excited about your team, your product, and your company, the investor will inevitably ask “What is your company’s valuation?” Well, if the parties agree to a pre-money valuation of $1M, then the post-money investor ownership is 50% (founders give up half interest, and lose control).

Startup 93

Startup Patents Outsource Development Web 93

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2012

I expect that should seem intuitive to all entrepreneurs, but every investor I know has many stories about startup funding requests with major business model elements missing. The most common failures are solutions looking for a problem, lack of a defined market, and giving away the product. Production. Competition.

Sales 97

Sales Customer Custom Outsource 97

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2014

Not so long ago, every business assumed that the keys to success were the highest quality product, the best value for the buck, and the best customer service. Exploit your product and service differences. You must be able to highlight these differences between your products and services, and those of your competitors.

Customer 98

Customer Custom .Net Competition 98

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2012

Continuous innovation is required to survive in all businesses, beginning with a startup, and increasing in importance as your business matures. In a startup, that needs to be the founder or CEO, and that person has to be regularly and personally involved. New product development process. Net result and reward.

Coach 98

Coach Ideas IP Sales 98

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 23, 2013

Founded in the summer of 2011 and their first product out a few weeks ago amSTATS wants to help users to follow fitness events and programs near them and find a great fitness trainer to help them stay fit. TechZulu caught up with Michael Piermont, amSTATZ Chief Executive Officer and this is what he revealed. Any competition in LA?

Social Network 92

Social Network Networking Training Summary 92