Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2020

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” Negotiate an advance from a strategic partner or customer. An example would be negotiating free office space by agreeing to support the computer systems for all the other office tenants.

Funding 174

Funding Startup Equity Examples 174

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. If your target customer is a business, rather than a consumer, I recommend you skip crowdfunding as poorly applicable.

Funding 119

Funding Startup Platform Examples 119

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2016

The real unique part of this program, which I'm excited about, is the marriage between the mentoring that a company could receive from both those with an entrepreneurial startup background of Techstars, and the deep, vertical knowledge of clinicians or healthcare administrators, who have been doing healthcare work for a while.

Mentor 100

Mentor Startup Coach Ideas 100

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2016

The real unique part of this program, which I'm excited about, is the marriage between the mentoring that a company could receive from both those with an entrepreneurial startup background of Techstars, and the deep, vertical knowledge of clinicians or healthcare administrators, who have been doing healthcare work for a while.

Mentor 100

Mentor Startup Coach Ideas 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2020

As a mentor to entrepreneurs over the years, I see many of you who don’t communicate enough, others who seem to do all the talking, and some that are hesitant to be direct and open. One of the biggest problems I see in startups is everyone trying to do too many different things, straining resources and confusing customers.

Startup 124

Startup Ideas Examples Metrics 124

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2015

In my perspective as an advisor and mentor to many entrepreneurs, there are a set of basic strategies that can be applied to every startup to dramatically improve the odds of success, no matter what the business domain. Maybe more important, you need domain knowledge, relationships and lots of potential customers.

Startup 101

Startup Metrics Resource Mentor 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2014

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain.

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Customer 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 12, 2017

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain.

Startup 64

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 64

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

In a collaborative effort, Ria Consulting, LLC and Los Angeles Net Developers Group are hosting this event on November 10th, 2012 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California. Jason also spearheads customer-driven, innovative features and functionality throughout all of infragistics’ products.

JavaScript 93

JavaScript Long Beach Java .Net 93

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2019

That can’t possibly be healthy for employee morale, productivity, or customer focus. If you don’t regularly invest in employees through training and mentoring, they won’t invest in you by stretching themselves, and tackling risky but critical business change challenges. They need to trust and respect you, as well as peer team members.

Technical Review 91

Technical Review Organization Activity .Net 91

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 20, 2012

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain.

Startup 118

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 118

InfoChachkie

MARCH 5, 2012

If you use the mentor-driven model that we pioneered at TechStars, you get entrepreneurs who are deeply connected with the broader entrepreneurial landscape. Many experienced entrepreneurs choose to go through an accelerator because of the network effect and the dynamics of the mentor help that they get.

Startup 270

Startup Incubator Doc Mentor 270

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2013

How can you beat finding someone who has been there and done that, able to mentor Gen-Y, has lots of connections to people in your industry, and is often willing to work for equity alone? Customer service. Most actually have the time and inclination to help you, rather than compete with you. Angel investor. Interim executive.

Startup 98

Startup Mentor Demand High Tech 98

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 17, 2017

Based on my current role as a mentor to entrepreneurs, I will paraphrase and recommend Whiddon’s top techniques in business terms: Build an image of likability and rapport. In today’s customer context, you can foster rapport by dressing like them, making every effort to look attractive, offering compliments, and listening intensely.

Social Media 58

Social Media Customer Custom Entrepreneur 58

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2011

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain.

Startup 114

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 114

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 20, 2011

How can you beat finding someone who has been there and done that, able to mentor Gen-Y, has lots of connections to people in your industry, and is often willing to work for equity alone? Customer Service. Most actually have the time and inclination to help you, rather than compete with you. Angel Investor. Interim Executive.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Mentor Demand High Tech 107

Jason Nazar

MAY 1, 2016

Customer Acquisition Cost / Cost Per Acquisition . The customer acquisition cost or cost per acquisition is the basic marketing cost to acquire a customer. See what other startup mentors have to say about marketing tactics. d) What percent of your carts/free trials convert into paid customers? Net Promoter Score.

Marketing 40

Marketing CPC Metrics .Net 40

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

In one year of Airbnb Tracy netted more than $28,000. She focused on her customer. Tracy is knowledgeable enough to talk tech and swap design & product stories with other founders, but she realized early that networking amongst this group and reading and writing in their journals would not bring her more customers.

Startup 363

Startup Entrepreneur SEO Venture Capital 363

Jason Nazar

NOVEMBER 1, 2015

Customer Acquisition Cost / Cost Per Acquisition . The customer acquisition cost or cost per acquisition is the basic marketing cost to acquire a customer. See what other startup mentors have to say about marketing tactics. d) What percent of your carts/free trials convert into paid customers? Net Promoter Score.

Marketing 40

Marketing CPC Metrics .Net 40

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2018

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” Negotiate an advance from a strategic partner or customer. An example would be negotiating free office space by agreeing to support the computer systems for all the other office tenants.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Startup Equity Funding 96

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

Mike uses his own experience as a recovering workaholic building two multimillion-dollar companies to net out seven steps in his transformation. Use mentoring to help people develop as your business develops. Focus on satisfying your ideal and best customers. Have the right people do the right things at the right time.

Resource 60

Resource Examples Design Entrepreneur 60

Tech Coast Venture Network

APRIL 22, 2010

With rare exception, you will need to finance personally (or with friends and family to the point of revenue and/or significant customer pre-order or commitment). In order to qualify, you have to have high net worth, a strong credit score and significant skin in the game. Remember, help is only a mentor away. Friends and Family.

Startup 124

Startup Tech Coast Angels TCVN Incubator 124

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” Negotiate an advance from a strategic partner or customer. An example would be negotiating free office space by agreeing to support the computer systems for all the other office tenants.

Funding 107

Funding Startup Equity Examples 107

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 26, 2010

How can you beat finding someone who has been there and done that, able to mentor Gen-Y, has lots of connections to people in your industry, and is often willing to work for equity alone? Customer Service. Most actually have the time and inclination to help you, rather than compete with you. Angel Investor. Interim Executive.

Mentor 75

Mentor Statistics High Tech Demand 75

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2015

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. In a two-minute video clip, you can introduce yourself, show your passion and the engaging personality you need to win over customers, partners, and employees.

Startup 104

Startup Writing Entrepreneur Slides 104

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2014

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” Negotiate an advance from a strategic partner or customer. An example would be negotiating free office space by agreeing to support the computer systems for all the other office tenants.

Startup 113

Startup Entrepreneur Funding Equity 113

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. Ask For Mentoring. The time spent reading Enchantment will net a significant return. Drop Everything And Do What Your Boss Asks. Form Friendships.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Blogging Class Entrepreneur 279

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2018

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. In a two-minute video clip, you can introduce yourself, show your passion and the engaging personality you need to win over customers, partners, and employees.

Startup 65

Startup Entrepreneur Slides Content 65

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2014

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. In a two-minute video clip, you can introduce yourself, show your passion and the engaging personality you need to win over customers, partners, and employees.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Startup Writing Slides 108

Tech.Co

JULY 24, 2017

Below we’ll outline how to squeeze those last drops of talent out of your own social circles, how to incentivize current employees to lure in potential candidates in their networks, and how to entice “superconnectors” to recruit through their own far-reaching nets. I suggest to customize your pitch for them. Tap Into Your Network.

Networking 83

Networking Startup Software Review Conference 83

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 6, 2012

Developers were allowed to code in any language they were most comfortable with including Objective C, Java, Javascript, HTML, C #, Dot Net, and XNA. There were people walking around the room with orange ties called Senseis that were there specifically to mentor and support developers with programming issues.

Hollywood 82

Hollywood Mobile HTML JavaScript 82

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 23, 2013

As an employee of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets from 1999-2003 and of the Indianapolis Pacers from 2003-2008, I learned first-hand from the likes of Rod Thorn, Byron Scott, Jason Kidd and Larry Bird about the importance of leading by example and keys to assembling a championship-caliber team. We have 115 paying customers right now.

Social Network 92

Social Network Networking Training Summary 92

Tech Coast Venture Network

MARCH 9, 2011

“The high-net-worth individuals [who] make up the angel universe tend to take extended vacations in the summer and the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s,” says Jennifer Naylor, an angel investor with Golden Seeds in New York. “Most have a strong desire to mentor and help build companies.”

Tips 100

Tips Capital Tech Coast Angels Screening 100