Berkonomics

MARCH 9, 2017

We have years of real data to call upon: data that impacts both investors and entrepreneurs. For 2016 alone, there are two reliable sources of recent data for us to examine. Entrepreneurs will always start new enterprises. We are a cadre of optimists and that is unlikely to change.

Startup 266

Startup Statistics Tech Coast Angels Study 266

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2016

In my experience as an advisor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I often encounter the myth that an initial startup requires investors. The media tends to highlight experienced entrepreneurs who succeed with early new venture funding, like Uber’s Garrett Camp , but fail to point out the more common bootstrapping successes.

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Entrepreneur Startup Equity Outsource Development 67

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2016

As a startup advisor and investor, I’ve met many aspiring entrepreneurs, and I often get asked the question, “I have a great idea for a startup – do you agree that it real potential?” If you are dreaming of an opportunity to get rich quick, the entrepreneur route is not for you. You enjoy building relationships as well as products.

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Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Sample 67

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2016

As a startup advisor and investor, I find that more and more entrepreneurs avoid using the term “profit” in pitching their new venture. Thus I was pleased and a bit surprised to see a new book, “ The Purpose Is Profit ,” by Ed “Skip” McLaughlin, an entrepreneur who has both succeeded and failed in starting multiple businesses.

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Entrepreneur Ideas Pricing Customer 58

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2016

There are a few entrepreneurs who seem to always be ahead of the rest, and are able to sense where the market is going tomorrow. Everyone wants to support the entrepreneur with the courage to make bold decisions, and can make it happen. So what does one have to do to get on the list? His new product presentations were legendary.

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Entrepreneur Marketing Design Satisfaction 56

SoCal Tech Calendar

NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Wednesday, November 9, 2016 -- Disrupt Your Market to Grow Big and Grow Fast. join us at our November Entrepreneur Speaker Series event where Tom White, Director of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator at CSUN, will reveal the secrets to “Disrupt Your Market to Grow Big and Grow Fast.” Cal Lutheran Center for Enterpreneurship.

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Marketing Incubator Los Angeles Pricing 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2016

As a business advisor, I have too often seen technical entrepreneurs get a product or service off the ground with ease, but then struggle mightily when their business reaches a couple of million in annual sales, or the employee count grows beyond a handful. True entrepreneurs love the tactical and problem solving challenges.

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Entrepreneur Training Organization Examples 55

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 4, 2017

With the Identity Theft Resource Center® reporting a 40 percent increase in data breaches in 2016, there seems to be a growing population out there worried about all the people intent on hurting them. My plea to entrepreneurs is to recognize these concerns as an opportunity, to make people’s life better, rather than stoke the fires.

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Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup Symantec 54

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

And here’s an important point that I think modern entrepreneurs often forget: Investors are “co-owners” of your business. There are just as many bad entrepreneurs who do bad things. how much energy to put into channel partners vs. direct sales. how to build an initial sales organization.

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Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2019

Every year, at the end of the year, we share some reflections on the past year from our readers, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, sponsors, and others in the local technology community. Today, we share the thoughts of Mike Jones , Co-founder and CEO of Science, Inc. READ MORE>>.

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Dollar Shave Club Activity Organization News 100

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 26, 2016

The biggest challenge for every entrepreneur and every startup today is to get noticed and remembered in today’s information overload. The number of entrepreneurs worldwide is huge, starting an estimated 50 million new businesses in the past year, or 137,000 per day. Marty Zwilling First published on Huffington Post on 09/24/2016.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2016

One of the most important skills for every entrepreneur is timely and effective decision making. The best entrepreneurs relish this role, while others struggle mightily and ultimately lose their health and their company. Your job as entrepreneur or executive does not end with picking a solution.

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Startup Entrepreneur Ideas Coach 106

TechCrunch LA

MAY 19, 2020

After wrestling with recalcitrant homeowners, husbanding their parcels of land to keep their property values high, the state’s leadership passed a law that increased the availability of new rental units and put more money into homeowners’ pockets in 2016. The Culver City, Calif.-based

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Los Angeles Startup Culver City .Net 191

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2016

Too many entrepreneurs don’t know what to do at this point, largely accounting for that disappointing 50 percent of startups that fail in the first five years, according to Gallup. Others do far too little, assuming the viral effect and word-of-mouth will soon kick in, and sales will suddenly grow exponentially.

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Search Engine Optimization Startup Social Media Metrics 57

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 7, 2015

Who makes more money, entrepreneurs or venture capitalists? Jason’s comments caused me to compare my career as an entrepreneur and a VC with Rincon Venture Partners. This analysis is particularly timely, given the recent tidal wave of successful entrepreneurs who have become Angel and venture investors. The Answer: “Yes and No”.

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Venture Capital Capital .Net Entrepreneur 100

socalTECH

JANUARY 4, 2016

As an entrepreneur and a new investor, this couldn't be more relevant. As an entrepreneur, being more focused on the outcome than the process can be counterproductive. What are the technologies or things you think people ought to watch in 2016? Hamet Watt is a longtime serial entrepreneur. READ MORE>>.

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Southern California Entrepreneur News Technology 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 18, 2016

When entrepreneurs introduce new products to the market, their passion and conviction often leads them to assume that every potential customer will see the immediate need and value, and will quickly adopt the solution. Multiple decision makers required to close a sale. Marty Zwilling First published on Huffington Post on 11/17/2016.

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Product Case Study Customer Custom 95

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2016

Too many entrepreneurs put their best creative thinking into the startup idea, and believe that the business implementation simply requires following tried and true business practices. Successful entrepreneurs call these paradigm shifts or disruptive technologies, where new solutions cause unanticipated opportunities.

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Ideas Competition Customer Custom 103

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 27, 2016

As an angel investor, I’ve learned to believe in this approach, since I have seen great ideas go astray, due to poor execution and I have seen apparently marginal ideas make millions, managed by a savvy entrepreneur. Even social entrepreneurs need milestones, quantifiable results, and revenue to sustain their value.

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Ideas Technical Review Entrepreneur Advertising 53

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 21, 2016

Others, like Guy Kawasaki , have irreverently called some of these “entrepreneur lies,” but I prefer to think of them as innocent enhancements or omissions that can kill your deal. Sales projections are less than one percent market penetration. Entrepreneurs in this category are usually dreamers. Your future depends on it.

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Funding Startup Innocal Entrepreneur 98

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

Entrepreneurs who are looking to attract investors need to develop and pitch a plan -- preferably written -- that answers every potential investor question about your startup before it is asked. What are your specific marketing and sales plans? Find a comparable company to show potential sale value and return on investment (ROI).

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Invest Startup Slides Equity 108

socalTECH

AUGUST 18, 2017

Marcus Filipovich: I joined as Chief Executive Officer in January of 2016, however, our founders are really the pioneers in the area of using eye signs for drug enforcement. Marcus Filipovich: Our other founder, Ron Waldorf, is a serial entrepreneur, primarily in the medical business. How did the company and its technology come about?

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Pasadena Angels Pasadena Technical Review Southern California 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2016

As an investor and advisor to entrepreneurs, I see accountability, or lack of it, as an override to even the best idea. If you are an entrepreneur building a new business, there are many things along these lines that you can and must do, including the following: It’s up to you to be the model of accountability. Very refreshing.

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Startup Resource Training Tool 99

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 3, 2016

Examples of VC platform services include: recruiting, marketing, design support, inside sales reps, consulting, accounting services and so forth. The new war for platforms has mostly been waged by Andreessen Horowitz who have raised astounding amounts of capital and therefore had the fees to put into providing more services for entrepreneurs.

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Venture Capital Platform Startup Resource 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2016

For example, if you watch the TV show “Shark Tank,” you will remember several entrepreneurs with specialty products doing well online who want money to move into big box retail. Here are some practical steps that I advise every entrepreneur to follow in setting their channel strategy: Focus on only one channel to begin.

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Pricing Customer Custom Sales 54

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2016

I meet many entrepreneurs with a real passion for their new idea, but unfortunately they don’t all realize that passion is necessary but not sufficient fuel to turn their idea into a successful business. Marty Zwilling First published on Entrepreneur.com on 01/01/2016. Reality check your potential for building a business.

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Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Statistics 62

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2016

As a business advisor, I certainly recognize the need for talking to make an investment case, close a sale, or communicate with your team. You can’t learn anything new while you’re talking, yet many business professionals and entrepreneurs seem to never stop. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 09/27/2016.

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Activity Resource Email Competition 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2016

Business success is all about having the best team, yet the average entrepreneur has little prior experience with hiring people and building top-notch teams. Most new entrepreneurs assume their passion will attract and motivate the right team members. Marty Zwilling First published on Forbes on 07/02/2016.

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Organization Entrepreneur Satisfaction Screening 57

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2016

Unfortunately, many passionate entrepreneurs read this initial surge as success, and charge ahead with more of the same passion, leading to a series of potential pitfalls that can quickly jeopardize the health of the entire business. Marty Zwilling First published on Forbes on 08/13/2016. That’s a win-win combination for everyone.

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Startup Training Entrepreneur Customer 57

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 9, 2016

Good entrepreneurs are all about managing change, but too many forget that they have to change themselves as their dream evolves from a startup to a scalable business. Many entrepreneurs gave grown to prefer the relative quiet and isolation of their garage, and their ability to set their own schedule.

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Social Network Startup Demand Entrepreneur 59

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2016

Does your business have a visible positive strategy, or do your customers and employees still see your primary focus as closing more sales and killing competitors? I believe these steps are especially critical to the success of entrepreneurs who are rolling out new businesses today. Start with a focus on strategy, and keep it there.

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Customer Custom Social Media Competition 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 22, 2016

Almost every entrepreneur looking for outside investors has heard the annoying rejection, “You are just too early – come back when you have more traction.” Use experiments to test every element of your business model – cost, price, marketing, sales channel, customer acquisition cost, lead conversion rate, and lifetime value.

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Metrics Funding Startup Customer 57

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2016

What every entrepreneur is asking me these days, is “How do I get to be a unicorn?” Yet there are a common set of driving factors that every entrepreneur should know, including the following: Extraordinary marketplace traction. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 09/29/2016. These are popularly called “unicorns.”

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Company Companies Startup Statistics 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2017

People who are good at solving problems for other people make great entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are often too passionate and impatient. For example, what looks like a sales revenue problem may actually be a new competitor offering, a marketing decline, or a lag in receivables. That’s what a business gets paid to do.

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Metrics Entrepreneur Examples Coach 58

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2016

Most new entrepreneurs have great ideas, and many are highly skilled in building their solutions. Full autonomy to go above and beyond in sales and customer-service roles will increase team engagement as well as customer satisfaction. Entrepreneurs and team members who genuinely care for each other relish their engagement with others.

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Software Review Satisfaction Startup Training 57

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 14, 2014

All the data actually suggests with the growth of mobile, inbound sales calls will double from 30 billion to 60 billion in 3 years (source: Kelsey). Only naive people believe that but for inexperienced entrepreneurs you can be fooled into the narrative by the press who sometimes write stories without the actual data. PHONE CALLS.

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Email SaaS Venture Capital Google 339

Xconomy

NOVEMBER 13, 2016

View the Slideshow A little more than a year ago, amid a resurgence in San Diego’s software sector, Xconomy identified a baker’s dozen of local tech companies to watch in 2016. Tim Rueth, a UC San Diego entrepreneur in residence and member of the EvoNexus selection committee, also screened the list, and offered his perspective.

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San Diego Technical Review Artificial Inteligence Startup 40