Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2017

Every startup and every new business needs a unique selling proposition (USP) to get people’s attention these days, and make it stand out in the information overload we all see. I’m looking for the “hook” right up front, or I lose interest quickly, just like every customer and investor these days. Do include some quantification.

Startup 58

Startup Education Ideas Customer 58

Xconomy

DECEMBER 28, 2017

ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest World Finals 2017. ICPC World Finals 2017, held in Rapid City. In 2017, it was in Rapid City, South Dakota. It was always sort of shocking to people, even on a national level, when they would hear [that Rapid City was hosting ICPC 2017],” Jensen said. “And

Coach 75

Coach Technical Review Carson Networking 75

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2017

04% full, you should start looking for a new container. Snapchat is currently the fastest growing social network, while Instagram is close behind with a bigger share globally of new sign-ups. in 2017, as young people ages 12 to 17 migrate to Snapchat and Instagram. Time to start connecting them with each other.

Social Media 64

Social Media Media Snapchat Platform 64

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2017

I started out in business as a techy geek, so I understand why technologists starting a new venture spend so much effort getting the product just right. Thus I’m frustrated when I see founders pushing off recruiting, or jumping to quick and cheap solutions, like Craigslist and free job sites.

Startup 72

Startup Technical Review Metrics Competition 72

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 4, 2017

A large portion of your competitive advantage and your potential value to investors is the size of your intellectual property portfolio. You need all these before you start looking for funding. The company name becomes your intellectual property at the moment you incorporate your startup as an LLC or a Corporation.

Startup 69

Startup Patents IP Social Media 69

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2019

A large portion of your competitive advantage and your potential value to investors is the size of your intellectual property portfolio. You need all these before you start looking for funding. The company name becomes your intellectual property at the moment you incorporate your startup as an LLC or a Corporation.

IP 93

IP Invest Patents Social Media 93

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2017

In my role as an angel investor in startups, almost every pitch I see highlights some real innovation in technology, business model, or market opportunity. It’s amazing how many proposals I see that are “me too” with only slight or abstract differentiation from other social media sites, ride sharing, or collaboration tools.

Netflix 54

Netflix Social Media Competition Customer 54

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2017

Starting and running a business is hard. Don’t believe the old myth that with a few hours of work a day and a great web site, you can get rich while you sleep. As an angel investor in startups, I often find myself looking harder at the quality of the team and the leadership, than at the details of the product and business model.

Funding 55

Funding Satisfaction Customer Custom 55