Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2017

Thus I believe that business leaders and entrepreneurs need to focus first on people leadership, rather than process leadership. As a business advisor and investor in new startups, I see how difficult it is to make any process work, no matter how well designed, if the team is dysfunctional.

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socalTECH

OCTOBER 26, 2016

This morning, Techstars (www.techstars.org), the startup accelerator which has had great success in spreading its approach to helping to get startups to the next stage of their life�usually, funding�announced it has opened up its third accelerator in Los Angeles, Techstars LA. The focus is on helping the startup.

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Xconomy

NOVEMBER 13, 2016

The idea was to feature early stage companies in the region that have not attracted much attention or raised a substantial amount of startup capital. I started with a list of companies already screened by the San Diego Venture Group’s annual venture summit, and consulted with investors and startup mentors to refine the list.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2017

As an advisor to startups, and a mentor to many aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m still surprised at the number who are determined to go it alone. Thus top entrepreneurs spend as much time getting the right team in place to run the business as building the product or service. That’s a win-win for both partners.

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Help Startup Course Technical Review 66

Frank Addante

OCTOBER 12, 2021

That’s what my wife said to me back in June after I had been “retired” since 2017. Well, after months of soul searching and talking to 100 people (one of my key rules before starting any business or product) — I figured it out! We build and invest in startups with impact. Those zoom meetings and calls got me fired up!

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2019

According to a recent poll , contractors and freelancers could make up half of the American workforce within a decade. In addition, like an entrepreneur with a new business, you have to factor in all the indirect costs previously covered by employers, including training, health care, and time off for vacations.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2017

Entrepreneurs are people who dream up new ideas, and then commercialize them into new businesses. Most people believe that the hard part is coming up with the idea, and the easy part is turning it into a business. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 01/17/2017. Treat every business dollar as a personal one.

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Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2017

Even the most diligent investors are often surprised by apparently solid business startups that fail, while others succeed, despite the odds. I found this perspective validated in a new book, “ Plan Commit Win: 90 Days to Creating a Fundable Startup ,” by serial entrepreneur and strategic consultant Patrick Henry.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2017

As a new business advisor, I am no longer surprised that every new entrepreneur believes the hard part is creating the first product and the business. The challenge is to retain the same sense of urgency, energy, commitment, and readiness in a mature company that you felt during the startup stage. Communicate the vision, then execute.

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InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 4, 2019

When I saw World Series Poker Champion Annie Duke speak in 2017, I was inspired to write an article describing some of her recruiting techniques. Don’t Confuse Luck With Skill – Most people who win with a weak poker hand attribute the outcome to skill, saying, “I knew that card would come up!” I was not disappointed.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Unless you are a serial entrepreneur with a string of successes behind you, you need a business plan to convince investors that you can build a business out of the dream that has been driving your passion to change the world. An entrepreneur who can’t manage a plan, probably won’t be able to manage the new business.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2017

As an advisor to early-stage entrepreneurs, I see a lot of dreams, but not so many business results. I’ve always wished I had a magic metaphor to motivate the best dreamers to become the best entrepreneurs. There is no cookie-cutter route to success as an entrepreneur. Never give up in the face of adversity.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 28, 2017

Parents, it’s never too early to start nurturing entrepreneurial talents in your kids! As an active business advisor and angel investor, I’m convinced that we are rapidly entering a new age of the entrepreneur, and those who are best prepared will be the first to reap some big rewards. Find corporate sponsors to reduce startup costs.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2017

Aspiring entrepreneurs and new business owners often ask me for a secret formula for success, and they seem surprised when I tell them there isn’t one. Many managers and entrepreneurs love to play the game of persecutor, rescuer, and victim, on every initiative that doesn’t go exactly as planned. It’s up to you to make it happen.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2017

Everyone knows and admires the leaders , including Google and Zappos, but most entrepreneurs have only a fuzzy idea of what to do to get there. He cites eight leadership actions, which I also recommend, from a non-scientific perspective, as a mentor to entrepreneurs. So, how do you build trust?

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2017

Every entrepreneur I know has a few bad habits they intended to overcome a long time ago, such as micromanaging, or failure to get enough rest and relaxation. They point out that establishing good habits and getting rid of bad ones involves the same basic skills; goal setting and motivation, getting started, and staying on track.

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Writing Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur 84

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 28, 2017

Starting a new business is a long, hard process, and I can’t blame any founder for looking for shortcuts. I recommend starting early with a cheap and simple Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), and converting later to a C-Corporation, if required. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 07/14/2017.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2017

In my role as a mentor to entrepreneurs and an angel investor, I find that too many are stuck in this myth that a good pitch, and good marketing content, should consist of more product features, and more hype on customer benefits. That’s why I recommend every solution pitch must start with a painful problem, not just “nice-to-have.”

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LATechDigest

MAY 13, 2016

Up to seven companies will be selected for this year’s program, which launches right after Labor Day, and wraps in the middle of November. Each mentor spoke for nearly an hour to the entire group, answered questions, and sat with each company for one-on-one mentoring. SMASHD LABS First-Round Cohorts.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2017

Today I find that some entrepreneurs, are putting all their focus on a social or environmental cause, and perhaps naively expect that purpose alone will lead to a sustainable business. The only way to do this is to assume that change is necessary to keep up with the market and competitors, and make it part of the process.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2017

Leaders who are able to optimize these find multipliers of 20 percent up to nine times the average productivity. Like most investors in startups, I rank the credentials of the team well above the value of an idea in deciding where to put my money. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 03/09/2017. Only you can do that.

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Tech.Co

NOVEMBER 28, 2017

Here at TechCo, we’ve done plenty of lists rounding up the most impressive incubators, accelerators, and coworking spaces in plenty of major cities and across a variety of sectors, from the best healthcare accelerators to a collection of the top women-only coworking spaces. The Land O’Lakes Dairy Accelerator. Brooklyn Foodworks.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2017

Whether you are focused on your professional career, or starting your own company, YOU are the first or only brand that anyone will see and remember. Start a blog and write for industry forums and newsletters. Stock up with interesting insights, and don’t be afraid to take a position on recent trends.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 17, 2017

They flocked to businesses like Apple, when influencer Steve Jobs was at the helm, and anxiously await the next moves from visible entrepreneurs, including Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Entrepreneurs who are clearly willing to give as well as take in business become influencers because people feel the urge to reciprocate.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2017

Many business executives and entrepreneurs I know are convinced that business success is all about having the right solution for the right price. Start looking for what is right in a person or business situation, instead of looking for what is wrong. Start your day with a positive business challenge.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2017

A good entrepreneur is not necessarily born a good salesman. Yet, in today’s world of information overload, marketing and selling skills are critical to the success of every startup. In my own effort to keep up with the times, I explored Julie Steelman’s classic book on selling, “ The Effortless Yes: Demystifying the Selling Process.”

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2017

Based on my years of experience mentoring and advising entrepreneurs, you need to attack problems and challenges with a mindset of success, or it is unlikely that you or your business will survive. Every good entrepreneur I know has pivoted at least once. Marty Zwilling First published on Huffington Post on 12/16/2017.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2017

I was mentoring some graduate students at a local university recently, and I sensed again that profit seems to be a dirty word these days to many aspiring entrepreneurs. It’s naïve to think you can sell below costs, and make it up by attracting more customers. Facebook spent $150 million getting started.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2017

In my many years of experience in business, and recent work as a mentor to entrepreneurs, I have seen the business world change, and can relate well to his five success practices paraphrased here: Build the team from people with a shared obsession. Marty Zwilling First published on Huffington Post on 02/12/2017.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2017

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Almost any startup can start with Excel, and move to open-source data analysis tools, including Python or RStudio.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 21, 2017

In some cases it may be fear of retribution by the boss, but more often they just hate to disappoint others, and end up instead with high stress and low credibility in the crisis to deliver. Be sure to follow-up as promised, to maintain your credibility. Marty Zwilling First published on Huffington Post on 07/20/2017.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2017

In my experience as an advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs in business, one of the biggest failures I see is a lack of self-leadership. Leadership in business starts with making good personal choices. If necessary, use a strengths coach, and always start a business which highlights your signature strengths.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2017

In my years of mentoring and advising business leaders, I find that real planning for the future always gets the short shrift. I believe these factors are key to the future success of every new startup, as well as every mature company: Leadership must be values-based and people focused.

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Company Companies Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 55

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2017

As a mentor to many aspiring entrepreneurs, I often get asked for next sure-fire idea. Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, and other famous entrepreneurs are examples of dedicated people who looked for inspiration, rather than ideas for their next business. Happiness does not scale up with income.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2017

In fact, I’m a strong proponent of coaching and mentoring in the workplace, but I recognize that these efforts can only go so far in eliminating your human resources problems, and increasing team morale and performance. Trevor is a veteran coach who has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs, organizations, and business families across the country.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 28, 2017

We all face pressure in our lives, but there’s nothing like that of an entrepreneur facing customer crises and the competitive challenges of a new business. Don’t believe the myth that all you have to do to get rich is bring up an ecommerce website, and the money rolls in while you sleep. Reframe from doubt to confidence and skill.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2017

It only ramps up negativity, and is ego’s way to avoid self-reflection. We all have a human tendency, developed in our childhood, to make up stories which paint us as a victim rather than the problem. Countering drama with more emotion or violently shaking them up is not productive. Actions speak louder than words.

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