Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2017

Every business needs repeatable processes to grow and thrive, but modern business processes need the right people to make them efficient and productive. The right people make productive processes, not the other way around. On the other hand, I see teams with almost no process that are tremendously productive.

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Entrepreneur Coach Organization Mentor 78

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! “You need to go back to work, you need to get back to doing what you love – building businesses!”

Startup 105

Startup Case Study Ideas Invest 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2017

Yet, in today’s world of information overload, marketing and selling skills are critical to the success of every startup. Julie is known as the entrepreneur’s selling mentor, for both men and women. Don’t hope that a miracle will happen and your products and services will sell themselves. Claim your sweet spot.

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Social Media Sales Mentor Customer 56

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 30, 2017

She and I both offer the following insights on how to green your own pasture by helping employees find and use their strengths, and inspiring them to be more satisfied and productive, on your side of the fence, and even happily return if they do wander in their career advancement: Provide a structured approach to mentorship.

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Mentor Coach Satisfaction Product 61

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. Every business needs to develop a revenue model even before a product. Every business needs to develop a revenue model even before a product.

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Pricing Customer Custom Advertising 66

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2017

In my own experience as an investor, I have concluded that success is more about the people than the product. Solutions that imply a paradigm shift always take longer to sell, and more money for marketing and education than expected. Develop the right mentoring relationships. Persistence and patience with timing mismatches.

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Technical Review Startup Mentor Study 60

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. Most importantly, this is not just in the products and services you offer, but in the way your company operates. Your task is follow-up in support, mentoring, and setting goals.

Company 55

Company Companies Startup Mentor 55

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Based on my experience as an angel investor and a mentor to dozens of entrepreneurs, having no business plan is the quickest way to define yourself as just a dreamer, or at best a hobbyist. Providing your product or service free to customers may sound attractive in marketing materials, but you need revenue sources to survive.

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Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2017

Yet, in my experience as a mentor to entrepreneurs, the majority of failures I see are related to starting and growing the business, not developing the solution. Don’t assume anything until you have done market research and listened to real customers. Most experts agree that a great team is more important than a great product.

Ideas 72

Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 28, 2017

Very few people are experts in all facets of a new business, including finance, sales, marketing, and operations. Focus on products and customers, and trust your accountant. Advisors and mentors enhance the learning and effectiveness of even the best business leaders. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 07/14/2017.

Entrepreneur 72

Entrepreneur Competition Customer Custom 72

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2017

As a mentor to many aspiring entrepreneurs, I often get asked for next sure-fire idea. Work to anticipate a future market change and get there first. These people need to cover the gamut from partners, marketers, suppliers, to customers. Customers don't care about your product or service's features.

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Ideas Study Entrepreneur Customer 54

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2017

Thus most investors I know claim to invest in the person, rather than the product. In the same way, you may think that people assessment is all about skills and experience, but as a mentor to business owners, I have learned to look more for the right attitude, persistence, and determination, as success factors.

Software Review 57

Software Review Technical Review Startup Press 57

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! “You need to go back to work, you need to get back to doing what you love – building businesses!”

Startup 52

Startup Case Study Ideas Invest 52

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. In the business sense, adaptability means being open to new product innovations and marketing concepts, and agile when conditions abruptly change.

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Guide Entrepreneur Help Mentor 60

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. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 10/09/2017.

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Help Startup Course Technical Review 66

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2017

After the hire comes mentoring and continuous training as the key to engagement. Mentors can be particularly powerful in helping colleagues break out of the trance. In fact, I’m convinced that the escalating rate of change in technology and the market is a large part of the problem.

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Mentor Startup Training Resource 57