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. Time investment standards fall directly on the CEO.

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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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socalTECH

DECEMBER 22, 2016

Today, we have Cody Simms , Executive Director of Techstars (www.techstars.org), which has been very active this year in the startup accelerator and mentoring area. What do you think will have the biggest impact on the technology industry in 2017? You'll be able to see all the many 2016 reflections here as they are posted.

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TechCrunch LA

APRIL 8, 2021

This is an incredibly rewarding milestone and an apt tribute to the vision of my late mentor, Norman Rostoker,” said TAE’s current chief executive officer, Michl Binderbauer, in a statement announcing the company’s achievement. The new machine was first fired up in the summer of 2017.

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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. We call it TinkerBarn Ventures.

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Tech.Co

APRIL 24, 2018

But if you’re a startup founder, you too have the chance to find your own moment in the spotlight. Over the past decade, startups that have been part of the Startup of the Year programs have made new partnerships, grown into household names, and collectively raised billions of dollars in funding. Startup of the Year!

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

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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. We call it TinkerBarn Ventures.

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Startup Case Study Ideas Invest 52

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. In my own experience as an investor, I have concluded that success is more about the people than the product. Develop the right mentoring relationships.

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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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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. Most experts agree that a great team is more important than a great product.

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Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

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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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2017

For example, you probably never knew that both Facebook and YouTube started out as dating-site experiments, but pivoted to something more unique when that experiment failed due to an apparently over-crowded market. These are two sides of the same coin, and both lead to improved productivity and innovation.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2017

It has a huge impact on productivity, as well as morale and loyalty to the company. Trust causes the brain to release oxytocin, which stimulates productivity and raises motivation. He cites eight leadership actions, which I also recommend, from a non-scientific perspective, as a mentor to entrepreneurs.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Don’t believe that Silicon Valley myth that all you have to do is sketch your idea on the back of a napkin, and investors will line up to give you money. 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.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2017

If employees don’t see their leaders stand up and lead by example, employees will feel less engaged—and be less willing to do their best work. It all must start with hiring people who are the right fit for your desired culture. After the hire comes mentoring and continuous training as the key to engagement.

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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. 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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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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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.

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Software Review Technical Review Startup Press 57

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

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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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. 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.” Don’t forget to follow-up. Claim your sweet spot.

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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

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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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2017

This simply means that the number of people with a long-term single-employer agreement is going down, and the number of short-term contractors and freelancers is going up. As a new business advisor and mentor myself, I enjoyed her recommendations on many of these issues. Charging by the hour only makes sense for commodity work.

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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

OCTOBER 27, 2017

Team members seem to be spending more and more time venting to anyone who will listen about the motives and actions of others, and less time introspectively focused on their own productivity and accountability. It only ramps up negativity, and is ego’s way to avoid self-reflection. Develop accountability through coaching and mentoring.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2017

Starting and running a business is hard. Business is more about people than product. Business is more about people than product. 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.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2017

The most productive and respected business people know their limits and assertively protect them. Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself and courteously explain to bosses or colleagues why certain requests or expectations may be unreasonable. Marty Zwilling First published on Huffington Post on 06/01/2017.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2017

Business productivity is all about having the right people, even though I’m bombarded daily with online tools and mobile apps that promise to solve every problem with automation and data. If their ears perk up, and they express interest, maybe there’s hope. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 09/07/2017.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2017

You can’t get things done on time unless you get started on time. As a long-time business advisor and entrepreneur mentor, I see this problem all too often. The reality of running any business or startup is that there are always things you don’t enjoy doing, and it’s always tempting to focus more on items you have a passion for.

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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. He is a serial entrepreneur and founder of several successful startups, as well as a consultant to some of the world’s largest organizations.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2017

As a mentor to many aspiring entrepreneurs, I often get asked for next sure-fire idea. Happiness does not scale up with income. Customers don't care about your product or service's features. Create a great customer experience, not just a product. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 10/20/2017.

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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. Focus on products and customers, and trust your accountant.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 28, 2017

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. Based on my years as a business executive and mentoring entrepreneurs, I’m convinced that the principles of reframing can be learned, and apply equally well to any domain, certainly including business.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 26, 2017

Affirming all shared values is the way to building productive and working relationships. Trust is the key to productive relationships, and relationships with peers, constituents and customers are key to great businesses. Marty Zwilling First published on Huffington Post on 05/24/2017. Without trust, you can’t lead.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2017

People who are the most productive, and also make good coaches, are keenly self-aware, understand how to manage their emotions, and are able to create sustainable relationships with others. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 04/11/2017. Only add team members that are emotionally mature.

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