Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 31, 2018

The only “sustainable competitive advantage” in business is self-awareness. For example, I once worked for a startup CEO who desperately needed money from a venture capitalist, but became totally defensive when the VC suggested that my CEO might be better in the chief marketing role, in favor of a more experienced CEO.

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Competition Startup Examples Coach 81

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 29, 2023

While the market isn't short of spritely, innovative entrepreneurs, harsh economic headwinds combined with a pullback in investor spending have made it harder than ever for budding businesses to break through. Source: runwayml.com In June, Runway raised $141 million in funding, nudging its market valuation to an envy-inducing $1.5

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Startup Generative AI Newsletter Tool 210

Tech.Co

FEBRUARY 21, 2018

Phoenix communities are celebrating because JPMorgan Chase has made several local charitable investments to support underserved entrepreneurs and small businesses with the goal of creating jobs and spark a growing economy. The post JPMorgan Chase Invests $2.2 In addition to this excitement, JPMorgan Chase announced another $1.1M

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Invest Entrepreneur News Tips 70

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2018

If there is no competition, there is likely not a market. Every potentially successful product has competition, or an alternative, or customers with no interest in change. If you really believe your idea has no competition, perhaps you haven’t looked, or there is no real business.

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Startup Competition Examples Ideas 99

Tech.Co

MAY 25, 2018

BlackTech Week was created in 2014, and in four short years, they’ve gained over 2700 participants, 150 speakers, and 3 pitch competitions. The Case Foundation invests in people and ideas that can change the world. Watch our video series at SXSW 2018 with The Case Foundation. BlackTech Week (Miami, FL).

Startup 140

Startup Technical Review Competition Software Review 140

socalTECH

JANUARY 28, 2019

Luke Fox: It has been deployed in a pilot program for 12 months, all during 2018, in a wide variety of different environments around the world. Even though in the cell phone market there are lots of different phones that manufacturers make, if you look at the communications technology, its pretty much very, very similar.

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Startup Technical Review Technology Competition 187

socalTECH

MARCH 13, 2020

Dmitri Leonov: We built a distribution business for equipment for the spa industry, and have had 10,000 client over that time, but in the last few years, we've really focused on talking to spa customers about their needs in the market. Our cost is very low, which allows us a key, competitive advantage. Do users buy or rent these?

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Template Beverly Hills Startup SEM 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 31, 2018

In this age of constant market evolution and new technology, there is no such thing as a static business that is self-sustaining. Since these usually require a large investment, and more time, including customer education, they need to be started while your current business is still healthy.

Examples 99

Examples IP Acquisition Social Media 99

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

What sized team can I afford in order to sell, market & provide service to these customers? In the case of MakeSpace we had huge initial successes in New York City as Rahul led the scaling of our drivers, our trucks and our warehouses and we figured out the right price points to beat the local competition.

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Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 20, 2018

The stalwarts should be making the big leaps to be competitive, rather than the other way around. The results in a dilution of their focus, doing many things poorly, and losing sight of key markets and key competitors. Leverage seismic shifts in the market or economy. Acquire and cultivate new knowledge disciplines.

Startup 59

Startup Competition IBM IBM 59

socalTECH

DECEMBER 21, 2017

For today's interview, we spoke with Richard Sussman , who is leading up investments for a new venture capital firm in town, NordicEye (www.nordiceye.com), which just saw a big exit in one of its very first investments, Los Angeles-based Weblife. Give us an overview of your fund and what you invest in?

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Southern California Startup Venture Capital Invest 133

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2020

The price of entry can be less than $10,000, so the competition is huge and growing rapidly. According to Tim Cook at Apple, there were over 20 million registered developers in 2018. Above all, don’t forget to develop a comprehensive marketing and promotion strategy. Be there intentionally rather than randomly.

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Mobile Develop Development Platform 126

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2018

Here are the unique business elements that I expect to hear as a potential investor: Target market size and growth projections. Most investors won’t be interested unless you can show them a large market (billion-dollar opportunity), with a double-digit growth rate. Intellectual property and sustainable competitive advantage.

Product 58

Product Slides Entrepreneur Invest 58

socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2019

While 2018 was all about better understanding the SoCal opportunity, 2019 was about honing our focus and defining our core programs. However, innovation-driven corporations often have the urgency to act (or risk losing market share, relevance, etc) and resources to deploy. What was the biggest news for you/your company this year?

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SoCal Southern California Startup Venture Capital 140

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2018

I believe these insights can and must be extended to you and your career, in line with the following guiding principles: Make your interest in learning your competitive advantage. Smart employers look for these as they contemplate your competitiveness for new roles. Make the investment. It’s a win-win situation for success.

Examples 85

Examples Social Media Competition Guide 85

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

Given the general consensus that Business School is essentially a farm system for investment banks and consulting firms, I was initially concerned when one of my star entrepreneurial students, Sieva Kozinsky , told me of his plans to attend my alma mater, Wharton. Nothing they learned (at Business School) will help them succeed at innovation.”

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Entrepreneur Allegis Startup Competition 113

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2018

In this era of rapid market and technological change, I know I have to challenge my small business advisory clients to keep innovating and stay ahead of the game. They have the courage to make bold decisions, often contrary to conventional market research and linear thinking. Create and maintain a sense of urgency for the future.

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Metrics IBM IBM Competition 58

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 20, 2015

Our perspectives on the topic wax and wane with market cycles. We love capital efficiency until we love land grabs until we abhor over funding until we get huge payouts and ring the bell for more funding until we attract every non-VC on the planet to invest in startups until it crashes and we start the cycle all over again none the wiser.

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Funding Venture Capital Startup Marketing 150

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2018

On the other hand, everyone is doing it, so that means more competition, and the market and technology are changing faster than ever before. Investment before that time must come from you, or friends and family. A local pilot is a necessary move to test your manufacturing, operational, and marketing assumptions.

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Funding Social Media Slides Platform 73

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2018

Often, beneficial changes will have a short-term cost to achieve market growth or competitive advantage. Investors, for example, usually want short-term profit distribution versus re-investing for the future. Contingency plans make sense in every case these days, since technology and market factors are moving fast.

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Tips Metrics Sample Statistics 51

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2018

Yet, when you are pitching to investors, this has to be balanced by generating enough profit to keep the venture thriving, growing, and providing a healthy return-on-investment (ROI) to investors. Tiny markets may excite your passion but won’t sustain a business or leave you with a long-term positive legacy.

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Customer Custom Acquisition Entrepreneur 19