Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2020

I’m a total believer in servant leadership and mentoring others, but nobody wins when you are in charge as an entrepreneur, and the business fails because you didn’t do your job. Your productivity can be severely compromised by lack of balance, making you ineffective in managing key tasks and people around you.

Product 123

Product Startup Tips Entrepreneur 123

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 20, 2020

As I was watching the investor show, Shark Tank , on TV the other night, I was struck by how quickly and how extensively the sharks focused on the background and character of the entrepreneurs, compared to time spent evaluating their products. Shares views and learns from a personal mentor. Visibly demonstrate the highest integrity.

Entrepreneur 168

Entrepreneur Mentor Metrics Customer 168

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 13, 2020

Jo Webber: We've done a seed round of $5M, which we raised earlier in 2020. We've used that funding to product our app, which is based on React Native, which allows us to simultaneously develop and release on both iOS and Android. How is the company funded? I have a STEM degree, a Ph.D. There is something like $2.7

Mentor 157

Mentor Southern California Startup Networking 157

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2020

In my role as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that most have the technical challenges well understood, but many are a bit short on some basic street smarts , or basic business realities. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 12/15/2020. Even the best college degree is not a substitute.

Entrepreneur 173

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Technical Review 173

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2020

Freelancers and consultants have to demonstrate results, without training and mentoring, so they can help you more quickly and probably at a lower total cost. Today you need that budget for market fluxuations, pandemics, and product updates. Thus they feel more fulfilled, more productive, and more in control of their lives.

Competition 168

Competition Startup Demand Training 168

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2020

Many of the entrepreneurs like you that I have met in my role as a business advisor are really product creators versus business creators, convinced that a great product will generate a great business. In most businesses, this means selling something, and proving that your product or service has value.

Metrics 140

Metrics Entrepreneur Coach Satisfaction 140

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 16, 2020

In my role as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that many of you have your most creative ideas for your company’s first big bang , but often get bogged down with details as the company grows. When Yvon Chouinard founded Patagonia with creative outdoor products, he pitched also a purpose of helping the environment.

Company 148

Company Companies Ideas Mentor 148

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2020

Many entrepreneurs I have mentored make big mistakes in this area, by hiring low-cost friends and family, with minimal skills or training, and expecting them to have the same work ethic , passion, and business knowledge as the founder. In addition, you can reduce to soft costs of mentoring, relationship building, and socializing.

Outsource 123

Outsource Startup Technical Review Training 123

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2020

An occasional discussion with a mentor won’t do it. This is the stage where you move from building a product or solution, to building a business. Here you need a team, people with disparate but complementary skills bonded by your leadership, to ship product and go live. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 10/28/2020.

Entrepreneur 139

Entrepreneur Help Incubator Startup 139

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2020

What I don’t see often are new solutions that force me to rethink how we work together, or really use AI to make the collaboration process more productive. From the work and feedback, you will learn much on how your solution will fare with customers, before building the product Tap expert sources in other domains for ideas.

Startup 134

Startup Artificial Inteligence Ideas Entrepreneur 134

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I tend to see many of the same obstacles appearing in every new startup, and since I don’t want to appear to be a downer , I’m not sure how to properly warn people ahead of time to be on the alert for these challenges. Each of these can go astray as follows: Your product or service hits unexpected snags.

Startup 131

Startup Entrepreneur Examples Customer 131

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 1, 2020

In our personal lives we’re having to change our routines and figure out how to remain productive?—?often It goes without saying that if you find yourself in a really negative headspace PLEASE reach out to any trusted mentor, friend or family member. What do we eat? Where do we shop? What is safe? What are my parents doing?

Demand 215

Demand Guide Customer Custom 215

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

By being proactive, and empowering and rewarding your frontline employees for improving processes, you will enhance your business productivity and growth in both the short term as well as the long term. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 07/23/2020. Build and model a high-performance culture.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2020

They look for a memorable total experience, from a quality product, a positive shopping experience, to an easy return or exchange policy. Spend more time coaching and mentoring your team. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 11/13/2020. Recognize that negotiation is an art as well as a skill.

Coach 144

Coach Customer Custom Entrepreneur 144

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2020

As a mentor to entrepreneurs over the years, I see many of you who don’t communicate enough, others who seem to do all the talking, and some that are hesitant to be direct and open. For example, every business team needs focus and direction to be productive. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 04/28/2020.

Startup 124

Startup Ideas Examples Metrics 124

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

In my business of mentoring new entrepreneurs and advising small company owners, I recognize that most don’t start as experienced leaders, and most don’t realize that people leadership is a primary key to their future success. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 02/04/2020.

Develop 124

Develop Development Technical Advisors Satisfaction 124

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2020

Food production and distribution, group collaboration, remote training or education, sensor technology (tracking people movement, temperatures, etc), certain biotech deals. I spoke about that more in this deck that I wrote for the SaaStr conference in early March 2020. If you’re a clear “market winner” like Stripe, Robinhood or Airbnb.

Venture Capital 263

Venture Capital Marketing Startup Writing 263

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 23, 2015

The final clip is Fred & I talking about whether “the best product wins” and my assertion that the bias in today’s Silicon Valley dominated tech world there is probably too much emphasis on tech at the expense of how to sell, implement and service customers. I remember writing about online video nearly 5 years ago.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Startup Writing Blogging 150

Xconomy

OCTOBER 12, 2016

On Monday, nine startups began a 16-week program at Canopy San Diego , a new accelerator program for seed-stage companies developing new technologies, products, and services to support the legal cannabis industry. By 2020, the cannabis industry is projected to hit $21.8 billion , according to ArcView Market Research.

San Diego 40

San Diego Startup Southern California Invest 40

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

In reality, too many choices actually dilutes customer interest in your existing market, and makes your job of production, marketing, and support much more complex. New entrepreneurs, especially technical ones, are excited by early adopters, and tend to focus on their feedback, which will always suggest more product features and options.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2020

In my experience as a business mentor, one of the biggest challenges I see is a failure to focus. Here are the key elements that I look for as an entrepreneur mentor, as indications of a top level of focus: Willing to share your personal story to build credibility. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 05/19/2020.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Startup Patents Resource 126

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2020

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I often feel the frustration of someone trying to build a startup in the wrong place and time, and wrongly attributing their struggle to personal limitations. You need partners, mentors, and investors who can complement your own resources to make it a win-win for all involved.

Resource 131

Resource Startup Capital Mentor 131

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2020

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m always surprised by the fact that some never seem to be able to that first startup going, while many others never seem to stop, starting their second or third initiative before the first one is fully hatched. Rally people behind a higher purpose, not just a product.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

Partially due to the economy, but also due to longer, healthier lives and changes in job tenure, 60% of working Boomers are now expected to stay in the labor force, with real power and influence, for at least seven more years, to 2020. In terms of job creation, innovation, and productivity, entrepreneurs drive growth. percent to 23.4

Entrepreneur 118

Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup Technical Support 118

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2012

Partially due to the economy, but also due to longer, healthier lives and changes in job tenure, 62% of working Boomers are now expected to stay in the labor force, with real power and influence, for at least nine more years, to 2020. In terms of job creation, innovation, and productivity, entrepreneurs drive growth.

Startup 112

Startup Technical Review Technical Support Study 112

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2011

Partially due to the economy, but also due to longer, healthier lives and changes in job tenure, 62% of working Boomers are now expected to stay in the labor force, with real power and influence, for at least nine more years, to 2020. In terms of job creation, innovation, and productivity, entrepreneurs drive growth.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Technical Support Study Activity 94