Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2023

Networking to build and maintain positive relationships with the right people outside your company is something you can’t forget in the rush to get your new business going. Highlight the competitive edge you bring to the market. Put operational systems and metrics in place early. This is not a place for friends and family.

Marketing 116

Marketing Resource Training Startup 116

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 1, 2021

Most business professionals I know will go to great lengths to take a neutral position on internal business conflicts, on the assumption that all conflict is bad for the company as well as their political future. Demonstrate active listening in a neutral location. Don’t let it be just a conflict over graphic design.

Activity 145

Activity Organization Examples Satisfaction 145

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

Implicit in effective marketing of yourself and your solution are a set of skills that every professional needs and can develop over time in business, whether their focus is on career advancement, or starting your own company. Using metrics to measure results and commitments. Marketing your personal brand and your vision.

Startup 113

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2022

The solution is to establish and maintain a culture and processes that don’t view change as a discrete event to be spotted and managed, but as an ongoing opportunity to improve competitiveness. The following initiatives that Chris and Tammie define for large companies apply just as directly to startups: Improve change awareness.

Startup 116

Startup Training Statistics Summary 116

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2020

Soon you won’t be able to name a business as one of your favorites if you can’t personally visualize and relate to company leadership. In the same way, great entrepreneurs and company leaders should no longer rely on faceless and nameless processes to drive business strategy and innovation to stay competitive.

Social Media 128

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 128

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2017

And measuring activities or output can mislead you into thinking you’re doing a great job. So they create a task list of all the marketing activities an organization can do: press releases, web site updates, customer case studies, blog posts, daily Tweets, Facebook fan page, attending conferences, etc. Be clear on your mission.

Activity 164

Activity Conference Press Case Study 164

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 14, 2018

I know all of this because every VC knows this because we’ve all either funded companies that have marketing technology or we’ve seen a pitch with a company that does this. Your deck should be so good that a VC asks you for permission to show it to his or her portfolio companies. A deck is a deck. Just send it.

Funding 239

Funding Venture Capital IP Email 239

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 3, 2019

They randomly churn for hours a day on a couple of their favorite social media platforms, with little thought given to goals, objectives, or metrics; and ultimately give up and fall back to traditional marketing approaches. Create an action plan with metrics. You spend the months influencing the influencers. Marty Zwilling.

Social Media 96

Social Media Media Marketing Metrics 96

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

In China, even tiny bike sharing companies now have to digitally track every bike through GPS, and every mobile interaction between a bike and a rider to compete. No human or paper tracking systems are a competitive alternative. If your business is not powered by an algorithm, you don’t have a competitive business today.

Artificial Inteligence 84

Artificial Inteligence Metrics Commerce Software 84

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2021

First, you as the leader must be a role model for the actions you desire – including positive communication, active coaching, rewards for results, as well as providing required tools and training. Use metrics to assess needs and growth economics. Inspire your teams with love and affirmation.

Customer 114

Customer Custom Satisfaction Metrics 114

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

I’m over-paying for every check I write into the VC ecosystem and valuations are being pushed up to absurd levels and many of these valuations and companies won’t hold in the long term. I often answer the same way … * “First, yes, nearly every corner of our market is over-valued. By definition?—?I’m dot-com bonanza.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2019

He talks in detail about ten of the key challenges that Facebook faced in their growth, to move from a tiny social media upstart to one of the most successful companies in the world. Pick a single metric that is the focus for all growth. Revenue and competitive position followed. Less is more.

Social Media 87

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 87

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2015

The most common proposals I hear are for yet another social networking site ( over 200 active ), or another dating site (now over 2500 in the US alone). In my experience, finding real innovation in existing company environments is even tougher. Innovation is not a random walk into the unknown. Set milestones and meet them. Ownership.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Metrics 101

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2018

Soon you won’t be able to name a business as one of your favorites if you can’t personally visualize and relate to company leadership. In the same way, great entrepreneurs and company leaders should no longer rely on faceless and nameless processes to drive business strategy and innovation to stay competitive.

Social Media 96

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 96

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Capitalism is fundamentally about timing, since market competition is about finding opportunities before others. When should you start a company? What company should you start? When should you join a company? Start writing down predictions about people, companies, and markets. When should a VC invest?

Venture Capital 202

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Invest 202

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2016

The most common proposals I hear are for yet another social networking site ( over 200 active ), or another dating site (over 2500 in the US alone). In my experience, finding real innovation in existing company environments is even tougher. Once a new product is launched, a key metric is the ratio of new product sales to overall sales.

Coach 64

Coach Metrics Competition Ideas 64

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2017

They randomly churn for hours a day on a couple of their favorite social media platforms, with little thought given to goals, objectives, or metrics; and ultimately give up and fall back to traditional marketing approaches. Create an action plan with metrics. You spend the months influencing the influencers. Marty Zwilling.

Social Media 62

Social Media Media Metrics SEO 62

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2018

I will suggest to you as a business owner and entrepreneur that focus on certain key behaviors will drive innovation without waiting for the next competitive crisis: Be outspoken in communicating proactive required change. Too many companies try to force a sense of employee urgency through deadlines and performance goals.

Metrics 58

Metrics IBM IBM Competition 58

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2013

They randomly churn for hours a day on a couple of their favorite social media platforms, with little thought given to goals, objectives, or metrics; and ultimately give up and fall back to traditional marketing approaches. Create an action plan with metrics. You spend the months influencing the influencers. Marty Zwilling.

Social Media 102

Social Media Media Product Metrics 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 12, 2019

The solution is to establish and maintain a culture and processes that don’t view change as a discrete event to be spotted and managed, but as an ongoing opportunity to improve competitiveness. The following initiatives that Chris and Tammie define for large companies apply just as directly to startups: Improve change awareness.

Startup 94

Startup Training Statistics Summary 94

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Soon you won’t be able to name a business as one of your favorites if you can’t personally visualize and relate to company leadership. In the same way, great entrepreneurs and company leaders should no longer rely on faceless and nameless processes to drive business strategy and innovation to stay competitive.

Social Media 99

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2012

They randomly churn for hours a day on a couple of their favorite social media platforms, with little though given to goals, objectives, or metrics; and ultimately give up and fall back to traditional marketing approaches. Create an action plan with metrics. You spend the months influencing the influencers. Marty Zwilling.

Social Media 91

Social Media Media Metrics SEO 91

socalTECH

JANUARY 14, 2011

MarketShare recently launched a rebranding effort for the company, and is in the midst of a major hiring and expansion phase. Wes Nichols: MarketShare is an analytics company. Its primary goal is to focus on identifying what is truly driving demand, analytically, so that our customers can optimize their activities.

Social Media 235

Social Media Demand Activity Marketing 235

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 4, 2013

Since Arrested Development is back I thought I’d resurrect Gob Bluth’s answer when he was told he needed a “business model” – he quickly figured out that he was missing one so he asked Starla, the Bluth company secretary, if she would be his business model. 65 million monthly actives. Like DeviantArt.

Startup 401

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 401

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

An alternate outcome that I also unfortunately observe in some cases are companies who had extreme early success with an initial product adoption but failed in key areas that limited the growth and therefore the ultimate financial outcomes. I see many companies that don’t make this transition well.

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2015

You need executive buy-in, committed budgets, and education for the whole team on objectives and activities. Don’t forget the metrics and analytics. Companies have to communicate, rather than just pontificate. Above all, don’t forget to observe your competition and their social media activity.

Social Media 108

Social Media Media Startup Tips 108

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2017

This active discovery mindset searching for new questions drives real innovators away from more of the same. One metric now commonly used is called the Net Promoter® Score (NPS). Satisfied but unenthusiastic customers who can be easily wooed by the competition. Show your passion and creativity in every solution. Detractors.

Customer 85

Customer Custom Product Marketing 85

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2015

This active discovery mindset searching for new questions drives real innovators away from more of the same. One metric now commonly used is called the Net Promoter® Score (NPS). Satisfied but unenthusiastic customers who can be easily wooed by the competition. Show your passion and creativity in every solution. Detractors.

Customer 100

Customer Custom .Net Competition 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 11, 2013

Most existing metrics and analytics for measuring customer satisfaction and loyalty, including the popular Net Promoter Score (NPS), don’t distinguish between recommend messages to others (word-of-mouth), detract messages, or no message. These operate like competitive retention, which means you must win every transaction over competitors.

Customer 97

Customer Custom Satisfaction Social Media 97

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 7, 2017

The solution is to establish and maintain a culture and processes that don’t view change as a discrete event to be spotted and managed, but as an ongoing opportunity to improve competitiveness. The following initiatives that Chris and Tammie define for large companies apply just as directly to startups: Improve change awareness.

Startup 56

Startup Training Statistics Summary 56

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2014

The solution is to establish and maintain a culture and processes that don’t view change as a discrete event to be spotted and managed, but as an ongoing opportunity to improve competitiveness. The following initiatives that Chris and Tammie define for large companies apply just as directly to startups: Improve change awareness.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Startup Training Statistics 110

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 27, 2013

We don''t spend a lot of time there, except that we''re active investors and bankers who are affected by what''s happening in the IPO market. Now, a new breed of companies is finally making it out, which has had a huge impact on valuations. There''s a huge backlog of companies trying to make it out. Their only option is an IPO.

Southern California 124

Southern California SoCal Commerce Invest 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2014

This active discovery mindset searching for new questions drives real innovators away from more of the same. One new metric now commonly used is called the Net Promoter® Score (NPS). Satisfied but unenthusiastic customers who can be easily wooed by the competition. Show your passion and creativity in every solution. Detractors.

Customer 98

Customer Custom .Net Competition 98

CEO Flow

JUNE 8, 2009

The internet has changed business – in helpful and challenging ways: * We have more information and metrics – and more confusion from all the clutter. * I’ve worked with, mentored and observed dozens of companies over the past couple of years. The CEO actively works to motivate (push) people. Push System. *

Metrics 66

Metrics Slides Competition Activity 66

CEO Flow

JUNE 8, 2009

The internet has changed business – in helpful and challenging ways: * We have more information and metrics – and more confusion from all the clutter. * I’ve worked with, mentored and observed dozens of companies over the past couple of years. The CEO actively works to motivate (push) people. Push System. *

Metrics 66

Metrics Slides Competition Activity 66

CEO Flow

JUNE 8, 2009

The internet has changed business – in helpful and challenging ways: * We have more information and metrics – and more confusion from all the clutter. * I’ve worked with, mentored and observed dozens of companies over the past couple of years. The CEO actively works to motivate (push) people. Push System. *

Metrics 66

Metrics Startup Slides Activity 66

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

prefer instead to divide it according to the mindset of users: whether or not they are actively looking to purchase something (i.e. Bending over: How to sell to large companies - A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks , May 24, 2010 This is a guest post by Steve Hanov , who blogs about programming and startups. The Application.

Startup 248

Startup Venture Capital Conference Social Media 248