Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2014

You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. Yet I see many technology entrepreneurs that focus on the basics of marketing too little and too late. Start networking smarter and smaller.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Tips Marketing Entrepreneur 103

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 6, 2017

In this article #StartupsEverywhere , I talked with Joe Wallace, CEO and Chief Innovation Officer of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, and Hank McCarrick, CEO and founder of Seco Sys about sustainability, emerging eco tech, and challenges in the ecosystem. What’s your role in the Coachella Valley area startup ecosystem?

Startup 119

Startup Technical Review Patents Services 119

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans take too much time, are inaccurate, and rarely add value. They cite sources like Profitable Venture Magazine, “ Why Business Plans are a Waste of Time ” and this Forbes article.

Technical Review 126

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 126

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

I find it amusing when a journalist writes an article about a prominent startup (either privately held or preparing for an IPO) and decries that, “They’re not even profitable!” Exec Summary: Most companies (98+%) in the world (even tech startups) should be very profit focused. What makes up revenue?

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 1, 2016

140,000 new startup companies are reportedly launched every day. While the epicenter of tech innovation is undeniably Silicon Valley, a tide of new hubs emerging across the globe are gaining recognition. I spoke to startup founders from new emerging locations across the globe. Startups previously needed a partner that was local.

Technical Review 40

Technical Review Startup Incubator Media 40

SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 1, 2010

I had a recent email dialog with the founder of a company looking for a CTO for their startup. Was it a Startup Founder Developer Gap ? Did they really need a Startup CTO or Developer or both? And do I fit as a Part-Time CTO , Technology Advisor , CTO Founder , Acting CTO ? Was it a case of needing Homework?

CTO Hire 241

CTO Hire CTO Coach Equity Develop 241

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2019

In my experience as an advisor to entrepreneurs, business startup founders most often point to a shortage of funds as the primary cause of their startup failure. In fact, this problem is so common among business startups, that is has been tagged with the name “ founder’s syndrome ” or “ founderitis.”

Technical Review 89

Technical Review Startup Demand Examples 89

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 6, 2017

In this article #StartupsEverywhere , I talked with Joe Wallace, CEO and Chief Innovation Officer of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, and Hank McCarrick, CEO and founder of Seco Sys about sustainability, emerging eco tech, and challenges in the ecosystem. What’s your role in the Coachella Valley area startup ecosystem?

Startup 105

Startup Technical Review Patents Services 105

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 27, 2014

A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. If you haven''t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly JohnGreathouse.com articles! If you haven''t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly JohnGreathouse.com articles! What’s the cause of this incongruence?

Entrepreneur 193

Entrepreneur Technical Review Hollywood Southern California 193

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 13, 2014

Mid-level or even top executives who “grew up” in large companies often look with envy at startups, and dream of how easy it must be running a small organization, where you can see the whole picture and it appears you have total control. This transfers well to startups, and should give you an advantage. Never cover your a$$.

Startup 103

Startup Company Companies Training 103

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2019

You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. Yet I see many technology entrepreneurs that focus on the basics of marketing too little and too late. Start networking smarter and smaller.

Marketing 97

Marketing Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review 97

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

This article originally appeared on TechCrunch. 2 preamble issues having read the comments on TC today: 1: I know that the prices of startup companies is much great in Silicon Valley than in smaller towns / less tech focused areas in the US and the US prices higher than many foreign markets. I acknowledged this in the article.

Startup 336

Startup Pricing Technical Review Marketing 336

InfoChachkie

MARCH 18, 2013

A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. In order to extract value beyond your Angel investors' cash, you must first assess three important parameters: (i) the relative strength of their personal brand, (ii) their ability to add operational value, and (iii) the amount of care and feeding they will demand from you.

Angel 217

Angel Technical Review RSS Entrepreneur 217

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 19, 2013

You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. You need to clearly convey what makes your startup the only choice for your customers. Start networking smarter and smaller.

Startup 103

Startup Marketing Social Media Technical Review 103

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

If you’re a technology startup you need to excel at product, of course. The starting point of product IS marketing, which is what a lot of young entrepreneurs that never studied business don’t realize. The start of marketing is figuring out a market need and a way to solve that need better than anybody else.

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2011

Mid-level or even top executives who “grew up” in large companies often look with envy at startups, and dream of how easy it must be running a small organization, where you can see the whole picture and it appears you have total control. This transfers well to startups, and should give you an advantage. Never cover your a$$.

Startup 105

Startup Company Companies Training 105

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2014

Prorata rights are one of the most important rights of a private market technology investors and yet are seldom fully understood. would you want to give up the right to invest in subsequent rounds? Do investors always take up their prorata rights in later rounds? ” Some do, some don’t.

Guide 336

Guide Venture Capital Startup Writing 336

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2017

You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. Yet I see many technology entrepreneurs that focus on the basics of marketing too little and too late. Start networking smarter and smaller.

Tips 75

Tips Marketing Technical Review Startup 75

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 6, 2013

Silicon Valley, in a proverbial hornet’s nest of legal intrigue has been buzzing with one of the biggest (and possibly unsettling) displays of indian giving that the tech world has seen this year. People+ , developed by 3-person startup (Pro Populi, Inc.) People+ , developed by 3-person startup (Pro Populi, Inc.)

Technical Review 74

Technical Review Startup Software Review Google 74

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 23, 2010

Mid-level or even top executives who “grew up” in large companies often look with envy at startups, and dream of how easy it must be running a small organization, where you can see the whole picture and it appears you have total control. This transfers well to startups, and should give you an advantage. Never cover your a$$.

Startup 95

Startup Company Companies Training 95

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

According to a recent Harvard Business Review article , only 60% of companies today use social media for marketing, and only 12% of those feel that they are using it effectively. I suspect that a good part of the problem is that startup and small business owners still don’t know where or how to start. What’s the problem?

Social Media 115

Social Media Media Startup Social Network 115

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2013

Mid-level or even top executives who “grew up” in large companies often look with envy at startups, and dream of how easy it must be running a small organization, where you can see the whole picture and it appears you have total control. This transfers well to startups, and should give you an advantage. Never cover your a$$.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Startup Training Technical Review 105

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2014

I always advise software startups to file patents to protect their “secret sauce” from competitors, and to increase their valuation. The good news is that a patent can scare off or at least delay competitors, and as a “rule of thumb” patents can add up to $1M to your startup valuation for investors or M&A exits (merger and acquisition).

Patents 100

Patents Software Review Software Technical Advisors 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2014

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans are a waste of time. They cite sources like the BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this Forbes article. You’ve built a successful startup before, and plan to use the same investors.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 109

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 11, 2013

TechZulu catches up with the founder of Assignmint, Jeff Koyen, as he talks about Assignmint, freelance, and LA startups. There are no surprises on how and when you are going to get paid and everything leading up to that point. We have a lot of writers signing up from all over the place. Where did Assignmint come from?

Journal 90

Journal Startup Writing Media 90

InfoChachkie

MAY 9, 2011

If you haven’t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly Infochachkie articles! Give up Branding. Serve up World-wide Distribution. Do Not Give up Branding. BDCs often ask to “private label” or “white label” a smaller company’s technology. Kiss of Death ConTraps. Deploy a Free Pilot.

Outsource Development 170

Outsource Development Entrepreneur Press Technical Review 170

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2010

A few years ago I was intimately involved with a promising startup that ultimately failed, in my opinion due to a clear case of Founder’s Syndrome. These objectives are set based on the desires and dreams of the Founder, with no recognition of technical realities, costs, or time required. It could save your startup!

Startup 52

Startup Technical Review Ideas Organization 52

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Although UCSB has room to grow with regard to the total number of VC-backed startups it generates, the Santa Barbara region fares well when its relative size is taken into account. If you haven''t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly JohnGreathouse.com articles!

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

Tech.Co

JANUARY 10, 2018

In the Harvard Business Review Female Economy 2009 report, women purchasing power was predicted to control about $28 trillion in annual global consumer spending, if not more. If you’re needing some tips to jumpstart your strategy and attract female consumers, take this advice from these female startups founders. The Emotional Sell.

Tips 71

Tips Customer Custom Dollar Shave Club 71

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 1, 2012

From the phone in your pocket to the television hanging on your wall, apps have penetrated technology and they aren’t going anywhere. Smart technology doesn’t work without clever software to make it useful. But where do you start? Lets get started. Apps are quickly becoming a ubiquitous part of life. Do Your Research.

Marketing 97

Marketing Startup Software Review Competition 97

InfoChachkie

MAY 9, 2011

If you haven’t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly Infochachkie articles! Give up Branding. Serve up World-wide Distribution. Do Not Give up Branding. BDCs often ask to “private label” or “white label” a smaller company’s technology. Kiss of Death ConTraps. Deploy a Free Pilot.

Outsource Development 124

Outsource Development Entrepreneur Press Technical Review 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 25, 2022

As an advisor to many startups, I’m convinced it’s an expensive and painful approach, but I do see it used all too often. In the rush of a startup, it’s tempting to start spending the money you expect any day from a rich uncle or a major new customer. Underestimate the importance of due diligence.

Startup 100

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 100

socalTECH

AUGUST 6, 2012

Santa Monica-based Demand Media (www.demandmedia.com) has seen its share of ups and downs as one of the highest visibility technology and media companies to come out of Southern California's technology ecosystem in recent years. What is Demand Media doing nowadays? Can you explain that process?

Demand 240

Demand Media eHow Content 240

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 30, 2020

As an advisor to many startups, I’m convinced it’s an expensive and painful approach, but I do see it used all too often. In the rush of a startup, it’s tempting to start spending the money you expect any day from a rich uncle or a major new customer. Underestimate the importance of due diligence.

Startup 125

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 125

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 25, 2020

The last thing a new entrepreneur wants to think about for a new startup is how it will end. Startups with no exit planned will minimize investor returns. Most entrepreneurs like the startup role, but not the big-company role. Yet one of the first things a potential equity investor asks about is your exit strategy.

Startup 150

Startup Technical Review Equity Statistics 150

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 21, 2014

For example, Harley Davidson now has to snap up “harleydavidson.motorcycles” in addition to harleydavidson.com. starting when a new gTLD is created and ending when the general public can register a domain in it) is called the “sunrise period.” Demand for that knowledge is growing, as far as we can see.”

Conference 77

Conference SEO Software Review IP 77

TechEmpower

FEBRUARY 10, 2016

We’ve heard this from startup founders, product managers, development team leads, CTOs, and others who see their product gaining traction, but simultaneously see performance falling off a cliff. Often this situation is characterized as a “good problem to have” until you’re the technical person who needs to solve the problem—and quickly.

Web 200

Web Technical Advisors Framework Technical Review 200