Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2014

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. In reality, I like most ideas, but I have to tell them that the real challenge is taking the inspiration from a dream to a business. Attend trade shows and network to find the right players and pitch your product.

Ideas 107

Ideas Mentor Entrepreneur Resource 107

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2022

A few years ago I read a classic book “ The Rudolph Factor ,” by Cyndi Laurin and Craig Morningstar, which is all about finding the bright lights that can drive innovation in your business. The core message is that real innovation and competitive advantage are more people-based than product or process-based. Connect the dots.

Competition 153

Competition Mentor Ideas Organization 153

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

In her classic book on this subject, “ Who’s That Sitting at My Desk? ” Here are the key ones I have experienced, as paraphrased from her book: Acquaintanceship. Too many relationships never advance beyond this stage, resulting in poor communication, no cooperation, low trust, and low shared productivity. Workship - Mentor.

Mentor 91

Mentor Competition Summary Coach 91

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2012

I’m a big fan of mentoring in business, and have been at different times on both the contributing and receiving end of the process. These days, I seem to often hear from entrepreneurs who are struggling to find a mentor, or complaining about their lack of effectiveness. When you meet with a mentor, you should lead the discussion.

Mentor 94

Mentor Coach Entrepreneur Press 94

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2017

Most business mentors tell me that the single biggest problem they have to deal with in small companies is the lack of open, honest, and effective communication, both from the top down and from the bottom up. Founders have to communicate their ideas and products to investors, business partners, and the rest of the team.

Mentor 61

Mentor Technical Review Entrepreneur Guide 61

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 1, 2022

As a mentor to many business professionals and owners, and aspiring entrepreneurs, I find a wealth of innovative ideas, but often less insight on what it really takes to transform ideas into an income stream that can excite new customers into long-term business success. A great innovation starts with at least three ideas.

Ideas 145

Ideas Startup Case Study Writing 145

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.

Ideas 72

Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2023

It has a huge impact on productivity, as well as morale and loyalty to the company. Everyone knows and admires the leaders , including Google and Zappos, but most entrepreneurs have only a fuzzy idea of what to do to get there. Trust causes the brain to release oxytocin, which stimulates productivity and raises motivation.

Claremont 101

Claremont Mentor Study Startup 101

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2022

For example, I’m an introverted product guy who doesn’t care so much about building the personnel relationships needed to keep a motivated team. Many smart people I know fall into the category of “idea” people. You may never be at a loss for new ideas, and ways to broaden the appeal of your business.

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Mentor Startup Customer Custom 133

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. I saw these addressed well in a new book, “ The Startup Community Way ,” by Brad Feld and Ian Hathaway.

Resource 131

Resource Startup Capital Mentor 131

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2020

In her classic book on this subject, “ Who’s That Sitting at My Desk? ” Here are the key ones I have experienced, as paraphrased from her book: Acquaintanceship. Too many relationships never advance beyond this stage, resulting in poor communication, no cooperation, low trust, and low shared productivity. Workship - Mentor.

Mentor 135

Mentor Competition Summary Coach 135

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2022

These challenges, with recommendations for addressing them, were detailed nicely for me in the classic book, “ The Boomerang Principle ,” by Lee Caraher, who has built several companies, and has helped many others manage Millennials, reduce turnover, and improve satisfaction and the return hire rate.

Mentor 147

Mentor Coach Satisfaction Training 147

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2020

It has a huge impact on productivity, as well as morale and loyalty to the company. Everyone knows and admires the leaders , including Google and Zappos, but most entrepreneurs have only a fuzzy idea of what to do to get there. Trust causes the brain to release oxytocin, which stimulates productivity and raises motivation.

Claremont 172

Claremont Mentor Study Startup 172

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023

Yet there is more and more evidence that jumping tasks on every alert for a new email, text, or phone call actually decreases overall productivity. Practicing these will ensure greater productivity, less stress, more job satisfaction, and an improved overall sense of well-being. Presence is foundational for focus and mindfulness.

Email 96

Email Activity Product Social Media 96

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2021

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. Perhaps luckily, they have no idea that scaling the business and maintaining vitality as a mature business is even harder. Create and cultivate a leadership culture.

Tips 170

Tips Startup Mentor Press 170

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain.

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Technical Review Customer Custom Entrepreneur 143

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2023

Entrepreneurs need to be effective team leaders, since no one can transform an idea into a product and a business without some help. Unfortunately many founders I work with as a mentor are experts on the technical side, but have no insight into leading a team. Otherwise, in my experience, the startup will fail.

Technical Review 127

Technical Review Development Team Review Startup Activity 127

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. Take a deeper dive into your idea before you declare. High-level ideas rarely make good business solutions. Build a prototype and experiment with real customers.

Startup 134

Startup Artificial Inteligence Ideas Entrepreneur 134

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

As an investor in startups, I most often see entrepreneurs who are technologists, or at least have a real passion for a specific product. They rarely highlight their marketing and relationship skills , even though, in my experience, these are more often the key to success in business than product skills.

Startup 113

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

As a mentor to young aspiring entrepreneurs , I often get asked for tips on a strategy to get started. Don’t be shy about networking for advisors with business experience for coaching and mentoring. Raising money is difficult, even with the best idea, so don’t assume any entitlement to loans, grants, or seed funding.

Startup 114

Startup Tips Coach Satisfaction 114

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

I’m super excited to announce that GRP Partners led the investment in Ethan Anderson’s new company MyTime (link has LA-based merchants but will give you a good feel for the product). ” So Ethan went to work as a product manager at Google Video. I acted as the occasional mentor, advisor and coach to Ethan.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

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. Most of you aspiring entrepreneurs have new ideas on a regular basis, and find it hard deciding which to pursue, or try to tackle several at the same time. Demonstrate real knowledge of your market and competitors.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Startup Patents Resource 126

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2022

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. In her book, Jan devotes a whole chapter to speaking to the media, as a key aspect of public speaking.

Marketing 113

Marketing Entrepreneur Customer Custom 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 3, 2015

In building successful businesses, I find that creating a new and innovative product or service is usually the easy part. Great entrepreneurs are not just idea people and then managers, they are extraordinary leaders. Great entrepreneurs are not just idea people and then managers, they are extraordinary leaders. Marty Zwilling.

Product 103

Product Coach Framework Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2021

I found the classic book, “ Master Your Time, Master Your Life ,” by noted speaker and productivity expert Brian Tracy, who highlights decision making and problem solving as one of the most critical determinants of your success in everything you do. Having a great idea is necessary, but not sufficient, to create a great business.

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Startup Entrepreneur Ideas Coach 140

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2023

Successful entrepreneurs are the ones who think the most creatively, not only in their initial product or service, but more importantly all through the stages of growth from startup to maturity. Sales people tend to remember the latest product when selling to clients, not the one best for that customer. Tricked by recency.

Marketing 119

Marketing Metrics Demand Statistics 119

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

Almost every entrepreneur and new business owner I mentor is certain that his/her idea has a very high probability of success, and all find it hard to believe that ninety percent of startups ultimately fail. I realized that he and I see several common patterns that account for a large percentage of new venture failures.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

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. As a role model, what you practice is more important than what you preach.

Product 58

Product Startup Guide Framework 58

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 26, 2023

Thus I was pleased to see the specifics offered in a new book, “ The Flexible Method ,” by James Burstall. By demonstrating positivity and mentoring, you can make collaboration and connecting with others a productive and enjoyable experience, rather than a burden. Act fast and lead with a strong calm purpose.

Training 86

Training Resource Competition Satisfaction 86

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2021

I learned a lot about the mindset and actions required from a classic book, “ Serial Winner: 5 Actions to Create Your Cycle of Success ,” by Larry Weidel, a serial winner in the financial services business world over a forty-year career, while helping other people do the same. Each success incents a dozen greater ideas.

Entrepreneur 144

Entrepreneur Mentor Startup Course 144

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2022

After years mentoring young aspiring entrepreneurs , I am now convinced that getting along and becoming more productive with other people is a skill that any professional can learn, or accomplish via a dedicated strategy. Start by coming up with two or three ideas you want to test out on a difficult colleague.

Startup 114

Startup Examples Satisfaction Mentor 114

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2020

In my efforts of assist aspiring business owners like you, I find that too many see it as a short sprint to get over that one hurdle, like finding that innovative idea, or attracting an investor. An occasional discussion with a mentor won’t do it. The shift – break away from dreaming to action.

Entrepreneur 139

Entrepreneur Help Incubator Startup 139

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 25, 2020

Yet there is more and more evidence that jumping tasks on every alert for a new email, text, or phone call actually decreases overall productivity. Practicing these will ensure greater productivity, less stress, more job satisfaction, and an improved overall sense of well-being. Presence is foundational for focus and mindfulness.

Email 170

Email Activity Social Media Coach 170

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 23, 2019

A few years ago I read a classic book “ The Rudolph Factor ,” by Cyndi Laurin and Craig Morningstar, which is all about finding the bright lights that can drive innovation in your business. The core message is that real innovation and competitive advantage are more people-based than product or process-based. Connect the dots.

Mentor 101

Mentor Competition Ideas Organization 101

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 20, 2013

In today’s uber-connected, social media, everything-is-public, people tell you there’s killing it with these new features, investor & mentor whiplash – it’s hard to avoid the latest thing. 4 months later every f **g product I see looks like Pinterest. The new thing. The shiny object. get me some.

Course 368

Course Resource Social Media Design 368

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2022

Most business mentors tell me that the single biggest problem they have to deal with in small companies is the lack of open, honest, and effective communication, both from the top down and from the bottom up. Founders have to communicate their ideas and products to investors, business partners, and the rest of the team.

Technical Review 137

Technical Review Entrepreneur Guide Mentor 137

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. Set your goal to be the best idea will always win.

Startup 124

Startup Ideas Examples Metrics 124