Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2021

Ironically, as a startup investor and mentor, I have seen too many failures caused by just the opposite – too much money spent too soon, taking time to get product perfection, and assuming customers will wait. Adding priced services is another way to augment a product business. Create new kinds of solutions.

Startup 164

Startup Resource Entrepreneur Competition 164

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2021

In fact, as a mentor to entrepreneurs and an investor, I recommend that entrepreneurs avoid using the term disruptive with investors, since many see it as implying extra high risk, a long time for payback, and extensive marketing to build the new market. So why would any investor ever believe any of these claims?

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Entrepreneur Marketing Custom 157

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

JUNE 25, 2021

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Ask some potential customers to see if there is real interest, and start thinking about price versus cost.

Ideas 136

Ideas Entrepreneur Mentor Resource 136

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

You can review all the specifics of this approach in the classic book by Nathan Furr and Paul Ahlstrom, appropriately titled “ Nail It then Scale It: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Creating and Managing Breakthrough Innovation ,” but I will net it out here. Do real tests with real pricing to see if customers will pay you, without being pushed.

Technical Review 143

Technical Review Custom Customer Entrepreneur 143

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

As the school year kicks off for college students, one of the big tasks of the year is buying books for their courses. One startup, SwoopThat (www.swoopthat.com)--started by a recent college grad Jonathan Simkin --has made it much easier to buy books for student, by pulling up books based on a student's schedule.

UCSD 185

UCSD Course Startup Sites 185

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

He had an idea for a startup that would help consumers better book service jobs and would take on Service Magic, which he believed had a business model that could be disrupted. I acted as the occasional mentor, advisor and coach to Ethan. When Ethan was considering leaving Google we talked about it. The company was called Red Beacon.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 6, 2015

Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. For example, I read a recent book by Penina Rybak, “ The NICE Reboot ,” that does a great job of outlining problem solving steps, honed from working with special needs youngsters. Explore solutions, outcomes, and options calmly.

Mentor 105

Mentor Entrepreneur Technical Review Satisfaction 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2022

A common request I get while mentoring entrepreneurs is for a copy of the startup checklist they need to follow, in order to build a successful new business. So for those of you that love checklists, I saw some real value in the classic book by James M. I wish it was that easy.

Technology 133

Technology Cloud Computing Social Media Networking 133

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

Based on my years of experience mentoring and advising entrepreneurs, you need to attack problems and challenges with a mindset of success, or it is unlikely that you or your business will survive. I found that view confirmed for a wide range of leadership situations in a classic book, “ The Mindset of Success ,” by Jo Owen.

Entrepreneur 147

Entrepreneur Help Mentor Custom 147

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

Typically this means describing interactions with customer groups, real customer feedback, and showing an understanding of price sensitivity, alternatives, and competitive offerings. They mentor each other, and seek out experts in domains outside their current expertise and experience. Maintaining an insatiable curiosity about change.

Startup 113

Startup Custom Customer Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

Usually these are described as revenue growth drivers, as outlined in a new book, “ The Revenue Accelerator: The 21 Boosters to Launch Your Startup ,” by Dr. Allan Colman. Dig deep to get beyond the best price or best service, to find a higher cause or unique benefit that they can remember and be happy to advocate.

Marketing 133

Marketing Custom Customer Outsource Development 133

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2023

The science and human factors behind this approach are explained in a classic book, Crunch Time: How to Be Your Best When It Matters Most ,” by Rick Peterson and Judd Hoekstra. When you find yourself saying, “I need to keep lowering my prices,” you just put more pressure on yourself. Reframe from fighting harder to changing the game.

Entrepreneur 82

Entrepreneur Competition Press Commerce 82

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 28, 2014

Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. For example, I just completed a new book by Penina Rybak, “ The NICE Reboot ,” that does a great job of outlining problem solving steps, honed from working with special needs youngsters. Work with a partner you can trust.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Mentor Technical Review Satisfaction 102

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 22, 2017

Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. For example, I remember a classic book by Penina Rybak, “ The NICE Reboot ,” that does a great job of outlining problem solving steps, honed from working with special needs youngsters. Work with a partner you can trust.

Satisfaction 53

Satisfaction Marketing Mentor Entrepreneur 53

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I often get asked for the magic that has made Amazon the world's most valuable brand , from a total unknown only twenty years ago. Thus I was pleased to see the evidence confirming that perspective in a new book, “ The Amazon Management System ,” by Ram Charan and Julia Yang.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Custom Customer 123

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2020

His challenge is to focus on one market, with a specific design, cost, and price. I find the best business plans are not books, but may actually should start as a one-page “elevator pitch” that succinctly encompasses your business goals, problems and solution, opportunity, competition, and business model.

Ideas 126

Ideas Writing Examples Outsource 126

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 28, 2021

an author and speaker on this and related subjects, outlines in her classic book “ Productive Relationships: 57 Strategies for Building Stronger Business Connections.” They include real mentors, facilitators, visionaries, motivators, and negotiators. Jan Yager, Ph.D., Avoid associating with them.

Startup 127

Startup Social Network Mentor Networking 127

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2020

The science and human factors behind this approach are explained in a classic book, Crunch Time: How to Be Your Best When It Matters Most ,” by Rick Peterson and Judd Hoekstra. When you find yourself saying, “I need to keep lowering my prices,” you just put more pressure on yourself. Reframe from fighting harder to changing the game.

Startup 134

Startup Entrepreneur Competition Press 134

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2020

In a bear market executives are paid to: consolidate the number of contracts and renegotiate prices. A seed deal hasn’t already been “priced up” to a range where a new investor might be concerned about the valuation relative to performance. Valuations may have changed and “price discovery” in private markets is harder to determine.

Venture Capital 263

Venture Capital Marketing Startup Writing 263

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

In the short term you need customers to find you at any price, and in the longer term you need revenue, profit, and return loyalty. Based on my own experience in both large and small companies, I agree it can be done, with the essential principles outlined in a new book, “ Winning Now, Winning Later ,” by David M.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2019

Based on my years of experience mentoring and advising entrepreneurs, you need to attack problems and challenges with a mindset of success, or it is unlikely that you or your business will survive. I found that view confirmed for a wide range of leadership situations in a classic book, “ The Mindset of Success ,” by Jo Owen.

Entrepreneur 119

Entrepreneur Help Mentor Custom 119

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2019

You can review all the specifics of this approach in the classic book by Nathan Furr and Paul Ahlstrom, appropriately titled “ Nail It then Scale It: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Creating and Managing Breakthrough Innovation ,” but I will net it out here. Do real tests with real pricing to see if customers will pay you, without being pushed.

Startup 98

Startup Technical Review Custom Customer 98

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 3, 2015

Almost all credited their spouse, or a mentor, in helping them achieve their success. Women in sales or real estate, were more savvy with negotiation than those who weren’t and often asked for, and received, the better price as a result. I’m ready to get back to the creatives.

Conference 40

Conference Entertainment Startup Digital Hollywood 40

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 5, 2013

The issue in these cases was usually not the technology per se, but the bigger business picture of marketable prices, ease of use, and support infrastructures. The best entrepreneurs have the best “little black book” of expert contacts. Even the best have mentors they really use. Networking requires sharing as well as taking.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Startup 101

socalTECH

APRIL 10, 2012

It's all you can fly, but what you can't do is you can't just book every day and box everyone else out. Those mentors and others have given us really tangible advice. The four partners at Muckerlab, Greg Bettinelli, Yanda Erlich, Will Hsu, and Erik Rannala just have incredible backgrounds, and an incredible ability to mentor companies.

Startup 240

Startup Mentor Technical Review Santa Barbara 240

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2019

A common request I get while mentoring entrepreneurs is for a copy of the startup checklist they need to follow, in order to build a successful new business. So for those of you that love checklists, I saw some real value in the classic book by James M. I wish it was that easy.

Technology 86

Technology Cloud Computing Social Media Networking 86

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2015

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Ask some potential customers to see if there is real interest, and start thinking about price versus cost.

Ideas 104

Ideas Mentor Resource Entrepreneur 104

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 20, 2015

In fact, as a mentor to entrepreneurs and an investor, I recommend that entrepreneurs avoid using the term disruptive with investors, since many see it as implying extra high risk, a long time for payback, and extensive marketing to build the new market. So why would any investor ever believe any of these claims?

Marketing 102

Marketing Technical Review Entrepreneur Custom 102

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2015

Ironically, as a startup investor and mentor, I have seen too many failures caused by just the opposite – too much money spent too soon, taking time to get product perfection, and assuming customers will wait. Adding priced services is another way to augment a product business. Create new kinds of solutions.

Resource 98

Resource Entrepreneur Competition Startup 98

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. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Ask some potential customers to see if there is real interest, and start thinking about price versus cost.

Ideas 107

Ideas Mentor Entrepreneur Resource 107

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2017

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Ask some potential customers to see if there is real interest, and start thinking about price versus cost.

Ideas 56

Ideas Mentor Resource Product 56

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2017

Yet, in my experience as a mentor to entrepreneurs, the majority of failures I see are related to starting and growing the business, not developing the solution. A successful business requires focus – define the customer need with a specific solution for a specific price and cost.

Ideas 72

Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2014

You can review all the specifics of this approach in a book by Nathan Furr and Paul Ahlstrom, appropriately titled “ Nail It then Scale It: The Entrepreneur''s Guide to Creating and Managing Breakthrough Innovation ,” but I will net it out here. Do real tests with real pricing to see if customers will pay you, without being pushed.

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Custom 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2016

In fact, as a mentor to entrepreneurs and an investor, I recommend that entrepreneurs avoid using the term disruptive with investors, since many see it as implying extra high risk, a long time for payback, and extensive marketing to build the new market. So why would any investor ever believe any of these claims?

Technical Review 61

Technical Review Entrepreneur Custom Customer 61

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 28, 2015

A common request I get while mentoring entrepreneurs is for a copy of the startup checklist they need to follow, in order to build a successful new business. So for those of you that love checklists, I saw some real value in a recent book by James M. I wish it was that easy.

Startup 107

Startup Cloud Computing Social Media Entrepreneur 107

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2012

Several whole books have been written on this subject, such as “ The Worst-Case Scenario Business Survival Guide ” by David Borgenicht and Mark Joyner, so you should consider this article a simple introduction. Look for ways to offer additional value, rather than slash prices. Strategically timid and haphazard marketing.

Startup 96

Startup Guide Resource Pricing 96