Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2021

By definition, all of you entrepreneurs are leaders, by taking the initiative to start a new company. Johnson accepted full company accountability on Twitter for a racial profiling incident at a Starbucks in Philadelphia. A community requires two-way communication and respect – including advisors, partners, and customers.

Coach 162

Coach Startup Resource Competition 162

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 9, 2021

In these days of rapid change, the pandemic, and worldwide competition, you need to make sure your entire team is customer-focused, innovative, and always looking around the corner for the next big thing. Recent articles report that companies where everyone is focused on the big picture can increase their returns by up to 400 percent.

Coach 174

Coach Activity Customer Custom 174

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2021

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Yet the average perception of customer experience has not improved. You have to start with hiring only people who are willing and able to make serious customer service happen.

Startup 154

Startup Training Customer Custom 154

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2020

In my experience, finding real innovation in existing company environments is even tougher. It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Training and coaching. Set milestones and meet them. Ownership. Value creation.

Coach 144

Coach Metrics Social Network Competition 144

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 29, 2019

” That’s right, ProGuides is pitching a marketplace for experienced gamers so that its customers aren’t randomly matched with some noob if they can’t game with their usual partners. The LA-based company also has some venture-backed competition on the East Coast. ProGuides raised $1.9

Coach 180

Coach Seed Funding Training Platform 180

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2016

If you can’t provide a memorable customer experience, your startup won’t survive very long these days. You now need more than loyalty from your customers -- they need to be your best advocates. The days of pushing new and marginal performers into customer service are gone. Every job on your team drives your customer experience.

Customer 55

Customer Custom Startup Coach 55

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2022

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. People-centric leaders drive ownership and engagement down to their customer-facing team members.

Coach 128

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 128

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2023

Even if you were an “A-Player” in your previous organization (top 10-percent performer, high integrity, exceeds on commitments), you had peers and executives around you to provide coaching and keep you centered. Every business purpose must be customer-centric and even altruistic. Increase ownership thinking on business efficiency.

Entrepreneur 85

Entrepreneur Customer Custom Competition 85

Tech Coast Venture Network

AUGUST 11, 2015

Having great company culture is no longer just an option. In fact, fantastic company culture is almost expected along with other traditional benefits. It has established what the company culture is, and fitting into that culture is the most important thing managers look for when hiring. What does that culture look like?

Examples 100

Examples Company Companies Google 100

Tech Coast Venture Network

AUGUST 11, 2015

Having great company culture is no longer just an option. In fact, fantastic company culture is almost expected along with other traditional benefits. It has established what the company culture is, and fitting into that culture is the most important thing managers look for when hiring. What does that culture look like?

Examples 100

Examples Company Companies Google 100

Berkonomics

AUGUST 3, 2023

My experience with early valuations by founders for friends… I’ve arrived at a significant number of companies that were looking for additional growth capital after a “friends and family” round and had to “clean up” the cap table more than a few times over the years. Taking this kind of money has several pitfalls you should be aware of.

Venture Capital 295

Venture Capital Startup Class Invest 295

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2013

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Yet the average perception of customer experience continues to decline. You have to start with hiring only people who are willing and able to make serious customer service happen.

Customer 92

Customer Custom Startup Services 92

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2023

Every business organization, large or small, has a variety of individual and team member types that factor into your ability to innovate and change the business to meet evolving customer needs and competition. He brings over 25 years of experience with Silicon Valley leadership companies in highlighting winners and losers.

Coach 96

Coach Ideas Mentor Organization 96

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 9, 2020

Even if you were an “A-Player” in your previous organization (top 10-percent performer, high integrity, exceeds on commitments), you had peers and executives around you to provide coaching and keep you centered. Every business purpose must be customer-centric and even altruistic. Increase ownership thinking on business efficiency.

Entrepreneur 159

Entrepreneur Customer Custom Competition 159

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2021

Obviously, both are required for a company to stay healthy and growing. Here are the key reasons that I recommend that aspiring leaders focus on people before process: Customers judge the business by the people quality. People-centric leaders realize that the right motivated and accountable people are their real competitive advantage.

Satisfaction 154

Satisfaction Demand Resource Competition 154

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2022

Be sure to encompass all your constituents, especially including customers. Whole Foods , for example, has built their business with a commitment to natural and organic foods, and have a culture of loyal employees and customers, resulting in 500 stores worldwide. Foster collaboration rather than competition.

Product 109

Product Training Customer Custom 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2023

I realized a while back that creating a new company for the first time is a lot like whipping up a great dinner entree for the first time – you need a recipe, even though it may look simple. If you can’t identify customer interest, it doesn’t matter how good your product is. Don’t be afraid to test your ultimate entree on customers.

Startup 112

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 112

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

I started my first company in 1999 and was admittedly swept up in all of this: Magazine covers, fancy conferences, artificial valuations and easy money. In those years I learned to properly build product, price products, sell products and serve customers. Between 2006–2008 I sold both companies that I had started and became a VC.

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

Unlike the mentor, who is a coach and teacher, the advocate inspires you to be the best that you can be. The trailblazer is not overly competitive, but always is a few steps ahead and enjoys setting an example that you are inspired by, or motivated to follow. Workship - Trailblazer.

Mentor 91

Mentor Competition Summary Coach 91

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

I realized a while back that creating a new company for the first time is a lot like whipping up a great dinner entrée for the first time – you need a recipe, even though it may look simple. If you can’t identify customer interest, it doesn’t matter how good your product is. Don’t be afraid to test your ultimate entree on customers.

Startup 156

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 156

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2022

I see that model changing today to one of team collaboration and decision making, per companies such as Amazon, Google, and Zoom. Modern companies like Amazon credit much of their growth and success to rewarding of change innovations, including failures. Discourage internal team competition and silos.

Organization 105

Organization Mentor Startup Training 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2021

Perhaps you need to do more to be a role model for accountability , and provide more coaching on exactly what it means. Johnson , was quick to accept accountability via a company apology on Twitter for a racial profiling incident at a Starbucks in Philadelphia, even though he could have claimed that a fired employee was at fault.

Training 173

Training Examples Startup Social Media 173

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2015

In my experience, finding real innovation in existing company environments is even tougher. It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Training and coaching. Set milestones and meet them. Ownership. Value creation.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Metrics 101

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2018

In my experience, finding real innovation in existing company environments is even tougher. It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Training and coaching. Set milestones and meet them. Ownership. Value creation.

Entrepreneur 64

Entrepreneur Coach Metrics Competition 64

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2022

found in polling more than 700 professionals at companies nationwide, that 58 percent had participated in an office romance, and almost three-quarters of those who’ve had relationships said they’d be willing to engage in another one. in sociology, and is a coach and speaker on work issues and friendship. by Jan Yager, who has a Ph.D.

Startup 119

Startup Course Competition Social Media 119

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2020

Unlike the mentor, who is a coach and teacher, the advocate inspires you to be the best that you can be. The trailblazer is not overly competitive, but always is a few steps ahead and enjoys setting an example that you are inspired by, or motivated to follow. Workship - Trailblazer.

Mentor 135

Mentor Competition Summary Coach 135

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2020

These days, customers as well as team members, need to be able to relate to a higher purpose for your business, such as protecting the environment, or helping the disadvantaged. Be sure to tie changes back to the “why” – customer value, business objectives, and competition. Publicly reward risk taking and new ideas.

Mentor 122

Mentor Ideas Competition Examples 122

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2019

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. People-centric leaders drive ownership and engagement down to their customer-facing team members.

Coach 94

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 94

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 25, 2022

He went on to start many successful companies, including General Electric. Don’t be hesitant to use coaches, mentors, and other resources to test and improve your image by others, and your perceptions of business realities and biases. The business world today is very competitive, and customers are more and more demanding.

Startup 122

Startup Satisfaction Summary Coach 122

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 3, 2014

Nor do they exist in the investors of early-stage companies. ” So I did want any rational person who wants to improve does – I hired a coach. Whenever I heard why we didn’t feel a sales process at an important customer was going well (or if we lost) I would get involved myself.

Sales 382

Sales Help Startup Pricing 382

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2016

In my experience, finding real innovation in existing company environments is even tougher. It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Training and coaching. Set milestones and meet them. Ownership. Value creation.

Coach 64

Coach Metrics Competition Ideas 64

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 2, 2022

This is a tough challenge for every coach and mentor. Embrace the real you as your competitive advantage. The support currently provided by product service can become inadequate to satisfy new customers, as your growth and image becomes better known. Accept the fact that authenticity is necessary for leadership effectiveness.

Entrepreneur 90

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Coach Mentor 90

Berkonomics

JUNE 15, 2012

One important element of positioning a company is pricing strategy. And although many positioning efforts cross the lines between these, great companies play to the strength of just one. Certainly Wal-Mart, Target and others have gotten the attention of their potential customers using price as the primary leader to drive sales.

Pricing 149

Pricing Competition Coach Sales 149

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

It works at all levels inside an organization, as well as outside the company. Provide and seek coach and advocate relationships. The best coaches are people who care about you as a person, without any ulterior motives, and intend to inspire you to be the best that you can be. A good coach is not a critic.

Tips 95

Tips Mentor Coach Activity 95

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 28, 2012

When is it appropriate for a VC to call your customers? I have seen some entrepreneurs go into first meetings willing to share almost anything about their company. “We are sharing with you our list of key customers / biz dev partners. I specifically asked them not to call Salesforce.com – my largest customer.

Technical Review 316

Technical Review Venture Capital Customer Custom 316

Berkonomics

JUNE 8, 2017

I’ve arrived at a significant number of companies that were looking for additional growth capital after a “friends and family” round, and had to “clean up” the cap table more than a few times over the years. Venture capital comes with a cost, and there are no bargains for the company when taking such an investment.

Venture Capital 266

Venture Capital Class Invest Equity 266

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

It’s insanely competitive to get into our industry so most have degrees from institutions like Stanford, Harvard, Wharton and University of Chicago (blatant plug ;-). VCs should be more of a coach than proscriptively telling you what to do. I would call their portfolio companies and ask how helpful or not they’ve been.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364