Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

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.

Competition 99

Competition Services Startup Training 99

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2020

The traditional model for hiring permanent employees who can grow their career with your company just doesn’t work, and can jeopardize your business before it even gets traction. You need a faster and more flexible on-demand hiring strategy, based on the current gig-economy of remote freelancers, contract personnel, and specialists.

Competition 168

Competition Startup Demand Training 168

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2023

Customer service has traditionally been focused on the resolution of complaints , primarily after a transaction. My recommendations always include adopting a customer mindset, as well as the following steps: Accept today’s definition of relevant customer support. Treat every customer exceptionally before they complain.

Competition 109

Competition Services Custom Customer 109

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 Custom Customer 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

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 starts with a cultural fit interview, which carries half the weight of whether the candidate is hired. Takeaway: Zappos hires according to cultural fit first and foremost.

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 starts with a cultural fit interview, which carries half the weight of whether the candidate is hired. Takeaway: Zappos hires according to cultural fit first and foremost.

Examples 100

Examples Company Companies Google 100

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 24, 2011

As Guy Kawasaki pointed out in our recent conversation , “…it is cheaper than ever to start a company. If there was ever a time to start a company, this is it.”. Determining the perfect moment to enter the startup market, whether by creating a company or joining an ongoing venture, is akin to timing the financial markets.

Company 257

Company Companies Startup Study 257

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2022

According to one study a decade ago, only 45% of founders plan to exit after stage one, and my guess is that less than half the remainder survive the next stage in their own company. Hire more help than helpers. These only come with the proper training, investment in tools, and focus on customer relationships.

Sales 147

Sales Metrics Guide Startup 147

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.

Custom 55

Custom Customer Startup Coach 55

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2023

You probably realize that the leading edge is very near the bleeding edge, where only early adopter customers dare to tread. On the other hand, if you wait for competitors to get there first, you may be left in the dust with no customers. Otherwise, look for advances from distributors, vendors or even future customers.

Startup 135

Startup Entrepreneur Statistics Course 135

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2022

The key elements of leadership in a company, both individual and organizational, are less tangible, but very critical in setting a market value for investment, acquisition, or going public. For startups, the entrepreneur and founder is almost always the face of the company. Leadership brand development.

Technical Review 129

Technical Review Funding Organization Coach 129

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.

Custom 92

Custom Customer Startup Services 92

socalTECH

MAY 30, 2019

Richards--a serial entrepreneur who has been involved in a number of technology companies here, including NTI Group (sold to Blackboard), Internships.com, MP3.com, Now we have a thousand large companies into it, and if you name a big company, they're a customers of ours, from Starbucks to NASA.

Content 193

Content Social Network Coach Help 193

TechCrunch LA

NOVEMBER 5, 2021

billion two years ago and is expected to double by 2027, attracting startups, like alternative meat food tech company AKUA , that aim to solidify a prominent place in the up-and-coming industry. million seed round, led by Vibrant Ventures, to give the company $5.4 The global meat substitute market was valued at $4.51

Startup 191

Startup Los Angeles Sample Funding 191

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. Commit to delivering a positive customer experience.

Product 109

Product Training Custom Customer 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2020

Very few entrepreneurs can play both roles, so find a partner or hire an integrator to help. For the business to prosper, every employee, and your customers, must know and relate to your core values, such as product excellence, care for the environment, and personal integrity. Increase you focus on coaching, training, and mentoring.

Metrics 140

Metrics Entrepreneur Coach Satisfaction 140

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 2012

And it got me thinking about all of the people like him behind the scenes who never get recognized for their significant contributions to the success of companies. And that person has almost certainly chosen specifically to be a startup lawyer over serving other types of customers because he or she enjoys working with entrepreneurs.

Startup 363

Startup Venture Capital Coach Press 363

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. Here are mine.

Sales 382

Sales Help Startup Pricing 382

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 10, 2014

One of the interesting things about being a VC is that you often see companies in transition. I also see companies as they move from having taken $1-5 million from me to their next round where they raise $8-15 million from Series B investors and sometimes I lead at this round (we’re stage agnostic but 80% of our deals are seed & A).

Startup 381

Startup Resource Venture Capital Activity 381

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 15, 2020

The key elements of leadership in a company, both individual and organizational, are less tangible, but very critical in setting a market value for investment, acquisition, or going public. For startups, the entrepreneur and founder is almost always the face of the company. Leadership brand development.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Organization Coach Invest 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2020

You probably realize that the leading edge is very near the bleeding edge, where only early adopter customers dare to tread. On the other hand, if you wait for competitors to get there first, you may be left in the dust with no customers. Otherwise, look for advances from distributors, vendors or even future customers.

Entrepreneur 121

Entrepreneur Startup Statistics Course 121

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 8, 2019

A recent high-profile one, Theranos , the blood-testing company, had no trouble getting customers, but promised more than their technology could deliver, Another, Shyp , an early on-demand delivery platform, blamed their demise on premature scaling. Hire the best people and continually upgrade your team.

Startup 88

Startup Demand Training Custom 88

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. Where do you see your fit in this leadership transformation ?

Organization 105

Organization Mentor Startup Training 105

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2019

According to one study a while back, only 45% of founders plan to exit after stage one, and my guess is that less than half the remainder survive the next stage in their own company. Hire more help than helpers. These only come with the proper training, investment in tools, and focus on customer relationships.

Startup 97

Startup Sales Metrics Guide 97

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2012

It extends directly to your customers through dependable products and services. It isn’t a value that only benefits the employer and customers. The best time to address expected norms is before hiring, and mentoring with one-on-one conversations must supplement rulebooks. Integrity and coach-ability.

Company 93

Company Companies Guide Organization 93

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

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 1, 2016

They hire their initial co-founders and early employees and everybody has a sense of “mission.” That’s why it’s important to revisit your company’s mission from time-to-time. We try to hire deeply analytical associates to can help companies problem solve and who make us better investors.

Startup 150

Startup Coach Course Invest 150

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 6, 2014

Whether you’re considering hiring a new employee or as an investor whether you’re looking to do a background check on the founders of a company. Most people delay reference calls until that point both due to expediency of time (why make phone calls unless you think you might hire the person?) Reference calls.

Startup 302

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Report 302

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

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. Here are mine.

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Custom 316

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

VCs should be more of a coach than proscriptively telling you what to do. I’ve seen too many companies go off track by a VC hell bent on the team pursuing the VCs strategy which at times is about chasing the next shiny object. I would call their portfolio companies and ask how helpful or not they’ve been. FourSquare.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

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

OCTOBER 23, 2015

Customize your organizational structure based on individuals' strengths. Focus on hiring the right people, and deal quickly with mismatches. Skills and experience are necessary in hiring, but finding a match in values and culture is equally important. If there is no consistency, there is no culture.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Training 102

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2015

Does it mean the right thing from a customer perspective, societal impact, maximizing business returns or personal benefit? Another article indicates that 80 percent of customers continue to base some portion of their buying decisions on their perceptions of the company’s ethics. Be a coach, rather than a dictator.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Training Demand Custom 102

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). BuildOnline (the company I founded) has just announcement plans to be more aggressive in growing in the US. Let me not bury the lede.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2015

This may work for big companies who have specialized staffs, but it doesn’t work for startups and small businesses who are already understaffed and overloaded. Businesses stopped hiring for lifetime commitments some time ago, as markets change so rapidly and companies need to tune their workforce for changing economic conditions.

Services 100

Services Startup Software Review Social Media 100