Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2023

These days, building a new business is all about visibility and marketing, no matter how great or innovative a solution you bring to the table. In fact, having one marketing guru on the team alone won’t get you very far. The most senior leaders then become coaches and mentors, rather than the source of all decisions.

Startup 95

Startup Coach Mentor Social Media 95

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

How might our next phase of the journey seem brighter, even with more uncertain days for startups and capital markets? And then in the late 90’s money crept in, swept in to town by public markets, instant wealth and an absurd sky-rocketing of valuations based on no reasonable metrics. What happened?

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2016

These days, building a new business is all about visibility and marketing, no matter how great or innovative a solution you bring to the table. In fact, having one marketing guru on the team alone won’t get you very far. The most senior leaders then become coaches and mentors, rather than the source of all decisions.

Marketing 89

Marketing Coach Mentor Social Media 89

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2022

These authors reference real cases and real business leaders, based on their decades of experience in building companies and executive coaching. I offer here their summary of purposes and inspirations that have motivated existing business leaders, with insights from my own mentoring and coaching experience.

Technical Review 143

Technical Review Coach Mentor Customer 143

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. Today’s pace of change in the market and in technology is unprecedented. Priority is placed on employee mentoring and coaching.

Coach 128

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 128

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2022

During my many years of mentoring professionals and entrepreneurs in business, I more often see people focusing on how to get their ideas heard , than how to promote themselves. Take full advantage of every mentoring and coaching opportunity, and network with peers both inside and outside the company.

Tips 121

Tips Social Media Mentor Technical Review 121

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2023

When I heard a friend and business mentor say, “Your startup won’t fail if you don’t quit,” I realized that every entrepreneur should adopt “never give up” as their mantra. Yet if you already have some early adopters, that's a good indication that real marketing and education will likely bring your product or service mass acceptance.

Startup 135

Startup Entrepreneur Statistics Course 135

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2019

With Startup Boost, we had dozens of investors, service providers, successful entrepreneurs, and major industry leaders (including Microsoft, Google, Softbank, REME, and TechStars) coalesce around our initiative to help early stage companies get to the next level. Yet they turned-out each and every week of our six-week programs.

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Software Review Startup Coach 157

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2022

All prefer more flexible hours, the chance to work from home, and the traditions of lifetime loyalty to one company no longer apply. Loyalty to a given company now has to be inspired rather than assumed. Mentoring is the number one request by Millennials in the workplace. Thus mentoring inspires loyalty all around.

Mentor 147

Mentor Coach Satisfaction Training 147

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2022

If you aren’t yet adapting to the market and your customers, you are falling behind. In other words, change in your business has to become the accepted norm, just like it is in your market. Be proactive rather than reactive to market change. New blood and new ideas are keys to agility.

Competition 148

Competition Metrics Demand Customer 148

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 16, 2018

As the rate of change continues to increase in business and technology, the more I’m convinced that marketing is the primary key to success for a new venture. Yet I find that many technical founders don’t feel they need it at all, or at best point to one person on the team who is marketing.

Marketing 71

Marketing Tips Technical Review Social Media 71

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. Traditional command leadership allowed individual biases and ego to reduce team engagement and miss market changes and new competitors. Where do you see your fit in this leadership transformation ?

Organization 105

Organization Mentor Startup Training 105

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 23, 2022

Many of you business leaders I work with, and entrepreneurs I mentor, have a great strategy and an innovative solution , but struggle with building and motivating the team necessary to run your business. Spend time coaching and mentoring team members. Help them learn more about your vision and future market goals.

Mentor 108

Mentor Social Media Coach Customer 108

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2022

As United Airlines found out a few years ago, delays in addressing customer or vendor problems can cost you more in a single day than many companies make in a year. You can’t find the time for coaching and mentoring. Maybe now is the time to bring in outside coaching and motivational speakers, as well as more training.

Coach 120

Coach Satisfaction Customer Custom 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2022

Yet I find, as a mentor and outside consultant, that many of you focus only on working conditions and compensation as the key factors determining team engagement , health, and productivity. In my experience, a healthy team is a prerequisite for a thriving business, innovation to meet market needs, and high customer loyalty.

Technical Review 141

Technical Review Mentor Social Media Customer 141

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

Thus began my marketing campaign. Helped merge company with Seedling – on track to do $20 million combined revenue in 2015 – will now become Chairman). Wonderful human being who is civically engaged, mother of 3, mentorer of younger founders, hard worker and arguer extraordinaire (so says her current Twitter bio).

Venture Capital 408

Venture Capital Startup Outsource Development CitySearch 408

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

You need to be visible in marketing efforts, viral videos, and interactions with key customer segments. The old fable of “you are known by the company you keep” has never been more true. That means public recognition of individual achievements, providing feedback, and coaching and mentoring along the way.

Mentor 145

Mentor IBM IBM Social Media 145

SoCal Tech Calendar

JULY 19, 2012

Los Angeles launched its cleantech business incubator to accelerate development of cleantech start-ups by offering flexible office space, CEO coaching and mentoring, and access to a growing network of experts and capital. LACIis the business equivalent of baseball?s See [link] (more)

LAVA 113

LAVA Incubator Coach Startup 113

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. By hiring contract experts, less oversight and coaching is needed. This lets you evolve your strategy with the market.

Competition 168

Competition Startup Demand Training 168

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2023

Even the best marketing doesn’t do it. In reality, many companies now offer a “ clicks and bricks ” business model, with shopping online, and then completing the purchase and support at a physical location. This means real customer value emphasis in all interactions and marketing, versus low price and price concessions.

Competition 109

Competition Services Customer Custom 109

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2016

The Techstars Health Accelerator recently set up shop in Los Angeles with Cedars- Sinai�the second, Techstars powered startup accelerator in the city--in a move to help healthcare startups get to market quicker. You mentioned a little bit about the mentoring, what what other benefits would companies get from becoming part of an accelerator?

Mentor 100

Mentor Startup Coach Ideas 100

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2016

The Techstars Health Accelerator recently set up shop in Los Angeles with Cedars Sinai�the second, Techstars powered startup accelerator in the city--in a move to help healthcare startups get to market quicker. You mentioned a little bit about the mentoring, what what other benefits would companies get from becoming part of an accelerator?

Mentor 100

Mentor Startup Coach Ideas 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2020

As a startup mentor and advisor, I often contemplate what makes the difference between winners and losers. I’m convinced that it’s a lot more than the foibles of any specific market, availability of funding, and just luck of the draw. The best business people are also the best mentors and coaches.

Startup 121

Startup Mentor Coach SpaceX 121

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2015

If you are like most entrepreneurs I know, there just aren’t enough hours in a day to get all your own work done, as well as run the many one-hour meetings each team member seems to demand for decisions and mentoring. For one-on-one coaching from the startup founder, I call this approach five-minute mentoring.

Product 99

Product Mentor Startup Technical Review 99

socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2020

What was the biggest news for you/your company this year?  It's been a tough year for many due to the pandemic; how have you or your company adapted to the business environment? We now invest in more companies, include better trainers and involve 3 times more investors in the demo days. Contact our editors for details.

Southern California 113

Southern California Technical Review Santa Monica Invest 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2021

Obviously, both are required for a company to stay healthy and growing. As a long-time business advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs, I consistently find that the most thriving businesses are people-centric, and those team members create the best processes, rather than the other way around.

Satisfaction 154

Satisfaction Demand Resource Competition 154

Tech.Co

MARCH 5, 2015

Susan is a startup coach and the founder of Givelocity, a social network for giving that offers a new spin on crowdfunding for good. A serial entrepreneur, Susan has a record of building value and community across several genre-defining companies. She’s also an advisor, mentor and investor in several startups.

Santa Barbara 70

Santa Barbara Startup Mentor Social Network 70

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2023

Others, including Jeff Bezos, spent time in a big company or two before breaking away to form their own. You must focus on nurturing a culture of working together, continuous learning, and constant change to keep up with new customer and market changes. More new, repeat, and loyal customers means career success.

Startup 111

Startup Satisfaction Metrics Customer 111

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2020

When I heard a friend and business mentor say, “Your startup won’t fail if you don’t quit,” I realized that every entrepreneur should adopt “never give up” as their mantra. Yet if you already have some early adopters, that's a good indication that real marketing and education will likely bring your product or service mass acceptance.

Entrepreneur 121

Entrepreneur Startup Statistics Course 121

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2019

Most people agree that leadership is primarily a set of behaviors that capitalize on relationships and a current market and customer understanding in a complex world. Leaders in new companies who have had to do much of the work themselves sometimes find it hard to now find time for the people who are now critical to their future.

Tips 97

Tips Mentor Coach Metrics 97

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 24, 2014

That company was Invoca, which just announced a $20 million fund raise led by Accel. It turns out it actually takes time to build a high-growth business with differentiated intellectual property and roll out large, enterprise-class marketing solutions. Lemons ripen early, great companies take time.” 5 years ago.

Venture Capital 387

Venture Capital Downey Writing Press 387

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2021

The best entrepreneurs relish this role, while others struggle mightily and ultimately lose their health and their company. The right first step is to go back to your goals to focus on the real limiting factors when you encounter problems with sales, growth, profitability, market share, or costs.

Startup 140

Startup Entrepreneur Ideas Coach 140

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. Today’s pace of change in the market and in technology is unprecedented. Priority is placed on employee mentoring and coaching.

Coach 94

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2017

For example, you probably never knew that both Facebook and YouTube started out as dating-site experiments, but pivoted to something more unique when that experiment failed due to an apparently over-crowded market. He and I both believe that the key to high growth in any company is a learning culture, led from the highest executive levels.

Coach 57

Coach Mentor Organization Entrepreneur 57

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2022

Your role is to provide this enablement, through listening to their needs, and providing personal coaching and mentoring as required. This fosters a positive team culture, and communicates company values that are important for everyone. Sometimes the last thing you need are people who always say “yes.”

Product 109

Product Training Customer Custom 109

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 30, 2022

Thus I was pleased to see the same conclusion in a new book, “ CEO Excellence ,” by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra, each a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company. Today even small businesses need complex organizations that work together in alignment, remote and online, including marketing, sales, delivery, and support.

Template 109

Template Demand Social Media Summary 109

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

I started in 2007 with a thesis that my primary investment decision would be about the team (70%) and only afterward about the market opportunity (30%). Today we’re in a world where 10 accelerators are bombarding you with emails to meet their 10-15 companies. You have to decide where to lean in on follow-on rounds.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Invest Press Startup 374