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. You should team up with intrapreneurs to land their ideas and translate them into the language that the company can understand.

Coach 96

Coach Ideas Mentor Organization 96

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2022

The hard part is providing the leadership required to align and motivate all the constituents and players – from engineers, to investors, vendors, and ultimately customers. Great entrepreneurs are not just idea people and then managers, they are extraordinary leaders. Focus more on collaborating with others, rather than competing.

Coach 114

Coach Framework Entrepreneur Tool 114

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. Here are some key ideas to get you started: It all starts with the right people on your team. Lost customers provide the best input.

Customer 55

Customer Custom Startup Coach 55

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2021

Authors Adrian Gostick and Chestor Elton, with their deep backgrounds as executive coaches and organizational consultants, recommend some simple methods, consistent with my own beliefs, to reduce the pain of uncertainty, and increase productivity, in your teams and employees: Make it okay for them to not have all the answers.

Marketing 148

Marketing Coach Startup Product 148

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

MAY 1, 2022

You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. How many customers will have any idea what this means to them? I like the guidance from marketing coach David Newman’s classic book “ Do It!

Marketing 141

Marketing Startup Social Media Technical Review 141

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2021

Here are the key reasons that I recommend that aspiring leaders focus on people before process: Customers judge the business by the people quality. Whether it be in person, on the phone, or implied in your marketing, your people and their engagement level is the key driver of customer loyalty, advocacy, and sales growth.

Satisfaction 154

Satisfaction Demand Resource Competition 154

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2023

Any startup coach or business advisor will tell you that, on your way to being a great chef, you don't start your journey by inventing the ultimate entre. If you can’t identify customer interest, it doesn’t matter how good your product is. investors invest in people, not ideas) Effective and timely go-to-market.

Startup 112

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 112

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. That’s why investors say they invest in people, not ideas.

Mentor 91

Mentor Competition Summary Coach 91

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2015

It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Innovative technologies have no value until they are turned into solutions to real customer problems. Training and coaching. Idea management. Ownership.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Metrics 101

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

AUGUST 18, 2018

It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Innovative technologies have no value until they are turned into solutions to real customer problems. Training and coaching. Idea management. Ownership.

Entrepreneur 64

Entrepreneur Coach Metrics Competition 64

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2019

The hard part is providing the leadership required to align and motivate all the constituents and players – from engineers, to investors, vendors, and ultimately customers. Great entrepreneurs are not just idea people and then managers, they are extraordinary leaders. Focus more on collaborating with others, rather than competing.

Coach 96

Coach Framework Entrepreneur Tool 96

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

I have often thought that creative endeavors where one has a quick turn-around between idea and realization of one’s work as one of the more fulfilling experiences in life. In those years I learned to properly build product, price products, sell products and serve customers. It was a way to make it hard for your competition to compete.

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

Any startup coach or business advisor will tell you that, on your way to being a great chef, you don't start your journey by inventing the ultimate entre. If you can’t identify customer interest, it doesn’t matter how good your product is. investors invest in people, not ideas) Effective and timely go-to-market.

Startup 156

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 156

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

I expect questions about how a business works, or what are best practices, but I really can’t help you with removing doubts on your abilities, or providing a sure-fire idea and formula for success in business. In my view, business leaders are not “idea people,” but people who drive a given idea to business results.

Coach 70

Coach Satisfaction Ideas Entrepreneur 70

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2021

With some coaching and mentoring from other leaders, I was able to do it myself, so I know you can do it too, by committing to the following strategies: Train yourself to always look for positives, not negatives. Optimistic business leaders see value in every new business challenge, rather than stress and risk.

Coach 137

Coach Training Satisfaction Mentor 137

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. That’s why investors say they invest in people, not ideas.

Mentor 135

Mentor Competition Summary Coach 135

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. I often think of the scope of this example in my role as mentor to a struggling entrepreneur who is quick to blame his problems on employee mistakes, or even changing customer expectations.

Training 173

Training Examples Startup Social Media 173

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2022

in sociology, and is a coach and speaker on work issues and friendship. Even casual friends at work are more likely to understand your requests, be convinced of the value of your ideas, and more likely to work in concert with you on projects. Can be a competitive advantage. Competition over salary, promotions, and position.

Startup 119

Startup Course Competition Social Media 119

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2016

It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Innovative technologies have no value until they are turned into solutions to real customer problems. Training and coaching. Idea management. Ownership.

Coach 64

Coach Metrics Competition Ideas 64

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2019

You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. How many customers will have any idea what this means to them? I like the guidance from marketing coach David Newman’s classic book “ Do It!

Marketing 97

Marketing Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review 97

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2017

I expect questions about how a business works, or what are best practices, but I really can’t help you with removing doubts on your abilities, or providing a sure-fire idea and formula for success in business. In my view, business leaders are not “idea people,” but people who drive a given idea to business results.

Coach 59

Coach Satisfaction Ideas Entrepreneur 59

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 11, 2019

Every entrepreneur and business leader believes that he or she has the full trust of their team and their customers, and in fact most do in the beginning. I find that visions that includes a higher purpose, such as improving the environment, are particularly powerful in increasing trust with employees and customers alike.

Mentor 98

Mentor News Summary Coach 98

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2012

Not every idea can, or will, be a winner. This should include at least the key elements of idea generation, prioritization, prototyping, commercialization, and measurement. Successful innovation turns ideas into money, to enhance customer value, and thus shareholder value. Training and coaching. Idea management.

Coach 98

Coach Ideas IP Sales 98

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 3, 2015

The hard part is providing the leadership required to align and motivate all the constituents and players – from engineers, to investors, vendors, and ultimately customers. Great entrepreneurs are not just idea people and then managers, they are extraordinary leaders. Focus more on collaborating with others, rather than competing.

Product 103

Product Coach Framework Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

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. Make it a point to get to know other teams and customers.

Tips 95

Tips Mentor Coach Activity 95

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2017

The hard part is providing the leadership required to align and motivate all the constituents and players – from engineers, to investors, vendors, and ultimately customers. Great entrepreneurs are not just idea people and then managers, they are extraordinary leaders. Focus more on collaborating with others, rather than competing.

Coach 64

Coach Framework Entrepreneur Tool 64

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. In the same year they won Business Insider’s Startup competition. Nice sweep!

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2013

The hard part is providing the leadership required to align and motivate all the constituents and players – from engineers, to investors, vendors, and ultimately customers. Great entrepreneurs are not just idea people and then managers, they are extraordinary leaders. Focus more on collaborating with others, rather than competing.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Coach Framework Tool 101

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 9, 2011

Not every idea can, or will, be a winner. This should include at least the key elements of idea generation, prioritization, prototyping, commercialization, and measurement. Successful innovation turns ideas into money, to enhance customer value, and thus shareholder value. Training and coaching. Idea management.

Coach 93

Coach Ideas IP Sales 93

InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

Great Startup Ideas Come From Everywhere. "At "At Microsoft there are lots of brilliant ideas but the image is that they all come from the top – I'm afraid that's not quite right." This frugality was evidenced by the fact that everyone at Microsoft, even Gates, flew coach until well into the late 1990s.

Tips 275

Tips Startup IP Santa Barbara 275

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2017

You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. How many customers will have any idea what this means to them? I like the guidance from marketing coach David Newman’s classic book “ Do It!

Tips 75

Tips Marketing Technical Review Startup 75

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2018

Any startup coach or business advisor will tell you that, on your way to being a great chef, you don't start your journey by inventing the ultimate entre. If you can’t identify customer interest, it doesn’t matter how good your product is. investors invest in people, not ideas) Effective and timely go-to-market.

Startup 81

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 81

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2019

in sociology, and is a coach and speaker on work issues and friendship. Even casual friends at work are more likely to understand your requests, be convinced of the value of your ideas, and more likely to work in concert with you on projects. Can be a competitive advantage. Competition over salary, promotions, and position.

Startup 94

Startup Course Competition Social Media 94

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2014

You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. How many customers will have any idea what this means to them? I like the guidance from marketing coach David Newman’s recent book “ Do It!

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Tips Marketing Entrepreneur 103

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 think of VCs as coaches. VCs, how to select a VC, etc.) Most VCs are book smart.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364