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. Quantify the return on investment before taking action.

Entrepreneur 85

Entrepreneur Customer Custom Competition 85

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 19, 2010

I’m obviously only naming a small fraction of their investments since I don’t feel inclined to research them all and many other great venture firms have this kind of access. It’s hard for me to imagine that angel investing outcomes judged 10 years from now will have a drastically different profile.

Invest 280

Invest Angel Venture Capital Yahoo 280

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. Works with other team members on mutual aspirations (coach metaphor). Evolve from guru to guide, and coaching others to find answers for themselves.

Coach 114

Coach Framework Entrepreneur Tool 114

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. In the investment community, these leadership elements are often called “goodwill.” Leadership brand development.

Technical Review 129

Technical Review Funding Organization Coach 129

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022

There is more and more evidence that a more human-centered or heart-centered leadership yields the best results with your team and with customers in the long run. Investments and acquisitions fail. Demand for coaching, counseling, and discipline training is high. Customer relationships culture is slipping.

Training 142

Training Coach Startup Entrepreneur 142

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. Quantify the return on investment before taking action.

Entrepreneur 159

Entrepreneur Customer Custom Competition 159

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

DECEMBER 22, 2017

In my activities as an angel investor, and my work with new ventures seeking investment, I find the “due diligence” stage to be fraught with the most risk. Usually this stage only really starts after an investor has expressed serious interest, or already informally agreed to invest. Update reference customers, partners, and vendors.

Invest 59

Invest Startup Doc Slides 59

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2023

Smart business owners realize that no returns occur without some investment and risk. Rather than a focus on salary and perks, your focus is on customers, revenue, and operations. As an employee, you only get to execute what others tell you, even if you enjoy the challenge of new requirements and customer feedback.

Startup 111

Startup Satisfaction Metrics Customer 111

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

Berkonomics

JUNE 8, 2017

Email readers, continue here…] Bootstrapping: This term describes your ability to start a business with little investment and grow it using internally-generated funds. Strategic partner” investors: If you can find a strategic partner willing to invest in your enterprise, consider it a blessing.

Venture Capital 266

Venture Capital Class Invest Equity 266

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 23, 2022

Team members, as well as customers, like to feel connected and inspired by a worthy non-business objective, such as helping the disadvantaged, saving the environment, or supporting inclusivity. This created a connection with both his team and customers. You really need their insights and customer interaction feedback.

Mentor 108

Mentor Social Media Coach Customer 108

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2022

These only come with the proper training, investment in tools, and focus on customer relationships. Leaders are needed to coach each salesperson, keep the team on message, and spur new growth and goals. Optimize the total customer experience. Managing business growth is more than metrics.

Sales 147

Sales Metrics Guide Startup 147

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. In the investment community, these leadership elements are often called “goodwill.” Leadership brand development.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Organization Coach Invest 124

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. Works with other team members on mutual aspirations (coach metaphor). Evolve from guru to guide, and coaching others to find answers for themselves.

Coach 96

Coach Framework Entrepreneur Tool 96

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2019

There is more and more evidence that a more human-centered or heart-centered leadership yields the best results with your team and with customers in the long run. Investments and acquisitions fail. Demand for coaching, counseling, and discipline training is high. Customer relationships culture is slipping.

Training 123

Training Coach Startup Entrepreneur 123

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 9, 2023

For example, if you are an entrepreneur seeking investment or a cofounder, there is no substitute for networking at industry and startup conferences in your area. If you are an introvert like me, this may be difficult, but remember that your business needs collaboration with partners and vendors, as well as good customers.

Networking 104

Networking Mentor Conference Summary 104

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 20, 2018

This is true of any buying process where a customer has to make a large investment decision on your software or when an investor must decide whether to give you $5 million. I spend a lot of time coaching entrepreneurs through their fund-raising processes by doing “pipeline reviews” of all of the firms with whom they are speaking.

Funding 189

Funding Software Review Entrepreneur Venture Capital 189

TechCrunch LA

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

As a result of the investment Initialized’s Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, is taking a seat on the company’s board of directors. Future versions of the app will have professional tools like additional coaching features, the two co-founders said.

Social Network 184

Social Network Startup Los Angeles Coach 184

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2022

The classic book, “ Hunting in a Farmer's World: Celebrating the Mind of an Entrepreneur ,” by serial entrepreneur and business coach John F. In business, entrepreneurs hunt for new innovative solutions to problems, new ways of beating competitors, new markets, and new customers. These are the ultimate hunters.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Marketing News Slides 124

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. Set milestones and meet them. Ownership.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Metrics 101

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 quality of relationships with customers, investors, partners, and suppliers can easily be their sustainable competitive advantage, or their death knell. That’s why investors say they invest in people, not ideas.

Mentor 91

Mentor Competition Summary Coach 91

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 6, 2021

On the other hand, most people invest a lot of their time, energy, and conviction into their work, and that is certainly personal. It also attracts more customers. The solution is to hire carefully, and then focus on personal motivators, as well as training and coaching. In my experience, neither extreme is realistic.

Company 162

Company Companies Summary Coach 162

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

Your historical trading information including financials and a “customer file” which shows the history of your transactions so that investors can run “cohort” analyses Customer reference, personal references, key team members, compensation, cap table, stock option plan, etc. It doesn’t. The data room is where your process goes to die.

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 25, 2022

After many years working in business and investing in startups, I’m convinced that the primary reason for new business and career failures is NOT a lack of skill or money, but people giving up too quickly on their dreams and goals. The business world today is very competitive, and customers are more and more demanding.

Startup 122

Startup Satisfaction Summary Coach 122

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 13, 2023

Of course, you should always be available and willing to coach members when requested, or share your experience and skill. Investing now in your employees makes them more valuable to you, whether that payoff comes now or later. Don’t try to micro-manage every team assignment. Don’t hide behind negative emotions and outbursts.

Satisfaction 108

Satisfaction Social Media Coach Training 108

socalTECH

APRIL 5, 2017

Diamond Bar-based LifeRay (www.liferay.com) is a company that not too many people have heard of, but which is used to run the websites for such well known organizations like Toyota, T-Mobile, Coach, Fujitsu, Allianz, and Sesame Street. We focus on digital transformation and customer experience. What is LifeRay?

Diamond Bar 169

Diamond Bar Customer Custom Organization 169

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

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. Works with other team members on mutual aspirations (coach metaphor). Evolve from guru to guide, and coaching others to find answers for themselves.

Product 103

Product Coach Framework Entrepreneur 103

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 quality of relationships with customers, investors, partners, and suppliers can easily be their sustainable competitive advantage, or their death knell. That’s why investors say they invest in people, not ideas.

Mentor 135

Mentor Competition Summary Coach 135

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. Works with other team members on mutual aspirations (coach metaphor). Evolve from guru to guide, and coaching others to find answers for themselves.

Coach 64

Coach Framework Entrepreneur Tool 64

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

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

As a CEO you never stop needing to go on sales calls (or to work the phones in telesales or customer support) and ceasing to do this as your company grows because you’re focusing on investors, recruiting, PR or whatever is a mistake. How did they decide whether to use RightScale or to manage AWS themselves? Skipping is insidious.

Startup 308

Startup CTO Coach Technical Review CTO Hire 308

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 25, 2013

Most top tier VCs return about 3x invested capital and outlier funds (the best of a vintage) might return 6-8x. But the larger funds usually have lower returns because they are often investing bigger dollars at later stages with less risk and therefore lower returns. And Coach Campbell. That would mean 6 firms drive $24.5

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2020

As a business investor, I look for investments where I see founders really holding their people accountable for their actions. It’s easy for you to blame someone else in the organization, economic conditions outside, or even overly demanding customers, when things are not going well.

Startup 113

Startup Examples Coach Metrics 113

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

VCs should be more of a coach than proscriptively telling you what to do. Simply put – I’d be in search of a VC who had an intuitive sense of my product, my customers, my organizational issues, my competitors, etc. I think of VCs as coaches. Fred Wilson wrote perfectly about sticking with struggling investments.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2012

Also don’t confuse a business mentor with a business coach. A mentor’s aim is to teach you what to do and how, in specific situations, unlike a coach who helps you develop your generic skills for deciding what to do and how. The mentor helps the entrepreneur fill an experience gap, and a coach helps fill a skill gap.

Mentor 95

Mentor Coach Startup Ideas 95