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? People were building.

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

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. Relationships are key to happiness and productivity. Jeff Bezos , founder of Amazon, attributes much of his success to building a motivated and enabled team.

Product 109

Product Training Customer Custom 109

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2013

I’m a big fan of mentoring in business, and have been at different times on both the contributing and receiving end of the process. These days, I seem to often hear from entrepreneurs who are struggling to find a mentor, or complaining about their lack of effectiveness. When you meet with a mentor, you should lead the discussion.

Mentor 102

Mentor Startup Coach Entrepreneur 102

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. Team members need your critique of their work to learn, but attacking the person is never productive.

Product 99

Product Mentor Startup Technical Review 99

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2012

I’m a big fan of mentoring in business, and have been at different times on both the contributing and receiving end of the process. These days, I seem to often hear from entrepreneurs who are struggling to find a mentor, or complaining about their lack of effectiveness. When you meet with a mentor, you should lead the discussion.

Mentor 94

Mentor Coach Entrepreneur Press 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2022

Every business needs repeatable processes to grow and thrive, but modern business processes need the right people to make them efficient and productive. The right people make productive processes, not the other way around. On the other hand, I see teams with almost no process that are tremendously productive.

Coach 128

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 128

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 4, 2021

The last thing they can afford is to waste any of these, but in my mentoring and coaching activities, I see it happening all too often. Much has been written about this subject in the world of manufacturing, stemming primarily from the 1990’s work by Taiichi Ohno, called the Toyota Production System (“Lean”).

Startup 161

Startup Resource Training Entrepreneur 161

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 3, 2015

In building successful businesses, I find that creating a new and innovative product or service is usually the easy part. Works with other team members on mutual aspirations (coach metaphor). Evolve from guru to guide, and coaching others to find answers for themselves. entrepreneur Peter Fuda product leader startup'

Product 103

Product Coach Framework Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2022

She and I both offer the following insights on how to green your own pasture by helping employees find and use their strengths, and inspiring them to be more satisfied and productive, on your side of the fence, and even happily return if they do wander in their career advancement: Provide a structured approach to mentorship.

Mentor 147

Mentor Coach Satisfaction Training 147

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

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2022

In building successful businesses, I find that creating a new and innovative product or service is usually the easy part. 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

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2019

We continue to have a steady stream of industry and thought leaders raising their hands to be mentors for our upcoming cohorts. I continue to be intensely interested in the growing integration of AI across multiple products and industries, from simple applications on up to highly sophisticated software and services. READ MORE>>.

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Software Review Startup Coach 157

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

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. Becoming a totally connected business leader is a very different challenge from building a product, or defining a good strategy.

Mentor 108

Mentor Social Media Coach Customer 108

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 30, 2023

I’m fully convinced that success is all about you rather than the market. In this context, I was impressed with the insights provided in a new book, “ Stay Sane In An Insane World ,” by peak performance coach Greg Harden. Poor work-life balance will leave you and your team working more hours but being less productive.

Mentor 104

Mentor Startup Coach Satisfaction 104

SoCal CTO

MAY 13, 2014

But, advisors, coaches, and mentors can often fill the bill. In creating Mentor Night , I’ve been happy to hear how giving most people are. If you present a mentor with an interesting startup challenge in a space where they have experience or expertise, the mentors are quite willing to spend a few hours to help the founder.

CTO Coach 241

CTO Coach Startup CTO Hire Template 241

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2017

Leaders who are able to optimize these find multipliers of 20 percent up to nine times the average productivity. Organizational silos, limited spans of control, and too many layers of management can dramatically reduce the productivity of even your best people. As a role model, what you practice is more important than what you preach.

Product 58

Product Startup Guide Framework 58

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

In my experience, it means it will likely be necessary to supplement your product business plan with some key personal initiatives that define you as a business leader role model for all to see: Take a visible leadership role in your industry. Build relationships with known business leaders. Foster an image of open mind and learn mode.

Mentor 145

Mentor IBM IBM Social Media 145

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

Thus began my marketing campaign. Operating experience (Helped run parts of CitySearch & UrbanSpoon, tons of product management experience, Board of Hatch Labs which helped spawn Tinder). She is a coach and mentor to team members. Investment experience (5 years a VC at Battery Ventures).

Venture Capital 408

Venture Capital Startup Outsource Development CitySearch 408

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2020

By hiring contract experts, less oversight and coaching is needed. Freelancers and consultants have to demonstrate results, without training and mentoring, so they can help you more quickly and probably at a lower total cost. This lets you evolve your strategy with the market. Reduce your company’s impact on the environment.

Competition 168

Competition Startup Demand Training 168

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

JANUARY 29, 2021

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. You need their full support in today’s rapidly changing market.

Satisfaction 154

Satisfaction Demand Resource Competition 154

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2023

Even the best marketing doesn’t do it. With pervasive access to social media, customers no longer differentiate poor product repair and replacement from a poor shopping experience or customer usage satisfaction. 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

APRIL 22, 2019

Image via Pexels Every business needs repeatable processes to grow and thrive, but modern business processes need the right people to make them efficient and productive. The right people make productive processes, not the other way around. On the other hand, I see teams with almost no process that are tremendously productive.

Coach 94

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2020

Many of the entrepreneurs like you that I have met in my role as a business advisor are really product creators versus business creators, convinced that a great product will generate a great business. In most businesses, this means selling something, and proving that your product or service has value.

Metrics 140

Metrics Entrepreneur Coach Satisfaction 140

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2023

There are many components of an ownership thinking strategy, but here are some of the key ones from my own perspective, as a mentor and advisor to aspiring entrepreneurs and new business owners: Willing to take smart risks which lead to long-term growth. Some people expect instant gratification and are stressed out by any risk.

Startup 111

Startup Satisfaction Metrics Customer 111

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2019

In building successful businesses, I find that creating a new and innovative product or service is usually the easy part. 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

OCTOBER 2, 2021

I found the classic book, “ Master Your Time, Master Your Life ,” by noted speaker and productivity expert Brian Tracy, who highlights decision making and problem solving as one of the most critical determinants of your success in everything you do. Use brainstorming for a range of solutions.

Startup 140

Startup Entrepreneur Ideas Coach 140

socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2020

Previously we had to bring companies from all around the world to our 8 week accelerator program in Santa Monica and we were restricted by having to use local investors, trainers and mentors to keep our startups occupied. This is my 4th market upset and in the first three I was defensive. Find opportunity in chaos.

Southern California 113

Southern California Technical Review Santa Monica Invest 113

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. These are two sides of the same coin, and both lead to improved productivity and innovation.

Coach 57

Coach Mentor Organization Entrepreneur 57

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

OCTOBER 3, 2015

Entrepreneurship is all about leading – leading customers to a new product or service, leading a startup team to peak performance, and leading a new business to the market opportunity, while providing maximum return to stakeholders. Don’t focus on the product, and assume the team will come along by osmosis.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Mentor Coach Customer 108

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2019

Real business leadership requires continuous improvement, just like your products and processes. 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. It’s not about a title, raw intelligence, or domination.

Tips 97

Tips Mentor Coach Metrics 97

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 24, 2014

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. Working with early-stage teams : coaching, mentoring, setting strategy, rolling up sleeves: 9/10. 5 years ago. Sourcing high-quality leads : 9/10. Since then?

Venture Capital 387

Venture Capital Downey Writing Press 387