Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 23, 2021

For example, I commonly see metrics to keep track of revenue per employee, overtime, and absenteeism, but I don’t often see measures of overall customer satisfaction with individual employees. Incentives should be a combination of metrics and recognition to highlight results. Incent and reward employees who delight customers.

Customer 147

Customer Custom Technical Review Metrics 147

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

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. I started my first company in 1999 and was admittedly swept up in all of this: Magazine covers, fancy conferences, artificial valuations and easy money.

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

I’m over-paying for every check I write into the VC ecosystem and valuations are being pushed up to absurd levels and many of these valuations and companies won’t hold in the long term. I often answer the same way … * “First, yes, nearly every corner of our market is over-valued. By definition?—?I’m dot-com bonanza.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

They also have a very smart and efficient approach to creative development that was critical to helping us scale,” she wrote. (If In today’s highly competitive ad environment, both content and data are kings. At the time, it was doing Facebook media buying for e-commerce companies. The key takeaway?

Commerce 211

Commerce Content Marketing Startup 211

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 26, 2023

I see this happening in smaller ways often, where there is minimal focus on competition. Here are some key initiatives that I recommend to every business owner and leader to stave off new competitors before they seriously impact or cause a competitive crisis in your business: Continually compare yourself to known competitors.

Metrics 71

Metrics Training Netflix Resource 71

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2023

If your mission is to change the world or help the disadvantaged, another dating site or online gambling may not be for you, no matter how financially lucrative. For example , when Yvon Chouinard founded Patagonia , a successful outdoor products company, his real goal was building safe products to help the environment.

Startup 94

Startup Ideas Metrics Entrepreneur 94

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 21, 2014

” It helps to have seen the way down twice before to know many of the signs. And as I always assert, “Great companies are built in downturns. And it’s when mediocre companies get pulverized.” I remember, for example, when business intelligence swept through companies globally.

Marketing 354

Marketing Case Study Metrics Sales 354

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 14, 2018

I know all of this because every VC knows this because we’ve all either funded companies that have marketing technology or we’ve seen a pitch with a company that does this. Your deck should be so good that a VC asks you for permission to show it to his or her portfolio companies. A deck is a deck. Just send it.

Funding 239

Funding Venture Capital IP Email 239

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2022

How does any entrepreneur define the right balance, and then measure their performance against real metrics? Lots of people are trying to help, with new twists on the age-old model of free-market capitalism that has driven businesses for the last 500 years. Explore new forms of company ownership and profit sharing.

Startup 110

Startup Entrepreneur Capital Examples 110

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2020

Soon you won’t be able to name a business as one of your favorites if you can’t personally visualize and relate to company leadership. In the same way, great entrepreneurs and company leaders should no longer rely on faceless and nameless processes to drive business strategy and innovation to stay competitive.

Social Media 128

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 128

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2019

Facebook has created an environment where millions of people can hold billions of conversations with people and companies, transforming how people expect to interact with each other and the world. More and more company and personal services are being virtualized to the Cloud. Data enable: use metrics and measurements.

Technology 97

Technology Social Media Startup Entertainment 97

Tech.Co

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Companies all around the world use Trello to help manage projects and coordinate team tasks and responsibilities. Timeline also works on the Trello Android and iOS apps, helpful for keeping abreast of your work on-the-go. The Table view is helpful for work that covers multiple teams or when boards simply get too big to manage.

Software Review 149

Software Review Guide Technical Review Class 149

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 13, 2014

Back when we were all trying to figure out the real value of traffic on the web, we investors – and acquiring companies – got a bit crazy with metrics used to value acquisitions and investments. That is the quandary which entrepreneurs face today in building models for new companies around a web presence.

Metrics 207

Metrics Sites Advertising Web 207

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021

Unfortunately, most of us don’t have enough resources to bootstrap our own startups, so we are completely dependent on investors to help turn great ideas into great businesses. Emphasize your real ambition to change the world, through helping the underprivileged, improving healthcare, or saving the environment.

Ideas 140

Ideas Entrepreneur Equity Resource 140

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2021

A winning linked focus example is to choose a higher purpose common to all cultures, such as protecting the environment, or helping the underprivileged. Old-fashioned surveys need help from new algorithms, data science, and digital bots. Use metrics to assess needs and growth economics. Make every customer experience memorable.

Customer 114

Customer Custom Satisfaction Metrics 114

socalTECH

DECEMBER 20, 2017

It means competition is more fierce because formidable new competitors can arrive overnight. On fatherhood and entrepreneurship… As CEO and co-founder of productboard, how does Hubert Palan manage the company, the product, and his newborn son? Now everything our company does?—?from Why has product management be so slow to adapt?

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Metrics Ideas Product 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2023

Everyone in the company must adopt the principles of customer-first focus, agility in responding to change, and constant innovation to improve your processes as well as the solution. Measure progress through metrics on sales, revenue, and penetration. Seek customer feedback on ways to improve value and satisfaction.

Customer 91

Customer Custom Marketing Startup 91

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2022

Data helps avoid predetermined (and often erroneous) approaches to solving your people problems. Use data analysis and metrics to measure for results. Most companies I know will claim to be busy collecting and analyzing data, but very few actually use it to drive people management. Working on the wrong problem or assumption.

Tool 121

Tool Statistics Entrepreneur Metrics 121

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Capitalism is fundamentally about timing, since market competition is about finding opportunities before others. When should you start a company? What company should you start? When should you join a company? Start writing down predictions about people, companies, and markets. When should a VC invest?

Venture Capital 202

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Invest 202

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2016

I was speaking recently to the team at NuOrder , an LA-based company we’re an investor in about “realism in startups” — an impromptu talk I have given to any of our portfolio companies who ask. I work with two companies that aim to change education but both are indirectly aiming to do so. Early stage.

Invest 254

Invest Writing Pricing Metrics 254

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2022

You need to move to right location and get connected before you ask for help. Exposure instills the fear and urgency you need to deliver the right competitive solution. Being in the right location helps you to maintain pace because of access to skilled and experienced people. billion dollar sale to Oracle from Bozeman, Montana.

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Oracle Software Review Ideas 123

Frank Addante

APRIL 7, 2016

Great company culture isn’t just about ping pong tables, free lunches, bouncy ball chairs and free gummy bears. As CEO of Rubicon Project, a lot of people ask me what defines the culture of our company. Here’s my take on a few things effective company culture is about…and a few things it’s not about: 1.

Company 40

Company Companies Class Metrics 40

Frank Addante

APRIL 7, 2016

Great company culture isn’t just about ping pong tables, free lunches, bouncy ball chairs and free gummy bears. As CEO of Rubicon Project, a lot of people ask me what defines the culture of our company. Here’s my take on a few things effective company culture is about…and a few things it’s not about: 1.

Company 40

Company Companies Class Metrics 40

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 1, 2021

Most business professionals I know will go to great lengths to take a neutral position on internal business conflicts, on the assumption that all conflict is bad for the company as well as their political future. Make sure the process is respectful of their needs as well as yours. Don’t let it be just a conflict over graphic design.

Activity 145

Activity Organization Examples Satisfaction 145

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

This is smart because amazing board members can be transformative with important advice and access and can also help attract other great board members (and team members). Do you need a board when you first start you company? I actually think having a formal board can really help you.

Startup 236

Startup Venture Capital Tips Capital 236

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

An alternate outcome that I also unfortunately observe in some cases are companies who had extreme early success with an initial product adoption but failed in key areas that limited the growth and therefore the ultimate financial outcomes. MakeSpace (as he named it) would help you get your excess goods into low-cost warehouses.

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 2, 2010

As a founder, when you’ve been dealing with these kinds of objections for a couple of years it becomes natural and you easily handle objections on price, product & competition without much thought. Some examples of common objections across many companies: 1. It is tacit knowledge.

Sales 289

Sales Startup Training Pricing 289

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2020

Most of you realize that survival in business today requires grabbing hold of tomorrow’s opportunities with disruptive innovation , before your competition or a new startup gets there. I see these traps all too often in my role as business advisor to small companies as well as large. Eliminate learned behavior and mental shortcuts.

Tips 94

Tips Ideas Metrics Help 94

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2018

Soon you won’t be able to name a business as one of your favorites if you can’t personally visualize and relate to company leadership. In the same way, great entrepreneurs and company leaders should no longer rely on faceless and nameless processes to drive business strategy and innovation to stay competitive.

Social Media 96

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 96

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

In a larger public company, it’s all about making your quarterly numbers, versus investing in strategic growth alternatives that may not pay off until several quarters later. It’s your job as a leader to be the model high performer, quantify the team view with metrics, and expand awareness to the best outside competition and new tools.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2015

Facebook has created an environment where millions of people can hold billions of conversations with people and companies, transforming how people expect to interact with each other and the world. More and more company and personal services are being virtualized to the Cloud. Data enable: use metrics and measurements.

Startup 106

Startup Social Media Entertainment Metrics 106

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 28, 2019

How does any entrepreneur define the right balance, and then measure their performance against real metrics? Lots of people are trying to help, with new twists on the age-old model of free-market capitalism that has driven businesses for the last 500 years. Explore new forms of company ownership and profit sharing.

Startup 93

Startup Entrepreneur Capital Examples 93

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

Soon you won’t be able to name a business as one of your favorites if you can’t personally visualize and relate to company leadership. In the same way, great entrepreneurs and company leaders should no longer rely on faceless and nameless processes to drive business strategy and innovation to stay competitive.

Social Media 99

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 99

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2017

Facebook has created an environment where millions of people can hold billions of conversations with people and companies, transforming how people expect to interact with each other and the world. More and more company and personal services are being virtualized to the Cloud. Data enable: use metrics and measurements.

Startup 55

Startup Social Media Entertainment Metrics 55

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2019

Recently, I saw some help in that regard in a new book, “ Think Like Amazon ,” by John Rossman, a former top executive at Amazon. He launched and scaled their Marketplace business, and now heads his own firm to help clients innovate and grow in this digital era. Institute deep metrics measuring all aspects of the customer experience.

Commerce 89

Commerce Artificial Inteligence Cloud Computing Platform 89

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 6, 2014

Facebook has created an environment where millions of people can hold billions of conversations with people and companies, transforming how people expect to interact with each other and the world. More and more company and personal services are being virtualized to the Cloud. Data enable: use metrics and measurements.

Startup 99

Startup Social Media Entertainment Metrics 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 17, 2019

The most successful companies today build a strategy to proactively anticipate the needs of their customers, as a group and individually, and totally delight them with all aspects of the shopping experience, value, delivery, and help with any follow-on questions or problems. Highlight your competitive value, not your technology.

Technical Review 87

Technical Review Customer Custom Competition 87