Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2013

I have long advised startup companies that if you don’t control your messaging somebody else will and your potential customers will form impressions of you shaped by somebody else or by nobody at all. Yet as obvious as it is to create messaging for your company, many people don’t consider their personal brands.

Technical Advisors 385

Technical Advisors Marketing Startup Venture Capital 385

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2013

You can build a meaningful company just about wherever these days. They also view it as a responsibility of the money they manage on behalf of others to provide oversight of these companies. This afternoon (Saturday) I have a coffee meeting with a portfolio company founder. I’ll pick a mythical company in Kansas City.

Venture Capital 365

Venture Capital Marketing Santa Barbara Startup 365

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 11, 2021

Photo by Vanna Phon on Unsplash Customer acquisition is the lifeblood of many startups from e-commerce to gaming to marketplace companies, among others. Most of these startups spend the lion’s share of their marketing budget in today’s social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Snap, TikTok and so on because?—?no no surprise?—?that’s

Product 424

Product Platform Advertising Acquisition 424

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

Don’t bash the competition. Every investor knows how vulnerable a new startup is to competitors, so investors always ask about your sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. They are also seeking to find out how you handle one of the many tough questions that a new founder will get in today’s market.

Competition 133

Competition Patents Resource Invest 133

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2020

Porter proposed his Five Forces framework for analyzing the competitive environment which I think makes even more sense today. Every existing business, as well as every startup, needs to reassess their product or service in the context of these five forces: Intensity of competitive rivalry. Way back in 1979, Michael E.

Competition 151

Competition Startup Framework Pricing 151

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. Foster a collaboration culture, rather than competition.

Competition 148

Competition Metrics Demand Customer 148

Berkonomics

NOVEMBER 21, 2024

How do you value pre-revenue companies? Last time we examined ten different ways to value companies already in revenue, usually beyond the early stage. For those of us who’ve invested in early-stage companies, especially technology startups, we have confronted a universal problem.

Invest 306

Invest Startup Email Competition 306

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

Two years after the Los Angeles-based fintech startup Dave launched with a suite of money management tools to save consumers from overdraft fees , the company is now worth $1 billion thanks to a nascent banking practice that had investors lining up. “We think the company is quite a bit more valuable than [$1 billion]. .

Companies 262

Companies Company Startup Tips 262

Berkonomics

MARCH 25, 2021

Here’s important homework for your marketing effort. The momentum from an old decision that took lots of effort to implement is worth something to a marketing professional. Email readers, continue here…] Recently, I received a hand-written letter from two co-CEOs of a company I had helped with a few hours of time.

Competition 156

Competition Customer Custom Email 156

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2021

In case you hadn’t noticed, the key elements of a competitive advantage for your business have changed as businesses move online, and your domain is instantly global. As a business advisor, I have to recommend even to established companies that they review and revamp their competitive strategy now, even if it appears to be working today.

Competition 142

Competition Software Review Social Media Customer 142

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 4, 2013

Since Arrested Development is back I thought I’d resurrect Gob Bluth’s answer when he was told he needed a “business model” – he quickly figured out that he was missing one so he asked Starla, the Bluth company secretary, if she would be his business model. You need product / market fit.

Startup 401

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 401

Berkonomics

JULY 6, 2017

Know your market and competition, or don’t spend a dime on anything else. Well, here is one of those, and it deals with market research first and foremost. Here’s where some intelligent market research might have saved the company and my investment. Let me tell you a short story at my own expense.

Competition 266

Competition Research Summary Pricing 266

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

But LA-based performance marketing agency MuteSix didn’t wait that long to build its business around scaling DTC brands. If you have growth marketing agencies or freelancers to recommend, please fill out our survey !). In today’s highly competitive ad environment, both content and data are kings. The key takeaway?

Commerce 211

Commerce Content Marketing Startup 211

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2020

Just like you don’t have to be a financial guru to recognize a good CFO, or a marketing genius to hire a VP of Marketing, you can find the right technical partner or team member by using the right evaluation and hiring steps, including the following: Engage a technical advisor to assist with recruiting and early interviews.

Competition 174

Competition High Tech Startup Social Media 174

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 16, 2014

One of the vivid memories I have from being a startup CEO is the feeling that most people in your company have a look in their eyes that like they can do your job as well as you. Eventually you need a VP of Product to handle your product roadmap, a CTO for engineering leadership and VPs of sales, marketing & biz dev. Startup life.

Entrepreneur 385

Entrepreneur CTO Hire Startup Sales 385

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 9, 2020

The CEO of the high-performance Italian motorcycle manufacturer offered that point of optimism, as her Modena based EV company remains closed by government decree. The company — that has has a California office and U.S. The venture is also one of the few e-motorcycle companies drawing engineering tips from competition.

Technical Review 277

Technical Review Competition Demand Sales 277

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2020

Traditional marketing may be adequate for linear growth, but it likely won’t catapult you to Amazon’s unicorn status , or make waves in the business world. For example, I usually hear about an aggressive marketing budget, with a plan to penetrate a few big retail chains, and some videos to catch your attention on YouTube.

Marketing 170

Marketing Startup Examples Customer 170

Berkonomics

OCTOBER 8, 2020

It is most often missed assumptions about the market, the competition, the speed of adoption, or other critical metrics you’ve researched, or selected, or even just guessed at to create your plan. Where did you get the data to drive your assumptions of market size or market share? What is your market size?

Companies 156

Companies Company Metrics Resource 156

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

Exec Summary: Most companies (98+%) in the world (even tech startups) should be very profit focused. While Google and Facebook will buy “acquihires” (at least as of Dec 2011), many acquirers hate the idea of buying companies that aren’t profitable. If you don’t, somebody else WILL!” ” The Details.

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 28, 2020

There’s a new company that’s sitting on top of some of the fastest growing consumer-facing businesses in the world — liquor and marijuana delivery — and its name is Pacific Consolidated Holdings Group. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. .”

Companies 188

Companies Company Los Angeles San Diego 188

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 20, 2013

In my first enterprise software company we developed a methodology for sales that we called PUCCKA , which I wrote about previously. Having a good sales methodology can help you ensure your company runs more disciplined campaigns and focuses scarce resources on your best opportunities. The first post covered the topic of “P” or pain.

Sales 336

Sales Startup Competition Customer 336

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. Many successful new companies have moved more to self-management, or decentralizing the decision-making with few managers.

Competition 168

Competition Startup Demand Training 168

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 22, 2014

They were a little too fierce in their competitive practices against Lyft to sign up drivers. As somebody who has to rub shoulders with big tech companies often I can tell you that there is much blood spilled in the competitive trenches of Apple, Twitter, Facebook, Google and so on. But let’s put this into perspective.

Press 418

Press Journal Startup Competition 418

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

According to an old but still relevant survey by Bain & Company , 80% of businesses believe they have differentiated offerings, but only 8% of customers agree. Even back then, experts projected that businesses with truly differentiated offerings had only an 80% chance of long-term success, compared to ‘me-too’ companies with a 20% chance.

Competition 123

Competition Customer Custom Examples 123

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 11, 2014

I actually really enjoyed many of the points Muhammad made about marketing in general and I found myself nodding through the entirety of the article except for it’s core premise. It’s about looking out for and catching the next major marketing wave before others have grokked it. I laughed as I did at much of his rant.

Technical Review 384

Technical Review SEM SEO Marketing 384

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 29, 2014

The costs to start are much lower than ever (90% reduction in infrastructure costs to start a company through open source & web services) and large companies being created in many geographies. Companies are now raising much more capital in the private markets now before they go public. Thus is a key point.

Venture Capital 362

Venture Capital Capital Startup Writing 362

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2023

In this context, even “satisfied” is only a “meets-minimum,” and does not put you ahead of your competition. 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.

Competition 109

Competition Services Customer Custom 109

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 3, 2021

It seems, however, that the company has found plenty of opportunity for growth while remaining focused on the San Francisco Bay Area. Hall also noted that the company opened a new, larger warehouse in Oakland just a few days before shelter-in-place orders took effect last March. Image Credits: Good Eggs. Glade Brook’s J.P.

Southern California 318

Southern California Orange County San Diego Commerce 318

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 4, 2021

Certainly that has been the strategy of many companies, and has worked in the past, but today’s customers and workers are looking for more. With the pervasive and instant communication of social media and the Internet, businesses can no longer hide behind the mask of their own hype, either inside the company or outside.

Competition 110

Competition Sales Customer Custom 110

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2023

More than ever before, people want to buy from, work for, and invest in companies that matter. Your company and team members have to be seen as going above and beyond to solve the problems of internal and external customers. Connect with the bigger picture of the market and society.

Companies 116

Companies Company Customer Custom 116

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 14, 2016

There is much discussion online and also in small, private groups, about why the price of technology companies – public and private – are falling. Valuing any company can be difficult because it requires a degree of forecasting future growth & competition and ultimately the profits of the organization.

Startup 150

Startup Companies Company Venture Capital 150

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

I’m super excited to announce that GRP Partners led the investment in Ethan Anderson’s new company MyTime (link has LA-based merchants but will give you a good feel for the product). BuildOnline (the company I founded) has just announcement plans to be more aggressive in growing in the US. Let me not bury the lede.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire GRP Partners 359

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2023

Porter proposed his Five Forces framework for analyzing the competitive environment which I think makes even more sense today. Every existing business, as well as every startup, needs to reassess their product or service in the context of these five forces: Intensity of competitive rivalry. Way back in 1979, Michael E.

Competition 88

Competition Startup Framework Pricing 88

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 26, 2022

We first met the Chicago-based company and its founder and CEO Vitaly Alexandrov last year when we reported that Food Rocket launched in the Bay Area , going up against the likes of Amazon Fresh, DoorDash, Instacart and Gopuff, which is no easy feat given each of the company’s footprint.

Funding 246

Funding Demand Los Angeles Competition 246

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 16, 2020

In my role as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that many of you have your most creative ideas for your company’s first big bang , but often get bogged down with details as the company grows. Only when he had a proven solution did he market it. Yet building and maintaining a creative team is a tough challenge.

Companies 148

Companies Company Ideas Mentor 148

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

Thus began my marketing campaign. Competitive (Athlete: skier & rowed at Princeton, hates losing at everything she does). Helped merge company with Seedling – on track to do $20 million combined revenue in 2015 – will now become Chairman). These are all of the intangibles we were looking for.

Venture Capital 408

Venture Capital Startup Outsource Development CitySearch 408

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2020

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. Mobilize the total power of your team to not only build the product, but also build the market. Give credit.

Marketing 130

Marketing Development Develop Startup 130