Tech.Co

JANUARY 10, 2018

In the Harvard Business Review Female Economy 2009 report, women purchasing power was predicted to control about $28 trillion in annual global consumer spending, if not more. “Focusing on emotion is key when communicating with female customers. Most importantly, humor can get customers talking about your product or service.

Tips 71

Tips Customer Custom Dollar Shave Club 71

Berkonomics

JANUARY 16, 2014

community in many ways, including his weekly Internet TV program on entrepreneurism, and participation in several mentoring programs. . Access to new technologies. 1. Perform preliminary due diligence: Review the business plan including marketing, sales strategies and financial needs.

Technical Review 204

Technical Review Startup Examples Metrics 204

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2020

Many entrepreneurs I have mentored make big mistakes in this area, by hiring low-cost friends and family, with minimal skills or training, and expecting them to have the same work ethic , passion, and business knowledge as the founder. Direct customer-facing non-technical roles should be the last ones outsourced.

Outsource 123

Outsource Startup Technical Review Training 123

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. I will summarize these here, with my insights, for your review and implementation: Physical health. Emotional stability. Spiritual connections.

Technical Review 141

Technical Review Mentor Social Media Customer 141

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Taking on equity investors to fund your company is much like getting married – it is a long-term relationship that has to work at all levels. It’s no fun for either side.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 63

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain.

Technical Review 143

Technical Review Customer Custom Entrepreneur 143

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2017

Most business mentors tell me that the single biggest problem they have to deal with in small companies is the lack of open, honest, and effective communication, both from the top down and from the bottom up. Then, hopefully, come customers, distribution channels, and going public or merging with an attractive buy-out candidate.

Mentor 61

Mentor Technical Review Entrepreneur Guide 61

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2020

In my role as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that most have the technical challenges well understood, but many are a bit short on some basic street smarts , or basic business realities. Although Elon Musk doesn’t talk about it very much, he owns over 350 patents through Tesla, just one of his many companies.

Entrepreneur 173

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Technical Review 173

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

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. In those years I learned to properly build product, price products, sell products and serve customers. Between 2006–2008 I sold both companies that I had started and became a VC.

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

In the short term you need customers to find you at any price, and in the longer term you need revenue, profit, and return loyalty. 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.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2022

During my many years of mentoring professionals and entrepreneurs in business, I more often see people focusing on how to get their ideas heard , than how to promote themselves. Technical skills are important, but your ability to build and nurture relationships with others is more important for leadership growth and career advancement today.

Tips 121

Tips Social Media Mentor Technical Review 121

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 8, 2011

The Spotlight is shining down these amazing LA companies! For those who still might be wondering what Spotlight: LA Tech is all about, It’s a screening room for new technology homegrown in our region. It’s a gathering of friends and tech enthusiasts of all stripes. It’s a gallery of great entrepreneurship.

CalTech 100

CalTech Technical Review Company Companies 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2022

They couldn’t possibly understand the new social media culture, new technologies, or have the determination to beat their younger counterparts in the market. They include people like Sir Richard Branson , born in 1950, who has founded over 400 companies, and claims to be just getting started. Manage customer service.

Technical Review 147

Technical Review Software Review Entrepreneur Report 147

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015

Sometimes entrepreneurs are so focused on making change happen for others, that they forget that continually changing themselves and their company is equally important. Everyone and every company needs to continually learn from their experience and adapt to a changing world to thrive. Find mentors who have the skills you lack.

Technical Review 99

Technical Review Marketing Mentor Entrepreneur 99

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2020

So mostly we just had to listen to customer feedback from founders, VCs and LPs. Kara said “no” because she wanted to start her own company, which she did and I backed. Just as Yves mentored me when I became his co-managing partner in 2011, he didn’t seek to ride off into the sunset either. So What Does All This Mean?

Venture Capital 361

Venture Capital Startup Invest CitySearch 361

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2018

Sometimes entrepreneurs are so focused on making change happen for customers that they forget that continually changing themselves and their company is equally important. Everyone and every company needs to continually learn from their experience and adapt to a changing world to thrive. Find mentors who have the skills you lack.

Technical Review 59

Technical Review Mentor Entrepreneur Customer 59

SoCal CTO

JULY 23, 2012

This leads to a set of questions: What is the role of a CTO in the early stages of a company, and does that role change later on as both the company and that individual matures? It specifically answers the first questions about role and how it changes as the company matures. What are the biggest areas of technical risk?

CTO Coach 231

CTO Coach CTO Hire Outsource Development Develop 231

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 1, 2022

In my role as a mentor, I challenge every business leader to be more open-minded as they face the challenges of change and new competitors entering their space. Winning business owners really listen and act on feedback from customers and advisors. Don’t be totally driven by a key customer. Listening to customers also helps.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Customer Custom Social Media 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2014

Sometimes entrepreneurs are so focused on making change happen for others, that they forget that continually changing themselves and their company is equally important. Everyone and every company needs to continually learn from their experience and adapt to a changing world to thrive. Find mentors who have the skills you lack.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Summary 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2016

If you can’t provide a memorable customer experience, your startup won’t survive very long these days. According to many observers , we can thank or blame technology for these higher expectations, providing information at the speed of light, leading everyone to expect more. Every job on your team drives your customer experience.

Customer 55

Customer Custom Startup Coach 55

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

For example, even though Mark Zuckerberg built Facebook as an innovative product, most experts believe it was successful due to his relationship with Peter Thiel and other top VCs that he convinced to invest early. Ability to relate aspirations to customer needs. Marketing your personal brand and your vision.

Startup 113

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2022

Most business mentors tell me that the single biggest problem they have to deal with in small companies is the lack of open, honest, and effective communication, both from the top down and from the bottom up. Then, hopefully, come customers, distribution channels, and going public or merging with an attractive buy-out candidate.

Technical Review 137

Technical Review Entrepreneur Guide Mentor 137

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

According to a recent Forbes article , UC Santa Barbara''s Technology Management Program offers students a superior startup education over the University of Pennsylvania (home of Wharton), as well Harvard, Northwestern and even its acclaimed southern neighbor, the University of Southern California. Want to be an entrepreneur? Techpreneurs.

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

socalTECH

APRIL 13, 2021

Those companies tend to be around for longer than one year, because of course our faculty are not working on those things full time, they're continuing to teach classes. What we do, is regional customer discovery for teams, typically academic. Companies talk to one another, and there's a lot of back and forth.

Marina Del Rey 150

Marina Del Rey Startup USC Incubator 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2017

Even the most diligent investors are often surprised by apparently solid business startups that fail, while others succeed, despite the odds. This is an emerging theme in the past decade as investors learn that customers assign more value and loyalty to business owners who display this attribute. Use active listening to learn the most.

Technical Review 60

Technical Review Startup Mentor Study 60

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2015

That’s why they insist on spending a day with your team as part of the due diligence process. As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I often get asked what you can do to build the right culture. Customize your organizational structure based on individuals' strengths. Mentoring and training programs need to be put in place early.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Training 102

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 1, 2016

140,000 new startup companies are reportedly launched every day. While the epicenter of tech innovation is undeniably Silicon Valley, a tide of new hubs emerging across the globe are gaining recognition. The “ real gold ” of Silicon Valley reportedly lies in its mentors. travellers with inter-city bus companies in Latin America.

Technical Review 40

Technical Review Startup Incubator Media 40

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2017

In my years of mentoring and advising business leaders, I find that real planning for the future always gets the short shrift. I believe these factors are key to the future success of every new startup, as well as every mature company: Leadership must be values-based and people focused.

Company 55

Company Companies Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 55

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I often get asked for the magic that has made Amazon the world's most valuable brand , from a total unknown only twenty years ago. My simple answer is that they keep their focus on customers, rather than technology. Jeff Bezos has kept his focus on customers.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Customer Custom 123

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. The result is no deal.

Marketing 71

Marketing Tips Technical Review Social Media 71

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2019

Steve Blank via Flickr by jdlasica I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the solution.

Startup 98

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 98

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2015

Great technology leads to innovative solutions that are possible, but not necessarily great businesses. For example, hydrogen-fueled engines were invented over a century ago, with a continuing promise of breathing air and exhaling pure water vapor and having over 200 companies active in the hydrogen sector today.

Technical Review 54

Technical Review Product Activity Technology 54

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2020

They couldn’t possibly understand the new social media culture, new technologies, or have the determination to beat their younger counterparts in the market. They include people like Sir Richard Branson , born in 1950, who has founded over 400 companies, and claims to be just getting started. Manage customer service.

Startup 124

Startup Technical Review Software Review Entrepreneur 124

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

I admit that I haven’t yet read it but I’ve had numerous discussions with Brad over the years about board structure & conduct and consider him a mentor on the topic. When you first start your company and raise initial venture capital your board probably consists of 1-3 founders and 1-2 VCs. In the Early Days.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 28, 2019

Solo or autocratic entrepreneurs usually don’t survive, due to required skills and a workload far beyond the capacity of a single human. Open office plans simply squeeze more employees in less space, and often reduce productivity and collaboration, due to noise, distractions, and constant interruptions.

Entrepreneur 94

Entrepreneur Technical Review Ideas Tool 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 13, 2018

For example, according to recent research from Bain & Company , Apple, Netflix, Google, and Dell employees are 40 percent more productive than the average, even though they are no smarter or more experienced. He ignored my advice and ultimately lost several key executives, and then his own health, due to stress and workload.

Technical Review 51

Technical Review Startup Training Netflix 51

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2016

The idea is to have a partnership between Cedars-Sinai and Techstars, where we select ten healthcare startup companies focused on innovative technology and care delivery in healthcare. Both sets of mentors re really united to help drive the pace of growth of these startups, must faster than they might have grown traditionally.

Mentor 100

Mentor Startup Coach Ideas 100