Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 3, 2017

As a long-time mentor and advisor to new business owners, I can attest to both the need for mentoring, and the satisfaction that comes from watching an aspiring but tentative entrepreneur grow into someone capable of changing the world. Building relationships, and finding ways for a win-win, is what mentoring is about.

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Mentor Entrepreneur Satisfaction Summary 73

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 12, 2021

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.

Entrepreneur 167

Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Customer 167

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2023

Whether you are a business professional in a big company, or an entrepreneur with a startup, innovation is a key strategy. Many people believe that new ideas are the critical element of innovation, but in my experience as a mentor and investor, long-term business success is more about implementation than ideas.

Artificial Inteligence 114

Artificial Inteligence Ideas Satisfaction Customer 114

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 28, 2021

In other words, the entrepreneur quality is more important than the idea -- in investor jargon, people invest in the jockey, and not the horse. High leaders continually challenged their own ideas and were quicker to adapt them to encompass new information, experiences, and meaning. Find and enjoy the company of one or more mentors.

Entrepreneur 165

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Invest 165

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 1, 2022

As a mentor to many business professionals and owners, and aspiring entrepreneurs, I find a wealth of innovative ideas, but often less insight on what it really takes to transform ideas into an income stream that can excite new customers into long-term business success. Believe it or not, customers are not all like you.

Ideas 145

Ideas Startup Case Study Writing 145

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2023

Many entrepreneurs have a passion and an idea, or even invent a new product, but are never able to execute to the point of creating a startup. Thus, in my view, entrepreneurship is an evolution of an idea through a series of developmental stages, culminating in a self-sustaining business. Startup and development stage.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Satisfaction 108

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

Most colleges have now added classes in entrepreneurship to include the necessary business focus to technical majors that usually drive innovative ideas. Mark Zuckerberg, while still in school, tested the viability of his “ FaceMash ” technology as a business by rolling it out to other students at Harvard as customers.

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Entrepreneur Mentor Class Resource 157

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2023

Every business organization, large or small, has a variety of individual and team member types that factor into your ability to innovate and change the business to meet evolving customer needs and competition. He brings over 25 years of experience with Silicon Valley leadership companies in highlighting winners and losers.

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Coach Ideas Mentor Organization 96

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. I’m convinced that great results are better than great ideas, and a great perception of you as a person is better than both ideas and results.

Tips 121

Tips Social Media Mentor Technical Review 121

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2017

Entrepreneurs are people who dream up new ideas, and then commercialize them into new businesses. Most people believe that the hard part is coming up with the idea, and the easy part is turning it into a business. Don’t assume anything until you have done market research and listened to real customers.

Ideas 72

Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2012

The servant leader serves the people they lead through mentoring, direct assistance, listening, and acting on their employees input. Do others on your team communicate their ideas and vision for the organization when you are around? Does everyone feel a strong sense of community in the company you lead? Marty Zwilling.

Mentor 109

Mentor Startup Organization Ideas 109

socalTECH

APRIL 10, 2018

It's a term to help people understand that we're here to help companies get ready to scale. Most of our mentors are people who have been successful entrepreneurs and investors, who have been there, and understand how to get a company to the next sage. Explain what Startup Boost is? How did Startup Boost start?

Startup 172

Startup Seed Funding Mentor Ideas 172

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. Founders have to communicate their ideas and products to investors, business partners, and the rest of the team.

Mentor 61

Mentor Technical Review Entrepreneur Guide 61

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

Get connected to the right mentors and your business may catapult to the next level. Don’t and you might make one catastrophic mistake that leaves you in the annals of Effed Companies. I figured if Matt was on the verge of bankruptcy and one mentor changed his trajectory, what if we had a formalized, community-wide program?

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Acquisition Startup Customer Custom 304

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2023

On the other hand, if you are a new entrepreneur, still in the idea stage, professional investors will only tell you to come back later when you have traction (customers and revenue). Prior to the growth stage, your company valuation is limited to goodwill based on intellectual property and team experience, since you have no revenue.

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Funding Startup Ideas Equity 125

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2022

In my own experience as a startup advisor and mentor, I find that entrepreneurs who can’t attract and maintain a highly motivated team rarely even get off the ground. Good hiring, training, and mentoring are the best motivators. Your display of pride in the company and respect for the customer will translate directly into motivation.

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Examples Mentor Activity Product 145

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

Every entrepreneur and every business I meet in my consulting and mentoring role has great intentions of bringing real innovation to the market, yet I find that most ideas are merely small extensions to existing solutions. Both fail to look first at what customers really need, and are willing to pay for.

Startup 146

Startup Mentor Entrepreneur Ideas 146

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 4, 2020

It’s with profound sadness we mourn the loss of a true visionary, author, mentor, thought-leader, investor, and friend, Tony Hsieh. has a history with Tony, as he became an investor in the company in 2013, and built a lasting friendship with us as the Tech.co We also shared a passion for seeing others launch new ideas and grow them.

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Commerce Statistics Customer Custom 207

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

I’m a believer in the old saying that investors look for great people, more than great ideas. While these investors, and early customers, will always argue that they found you, I’m convinced that there is no substitute for aggressive networking on your part. Ability to relate aspirations to customer needs.

Startup 113

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 113

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 26, 2016

Even an extraordinary engineer or product lead who have built a breakthrough product aren’t guaranteed success unless they can get access to capital, get much needed press to drive low-cost customer acquisition and persuade fickle business leaders to join their company and help them shape their businesses beyond tech innovation.

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Mentor Venture Capital Marketing Product 150

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2017

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. The implications to you and your company are also large, so be prepared.

Company 97

Company Companies Entrepreneur Customer 97

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2023

The servant leader serves the people they lead through mentoring, direct assistance, listening, and acting on their employees input. Do others on your team communicate their ideas and vision for the organization when you are around? Does everyone feel a strong sense of community in the company you lead? Marty Zwilling

Mentor 92

Mentor Organization Ideas Examples 92

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. My idea is just too far ahead of its time.” On the other hand, if you wait for competitors to get there first, you may be left in the dust with no customers.

Startup 135

Startup Entrepreneur Statistics Course 135

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

JANUARY 7, 2023

As an entrepreneur mentor and startup investor, I see with sadness the 50 to 90 percent that fail. Actually, great new customer solutions lead to great platforms, not the other way around. Extrapolating you as the target customer. Never mix up what you like with what your customers will buy.

Entrepreneur 125

Entrepreneur Netflix Social Media Startup 125

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2021

For example, Elon Musk says he seeks out innovations from his team by constantly asking them how they can make things better, how often they get out of internal meetings and into customer shops, and actively encouraging them to try new things. Spend more time mentoring and coaching your team.

Tips 159

Tips Satisfaction Coach Mentor 159

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2021

In my role as mentor to business professionals, I often get the question about your potential of going out on your own as an entrepreneur, versus your current role of working for a boss at an established company. Most people think success depends on first having that innovative and unique idea, but I would beg to differ.

Entrepreneur 158

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Ideas Social Media 158

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 11, 2020

The servant leader serves the people they lead through mentoring, direct assistance, listening, and acting on their employees input. Do others on your team communicate their ideas and vision for the organization when you are around? Does everyone feel a strong sense of community in the company you lead? Marty Zwilling.

Mentor 161

Mentor Organization Ideas Examples 161

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2016

If you can’t provide a memorable customer experience, your startup won’t survive very long these days. You now need more than loyalty from your customers -- they need to be your best advocates. Here are some key ideas to get you started: It all starts with the right people on your team. Lost customers provide the best input.

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Customer Custom Startup Coach 55

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2020

Based on my experience and a business advisor and mentor, this is the ideal time to get back to the basics of business leadership and innovation. These days, customers as well as team members, need to be able to relate to a higher purpose for your business, such as protecting the environment, or helping the disadvantaged.

Mentor 122

Mentor Ideas Competition Examples 122

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2020

Many entrepreneurs have a passion and an idea, or even invent a new product, but are never able to execute to the point of creating a startup. Thus, in my view, entrepreneurship is an evolution of an idea through a series of developmental stages, culminating in a self-sustaining business. Startup and development stage.

Ideas 127

Ideas Entrepreneur Satisfaction Summary 127

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2023

Although many won’t admit it, true entrepreneurs can’t wait to exit their current startup, and build a new and better one with their next great idea. Running a mature company is totally different from running a startup. Mature your business processes and customer base. Listen carefully and act accordingly.

Startup 99

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2023

Establishing and maintaining the right company culture is a major key to success in any business these days, especially with the growth of the millennial generation of workers. It has a huge impact on productivity, as well as morale and loyalty to the company. He says trust is the key to a good culture. So, how do you build trust?

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Claremont Mentor Study Startup 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2022

One way to do this is to nurture mentoring relationships with experts in other disciplines, as Bill Gates did with Warren Buffet. Generously reward your team for learning from innovative ideas, including failures. Initiate a regular program of customer experiments.

Competition 139

Competition Examples Customer Custom 139

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

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 17, 2011

Every startup mentor has his favorite list of basic strategies to avoid pitfalls, and I’m no exception. Start early by registering your company, and reserving the name as your website domain name. In business, “most important” means time to market, customer service, low cost, and beating your competitors. Manage your time.

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Mentor Startup Social Network Patents 100

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2022

Be sure to encompass all your constituents, especially including customers. Whole Foods , for example, has built their business with a commitment to natural and organic foods, and have a culture of loyal employees and customers, resulting in 500 stores worldwide. Commit to delivering a positive customer experience.

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Product Training Customer Custom 109