Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2020

With interactive social media and video everywhere, everyone needs to feel they have a relationship with their leaders, and every brand needs leader personification for customers to relate. Here is my adaptation of his engagement principles for all the aspiring entrepreneurs I advise: Learn to adopt an outsider’s perspective.

Social Media 128

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 128

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

The challenge is when and how to make the switch to the entrepreneur lifestyle. As a mentor to young aspiring entrepreneurs , I often get asked for tips on a strategy to get started. Every industry organization has regular local meetings and annual conferences for education purposes and bringing the right people together.

Startup 114

Startup Tips Coach Satisfaction 114

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2023

I’ve heard it many times from technical entrepreneurs who should know better than to believe the old “ Field of Dreams ” sports fantasy movie theme in today’s Internet information overload environment. Team members need time, and your support, to attend conferences and professional organizations to stay in touch with colleagues and peers.

Startup 95

Startup Coach Mentor Social Media 95

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2020

That’s why I caution my aspiring entrepreneur clients against proclaiming to investors that they are a great “idea” person. Then, he'll need to patent it and create a plan to show opportunity, competition, and financial projections. The bridge from thinking and talking, to doing, is a long and difficult one for many to get over.

Ideas 126

Ideas Writing Examples Outsource 126

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 7, 2019

The simple answer is that we all have to start thinking like entrepreneurs, rather than entitled employees. To me, that means treating your career more like a business than a job – with a continual and global focus on keeping up with competition, finding customers, preparing for changes ahead, and taking responsibility for your own finances.

Artificial Inteligence 96

Artificial Inteligence Startup Social Media Training 96

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2018

With interactive social media and video everywhere, everyone needs to feel they have a relationship with their leaders, and every brand needs leader personification for customers to relate. Here is my adaptation of his engagement principles for all the aspiring entrepreneurs I advise: Learn to adopt an outsider’s perspective.

Social Media 96

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 96

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2020

I heard it again recently from a technical entrepreneur who should know better than to believe the old “ Field of Dreams ” sports fantasy movie theme in today’s Internet information overload environment. Team members need time, and your support, to attend conferences and professional organizations to stay in touch with colleagues and peers.

Marketing 130

Marketing Develop Development Startup 130

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2019

In addition, like an entrepreneur with a new business, you have to factor in all the indirect costs previously covered by employers, including training, health care, and time off for vacations. In fact, thinking like an entrepreneur is a good strategy today for success, even if you are currently in a long-term employment situation.

Startup 98

Startup Outsource Development Competition Social Media 98

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

With interactive social media and video everywhere, everyone needs to feel they have a relationship with their leaders, and every brand needs leader personification for customers to relate. Here is my adaptation of his engagement principles for all the aspiring entrepreneurs I advise: Learn to adopt an outsider’s perspective.

Social Media 99

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2015

Many experts are certain that successful entrepreneurs are the ones with the most inspiration (passion and dream), while others will assert that it’s about more perspiration (working harder). Overcoming obstacles and learning is one of the biggest inspiration for most entrepreneurs. Note the growth of your team and your own leadership.

Satisfaction 101

Satisfaction Entrepreneur Customer Custom 101

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

Now, thanks to social media, you don't have to outspend. Draw Your Ideas - A VC : Venture Capital and Technology , May 16, 2010 I saw Jack Dorsey give this talk at The 99% Conference last month. saw Jack Dorsey give this talk at The 99% Conference last month. Why Entrepreneurs Hate Lawyers. You could just outspend.

Startup 248

Startup Venture Capital Conference Social Media 248

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2016

As an active angel investor myself, I understand how the process works, and I see the disappointment in the eyes of entrepreneurs who approach angel groups for funding and often get turned away for not being timely or prepared in the minds of potential investors. Highlight existing presence on the Internet and social media.

Angel 65

Angel Startup Technical Review Social Media 65

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. You have no shelf life, so you can’t make money while you sleep.

Services 72

Services Startup Training Writing 72

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 10, 2010

In fact, I said as much in September 09 at a Twitter conference in LA on a panel that Guy Kawasaki was moderating. Actually, the latter could be a reasonable strategy for super technical entrepreneurs who can sustain themselves without big financing needs (see: Atebits, owner of Tweetie). I don’t find this surprising at all.

Acquisition 287

Acquisition Develop Development Conference 287

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2014

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. You have no shelf life, so you can’t make money while you sleep.

Services 105

Services Startup Training Writing 105

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2017

Most of the guidance you see for entrepreneurs is aimed at those who are selling a product (Apple, Tesla, Xiaomi), or selling a service (Uber, Airbnb, Snapchat). The “product” value is difficult to quantify, the costs are nebulous, and entrepreneurs have to clone themselves to scale the business.

Social Media 56

Social Media Pricing Technical Review Demand 56

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2016

Many experts are certain that successful entrepreneurs are the ones with the most inspiration (passion and dream), while others will assert that it’s about more perspiration (working harder). Overcoming obstacles and learning is one of the biggest inspiration for most entrepreneurs. Note the growth of your team and your own leadership.

Satisfaction 61

Satisfaction Startup Customer Custom 61

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

Entrepreneurs need to look more broadly into the business-to-business (B2B) space for more lucrative opportunities. As outlined a while back by Adam Holden-Bache on Social Media B2B , I’m convinced that business-to-business has more money and more untapped opportunities, still waiting to be found: Find strategic partnerships.

Competition 84

Competition Entertainment Advertising Social Media 84

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

He blogs to 10,000 web entrepreneurs at Software by Rob and co-hosts the podcast Startups for the Rest of Us. Paul Graham on trends for the future - Business of Software Blog , August 25, 2010 Paul Graham spoke at last year's Business of Software conference. August 20, 2010 They say people won't pay for content. twenty in your wallet?

Startup 191

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Hire 191

socalTECH

APRIL 18, 2017

Ahead of the Recurring Revenue Conference ([link] which we are helping to sponsor next week, we are chatting with a few companies in the recurring revenue area space. There are so many more brands and competition. What advice would you give to new entrepreneurs, looking to start their own business? I wholeheartedly believe that.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Services Sales Customer 124

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2016

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. You have no shelf life, so you can’t make money while you sleep.

Services 61

Services Startup Training Writing 61

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2016

I heard it again yesterday from a technical entrepreneur who should know better than to believe the old “ Field of Dreams ” sports fantasy movie theme in today’s Internet information overload environment. Team members need time, and your support, to attend conferences and professional organizations to stay in touch with colleagues and peers.

Marketing 89

Marketing Coach Mentor Social Media 89

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 2, 2012

But entrepreneurs need to look more broadly into the B2B space for more lucrative opportunities. As outlined a while back by Adam Holden-Bache on Social Media B2B , I’m convinced that business-to-business has more money and more untapped opportunities, along the following lines: Strategic partnerships. Lead generation.

Services 82

Services Competition Mobile Entertainment 82

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2011

But entrepreneurs need to look more broadly than this to tracking, navigation solutions, safety, security, local business search, and payments. If your B2B contacts are frequenting other non-competitive local businesses, LBS data could point you to more lucrative business partnerships. See who checks into your competition.

Services 91

Services Startup Competition Entertainment 91

socalTECH

APRIL 21, 2017

xWe spoke with a few companies in the recurring revenue area space, ahead of the Recurring Revenue Conference ([link] which we are helping to sponsor next week. You can get orders at a low cost in the beginning using things like social media. Strangely enough, there's no competition there. That's a big mistake.

Startup 145

Startup Product Customer Custom 145

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 26, 2013

Understanding “The Funding Angle” I sit at enough board meetings to hear conflicting advice given to entrepreneurs about how to handle PR and announcements at startups. Journalists don’t often write stories that talk about, “This cool new company I met at a conference.”

Startup 355

Startup Funding News Press 355

SoCal CTO

JULY 13, 2010

10 Ways To Be Your Own Boss - A VC : Venture Capital and Technology , June 18, 2010 The folks at Behance and Cool Hunting asked me to talk at their 99% Conference a couple months ago. The 99% conference is aimed at creative professionals and is focused on Edison's "99% perspiration." Let's see why. And then I took a stand.

Startup 175

Startup Venture Capital Slides Blogging 175

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 22, 2010

So I’ve always advised people that if they do launch at a big show, the most important public relations work they do is after the conference. Given a choice of your marketing person or talking to you (the founder) there’s no competition. Many other great companies are not. - Make yourself available.

Tips 307

Tips Startup Press Blogging 307

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 21, 2014

Introducing Bitcoinference | A Decentralized Conference , hosted by illustrious startup accelerator, 500 Startups. A profile of the state of the Bitcoin industry and its presence of female entrepreneurs. A clear distinction our female entrepreneurs have made here has been their active decisions to hit the ground running.

Startup 104

Startup Venture Capital Draper Invest 104

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 23, 2011

One of the most frequent questions entrepreneurs ask about when they raise a little bit of money or are getting close to launching their first product is whether they should hire a PR firm. You need somebody who is thinking laterally about how to creatively get extra attention at conferences or trade-shows.

Startup 349

Startup Writing Press Blogging 349

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 19, 2010

I would try a line like, “I know that some of you might be social media experts and others may be less deep on this particular area. My partner, Brian McLoughlin , attends almost all Financial Services conference, makes a number of investments in the space and has relationships across the sector.

Venture Capital 318

Venture Capital Startup Sales Writing 318

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 1, 2010

The 11 Harsh Realities Of Being An Entrepreneur - OnStartups , November 1, 2010 There's always talk about the end game in the form of an acquisition, funding announcement, or eventual flame out. love to find great products and services made by entrepreneurs who are trying to change the world. This doesn’t make sense.

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Startup Product Technology 175

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 10, 2011

Some will cite my investment two years ago in social-media advertising company Ad.ly DataSift = platform for companies to develop cost-effective applications using this Twitter data to gain advantage relative to their competition. Read this story that is typical of many entrepreneurs with whom I talk. Or how about Google?

Platform 307

Platform News Startup Invest 307