Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2022

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. Of course, previous successes provide more direct evidence of a network of the right people. Exudes integrity, humility, and stability.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 111

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2021

Of course, this kind of leadership has a big risk, since you have no one to blame if you get it wrong. The challenge is how to develop that self-leadership in every aspiring entrepreneur and business professional role. This may mean attending industry conferences, taking college courses, or reading some key books.

Entrepreneur 132

Entrepreneur Course Satisfaction Guide 132

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2020

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I often feel the frustration of someone trying to build a startup in the wrong place and time, and wrongly attributing their struggle to personal limitations. You need partners, mentors, and investors who can complement your own resources to make it a win-win for all involved.

Resource 131

Resource Startup Capital Mentor 131

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

Competitive (Athlete: skier & rowed at Princeton, hates losing at everything she does). Wonderful human being who is civically engaged, mother of 3, mentorer of younger founders, hard worker and arguer extraordinaire (so says her current Twitter bio). She is a coach and mentor to team members.

Venture Capital 408

Venture Capital Startup Outsource Development CitySearch 408

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2022

Your role is to provide this enablement, through listening to their needs, and providing personal coaching and mentoring as required. Of course, even the best talent needs communication, training, and support to create the culture you need. Foster collaboration rather than competition.

Product 109

Product Training Customer Custom 109

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2022

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Data, however, removes guesswork, biases, and anecdotal reasoning that can throw decision efforts off course.

Tool 121

Tool Statistics Entrepreneur Metrics 121

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

For example, many investors I know tell me they look for business plans that allocate the largest portion of a requested investment to marketing, but most often see the top “ use of funds ” to be further product or service development. Of course, you can’t possibly brand yourself if you don’t know who you really are.

Marketing 133

Marketing Customer Custom Outsource Development 133

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

You need to build business relationships with partners, team members, investors, and of course customers. Asking someone to be your mentor is not a sign of weakness, and most mentors love to help. Develop and practice your business vision and story. Turn existing connections into productive relationships.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Mentor Activity Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 24, 2022

Are you sure you know what to look for, or how to develop potential ? Focus on team members who develop relationships. You need leaders who focus on delivering value to the market and dealing with competitors, addressing customer and competitive needs now and in the long-term. Mentoring and coaching are also important.

Customer 110

Customer Custom Coach Organization 110

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 28, 2021

They include real mentors, facilitators, visionaries, motivators, and negotiators. Of course, it still pays to keep your eyes open and carry your own weight. Savvy workers at all levels are using these sites to develop and strengthen their business relationships as well as to reconnect with previous business connections.

Startup 127

Startup Social Network Mentor Networking 127

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2019

Yet in today’s competitive and rapidly changing world, top notch sales and marketing skills are critical to the success of every business. These may be partners who can complement your skills, mentors who can show you what you need, or customers who can be your best sales people. He was the asset he sold.

Mentor 90

Mentor Startup Sales Examples 90

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2020

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. Of course, previous successes provide more direct evidence of a network of the right people. Exudes integrity, humility, and stability.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 126

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2019

Image via Wikipedia The challenge for all of us in business is to improve competitiveness by improving employee productivity and reducing costs. Sometimes this means working on less defined tasks, raising their level of autonomy, or requiring the development of new skills. Focus on role enrichment, not more work.

Tips 96

Tips Satisfaction Training Mentor 96

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I tend to see many of the same obstacles appearing in every new startup, and since I don’t want to appear to be a downer , I’m not sure how to properly warn people ahead of time to be on the alert for these challenges. Your customers and competition make unexpected moves.

Startup 131

Startup Entrepreneur Examples Customer 131

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2019

Of course, some balance is required. Priority is placed on employee mentoring and coaching. A primary focus on process leads to highly structured training classes, leaving little room for personal career development. On the other hand, I see teams with almost no process that are tremendously productive.

Coach 94

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 94

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 15, 2019

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Data, however, removes guesswork, biases, and anecdotal reasoning that can throw decision efforts off course.

Metrics 98

Metrics Tool Statistics Entrepreneur 98

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 1, 2015

The develop so much conviction that they can solve it that they do the most difficult thing one can do with one’s ego. Of course as a frequently traveler I know this, too. They are there to help you correct your course when you want to make decisions that their history and wisdom tells them might lead you into a dark alley.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Course Guide Entrepreneur 150

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2013

Aspiring entrepreneurs ask me why their great idea hasn’t sold; they talk about it endlessly, and they expect others to do the development, finance, and marketing work for them. It can also be very inspiring, as you watch your dream morph into reality, or as you feel each little element of success: Watch your team develop new skills.

Startup 100

Startup Patents Competition Social Network 100

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2012

Aspiring entrepreneurs ask me why their great idea hasn’t sold; they talk about it endlessly, and they expect others to do the development, finance, and marketing work for them. It can also be very inspiring, as you watch your dream morph into reality, or as you feel each little element of success: Watch your team develop new skills.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Ideas 102

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2017

Of course, some balance is required. Priority is placed on employee mentoring and coaching. A primary focus on process leads to highly structured training classes, leaving little room for personal career development. On the other hand, I see teams with almost no process that are tremendously productive.

Entrepreneur 78

Entrepreneur Coach Organization Mentor 78

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 1, 2013

Aspiring creators learn by connecting with top web filmmakers and YouTubers on a topics specific to the web: developing a web series, producing web series, writing for genres like comedy & sci-fi, directing, editing, camera, Kickstarter funding, show hosting, distribution, and marketing. How does it work? Take us through your features?

Web 93

Web USC Course Guide 93

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

The bad news is that many are already doing it, with competition growing, so the longer you wait, the less chance you have of getting there first. In a new startup, there is tremendous competitive value in registering intellectual property early, but you don’t need to contract these tasks to expensive experts any longer.

Startup 108

Startup Search Engine Optimization Social Media Outsource Development 108

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 10, 2016

In a world that is hyper competitive – even amongst VCs – I can honestly say that not only is the media recognition accurate but it is amongst the proudest days I’ve had in developing Upfront Ventures and our future. I created an accelerator & mentor network (Launchpad LA). I tried to be at every event.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Journal Invest Santa Monica 150

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 2, 2011

The ambitiously competitive teams were as follows: The Brownies, with Epic Tunes, an app aimed at live concert goers, to provide information, show reviews, and access to ticket purchases. Entrepreneurship : Through working with their mentors, each team acted as a startup, conducting market research for their pitch presentations.

Technical Review 82

Technical Review Entrepreneur Software Review USC 82

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

Apeel Sciences - Founded in 2012, after winning $10,000 at UCSB’s New Venture Competition, the company closed $1.25M in funding during 2013. Derived from uneaten plant material, the company has developed an invisible "peel" that significantly improves produce quality and shelf life. All-Star Alumni. Am I biased?

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 12, 2018

As an advisor and mentor for many startups and small business founders, following my initial career in big business, I realize that the key strategies to achieve success in small businesses are often different from those that make larger businesses successful. Must learn to grow beyond initial traction and survival.

Sales 69

Sales Organization Entrepreneur Examples 69

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

I acted as the occasional mentor, advisor and coach to Ethan. In the same year they won Business Insider’s Startup competition. Because I knew that Ethan was on to a powerful idea and one in which he had developed huge competence and domain knowledge in. The company was called Red Beacon. Nice sweep!

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 25, 2015

Then there was always the risk of failure, which of course doesn’t apply once your real job is gone. Practice developing a business plan. It will definitely show off your energy and vision, and will make you a more competitive candidate for any role. It shows everyone you are serious, and limits your liability on any mistakes.

Startup 101

Startup Social Network Activity Ideas 101

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2014

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. Of course, previous successes provide more direct evidence of a network of the right people. Exudes integrity, humility, and stability.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Angel Social Media Patents 107

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 15, 2017

Then there was always the risk of failure, which of course doesn’t apply once your real job is gone. Practice developing a business plan. It will definitely show off your energy and vision, and will make you a more competitive candidate for any role. It shows everyone you are serious, and limits your liability on any mistakes.

Help 56

Help Startup Social Network Activity 56

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2014

Then there was always the risk of failure, which of course doesn’t apply once your real job is gone. Develop low-cost plan. It will definitely show off your energy and vision, and will make you a more competitive candidate for any role. Also, for most of us, not having done it before, we have no idea where or how to start.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Startup Social Network Ideas 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 19, 2015

It was developed by Joe Abraham , who manages a portfolio of successful high-growth international companies. These people are the ultimate chess players in the game of startups, always looking to be two or three moves ahead of the competition. Of course, understanding your type and tailoring your plan is still no guarantee of success.

Startup 106

Startup Incubator Entrepreneur Metrics 106

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 12, 2010

Aspiring entrepreneurs ask me why their great idea hasn’t sold; they talk about it endlessly, and they expect others to do the development, finance, and marketing work for them. It can also be very inspiring, as you watch your dream morph into reality, or as you feel each little element of success: Watch your team develop new skills.

Startup 88

Startup Patents Competition Social Network 88

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2014

They include real mentors, facilitators, visionaries, motivators, and negotiators. Of course, it still pays to keep your eyes open and carry your own weight. Savvy workers at all levels are using these sites to develop and strengthen their business relationships as well as to reconnect with previous business connections.

Startup 102

Startup Social Network Entrepreneur Mentor 102

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2012

They include real mentors, facilitators, visionaries, motivators, and negotiators. Of course, it still pays to keep your eyes open and carry your own weight. Savvy workers at all levels are using these sites to develop and strengthen their business relationships as well as to reconnect with previous business connections.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Startup Social Network Mentor 104

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2017

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Data, however, removes guesswork, biases, and anecdotal reasoning that can throw decision efforts off course.

Tool 53

Tool Entrepreneur Statistics Metrics 53

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2012

Of course you need to learn how to recognize a bad situation before it bites you, and you need to know all the secret ways to wiggle your way out, before you succumb. There are unknowns at every turn, leading product development, attracting customers, managing cash, and dealing with human resources and office politics.

Startup 96

Startup Guide Resource Pricing 96