Both Sides of the Table

MAY 30, 2018

One of the hardest things about the fund-raising process for entrepreneurs is that you’re trying to raise money from people who have “asymmetric information.” VC firms see thousands of deals and have a refined sense of how the market is valuing deals because they get price signals across all of these deals.

Venture Capital 324

Venture Capital Pricing Startup Invest 324

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2014

In their passion and excitement about a new product or service, entrepreneurs tend to continually narrow the scope of potential competitors, and often claim to have no direct competitors. Competition for your new hydrogen fuel auto engine is not limited to other hydrogen auto engine offerings, or even other autos.

Competition 93

Competition Startup Patents Slides 93

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2021

In their passion and excitement about a new product or service, entrepreneurs tend to continually narrow the scope of potential competitors, and often claim to have no direct competitors. Competition for your new hydrogen fuel auto engine is not limited to other hydrogen auto engine offerings, or even other autos.

Competition 166

Competition Funding Startup Patents 166

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

More entrepreneurs want to be socially responsible these days, but fear a negative impact on profits, growth, and the ability to find an investor. Of course, investors still require a profitable business model, and the potential for high returns. Startups can use social responsibility as a competitive advantage.

Startup 149

Startup Organization Customer Custom 149

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2022

Almost instantly, via the Internet or on their smartphone in the store, they can find the lowest price alternative or their favorite features, without waiting for push marketing or listening to your best sales person. As an entrepreneur and startup, you should love this environment and cater to it. Capitalize on the multiplier moment.

Customer 146

Customer Custom Startup Course 146

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2021

These things change so fast these days that the primary role of the entrepreneur as CEO is to be the Master of Realignment. The basic alignment framework of strategy, customers, people, and processes hasn’t changed, but the pace of technological, competitive, and social change has increased at an amazing rate.

Social Media 143

Social Media Startup Framework Course 143

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2022

It happens on the front end for startups to get traction, and then again later for every company as the economy, competition, and culture changes around them. The pivot can be as simple as changing the pricing model, or as complex as moving from a product business to a services business. Reinvent the vision for change.

Course 127

Course IBM IBM Social Media 127

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 28, 2022

Many entrepreneurs still don’t understand that building a business culture today of doing good, like helping people (society) and planet (sustainability), is also a key to maximizing profit. Employees and customers alike are looking for meaning, not simply employment and commodity prices.

Organization 143

Organization Startup Pricing Customer 143

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2021

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. You have figured out how to undercut your competitor’s price, and still hold your margin. Love that sustainable competitive advantage.

Startup 160

Startup Patents Competition Social Network 160

Berkonomics

NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Of course, there are external risks that cannot be controlled or predicted but can be planned for as well – natural disasters, sudden political or economic events that rattle the entire economy, and more. Market risk is constant and should be of greatest concern to any executive or entrepreneur. Fourth is competitive risk.

Competition 156

Competition Marketing Class Product 156

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2015

Many entrepreneurs still don’t understand that building a business culture today of doing good, like helping people (society) and planet (sustainability), is also a key to maximizing profit. Employees and customers alike are looking for meaning, not simply employment and commodity prices.

Entrepreneur 117

Entrepreneur Organization Startup Pricing 117

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2021

The recent pandemic was a strong signal for change, and I see most of you entrepreneurs and business owners responding to the business changes required and new opportunities presented. Of course, no business wants to be the next Blockbuster , which kept charging straight ahead despite subtle clues that the Internet was changing everything.

Marketing 162

Marketing Social Media Metrics Customer 162

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 19, 2014

Almost instantly, via the Internet or on their smartphone in the store, they can find the lowest price alternative or their favorite features, without waiting for push marketing or listening to your best sales person. As an entrepreneur and startup, you should love this environment and cater to it. Capitalize on the multiplier moment.

Customer 98

Customer Custom Entrepreneur Startup 98

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

If you’re a technology startup you need to excel at product, of course. The starting point of product IS marketing, which is what a lot of young entrepreneurs that never studied business don’t realize. Of course once submitted you could send out links to your friends and ask them to upvote your content and that would help.

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

2 preamble issues having read the comments on TC today: 1: I know that the prices of startup companies is much great in Silicon Valley than in smaller towns / less tech focused areas in the US and the US prices higher than many foreign markets. You can be pissed off, but I don’t set prices. That’s stupid.

Startup 336

Startup Pricing Technical Review Marketing 336

InfoChachkie

MAY 19, 2011

This series describes how entrepreneurs can craft company-changing agreements with BDCs, while avoiding Kiss of Death contract provisions. In Part II of this series, I suggest that entrepreneurs seek agreements in which “what is good for the goose is good for the gander.” Agree to Bundling Without a Minimum Price.

Outsource Development 193

Outsource Development IP Technical Review Entrepreneur 193

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 4, 2014

In fact, for the past 27-years, he has specialized in bringing exotic travel destinations to those of us who are healthy and active but whose competitive sporting days are long behind us. If you could share one startup lesson with a young entrepreneur, what would it be? Ever fantasized about climbing Mt. but we don''t.

Entrepreneur 187

Entrepreneur Startup Social Media Resource 187

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2012

These things change so fast these days that the primary role of the entrepreneur as CEO is to be the Master of Realignment. The basic alignment framework of strategy, customers, people, and processes hasn’t changed, but the pace of technological, competitive, and social change has increased at an amazing rate.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Social Media Startup Framework 93

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Almost instantly, via the Internet or on their smartphone in the store, they can find the lowest price alternative or their favorite features, without waiting for push marketing or listening to your best sales person. As an entrepreneur and startup, you should love this environment and cater to it. Capitalize on the multiplier moment.

Customer 124

Customer Custom Startup Course 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2012

Most entrepreneurs expect to face the “normal” challenges of starting a business, which include finding the right opportunity, building and executing a winning plan, and financing their venture. Sometimes entrepreneurs are so set on creating a successful business, they forget to create one that they love to work on every day.

Startup 94

Startup Pricing Entrepreneur Training 94

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. You have figured out how to undercut your competitor’s price, and still hold your margin. Love that sustainable competitive advantage.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Ideas 102

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 23, 2019

Many entrepreneurs still don’t understand that building a business culture today of doing good, like helping people (society) and planet (sustainability), is also a key to maximizing profit. Employees and customers alike are looking for meaning, not simply employment and commodity prices.

Organization 128

Organization Startup Pricing Customer 128

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 8, 2014

Ability to source information easily to help build a thesis around companies / industries / competition. Great networking skills, which are critical when you want to be about to reference entrepreneurs & concepts and bounce your ideas off of other people in the industry. ” My experience tells me the same.

Help 365

Help Invest Venture Capital Technical Review 365

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2012

Just because you are an entrepreneur, or work in a startup, you can’t ignore the rules of building and maintaining relationships. Of course, it still pays to keep your eyes open and carry your own weight. One of the prices that you pay for being a CEO is giving up a lot of the social relationships within the company.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Startup Social Network Mentor 104

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

It should help some entrepreneurs to better access early-stage capital and should allow some angel investors better access to deal flow. In Jason’s mind half of the VC industry will now disappear as entrepreneurs flock to him and to Dave Morin for their money. They will have to negotiate price and terms. Both are right.

Venture Capital 356

Venture Capital Invest Course Technical Review 356

Berkonomics

MARCH 14, 2019

Of course, we are speaking of increased valuation of your company when we speak of “wealth.” Especially if you are in the early stage of growing a business, these five risks can and often do derail entrepreneurs before realizing the riches of a great exit. And fifth: Competitive risk. . So, let’s examine them and mitigate them.

Outsource Development 120

Outsource Development Ideas Resource Patents 120

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

Without taking a dime of outside capital, the company has achieved impressive success in a competitive, SaaS market segment, landing companies such as Nike, Intuit, NASA, AutoDesk and PBS. What advice you can offer entrepreneurs validating their new products? How do early-stage entrepreneurs go about doing it?

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

As the school year kicks off for college students, one of the big tasks of the year is buying books for their courses. Every price comparison out there, whether that's Google Products, Bizrate, or other sites, can find books, but you can only do it one at a time. Had you thought you'd be an entrepreneur when you were in college?

UCSD 185

UCSD Course Startup Sites 185

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

I hear a lot of entrepreneurs contemplating their great “idea” for several years with little discernable progress, and looking for money to start. It doesn’t prove your business model of pricing, distribution, and support. It’s also the keystone to convincing investors that you have a “sustainable competitive advantage.”

Funding 112

Funding Entrepreneur Startup CTO Hire 112

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2016

As a starting point I have to believe the founder has the attributes of an entrepreneur that matter most to me : Tenacity, resiliency, inspiration, perspiration, attention-to-detail, competitiveness, decisiveness, risk tolerance and integrity. Of course I also have to the concept. It’s not enough to love the founding team.

Invest 254

Invest Writing Pricing Metrics 254

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Just because you are an entrepreneur, or work in a startup, you can’t ignore the rules of building and maintaining relationships. Of course, it still pays to keep your eyes open and carry your own weight. One of the prices that you pay for being a CEO is giving up a lot of the social relationships within the company.

Startup 127

Startup Social Network Mentor Networking 127

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2020

Sponsor some friendly competitive events with prizes. Elon Musk and Tesla made their battery patents available to anyone, to clear the path for market infrastructure growth and compatibility, which of course benefits Tesla. Let your highly motivated customers be your best marketing advocates for new customers.

Marketing 170

Marketing Startup Examples Customer 170

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 24, 2016

Every entrepreneur I know starts out with a strong conviction that their solution is a perfect match for their target market, and yet almost every one later admits a need to “pivot” before finding their groove. Course corrections, or pivots, are normal for new ventures, so expect them and don’t make excuses.

Entrepreneur 57

Entrepreneur Pricing Course Competition 57

InfoChachkie

JULY 18, 2011

Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham and Marcia Brown’s Stone Soup , the seemingly innocuous board game Monopoly has played a pivotal role in the edification of several generations of entrepreneurs. The players who go first have a higher probability of landing on an available property during their initial trips around the board.

Entrepreneur 216

Entrepreneur Startup Outsource Development Paramount 216

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 28, 2018

My friend Michael Broukhim, founder & co-CEO of FabFitFun and I recently had a catch-up meeting for 3-miles on the Santa Monica “Bird Trail” No company has ever elicited so many questions by friends, colleagues, entrepreneurs, fellow VCs and journalists as has Bird, the company that pioneered the electronic scooter as a service market.

Santa Monica 256

Santa Monica Funding Startup Course 256

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2013

More entrepreneurs want to be socially responsible these days, but fear a negative impact on profits, growth, and the ability to find an investor. Of course, investors still require a profitable business model, and the potential for high returns. Startups can use social responsibility as a competitive advantage. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 101

Startup Organization Entrepreneur Customer 101

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

Of course there’s no exact number of VCs you should meet?—?these As a VC I of course want you to come see only me because that means I have no competition and have time to properly get to know you. Remember, I was an entrepreneur for 10 years before a VC). Most entrepreneurs don’t put enough effort into these phases.

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332