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. The days of pushing new and marginal performers into customer service are gone. Every job on your team drives your customer experience.

Customer 55

Customer Custom Startup Coach 55

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2022

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. People-centric leaders drive ownership and engagement down to their customer-facing team members.

Coach 128

Coach Mentor Organization Startup 128

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2021

The bad news is we have to think like a business, with all the implications of branding, finding customers, and competitors. She speaks from years of experience mentoring and facilitating independent contractors and helping large companies, since well before the term “gig economy” was even coined. Know your competitive value.

Pricing 149

Pricing Mentor Entrepreneur News 149

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2022

As with most investors and advisors, I always look first at some key personal characteristics and leadership strategies that I find often make you a more likely survivor and winner in the highly competitive world of businesses, both new and mature. Able to maintain customer trust and team confidence.

Startup 143

Startup Competition Coach Satisfaction 143

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

JUNE 24, 2022

Every business owner I know wishes that all team members were leaders, to proactively tackle the challenges of growth , interact effectively with customers on their needs, and eventually step into your role. Notice people who always take a customer perspective. It’s no secret today that customers are more demanding than ever.

Customer 110

Customer Custom Coach Organization 110

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2023

These leaders not only recognize team members who have high potential, but they willingly and selflessly customize their coaching to what these special protégés really need. Measure by relationships as well as competitiveness. They mentor protégés on talent spotting, creativity, and motivation as well as strategy.

Oracle 94

Oracle Organization Examples Coach 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2021

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Find out if something very similar is already selling, and who your competition would be if you proceed.

Ideas 136

Ideas Entrepreneur Mentor Resource 136

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 6, 2022

I’m convinced that the reason for the high rate of startup failures , with well over half not lasting five years, is not that the solutions are not innovative, but that the entrepreneur focuses on the product, rather than the business of attracting and managing customers. No one else can do the solution delivery like you can.

Satisfaction 92

Satisfaction Training Custom Customer 92

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2020

Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. 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.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Funding Innocal Offshore 124

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 25, 2022

Don’t be hesitant to use coaches, mentors, and other resources to test and improve your image by others, and your perceptions of business realities and biases. The business world today is very competitive, and customers are more and more demanding. Build and maintain your emotional intelligence.

Startup 122

Startup Satisfaction Summary Coach 122

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 2, 2022

This is a tough challenge for every coach and mentor. Embrace the real you as your competitive advantage. The support currently provided by product service can become inadequate to satisfy new customers, as your growth and image becomes better known. Accept the fact that authenticity is necessary for leadership effectiveness.

Entrepreneur 90

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Coach Mentor 90

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 4, 2020

These leaders not only recognize team members who have high potential, but they willingly and selflessly customize their coaching to what these special protégés really need. Measure by relationships as well as competitiveness. They mentor protégés on talent spotting, creativity, and motivation as well as strategy.

Oracle 124

Oracle Organization Examples Coach 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2015

In my years of mentoring and working with startups, I’ve seen and read about some amazing disruptions, as well as recoveries, and I’m sure each of you could add your own. Your biggest or only customer dumps you. Don’t get stuck in the past, or let some early success lead you to competitive lethargy or crippling indecisiveness.

Startup 58

Startup Demand Entrepreneur Competition 58

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. Although his focus is naturally on bigger companies, I contend that his recommended strategies apply equally well to entrepreneurs and startups: Demand a mindset of deep thinking for the long term.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Organization 124

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2019

Here are some key strategies that I recommend to every worker today: Develop and highlight your competitive differentiation. Today, customers and future managers put a higher value on relationships, and expect to know you from industry conferences, social media, or recommendations from peers. Walk away from a bad role or customer.

Startup 98

Startup Outsource Development Competition Social Media 98

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2019

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. People-centric leaders drive ownership and engagement down to their customer-facing team members.

Coach 94

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 94

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2018

As a long-time advisor to entrepreneurs and business owners, I rarely find someone who doesn’t proclaim that the business world is changing rapidly, with new technology, new customer expectations, and new cultures. Others still routinely have phone hold queues for customer contact that can last up to an hour, with no alternative options.

Technical Review 84

Technical Review Customer Custom Startup 84

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2015

Does it mean the right thing from a customer perspective, societal impact, maximizing business returns or personal benefit? Another article indicates that 80 percent of customers continue to base some portion of their buying decisions on their perceptions of the company’s ethics. You must be the model of the culture you want.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Training Demand Custom 102

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

Unlike most university programs that are over architected and underfunded, the TMP evolved organically, based on the demands of its students and input from the local community. Apeel Sciences - Founded in 2012, after winning $10,000 at UCSB’s New Venture Competition, the company closed $1.25M in funding during 2013. Organic Academia.

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2012

Even without B-Corp status, entrepreneurs are speaking out more on the positives to support business models that benefit not just shareholders, but customers, workforce, the environment, and the greater community. Startups can use social responsibility as a competitive advantage. Doing business is a human process.

Startup 100

Startup Organization Customer Custom 100

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2017

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. People-centric leaders drive ownership and engagement down to their customer-facing team members.

Entrepreneur 78

Entrepreneur Coach Organization Mentor 78

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2018

Most entrepreneurs see their new venture as a fun adventure, until the pressures of a cash flow crisis, or a manufacturing quality problem, or a major customer satisfaction problem hits. Even with all my years of experience mentoring in business, I can’t predict how you will prepare for and react to pressure situations.

Startup 82

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Mentor 82

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2018

The facts, as well as what motivates your peers, customers, and business leaders are changing daily. The question is how we develop our future role and potential, while satisfying all the business and personal demands on our time today. Smart employers look for these as they contemplate your competitiveness for new roles.

Examples 85

Examples Social Media Competition Guide 85

socalTECH

DECEMBER 10, 2010

We Create Demand for California's Technology Companies. Custom Insurance Programs for Technology Companies. pushing CEOs and business owners to innovate to outperform the competition. Funding great entrepreneurs. Binary Pulse Technology Marketing (www.binarypulse.com). The City of Glendale (www.thinkglendale.com).

SoCalTech 127

SoCalTech Advertising Rustic Canyon Glendale 127

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. Ethan had pointed out to me that merchants were being barraged by “deal site” wanting to drive customers in the door but they didn’t have great tools to manage their customers.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire GRP Partners 359

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2017

The bad news is we have to think like a business, with all the implications of branding, finding customers, and competitors. She speaks from years of experience mentoring and facilitating independent contractors and helping large companies, since well before the term “gig economy” was even coined. Know your competitive value.

Pricing 68

Pricing Entrepreneur Mentor News 68

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

In his book, “ Out-Executing the Competition ,” seasoned executive Irv Rothman provides tips to corporate executives on how to dig in and “get their fingernails dirty.” Team members and customers expect startup founders to be innovative. Clean hands won’t out-execute the competition for long in any business.

Startup 103

Startup Entrepreneur Template Outsource Development 103

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. 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.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2016

Most advisers agree that only serious and established entrepreneurs will likely qualify or survive the more rigorous accelerator programs, while first-time entrepreneurs at the idea or early implementation stage will benefit most from less demanding local incubator programs. Direction, mentoring and resources required.

Incubator 58

Incubator Startup Seed Funding Resource 58

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2015

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Find out if something very similar is already selling, and who your competition would be if you proceed.

Ideas 104

Ideas Mentor Resource Entrepreneur 104

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2012

In his new book, “ Out-Executing the Competition ,” seasoned executive Irv Rothman provides tips to corporate executives on how to dig in and “get their fingernails dirty.” Team members and customers expect startup founders to be innovative. Clean hands won’t out-execute the competition for long in any business.

Entrepreneur 94

Entrepreneur Startup Template Outsource Development 94

socalTECH

DECEMBER 7, 2016

I built my own company around marketing services, and have been around business development, marketing, custom service, and sales, and also on the consumer side of technology, a little bit a mix of the two. Barry was a lead mentor there at Chapman University's Launch Labs, and we paired up. How did you two connect?

Tech Coast Angels 100

Tech Coast Angels CTO Coach Startup Pasadena Angels 100

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

You can find a mentor, a coach, a project, or experience, to help you prepare for the role you are looking for. We got really serious after the success of that customer, who wanted to make this technology available for all of its employees across the globe. How is it your first customer was in Australia? READ MORE>>.

Help 100

Help Southern California Startup Technical Review 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. 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.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 63

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2014

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Find out if something very similar is already selling, and who your competition would be if you proceed.

Ideas 107

Ideas Mentor Entrepreneur Resource 107

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2017

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. Find out if something very similar is already selling, and who your competition would be if you proceed.

Ideas 56

Ideas Mentor Resource Product 56