Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 28, 2012

A while back, I wrote about the value of Michael Porter’s Five Forces framework for analyzing the competitive environment, and using every opportunity to highlight and emphasize your relative advantages, whether they be price, features, or bargaining power. Exceed customer expectations. Continuous customer service innovation.

Customer 104

Customer Custom Startup Organization 104

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2010

A while back, I wrote about the importance of a “ sustainable competitive advantage ,” and outlined the business plan value and limitations of patents and competitor feature comparisons. But once you start selling products, all of these pale in comparison to your level of customer service. Exceed customer expectations.

Customer 90

Customer Custom Services Startup 90

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

Do you believe that you have an idea for a company that you can implement better than anyone, and maintain a competitive advantage? Assess customer demand. Do customers really need what you want to do, or might they see it as “nice to have?” Education and training roadblocks. Right idea at the right time.

Startup 94

Startup Resource Training Ideas 94

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2015

It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Innovative technologies have no value until they are turned into solutions to real customer problems. Training and coaching. Set milestones and meet them. Ownership.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Metrics 101

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Marketing is considered an art by many individuals because it requires keen insight in how to approach a product, service, or brand, and how to effectively deliver those things to customers. Consumers and businesses, in an ever-competitive marketplace that has been energized by the internet, no longer wants ads that just tell them something.

Advertising 69

Advertising Training Customer Custom 69

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 18, 2014

I had worked along with some of these organization son the ground, who were employing people, providing microfinancing, education, and help. They help train and employ the local community where they are working, with women who create beautiful backpacks and clothing and other different items. What''s your big goal now? READ MORE>>.

Commerce 140

Commerce Help UCLA Organization 140

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 1, 2015

Do you believe that you have an idea for a company that you can implement better than anyone, and maintain a competitive advantage? Assess customer demand. Do customers really need what you want to do, or might they see it as “nice to have?” Education and training roadblocks. Right idea at the right time.

Startup 109

Startup Resource Training Ideas 109

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2015

They don’t realize that knocking competitors is assessed as a weakness and denying that you have any competition suggests there is no market for your solution. Smart investors, competitors and smart customers, will listen and watch carefully as you position your new offering. Use real case studies and customer feedback.

Capital 63

Capital Competition Case Study Patents 63

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2017

Do you believe that you have an idea for a company that you can implement better than anyone, and maintain a competitive advantage? Assess customer demand. Do customers really need what you want to do, or might they see it as “nice to have?” Education and training roadblocks. Right idea at the right time.

Startup 57

Startup Resource Training Ideas 57

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2018

Most young people who are completing their educational degree today think they will have learned all they need for their career ahead. The facts, as well as what motivates your peers, customers, and business leaders are changing daily. Smart employers look for these as they contemplate your competitiveness for new roles.

Examples 85

Examples Social Media Competition Guide 85

socalTECH

APRIL 26, 2017

The first thing you are trained on, is to qualify customers and figure out if they need upright or inverted microscopes. Eugene Cho: We had a seed round for less than $3M, and we did a note round with the Tech Coast Angels for $2M after we won their Quick Pitch competition, over about 150 other companies. READ MORE>>.

Tech Coast Angels 124

Tech Coast Angels Startup Sales Slides 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2016

Assume you already know what your customers need and want. Just because you love a new solution doesn’t mean your customers will love it. Before spending any money, make sure you interact directly with potential customers, industry experts and investors. Hire people who can train you rather than ones you need to train.

Startup 59

Startup Training Entrepreneur Customer 59

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 4, 2013

Do you believe that you have an idea for a company that you can implement better than anyone, and maintain a competitive advantage? Assess customer demand. Do customers really need what you want to do, or might they see it as “nice to have?” Education and training roadblocks. Right idea at the right time.

Entrepreneur 97

Entrepreneur Startup Resource Training 97

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Do you believe that you have an idea for a company that you can implement better than anyone, and maintain a competitive advantage? Assess customer demand. Do customers really need what you want to do, or might they see it as “nice to have?” Education and training roadblocks. Right idea at the right time.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Startup Resource Training 106

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 25, 2015

Today’s customers demand more than a good product; they expect a great customer experience. A few companies are leading the way, including Apple with their iPad and iPhone, offering irresistible stores with friendly experts, elegant packaging, and customer service that never ends. Experience using the product is only one stage.

Design 61

Design Product Customer Custom 61

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 20, 2016

First-to-market is a key competitive advantage. If they want growth and sustainability, they often increase the smart risks, meaning more risk for growth or competitive advantage. Hire or train a specialist for each of the key elements. If we build a great product, customers will find it and us.

Startup 58

Startup Resource Entrepreneur Ideas 58

socalTECH

APRIL 26, 2017

The first thing you are trained on, is to qualify customers and figure out if they need upright or inverted microscopes. Eugene Cho: We had a seed round for less than $3M, and we did a note round with the Tech Coast Angels for $2M after we won their Quick Pitch competition, over about 150 other companies. READ MORE>>.

Tech Coast Angels 100

Tech Coast Angels Startup Sales Slides 100

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2013

Experienced entrepreneurs will tell you that the initial idea is the easy part, and it’s the later implementation, and the competitive business marketing that are the real creative challenges. Many businesses have found that raising the price of a product to give it status can win more customers than a price war. Think the unthinkable.

Startup 100

Startup Ideas Patents Training 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2012

Experienced entrepreneurs will tell you that the initial idea is the easy part, and it’s the later implementation, and the competitive business marketing that are the real creative challenges. Many businesses have found that raising the price of a product to give it status can win more customers than a price war. Think the unthinkable.

Ideas 109

Ideas Entrepreneur Patents Training 109

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Anne Fulton: I've always been a technology lover, although I'm an organizational psychologist by training. 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

JUNE 9, 2011

Do you believe that you have an idea for a company that you can implement better than anyone, and maintain a competitive advantage? Assess customer demand. Do customers really need what you want to do, or might they see it as “nice to have?” Education and training roadblocks. Right idea at the right time.

Startup 94

Startup Resource Training Ideas 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2012

Translating that into business value, a study by Wirthlin Worldwide concluded that 80% of customers still base a good portion of their buy decision on their perception of that firm’s ethics. At the base of these are moral values, but in my view most of the rest are gleaned from experience, parents, and formal education.

Entrepreneur 97

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Satisfaction 97

socalTECH

OCTOBER 4, 2010

Out of 41 companies who submitted their software for approval, only three were accepted--us, McGraw Hill, and Peoples Education. In terms of the software, our student learning software, we're able to provide a very customized, personalized learning experience for students. Software is set to be transformative in the space of education.

Software Review 178

Software Review Technical Review Education Startup 178

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 17, 2011

Translating that into business value, a study by Wirthlin Worldwide concluded that 80% of customers still base a good portion of their buy decision on their perception of that firm’s ethics. At the base of these are moral values, but in my view most of the rest are gleaned from experience, parents, and formal education.

Startup 91

Startup Coach Satisfaction Customer 91

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

The majority of our users are highly educated, young professionals between 25-39 years of age. Unfortunately he didn’t own a car so, in order to visit her, he had to shell out a lot of money each weekend on expensive train tickets. Any competition back home? Any user stats? How unique are you from it?

Training 82

Training Marketing Competition Platform 82

InfoChachkie

JULY 14, 2011

Messenger : Rob Duva , Co-Founder, COO RingRevenue, prior Director of Customer Acquisition, CallWave. This is especially true for companies with expensive and complex products or services that are more consultative in nature, like insurance, financial services, home services, education and travel, etc. You’re right.

Marketing 209

Marketing Advertising Paid Search Startup 209

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 12, 2010

Do you believe that you have an idea for a company that you can implement better than anyone, and maintain a competitive advantage? Assess customer demand. Do customers really need what you want to do, or might they see it as “nice to have?” Education and training roadblocks. Right idea at the right time.

Startup 53

Startup Resource Training Ideas 53

socalTECH

APRIL 10, 2009

When you look at the gaming industry, there's the hardcore gamers, who are the most intelligent group of customers you can have. What we've design into our stores, is the old retail adage, that the customer comes first. That's the biggest difference on how we treat our customers. We're a big help to parents.

Doc 100

Doc Startup Entertainment Competition 100

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 28, 2012

Business Development (BD) worked on a business plan, market research and customer validation. We were all in such a high for winning the competition!!! We kept pivoting our ideas to so many things to figure out our business model. I went up in front of the room with my team, and we were so ecstatic.

Startup 99

Startup Technical Advisors Ideas USC 99

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 12, 2018

Throughout all of this we saw a tinkerer, a problem solver and a completely obsessed leader who was competitive and wanted to win. But we were sure that Jamie would be maniacally focused on improving the product, marketing the dream to consumers and out-maneuvering the slower-moving competition. We weren’t sure.

Startup 247

Startup Pricing Product Marketing 247

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2015

In fact, both customers and investors often avoid the perceived high risk of innovative technology pitches. Customers don’t like new learning curves or dealing with unstable solutions. Early adopters love new technologies, but mass market customers want solutions, not technology. "If Paradigm-shift solutions have no competition."

Technical Review 60

Technical Review Startup Social Media Competition 60

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2017

Hoffman should know, as an icon in the Silicon Valley, having educated and trained hundreds of startup founders as the CEO of “ Founders Space ,” designated by Inc.com as one of the top ten incubators and accelerators in the world. Lock in customers with loyalty and high cost of change.

Netflix 54

Netflix Social Media Competition Customer 54

InfoChachkie

APRIL 14, 2014

Sound Organization: financially healthy and operationally viable, with strong funder relationships, well-trained staff and reliable systems and infrastructure. It’s an open competition that awards $100,000 and a year of management support to the most promising early stage nonprofit that is helping low-income Chicagoans to rise out of poverty.

Organization 199

Organization Startup Technical Review Invest 199

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

Productive Programming - Gabriel Weinberg , August 31, 2010 BIG disclaimer: I'm not formally trained in computer science (aside from two classes at MIT in 2000) and I haven't worked closely with that many programmers or teams (maybe 10 or so). There is no competition. Dec 26, 2009). Short-sighted, no? Mark Twain. Example: Netflix).

Startup 191

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Hire 191

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 12, 2016

They thought factories were a threat to custom assembly of products and ultimately to the agrarian way of life (as more people were moving to urban environments). People who failed to industrialize, however well intentioned one’s goals, were at a competitive disadvantage to those who had. And they will eat our lunch. And Russia.

Education 150

Education Resource Class Course 150