Tech.Co

MAY 31, 2023

Launching and growing a startup is one of the biggest missions an entrepreneur can undertake. But while competition remains fierce, the advancement and accessibility of smart solutions are making it easy than ever for startups to find their feet. Read our guide to the best VoIP desk phones to check out its competition.

Tool 128

Tool Startup Software Review Technical Review 128

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2019

Traditionally, the majority of entrepreneurs have been logical thinkers, problem solvers, with full attention to details. Of course, the best solution would be a new wave of so-called whole-brain thinkers, but this term is usually reserved for Einstein and Picasso, and no entrepreneurs that I can name. Creativity is the key word here.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Tips Guide Social Media 96

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 29, 2014

Most businesses spend big money testing their brand logo, catchy marketing phrases, and demographics, but spend little time training and validating that their employees can and do deliver memorable experiences to their customers. They have to out-behave and outperform your competition. Keep your team happy to create engaged customers.

Customer 106

Customer Custom Training Satisfaction 106

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2021

By definition, all of you entrepreneurs are leaders, by taking the initiative to start a new company. Most investors will readily admit that they invest in entrepreneur leadership, more so than innovative ideas, but they often find it difficult to separate aspiring leaders from those that are clearly extraordinary.

Coach 162

Coach Startup Resource Competition 162

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2022

Traditionally, the majority of entrepreneurs have been logical thinkers, problem solvers, with full attention to details. Of course, the best solution would be a new wave of so-called whole-brain thinkers, but this term is usually reserved for Einstein and Picasso, and no entrepreneurs that I can name. Creativity is the key word here.

Guide 137

Guide Entrepreneur Social Media Ideas 137

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2016

I recognized this as I was reading a new book, ” The Only Sales Guide You’ll Ever Need ,” by Anthony Iannarino, who is an international sales leader and expert on optimizing results. His focus is on sales, but I see the same skills needed for entrepreneurs. Diagnosing and understanding the customer problem.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Sales Startup Customer 106

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2013

Most businesses spend big money testing their brand logo, catchy marketing phrases, and demographics, but spend little time training and validating that their employees can and do deliver memorable experiences to their customers. They have to outbehave and outperform your competition. Keep your team happy to create engaged customers.

Customer 97

Customer Custom Training Satisfaction 97

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

As an advisor to many entrepreneurs, I still hear frequently the irrational exuberance that crowdfunding is the quick alternative for startups that are passed over by overly demanding angels or venture capital investors. Thus crowdfunding is clearly not the panacea for funding and success that many entrepreneurs envision.

Startup 100

Startup Equity Entrepreneur Demand 100

Tech.Co

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Unlike a lot of grants on this list, the competition is open to all US small businesses, as long as they have fewer than 99 employees, have been operating for at least six months, and have a FedEx business account that's been open before September 1, 2023. It's competitive though – last year 18,000 applicants competed for only 12 slots.

Technical Review 193

Technical Review Software Review Startup Competition 193

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 11, 2011

He was a life-long entrepreneur and the first business he created out of college (actually, he founded it while he was at Caltech) was a company that manufactured high quality audio speakers. He wanted to build direct customer relationships to get product feedback but only 2% of customers would ever return their registration cards.

Competition 350

Competition Idealab Product CitySearch 350

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2022

Entrepreneurs and startups are big believers in innovation, but sometimes they forget that innovation must be continual to assure long-term success, rather than the one big-bang idea that initiated their journey. Recognize that customers care about the whole experience. Ensure that you have good advisors.

Metrics 102

Metrics Startup Organization Demand 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2013

As I visit the websites of many startups, as well as more mature businesses, I still too often see a “contact” page offering nothing but a sterile form for customers to submit, never to be heard from again. Customers are not all like you, and they have choices, so a “one size fits all” customer service is no longer a viable option.

Social Media 99

Social Media Customer Custom Media 99

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

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. It’s the same for customers and products, where analytics have long proven their value.

Tool 121

Tool Statistics Entrepreneur Metrics 121

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2022

The hard part is providing the leadership required to align and motivate all the constituents and players – from engineers, to investors, vendors, and ultimately customers. Great entrepreneurs are not just idea people and then managers, they are extraordinary leaders. Have you addressed all sources of drag or friction on your snowball?

Coach 114

Coach Framework Entrepreneur Tool 114

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 29, 2022

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. Time is money, and may be your primary competitive advantage.

Outsource Development 110

Outsource Development Ideas Tool Outsource 110

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2020

leadership, mentorship, competitiveness, communications, relationship-building?—?and So mostly we just had to listen to customer feedback from founders, VCs and LPs. Kara will now be really involved with what goes on to successfully create and run a firm but while still handling her core duties of funding great entrepreneurs.

Venture Capital 361

Venture Capital Startup Invest CitySearch 361

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2012

As I visit the websites of many startups, as well as more mature businesses, I still too often see a “contact” page offering nothing but a sterile form for customers to submit, never to be heard from again. Customers are not all like you, and they have choices, so a “one size fits all” customer service is no longer a viable option.

Social Media 91

Social Media Customer Custom Media 91

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

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.

Entrepreneur 187

Entrepreneur Startup Social Media Resource 187

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2014

Traditionally, the majority of entrepreneurs have been logical thinkers, problem solvers, and pay attention to details. Of course, the best solution would be a new wave of so-called whole-brain thinkers, but this term is usually reserved for Einstein and Picasso, and no entrepreneurs that I can name. Creativity is the key word here.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Guide Social Media Ideas 104

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 8, 2011

Amarillo’s advice is consistent with my comments in the Startup Competition ; get to know your competitors on a personal basis, while appearing as innocuous as possible. Be vigilant and keep your eyes on your competition, especially when they are dealt their hands. In business, such players are analogous to serial entrepreneurs.

Startup 207

Startup Entrepreneur Competition Guide 207

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 26, 2014

Most entrepreneurs think first of bank loans as the primary source of money, only to find out that banks are really the least likely benefactors for startups. She plumbs the range of possibilities she has gained through personal experience as an entrepreneur, and as the “queen of business financing” in the financial industry.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Capital Startup Funding 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2020

Entrepreneurs and startups are big believers in innovation, but sometimes they forget that innovation must be continual to assure long-term success, rather than the one big-bang idea that initiated their journey. Recognize that customers care about the whole experience. Ensure that you have good advisors.

Startup 138

Startup Organization Demand Customer 138

Berkonomics

MARCH 30, 2012

Many of those investors, individual and institutional, are still licking those wounds; and as a result, investors today want to see a working business model, and customers that are willing to spend good money for your specific solution. Crowd Funding: The Internet is at work here, especially for obtaining early stager seed money.

Funding 192

Funding Entrepreneur Startup Invest 192

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2013

The hard part is providing the leadership required to align and motivate all the constituents and players – from engineers, to investors, vendors, and ultimately customers. Great entrepreneurs are not just idea people and then managers, they are extraordinary leaders. Have you addressed all sources of drag or friction on your snowball?

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Coach Framework Tool 101

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2020

As an advisor to many entrepreneurs, I still hear frequently the irrational exuberance that crowdfunding is the quick alternative for startups that are passed over by overly demanding angels or venture capital investors. Thus crowdfunding is clearly not the panacea for funding and success that many entrepreneurs envision.

Startup 151

Startup Equity Funding Demand 151

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2013

Making the decision to become an entrepreneur is a major commitment, with huge implications for skills and lifestyle. Therefore, the least you can do is take advantage of some of the self-assessment tools and guides around, like “ The Entrepreneur Equation ,” by Carol Roth, which highlights personal characteristics and skills required.

Entrepreneur 114

Entrepreneur Startup Statistics Guide 114

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 2, 2020

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. Time is money, and may be your primary competitive advantage.

Outsource Development 124

Outsource Development Ideas Tool Outsource 124

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 18, 2013

Marketing your startup can be one of the most daunting tasks an entrepreneur faces on their journey to world domination. You don’t always know what customers are going to go crazy for until you show them something new and gauge their reaction. Marketing, however, is not always about what we as consumers need, but what we deeply desire.

Guide 105

Guide Startup Marketing Template 105

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 31, 2012

Most of the time, I’m all about providing encouragement and inspiration to entrepreneurs. They need it and they deserve it, because entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of our economy. Or your customers tell you what they need. The question of defensibility is one of the toughest for an entrepreneur to answer.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Sample Guide Ideas 107

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2018

I recognized this as I was reading the classic book, ” The Only Sales Guide You’ll Ever Need ,” by Anthony Iannarino, who is an international sales leader and expert on optimizing results. His focus is on sales, but I see the same skills needed for entrepreneurs. Diagnosing and understanding the customer problem.

Startup 98

Startup Sales Entrepreneur Customer 98

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

AUGUST 17, 2019

The hard part is providing the leadership required to align and motivate all the constituents and players – from engineers, to investors, vendors, and ultimately customers. Great entrepreneurs are not just idea people and then managers, they are extraordinary leaders. Have you addressed all sources of drag or friction on your snowball?

Coach 96

Coach Framework Entrepreneur Tool 96

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 12, 2010

The best survival guides tell you how to be proactive and avoid the probabilities of ending up in a worse case scenario. The challenges stem from the simple fact that every entrepreneur is starting something new, where things are predictably unpredictable. To get competitive leadership, you can’t be an industry follower.

Guide 50

Guide Startup Resource Entrepreneur 50

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2010

It requires a team effort, or at least the ability to build trust and confidence among key players, and effectively communicate with partners, team members, investors, vendors, and customers. Smart entrepreneurs always balance the risk with facts, when they have them, rather than their gut. Be a role model and guide others to excel.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur News Ideas Resource 104

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