Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

A business plan is the outward facing definition of the business you hope to drive with your hardware solution, with a hardware overview in the intro to highlight customer value and competitiveness. Use non-fuzzy terms to quantify customer value. Provide specifics on the customer business model. and trademarks.

Product 169

Product Summary Startup Examples 169

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2020

Hiring requirements must be anticipated and implemented with the same precision and tracking as manufacturing volumes, sales leads, and customer service. Your gut-feelings are important, but need to be validated by normal background and reference checks. Hiring before organizational structure is defined. Quick to hire and slow to fire.

Organization 135

Organization Satisfaction Entrepreneur Screening 135

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2020

I refer back to the classic book, “ A Crowdfunder’s Strategy Guide ,” by Jamey Stegmaier, one of the biggest thought leaders on crowdfunding, and who has also run several successful Kickstarter projects, that together have raised many millions of dollars. Startups need to build a large passionate group of fans before the campaign.

Startup 151

Startup Equity Funding Demand 151

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 72

Services Startup Training Writing 72

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2019

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. An informal writing style is generally recommended. Don’t be shy, I don’t know many CEOs today that write their own speeches and marketing materials. Add outgoing links.

Blogging 88

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Web Writing 88

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2014

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 105

Services Startup Training Writing 105

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

So I thought I’d write about out with what I would look for in a VC knowing what I know now and why. It’s insanely competitive to get into our industry so most have degrees from institutions like Stanford, Harvard, Wharton and University of Chicago (blatant plug ;-). VCs, how to select a VC, etc.) Most VCs are book smart.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 27, 2011

But should you actually write one if you’re a startup, an industry figure (lawyer, banker) or VC? This is a post to help you figure out why you should write and what you should talk about. I’ll bet your customers, business partners or suppliers would love similar. Who are your customers, partners or suppliers?

Blogging 373

Blogging Startup Writing Venture Capital 373

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2016

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 61

Services Startup Training Writing 61

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2017

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. An informal writing style is generally recommended. Don’t be shy, I don’t know many CEOs today that write their own speeches and marketing materials. Add outgoing links.

Blogging 69

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Web Writing 69

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

I’ve started writing up some of those sales & marketing lessons and I plan to continue to build that section out over time. Whenever I heard why we didn’t feel a sales process at an important customer was going well (or if we lost) I would get involved myself. Customers buy solutions to solve their problems.

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Custom 316

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. An informal writing style is generally recommended. Don’t be shy, I don’t know many CEOs today that write their own speeches and marketing materials. Add outgoing links.

Blogging 95

Blogging Startup Search Engine Optimization Writing 95

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2012

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. A good investor can do a lot to help a company, but can't make customers buy products.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Startup Writing Competition 94

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2012

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. An informal writing style is generally recommended. Don’t be shy, I don’t know many CEOs today that write their own speeches and marketing materials. Add outgoing links.

Blogging 96

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Writing Social Network 96

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2013

Today’s platform is built of people, including yourself, followers, and contacts, who can amplify your message through social media and spread it to your target customers. Build a media kit, publicize endorsements from friends and beta customers, get dialogs going on Twitter, and optimize your website landing pages.

Platform 105

Platform Entrepreneur Startup Social Media 105

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

Thus, you must first create the playbook by which an independent sales rep can readily sell your product, including: identifying objections and developing strategies to overcome them, creating reference accounts and establishing meaningful customer adoption. 5) Allow Partners To Write Your Agreements.

Startup 242

Startup Outsource Development Outsource Sales 242

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2010

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. A good investor can do a lot to help a company, but can't make customers buy products.

Technical Review 90

Technical Review Writing Competition Tips 90

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2011

Even with product businesses, it’s the ultimate way to build your brand credibility, bring in customer leads, and get feedback from your target market. An informal writing style is generally recommended. Don’t be shy, I don’t know many CEOs today that write their own speeches and marketing materials. Add outgoing links.

Blogging 91

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Services Writing 91

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2015

So that we’re speaking the same language I would define “exclusive” as a period in which your company is prohibited from doing business with certain customers or business partners, which is why many incorrectly assume this is necessarily bad. Why Exclusivity Matters to Your Customers or Business Development Partners.

Outsource Development 150

Outsource Development Startup Custom Customer 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2016

Hiring requirements must be anticipated and implemented with the same precision and tracking as manufacturing volumes, sales leads, and customer service. Your gut-feelings are important, but need to be validated by normal background and reference checks. Hiring before organizational structure is defined. Quick to hire and slow to fire.

Organization 57

Organization Entrepreneur Satisfaction Screening 57

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2012

Today’s platform is built of people, including yourself, contacts, connections, and followers, who can amplify your message through social media and spread it to your target customers. Build a media kit, publicize endorsements from friends and beta customers, get dialogs going on Twitter, and optimize your website landing pages.

Startup 104

Startup Social Media Platform Blogging 104

SoCal CTO

AUGUST 3, 2010

Graphs - Chris Dixon , July 22, 2010 It has become customary to use “ graph &# to refer to the underlying data structures at social networks like Facebook. Computer scientists call the study of graphs “ network theory ,&# but on the web the word “network&# is used to refer to the websites themselves). Customer Care Today.

Startup 217

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Software Review 217

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

As a CEO you never stop needing to go on sales calls (or to work the phones in telesales or customer support) and ceasing to do this as your company grows because you’re focusing on investors, recruiting, PR or whatever is a mistake. As a content management system we had lots of write activities and went with Postgres.

Startup 308

Startup CTO Coach Technical Review CTO Hire 308

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 21, 2010

If you don’t follow the image reference above or the tag line, “ You don’t need double talk; you need Bob Loblaw “ (try saying it out loud) , and if you care! I write about some of the lessons in my post on Startup Mistakes. Shame about not getting it in legal writing that you owned the original IP.

Startup 318

Startup IP Southern California Entrepreneur 318

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

I had seen many cycles and decided that since I was going to do it all over again I should write about it. It included one firm who I asked not to call Salesforce.com as a reference (they were our largest pilot customer) and in their kindness they called Marc Benioff (the CEO) and asked his opinion. And covered we did.

Venture Capital 274

Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

I believe that it is part of the DNA of an entrepreneur – being so competitive that you’re practically sick when you lose. They’re competitive. Ask your customer why you lost. Write things down. We helped the write out their requirements for a system. I don’t want to lose next time.

Outsource Development 333

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 333

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

I believe that it is part of the DNA of an entrepreneur – being so competitive that you’re practically sick when you lose. They’re competitive. Ask your customer why you lost. Write things down. We helped the write out their requirements for a system. I don’t want to lose next time.

Outsource Development 328

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 328

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2010

Blogging has come a long way in the past few years, from a social release for narcissists, to today’s required vehicle for promoting your business and gaining valuable online exposure, ultimately bringing in more customers. An informal writing style is generally recommended. Add outgoing links.

Blogging 48

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Startup Writing 48

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 13, 2011

I talked about this in the TWiVC video but I didn’t do a good enough job of writing it up in the summary notes in the post. And when you finish the demo you can bring in the other important components such as competition, team, customer acquisition strategy, etc. Who are your key customers? Mobile app? Competitors?

Venture Capital 299

Venture Capital Slides Technical Advisors Startup 299

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2009

I believe that it is part of the DNA of an entrepreneur – being so competitive that you’re practically sick when you lose. They’re competitive. We helped the write out their requirements for a system. They decided to re-open the competition for 3-4 more weeks. Ask your customer why you lost.

Startup 151

Startup Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review 151

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 10, 2011

The best proof of a soft circle is whether an angel will email someone else (refer another investor) and start off that email with “I’m investing in…”. Clarity for the team that is building the product, clarity for the customer who’s using the product, and clarity when you’re marketing the product. Topics of the day.

Angel 302

Angel Startup Ideas .Net 302

InfoChachkie

MAY 23, 2011

Exclusivity excludes your startup from taking full advantage of future customer, partner and market opportunities. Once you establish a non-exclusive partnership, you can reference it when other BDCs ask for excludesivity. Write this number down. As such, deals are not exclusive, they are excludesive.

Technical Review 183

Technical Review Marketing Sales Competition 183

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 23, 2015

Rather, we value entrepreneurs' time and thus our diligence generally includes introducing them to potential customers and partners. The difference is that VoiceXML does not leverage customers' knowledge of web development. Subject: Reference for Twilio. Similar to VoiceXML, the standard for the past 5-yrs.

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Technical Review Software Review Southern California 100

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 10, 2011

The asymmetric follower model where we also follow news, celebrities and senior executives at companies is one of the reasons people often refer to this as an “interest graph&# because it is an expression of what I care about. Most wont write stuff publicly because they fear retribution. Twitter is a valuable and unique service.

Platform 307

Platform News Startup Invest 307

InfoChachkie

JUNE 25, 2009

The reference may be well-intentioned, but the lawyer’s allegiance may be divided between the investor and you. Just as you would not ask your family physician to perform a coronary bypass, do not ask your corporate lawyer to help you write your patent application. Some companies use lawsuits as an arrow in their competitive quiver.

Technical Advisors 124

Technical Advisors Technical Review IP Patents 124