Berkonomics

DECEMBER 5, 2013

It is most often missed assumptions about the market, the competition, the speed of adoption, or other critical metrics you’ve researched, or selected, or even just guessed at to create your plan. No-one challenged this number, and it became an unattributed source of the metric for market size for years.

Metrics 239

Metrics Startup Marketing Demand 239

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2022

Make sure everyone comes with an entrepreneur mindset for real innovation. In my experience, team members with an entrepreneur mindset are rare in mature companies, due to a growing focus on low risk fixed processes, narrow job roles with specialized expertise, and long-term tenure. Entrepreneurs crave more ownership.

Incubator 143

Incubator Seed Funding Metrics Customer 143

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2021

Based on my own years of experience in startups and big business, and more recently as an angel investor, I often cringe when I see one of you entrepreneurs missing a cue that I have seen work for many before you. A passionate entrepreneur I met a while back had found that a certain algae could be grown cheaply, and could end world hunger.

Entrepreneur 162

Entrepreneur Social Media Examples Metrics 162

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. Stroh, which details the principles and metrics to follow for fostering innovation in any organization. by Patrick J.

Startup 138

Startup Organization Customer Demand 138

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2014

The solution is to establish and maintain a culture and processes that don’t view change as a discrete event to be spotted and managed, but as an ongoing opportunity to improve competitiveness. Failure rates this high demand a new mindset and startups are the logical place for this to happen. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Startup Training Statistics 110

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 21, 2014

I’d like to do a few posts on what life looks like on the way up and perhaps how to keep your head on straight and avoid drinking your own Kool Aid because as I often advise entrepreneurs on irrational exuberance, “ In a strong wind even turkeys can fly.” Create company measures for success that go beyond financial metrics.

Marketing 354

Marketing Case Study Metrics Sales 354

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2022

Thus, in my mentoring of potential technical entrepreneurs who have a real passion for their technology, I often recommend that they find a co-founder who can manage the marketing and execution elements of the new venture. The competition will improve, the market will change, and your customers will demand more.

Mentor 133

Mentor Startup Custom Customer 133

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

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. Cote, former Chairman and CEO of Honeywell. Attract, train, and reward only the best leaders.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Organization 124

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. It takes a well-rounded and motivated team to run a competitive business today.

Technical Review 84

Technical Review Customer Custom Startup 84

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2013

Young entrepreneurs and startups, in particular, often remain naively unfocused, despite their passion, of what it takes to provide the high-quality service expected. It’s a tough job, and inexperienced entrepreneurs just don’t know where to start, and how to do it. Marty Zwilling First published on Young Entrepreneur on 06/13/2013.

Customer 92

Customer Custom Startup Services 92

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2016

The bar is being raised, so every entrepreneur needs new initiatives just to stay in the ballgame. Some entrepreneurs are so focused on their technology, they assume their customers think the same way. It must be written down, with measurable team objectives, validated by metrics and compared against competition.

Customer 55

Customer Custom Startup Coach 55

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2017

Most of the guidance you see for entrepreneurs is aimed at those who are selling a product (Apple, Tesla, Xiaomi), or selling a service (Uber, Airbnb, Snapchat). The “product” value is difficult to quantify, the costs are nebulous, and entrepreneurs have to clone themselves to scale the business. Don’t forget seminars and events.

Social Media 56

Social Media Pricing Technical Review Statistics 56

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2016

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. Stroh, which details the principles and metrics to follow for fostering innovation in any organization. by Patrick J.

Startup 58

Startup Organization Demand Custom 58

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 19, 2015

They suffered in trying to live up to public perceptions and the demands to continue their successes. Entrepreneurs could learn about loneliness of success: nobody talks about. The Yo-Yo Life of a Tech Entrepreneur. But needed to be seen. Mark Suster (@msuster) July 19, 2015. Of course that’s true. Entrepreneurshit.

Press 150

Press Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur 150

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

I have conversations with entrepreneurs and other VCs on a daily basis about fund raising, the prices of deals, how much companies should raise, etc. while acknowledging that San Fran deals are often higher valuations due to increased competition amongst investors. And of course there are always outliers. That’s fine.

Startup 336

Startup Pricing Technical Review Marketing 336

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 7, 2017

The solution is to establish and maintain a culture and processes that don’t view change as a discrete event to be spotted and managed, but as an ongoing opportunity to improve competitiveness. Failure rates this high demand a new mindset and startups are the logical place for this to happen.

Startup 56

Startup Training Statistics Summary 56

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

” I mention journalists here because they perpetuate the myth that focusing on profits is ALWAYS the right answer and then I hear many entrepreneurs (and certainly many “normals”) repeating the same mantra. I have had this discussion with many a first-time entrepreneur. If you don’t, somebody else WILL!”

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

In our industry we applaud the efforts for entrepreneurs to have tried and we know that today’s failure can bring the experience for tomorrow’s success. The metrics were good but we wondered how much better they would be when we expanded our product. Competition. How much ad revenue does TripAdvisor make?

Startup 150

Startup Marketing Study SEO 150

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 29, 2012

The solution is to establish and maintain a culture and processes that don’t view change as a discrete event to be spotted and managed, but as an ongoing opportunity to improve competitiveness. Failure rates this high demand a new mindset and startups are the logical place for this to happen.

Startup 93

Startup Training Statistics Summary 93

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

The solution is to establish and maintain a culture and processes that don’t view change as a discrete event to be spotted and managed, but as an ongoing opportunity to improve competitiveness. Failure rates this high demand a new mindset and startups are the logical place for this to happen.

Startup 94

Startup Marketing Training Statistics 94

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 27, 2013

I think that the market was, however, hotter two years ago, when companies were buying more aggressively, and there was lots of pent-up demand. For a similar company, with the same metrics and stage, valuations had been tiny. We were involved in the Gradient X deal, and that was a nice one. We don''t worry about that anymore.

Southern California 124

Southern California SoCal Commerce Invest 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

Based on my experience advising new entrepreneurs as well as more mature businesses, I recommend the following strategies for building business momentum, while still optimizing the limited resources of every small business: Find more customers that like what you do best. Track competition to stay ahead of copycats.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Custom 160

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2011

I was saying that I was happy it was all out in the open because I felt at least everybody could now understand the issues & opportunities from the perspectives of angels, entrepreneurs and VCs. Jody didn’t exactly have an easy time fund raising because he’s not one of the prototypical Silicon Valley funded entrepreneurs.

Startup 292

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Summary 292

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2023

From my consulting with entrepreneurs in Europe and other countries, I’m convinced that we all could benefit from adapting to meet their environments. Competition is not always a bad thing, and the real purpose is often to make the world a better place. Even consumers here in the US are demanding a more responsible approach.

Capital 138

Capital Marketing Ideas Venture Capital 138

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2020

From my consulting with entrepreneurs in Europe and other countries, I’m convinced that we all could benefit from adapting to meet their environments. Competition is not always a bad thing, and the real purpose is often to make the world a better place. Even consumers here in the US are demanding a more responsible approach.

Ideas 124

Ideas Venture Capital Software Review Technical Review 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2021

As a business adviser, I often see entrepreneurs practicing what Tom Peters calls the “ ready-fire-aim ” go-to-market strategy to their detriment. There is no substitute for talking to customers, analyzing your competition, and honing your solution to meet a target market segment. There is a powerful advocate or cause driving demand.

Marketing 138

Marketing Demand IBM IBM 138