Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2020

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. This is the first business process that every startup needs, that I wouldn’t expect to find for a hobby. Managing to specific goals, priorities, and a plan. Preparation and management of funding.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Outsource Development Startup Competition 131

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2022

After many years in business, working in large companies as well as startups, I’m no longer surprised at why mature and successful companies struggle with introducing innovative new ventures as the market and environment changes. A documented business plan for the new venture is critical here.

Incubator 143

Incubator Seed Funding Metrics Customer 143

Berkonomics

NOVEMBER 4, 2016

There is a universal truth: fewer than one in a thousand start-ups meet or exceed their projected revenues in the periods planned. So how do you use financial projections as valuation metrics when you know the odds of those being accurate predictors of the future are so very unreliable?

Startup 120

Startup Examples Metrics Marketing 120

SoCal CTO

APRIL 8, 2010

If I Launched a Startup - The Startup Lawyer , March 17, 2010 Great advice on initial steps of setting up a Startup. Death By Competitive Analysis - Steve Blank , March 1, 2010 Trading emails with a startup CEO building an iPhone app, I asked him why potential customers would buy his product.

Startup 150

Startup Software Review Competition SoCal 150

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2013

She recommends phone interviews by you, by appointment, with structured questions, and you document results. Don’t start from how you want to sell. All of these processes should be documented, and should explicitly include the customer buying process and perceptions as the base. Include planned measurements and metrics.

Startup 105

Startup Search Engine Optimization Summary Customer 105

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2016

In my view, starting a new business has never been easier, and according to reports from the Kaufmann Foundation , the numbers are finally here to show it. The number of startups rose in 2015 for the first time in five years, with the largest year-over-year increase in two decades. Establishing your brand with interactive social media.

Startup 61

Startup Social Media News Tool 61

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2014

Even when your startup is a one-man show and lots of fun, a “business” needs some discipline and controls to keep it from being defined as a hobby by investors, and assure some financial return. Like it or not, you are now entering the dreaded realm of specifying and documenting “formal business processes.” Product development process.

Startup 107

Startup Outsource Development Training Outsource 107

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2015

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. This is the first business process that every startup needs, that I wouldn’t expect to find for a hobby. Managing to specific goals, priorities, and a plan. Preparation and management of funding.

Outsource Development 99

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 99

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 14, 2018

Here’s Why You Should Just Send the Deck I know you have your document sending tool to send your fund-raising deck to VCs and track who read your deck, which pages they read and how much time they spend on each page. I would likely open up your deck, read it again and begin contemplating your company again. A deck is a deck.

Funding 239

Funding Venture Capital IP Email 239

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

I’m over-paying for every check I write into the VC ecosystem and valuations are being pushed up to absurd levels and many of these valuations and companies won’t hold in the long term. Today you have funders focused exclusively on “Day 0” startups or ones that aren’t even created yet. By definition?—?I’m two founders in a garage?—?(HP

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2018

I realized a while back that creating a new company for the first time is a lot like whipping up a great dinner entrée for the first time – you need a recipe, even though it may look simple. Yet you may not be so sure where to start, and how to put it all together. Finally you create and document your recipe (business plan).

Startup 81

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 81

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 1, 2021

To get you started on the right foot, here are the key principles that I see most often working: Make the resolution a part of a larger process. It’s up to you as a leader to understand and be able to explain all sides of an issue. Before you get too deep into an issue, make sure all parties understand the total process.

Activity 145

Activity Organization Examples Satisfaction 145

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2016

I realized a while back that creating a new company for the first time is a lot like whipping up a great dinner entrée for the first time – you need a recipe, even though it may look simple. Yet you may not be so sure where to start, and how to put it all together. Finally you create and document your recipe (business plan).

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Metrics 93

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2016

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. This is the first business process that every startup needs, that I wouldn’t expect to find for a hobby. Managing to specific goals, priorities, and a plan. Preparation and management of funding.

Ideas 62

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Competition 62

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2016

In my role as an advisory board member for several startups, I’m always excited to see that initial surge of revenue from a great rollout campaign. At the startup entry level, most entrepreneurs find little need for Profit and Loss statements and Income statements – they know all the key transactions.

Startup 57

Startup Training Entrepreneur Customer 57

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2017

When you are starting a business with an exciting new idea, it’s easy to dismiss potential competitors as not being in the same space, or too fat, dumb, and happy to be concerned that you even exist. Have you lined up the stakeholders who drive success? What metrics should you use to measure success?

Metrics 58

Metrics Resource Startup Training 58

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2018

For example, I still find businesses asking you to print, sign, and return documents by mail in lieu of digital signatures or email. Others still routinely have phone hold queues for customer contact that can last up to an hour, with no alternative options. 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

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

Even when your startup is a one-man show, you will soon find that you are “out of control,” unless you start organizing and writing down how and when key things need to get done. Here are eight key business tasks that relate to almost every startup, generally prioritized by criticality. Product development process.

Startup 102

Startup Outsource Development Writing Training 102

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2017

She recommends phone interviews by you, by appointment, with structured questions, and you document results. Don’t start from how you want to sell. All of these processes should be documented, and should explicitly include the customer buying process and perceptions as the base. Include planned measurements and metrics.

Search Engine Optimization 58

Search Engine Optimization Startup SEO Customer 58

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2010

Even when your startup is a one-man show, you will soon find that you are “out of control,” unless you start organizing and writing down how and when key things need to get done. Here are eight key business tasks that relate to almost every startup, generally prioritized by criticality. Product development process.

Startup 95

Startup Outsource Development Writing Training 95

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 16, 2015

This seems like an obvious question but you need to be clear why you’re looking to raise in order to come up with an effective game plan and determine your best funding option. And when it comes to timing, wait until you’ve come up with a working prototype and developed your product before you seek external funding. Venture debt.

Startup 40

Startup Venture Capital Equity Funding 40

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2012

She recommends phone interviews by you, by appointment, with structured questions, and you document results. Don’t start from how you want to sell. All of these processes should be documented, and should explicitly include the customer buying process and perceptions as the base. Include planned measurements and metrics.

Tips 93

Tips Search Engine Optimization Summary Startup 93

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Every plan must start with the problem you are solving, not a description of your company and product. Competition and sustainable advantage. Industry & market sizing.

Competition 113

Competition Metrics Startup Invest 113

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2011

She recommends phone interviews by you, by appointment, with structured questions, and you document results. Don’t start from how you want to sell. All of these processes should be documented, and should explicitly include the customer buying process and perceptions as the base. Include planned measurements and metrics.

Customer 96

Customer Custom Search Engine Optimization Summary 96

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Every plan must start with the problem you are solving, not a description of your company and product. Competition and sustainable advantage. Industry & market sizing.

Competition 116

Competition Metrics Startup Sales 116

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2013

Even when your startup is a one-man show and lots of fun, a “business” needs some discipline and controls to keep it from being defined as a hobby by investors, and assure some financial return. Like it or not, you are now entering the dreaded realm of specifying and documenting “formal business processes.” Product development process.

Outsource Development 92

Outsource Development Training Outsource Metrics 92

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2010

In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Every plan must start with the problem you are solving, not a description of your company and product. Competition and sustainable advantage. Industry & market sizing.

Invest 74

Invest Tips Competition Metrics 74

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2010

That’s because a company’s value is a composite of all of the quantitative and qualitative factors that comprise a company: revenues, expenses, risks, growth prospects, quality of the management team, competitive advantages, strength of the intellectual property, and so forth.

.Net 89

.Net Metrics Competition Template 89

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

It’s important to define your growth strategy, document it, communicate it to your team, and align metrics and employee rewards to target goals. Track competition to stay ahead of copycats. Build a strong employee culture focused on growth.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 24, 2020

Many experts will tell you that you can’t succeed as a part-time entrepreneur, as any good startup will require a 100 percent commitment of your time and energy. But not many of us have enough savings to live for a year or more without a salary, fund the startup, and still feed the family. Get better at saying ‘no’ to your friends.

Startup 150

Startup Entrepreneur Ideas Metrics 150

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 20, 2023

Many experts will tell you that you can’t succeed as a part-time entrepreneur, as any good startup will require a 100 percent commitment of your time and energy. But not many of us have enough savings to live for a year or more without a salary, fund the startup, and still feed the family. Get better at saying ‘no’ to your friends.

Startup 110

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Metrics 110

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2014

Many experts will tell you that you can’t succeed as a part-time entrepreneur, as any good startup will require a 100 percent commitment of your time and energy. But not many of us have enough savings to live for a year or more without a salary, fund the startup, and still feed the family. Get better at saying ‘no’ to your friends.

Startup 109

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Metrics 109

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2018

Many experts will tell you that you can’t succeed as a part-time entrepreneur, as any good startup will require a 100 percent commitment of your time and energy. But not many of us have enough savings to live for a year or more without a salary, fund the startup, and still feed the family. Get better at saying ‘no’ to your friends.

Ideas 102

Ideas Entrepreneur Tips Startup 102

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2016

After reviewing her day-by-day recommendations to improve productivity in a single week, I have extrapolated her guidance to ten productivity tips specifically for entrepreneurs to regain that competitive edge: Focus on managing yourself rather than managing others. Define clear goals and metrics for your productivity.

Tips 100

Tips Activity Startup Product 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2016

Many experts will tell you that you can’t succeed as a part-time entrepreneur, as any good startup will require a 100 percent commitment of your time and energy. But not many of us have enough savings to live for a year or more without a salary, fund the startup, and still feed the family. Get better at saying ‘no’ to your friends.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Ideas Metrics 100