Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2020

If you are rolling out a new business, or focusing on a revamp for your existing one, here is a summary of the key elements I recommend as a long-time business advisor for a winning customer-centric strategy today: Demonstrate a commitment to purpose and vision. Dominate your industry before expanding to others.

Customer 133

Customer Custom Satisfaction Examples 133

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2019

Some investors seem to focus wholly on the strengths of the management team, or a sustainable competitive advantage, and in reality these are the core attributes for every funding equation. That means educating targeted supporters is key, even before you start to sell. Montgomery, which does a great job of laying out specifics.

Startup 97

Startup Education Customer Custom 97

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 24, 2014

Investors hear this as trying to do too many things with limited resources, meaning the startup will not shine at anything, and will not survive the competition. Narrow the scope more realistically to people with specific age, income, and education demographics, that you can realistically reach with your marketing plan.

Entrepreneur 103

Entrepreneur Competition Technical Review Oracle 103

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 27, 2013

Investors hear this as trying to do too many things with limited resources, meaning the startup will not shine at anything, and will not survive the competition. Narrow the scope more realistically to people with specific age, income, and education demographics, that you can realistically reach with your marketing plan.

Startup 103

Startup Competition Technical Review Oracle 103

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 18, 2016

Here is a summary of their key observations, with our joint specifics on what to expect, and how to overcome these obstacles: Customers don’t buy what they don’t know and understand. The more revolutionary the solution, the more important it is to educate customers on a solution’s existence and value.

Product 95

Product Case Study Customer Custom 95

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2017

Will the solution give you an “unfair competitive advantage,” meaning no competitor already has it, or can replicate your solution without your skills or intellectual property. Is there an educated marketplace waiting? Don’t try to explain your technical implementation, your patent algorithm, or your unfair competitive advantage here.

Startup 58

Startup Education Ideas Customer 58

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2013

Some investors seem to focus wholly on the strengths of the management team, or a sustainable competitive advantage, and in reality these are the core attributes for every funding equation. That means educating targeted supporters is key, even before you start to sell. Montgomery, which does a great job of laying out specifics.

Startup 117

Startup Education Customer Custom 117

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2012

Some investors seem to focus wholly on the strengths of your management team, or your sustainable competitive advantage, and in reality these are the core attributes for every funding equation. That means educating targeted supporters is key, even before you start to sell. A startup needs to find a voice relevant to its ecosystem.

Startup 99

Startup Education Customer Custom 99

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2016

Some investors seem to focus wholly on the strengths of the management team, or a sustainable competitive advantage, and in reality these are the core attributes for every funding equation. That means educating targeted supporters is key, even before you start to sell. Montgomery, which does a great job of laying out specifics.

Capital 58

Capital Startup Education Customer 58

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

Many questioned whether it could survive under the fail whale, inevitable competition from Facebook, founder fighting, fights with 3rd-party developers let alone become a revolutionary business that could make money. Online education. Far from it. Lots of it. Almost nobody believed and now look at it.

Funding 362

Funding Technical Review Ideas Startup 362

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 12, 2013

But the low cost also means that your competition will also be there in force. In the latest book by business guru Joe Wozny, “ The Digital Dollar: Sustainable Strategies for Online Success ,” I found a good summary of some great strategies, with some practical advice on how to implement them: Understand what’s in a name on the Internet.

Social Media 93

Social Media Content Startup Web 93

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 11, 2011

Summary notes, as always, provide below. Bill had previously created a packaged software company called Knowledge Adventure the produced children’s educational software. I brought up the fact that I find many larger companies abusing the patent system to slow down smaller competitors which is actually anti competitive.

Competition 350

Competition Idealab Product CitySearch 350

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 3, 2013

Watch the 30-minute interview to hear why but summary notes below. Disruption of Education. He talked about how for centuries education had “no technological core” (meaning it was bound by physical locations) and thus disruption was very difficult. “Online education is truly going to kill us.”

Venture Capital 403

Venture Capital Education Offshore Outsource Development 403

Berkonomics

APRIL 24, 2014

Often I see executive summaries from entrepreneurs who have never managed any form of business, or even managed employees in their past life, and who don’t know the first thing about business formation and managing for growth. I used to tell them to find a partner with knowledge in business creation and management.

Coach 250

Coach Seed Funding Summary Incubator 250

SoCal Delicious

JANUARY 9, 2014

Whilst the tide is turning, there’s still a need to educate startup founders about the competitive advantage well-designed products and services can bring. Unless the thing you’re building has real value to someone, it’s just a vanity project, no matter the technology. However if it’s not ‘minimum lovable’, don’t release it.

Startup 78

Startup Design Customer Custom 78

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 22, 2010

Given a choice of your marketing person or talking to you (the founder) there’s no competition. The bottom line – if you enjoy discussions with people, if you enjoy educating and sharing – these conversations will not only form closer relationships but will be enjoyable for you as well. Make yourself available.

Tips 307

Tips Startup Press Blogging 307

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 12, 2016

People who failed to industrialize, however well intentioned one’s goals, were at a competitive disadvantage to those who had. In order to combat the losses of traditional jobs we invested in education and training and public infrastructure that enabled the growth of the middle class. And they will eat our lunch. And Russia.

Education 150

Education Resource Class Course 150