Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 15, 2020

When entrepreneurs introduce new products to the market, their passion and conviction often leads them to assume that every potential customer will see the immediate need and value, and will quickly adopt the solution. The most elegant products have the highest price tags, thus limiting market size.

Case Study 174

Case Study Startup Custom Customer 174

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 18, 2016

When entrepreneurs introduce new products to the market, their passion and conviction often leads them to assume that every potential customer will see the immediate need and value, and will quickly adopt the solution. The most elegant products have the highest price tags, thus limiting market size.

Product 95

Product Case Study Custom Customer 95

socalTECH

APRIL 18, 2017

How to you take the recurring revenue model--which has been popular with software and other online services--an apply that to physical products and services? Ahead of the Recurring Revenue Conference ([link] which we are helping to sponsor next week, we are chatting with a few companies in the recurring revenue area space.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Services Sales Custom 124

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 28, 2022

Many entrepreneurs still don’t understand that building a business culture today of doing good, like helping people (society) and planet (sustainability), is also a key to maximizing profit. Every company needs this focus to attract the best minds and loyalty in both categories. Doing business is a human process.

Organization 143

Organization Startup Pricing Custom 143

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2015

Many entrepreneurs still don’t understand that building a business culture today of doing good, like helping people (society) and planet (sustainability), is also a key to maximizing profit. Every company needs this focus to attract the best minds and loyalty in both categories. Doing business is a human process.

Entrepreneur 117

Entrepreneur Organization Startup Pricing 117

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 12, 2013

Many entrepreneurs I know don’t realize that the language they learned in the corporate world, or even their recent MBA class, won’t get them ahead in the startup world today. As a reality check, try this quick test of your entrepreneur savvy. As a reality check, try this quick test of your entrepreneur savvy. Ramen-profitable.

Entrepreneur 109

Entrepreneur Startup Web Equity 109

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

socalTECH

OCTOBER 11, 2016

We take a really friendly, Shark Tank approach that promotes young entrepreneurs, and lets them pitch to a group of seasoned investors and venture capitalists on a panel, and where they not only get an actual investment, but also go through a retail challenge, to get consumer feedback. How did you get involved with angel investing, initially?

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Invest Competition 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2020

As an angel investor, I see plenty of startups focusing on building an innovative product, but I’m looking for the few who are also leading with an exponential growth strategy, to put them in the category of the next Amazon or Google. Sponsor some friendly competitive events with prizes.

Marketing 170

Marketing Startup Examples Custom 170

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2013

Anyone who works with entrepreneurs will tell you that all are different. These are the ultimate chess players in the game of business, always looking to be two or three moves ahead of the competition. Many might say Donald Trump epitomizes this category. The Opportunist is the speculative part of the entrepreneur in all of us.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Mentor Framework Web 96

InfoChachkie

JULY 26, 2010

Entrepreneurs can emulate de la Guerra’s strategy and make their adVenture appear far larger than reality and thus increasing its influence and market reach while discouraging competitive threats by creating an industry alliance. Revenue – We generated significant fees, over and above our product sales, from our members.

Entrepreneur 168

Entrepreneur Santa Barbara Startup Conference 168

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

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.” Poorly implemented this category was the definition of shelfware.

Marketing 354

Marketing Case Study Metrics Sales 354

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

I’m super excited to announce that GRP Partners led the investment in Ethan Anderson’s new company MyTime (link has LA-based merchants but will give you a good feel for the product). ” So Ethan went to work as a product manager at Google Video. In the same year they won Business Insider’s Startup competition.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

socalTECH

APRIL 1, 2019

Portnoy is a serial entrepreneur, having previously founded ThinkNear, a startup which went from the Techstars startup accelerator to an exit in only 14 months. That competitiveness is driving companies to make better decisions. First, how do you build the product you are trying to build for that market.

Startup 113

Startup Culver City Competition Custom 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 12, 2016

Most entrepreneurs spend far too much time thinking negatively about competitors, and can’t resist making derogatory statements to their own team, to investors, and even to customers. As an investor, I always listen carefully to what an entrepreneur says, and does not say, about competition.

Competition 62

Competition Entrepreneur Patents Custom 62

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 31, 2014

With the help of co-hosts and partners, including Bruin Entrepreneurs , Start-up UCLA , USC E-Club , Incubatrix, and more, Wowfand was able to put together the first startup rivalry to decide the dominant startup school in Los Angeles. The pitch competition was split into two categories, a technology and nontechnology section.

Startup 101

Startup USC UCLA Southern California 101

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 23, 2019

Many entrepreneurs still don’t understand that building a business culture today of doing good, like helping people (society) and planet (sustainability), is also a key to maximizing profit. Every company needs this focus to attract the best minds and loyalty in both categories. Doing business is a human process.

Organization 128

Organization Startup Pricing Custom 128

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

A theme I often hear from the entrepreneurs and startups I advise is that once they see that first surge of traction from customers, they can relax and enjoy life for a change. In today’s world of growing competition and customer evolution , holding your own, and growing to the next level is a constant challenge that can never be ignored.

Ideas 77

Ideas Custom Customer Competition 77

socalTECH

JUNE 9, 2014

We then help push those videos through social media channels, and help them go viral. We''re developing programming around our brands, such as Failarmy, and we also have a deal with Dick Clark Products to take Failarmy to the international market. Is there a lot of competition for the rights to all of that content?

Media 235

Media Content Startup IP 235

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2011

He isn’t setting out to do it over night but with the ambition to make a difference in the world Ryan falls into the rare category of entrepreneur looking to tackle something truly monumental. Ryan’s long-term goal is to help large populations of people train themselves at young ages with world-class online teachers.

Invest 295

Invest Carson Technical Review Education 295

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 2, 2011

At the Technovation Challenge LA Pitch Night hosted by Iridescent , we saw six teams of high school girls from various Los Angeles City Schools pitch a number of mobile app ideas to a panel of venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. Team Rise, and their app to help teens manage their budgets and time. Don’t take no for an answer.

Technical Review 82

Technical Review Entrepreneur Software Review USC 82

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

I’m an entrepreneur at heart so I’m always inspired when I hear stories about innovation. It’s why my investment philosophy is called, “ the entrepreneur thesis.&#. He listed all of the product releases that were up coming, the customers that were in the pipeline and where he saw his competition moving.

Venture Capital 317

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Press 317

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 18, 2015

I rarely talk to any startup entrepreneur or VC who doesn’t feel it and somehow long for simpler times despite the benefits we all enjoy from increased enthusiasm for our sector. For entrepreneurs there’s too much money sloshing around. Have a shorter to-do list with more things that are in the “done” category.

Software Review 150

Software Review Startup Venture Capital Invest 150

socalTECH

MARCH 21, 2011

Gordon Gould , the co-founder of SmartPants, talks about the company and how it's applying what he learned founding ThisNext and from a long experience in the social media market to the consumer products goods area--what he describes as Brands 2.0. First, talk about what SmartPants Vitamins are? We give it to our own kids.

Web 225

Web Social Media SEO Media 225

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

JULY 31, 2019

After working in business at all levels, and consulting to entrepreneurs for years, I’m still surprised to see so many situations where things that should be easy are painful to customers, and lead to customers hating your business. Accelerating worldwide competition and financial upheavals are undermining established market positions.

Custom 83

Custom Customer Demand Examples 83

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 29, 2011

.&# Surprisinly, this strategy works well with many entrepreneurs. It’s as though we forgot the management mantra of the 90′s about “core competencies&# or the most common VC advice to entrepreneurs: Focus. I doubt this will end well for those VCs or for the entrepreneurs they backed. Funny, that.

Venture Capital 296

Venture Capital Capital Software Startup 296

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Hautelook was able to help define--and conquer--the online flash sales category, in record time. Brett Markinson: The best place to start, is I'm a serial entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, I'm drawn to disruptive dynamics and business opportunities, and to the sea change enabled by technology driven disruption.

Southern California 200

Southern California Startup Custom Customer 200

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 27, 2016

Density laser tracking above a doorway As I’ve written before I believe Computer Vision will become a major factor as a Human-Computer Interface (1) as sensors and cameras help us make sense of our physical world. Density is simply the data & analytics platform.

Marketing 150

Marketing Course Startup Organization 150

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 28, 2018

My friend Michael Broukhim, founder & co-CEO of FabFitFun and I recently had a catch-up meeting for 3-miles on the Santa Monica “Bird Trail” No company has ever elicited so many questions by friends, colleagues, entrepreneurs, fellow VCs and journalists as has Bird, the company that pioneered the electronic scooter as a service market.

Santa Monica 256

Santa Monica Funding Startup Course 256

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2010

If you are in this second category, you probably don’t like the references behind your back that you are a “control freak” or a “micro-manager.” Almost every entrepreneur needs to improve their skills in this area, so I did some research in the basic principles. Tags: entrepreneur startup delegate authority business.

Entrepreneur 52

Entrepreneur Startup SEO Social Media 52

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2011

In previous articles, I’ve put some definition around the green and biotech investment categories, so I’ll try to do the same here for renewable energy. New wind energy development is essentially cost-competitive with conventional energy technologies. Production and testing today center around rapeseed oil, soybeans, sunflower oil.

Technology 94

Technology Venture Capital Competition Funding 94

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2013

One of the big advantages of being an entrepreneur and starting your company from scratch is that you get to set the culture, which is much easier than changing the culture of an existing business. Traditional” marketing, sales, and product management organizations often lead to mediocrity. Get your team right and do it quickly.

Startup 101

Startup Training Study Custom 101

socalTECH

AUGUST 27, 2014

We are constantly learning, doing research, and networking with other entrepreneurs, and people in our business who are the best at what they do. We have been smart about how to make investments in our business, and when we jump into a new category or vertical. We are students of our company, and of our business, and of our industry.

Startup 239

Startup El Segundo Marketing Media 239

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

You’ll learn about competitive products that exist or are being built. You’ll gauge people’s excitement level for the product and for various features. Since I fall into the expert category, my belief is that you should be pretty open with me. You’ll get suggestions for improvements.

Startup 211

Startup IP Ideas Patents 211

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2014

Many entrepreneurs still don’t understand that building a business culture today of doing good, like helping people (society) and planet (sustainability), is also a key to maximizing profit. Every company needs this focus to attract the best minds and loyalty in both categories. Doing business is a human process. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 91

Startup Organization Pricing Custom 91