Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 19, 2023

Every entrepreneur has an idea for transforming a market with innovative new technology, or transforming society with a new process. But unfortunately, most of these ideas fail at the execution level, or are not truly innovative. Ideas have to be implemented well to change a market, or the world. Find enough venturesome capital.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Competition 101

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2015

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. In reality, I like most ideas, but I have to tell them that the real challenge is taking the inspiration from a dream to a business. File at least a provisional patent and one or more trademarks.

Ideas 104

Ideas Mentor Resource Entrepreneur 104

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2012

Most aspiring entrepreneurs believe their initial idea and inspiration requires the most important creative thinking. Experienced entrepreneurs will tell you that the initial idea is the easy part, and it’s the later implementation, and the competitive business marketing that are the real creative challenges. Marty Zwilling.

Ideas 109

Ideas Entrepreneur Patents Training 109

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 26, 2020

Every entrepreneur has an idea for transforming a market with innovative new technology, or transforming society with a new process. But unfortunately, most of these ideas fail at the execution level, or are not truly innovative. Ideas have to be implemented well to change a market, or the world. Find enough venturesome capital.

Startup 171

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Competition 171

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2014

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. In reality, I like most ideas, but I have to tell them that the real challenge is taking the inspiration from a dream to a business. File at least a provisional patent and one or more trademarks.

Ideas 107

Ideas Mentor Entrepreneur Resource 107

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2022

I call this linear thinking , and it’s a sure way to be ultimately overrun by your competition. For example, Elon Musk, who owns many battery patents , normally kept for a competitive edge, decided to open them all to any competitors in an effort to expand the market for his electric vehicles.

Competition 139

Competition Examples Custom Customer 139

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2020

It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Creating intellectual property, including patents, is the kay to long-term value and a sustainable competitive advantage. Idea management. New product process.

Metrics 144

Metrics Coach Social Network Competition 144

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2020

Intellectual property is required for a competitive edge. You may think that patents and copyrights are not required, since your products are so innovative, but you will find that competitors are quick to copy your idea if you don’t protect it. Strategic planning is a required ongoing investment. Neither is good.

Entrepreneur 173

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Technical Review 173

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2023

This point was illustrated well in the classic book, “ The Power of Positive Destruction: How to Turn a Business Idea Into a Revolution ,” by Seth Merrin. I like his approach to first making sure the idea has the potential for a unique selling proposition, by asking yourself a few key questions: Does the idea solve a painful problem?

Startup 96

Startup Education Ideas Custom 96

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2023

That’s why all those so-called million dollar ideas I hear about as an investor don’t get me excited, and entrepreneurs find that working twenty hours a day often generates nothing more than sweat, instead of the desired sweat equity. Watch that patent provide a real barrier to competitive entry.

Startup 118

Startup Satisfaction Customer Custom 118

Berkonomics

MARCH 5, 2020

Email readers, continue here…] A great idea often fails from the inexperience or inability of management to bring the idea to market. And fifth: Competitive risk. . Third: Management risk. .

Outsource Development 156

Outsource Development Ideas Resource Patents 156

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2020

This point was illustrated well in the classic book, “ The Power of Positive Destruction: How to Turn a Business Idea Into a Revolution ,” by Seth Merrin. I like his approach to first making sure the idea has the potential for a unique selling proposition, by asking yourself a few key questions: Does the idea solve a painful problem?

Startup 166

Startup Education Ideas Custom 166

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2020

That’s why all those so-called million dollar ideas I hear about as an investor don’t get me excited, and entrepreneurs find that working twenty hours a day often generates nothing more than sweat, instead of the desired sweat equity. Watch that patent provide a real barrier to competitive entry.

Satisfaction 174

Satisfaction Custom Customer Outsource 174

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2023

Opportunity segmentation and competitive environment. List key competitors and alternatives, highlighting your sustainable competitive advantages, such as patents and trademarks. Use concrete terms to quantify the value of solution, like twice as fast or half the cost, rather than fuzzy terms, like cheaper and easier to use.

Product 112

Product Summary Activity Customer 112

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 10, 2010

Patents held by startups generally have a limited ability to reduce competition. The average time required to obtain a patent is 36-to-40 months, during which there is no guarantee your adVenture will ultimately receive patent protection. Thus, if a startup team asks, “What is this patent worth to us?”,

IP 256

IP Patents Company Companies 256

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2023

Most universities have a file of patents from project work that they are willing to license to any entrepreneur for business commercialization, with little or no cost up front. Other project and research reports in their library are a rich source of new ideas, if you are still looking for a place to start.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Class Startup Resource 110

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2023

The discipline of writing down your plan is the best way to make sure you understand how to transform your idea into a business, and how to communicate it. Not every great idea is a viable business. Dreamers come up with ideas, and do-ers come up with businesses. A business plan is for you first, not investors.

Startup 124

Startup Writing Entrepreneur Ideas 124

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

Most colleges have now added classes in entrepreneurship to include the necessary business focus to technical majors that usually drive innovative ideas. Every school recognizes the power of “hands-on” work to help you develop your own ideas into a business. Good business basics are not intuitive.

Entrepreneur 157

Entrepreneur Mentor Class Resource 157

Berkonomics

MARCH 14, 2019

A great idea often fails from the inexperience or inability of management to bring the idea to market. Similarly, great management often can manipulate an original idea or business plan into one much more attuned to the market, adding tremendous value that might have been lost sticking to the original plan.

Outsource Development 120

Outsource Development Ideas Resource Patents 120

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2022

My first suggestion is that entrepreneurs need to forget the old myth that all they need to do is sketch an idea on a napkin, and investors will line up to invest. They are not interested in research and development, or funding at the idea stage. Investors are most interested in providing money for scaling of a proven solution.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Invest Funding Patents 108

socalTECH

OCTOBER 14, 2013

Where''d the idea for the company come from? I had the idea that instead of a gray box, it would be great to change that to a beautiful flower. I had the idea that instead of a gray box, it would be great to change that to a beautiful flower. Erik Adams: It''s more of a validation of the idea, and to pique people''s interest.

Startup 241

Startup Slides Orange County Design 241

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 17, 2020

The discipline of writing down your plan is the best way to make sure you understand how to transform your idea into a business, and how to communicate it. Not every great idea is a viable business. Dreamers come up with ideas, and do-ers come up with businesses. A business plan is for you first, not investors.

Startup 174

Startup Writing Entrepreneur Ideas 174

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2021

A while back I received a discouraging note from an entrepreneur with a patent and a medical software application who couldn’t find a dime of investment, and was grousing that seed funding just wasn’t available anymore. Too many people still believe the urban myth that you can sketch your idea on a napkin, and people will throw money at you.

Software Review 123

Software Review Seed Funding Funding Startup 123

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Every entrepreneur has an idea for transforming a market with innovative new technology, or transforming society with a new process. But unfortunately, most of these ideas fail at the execution level, or are not truly innovative. Ideas have to be implemented well to change a market, or the world. Find enough venturesome capital.

Guide 95

Guide Startup Ideas Entrepreneur 95

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2020

Opportunity segmentation and competitive environment. List key competitors and alternatives, highlighting your sustainable competitive advantages, such as patents and trademarks. Use concrete terms to quantify the value of solution, like twice as fast or half the cost, rather than fuzzy terms, like cheaper and easier to use.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Startup Summary Product 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2020

Most universities have a file of patents from project work that they are willing to license to any entrepreneur for business commercialization, with little or no cost up front. Other project and research reports in their library are a rich source of new ideas, if you are still looking for a place to start.

Class 124

Class Startup Resource Mentor 124

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

One of the readers asked my opinion around sharing your startup concept: My first question has always been - how do you protect your idea while shopping around for feedback, partners, developers, etc.? Especially if the idea could be whipped-up by a few 24-year olds in a few weeks? Lots of thoughts here.

Startup 211

Startup IP Ideas Patents 211

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 30, 2014

Did anybody hold patents that would prevent us from using this technology? I seldom hire patent attorneys during due diligence but this was too important. Meredith Perry came up with the idea for uBeam while still in college at University of Pennsylvania and like many great inventors won her school’s business plan competition.

Technical Review 418

Technical Review Software Review CTO Hire IP 418

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2015

It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Creating intellectual property, including patents, is the key to long-term value and a sustainable competitive advantage. Idea management. New product process.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Metrics 101

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

One of the readers asked my opinion around sharing your startup concept: My first question has always been - how do you protect your idea while shopping around for feedback, partners, developers, etc.? Especially if the idea could be whipped-up by a few 24-year olds in a few weeks? Lots of thoughts here.

Startup 198

Startup IP Ideas Patents 198

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 5, 2016

Every entrepreneur has an idea for transforming a market with innovative new technology, or transforming society with a new process. But unfortunately, most of these ideas fail at the execution level, or are not truly innovative. Ideas have to be implemented well to change a market, or the world. Find enough venturesome capital.

Startup 103

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Competition 103

Berkonomics

MARCH 15, 2012

A great idea often fails from the inexperience or inability of management to bring the idea to market. Similarly, great management often can manipulate an original idea or business plan into one much more attuned to the market, adding tremendous value that might have been lost sticking to the original plan.

Outsource Development 200

Outsource Development Ideas Resource Patents 200

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2018

It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Creating intellectual property, including patents, is the kay to long-term value and a sustainable competitive advantage. Idea management. New product process.

Entrepreneur 64

Entrepreneur Metrics Coach Competition 64

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2020

My first suggestion is that entrepreneurs need to forget the old myth that all they need to do is sketch an idea on a napkin, and investors will line up to invest. They are not interested in research and development, or funding at the idea stage. Investors are most interested in providing money for scaling of a proven solution.

Funding 123

Funding Startup Entrepreneur Invest 123

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2022

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. They only want a quick overview of the product, not detailed features and patent secrets.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Startup Statistics Social Media 109

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2012

Aspiring entrepreneurs ask me why their great idea hasn’t sold; they talk about it endlessly, and they expect others to do the development, finance, and marketing work for them. Love that sustainable competitive advantage. Incorporate, register your domain name, trademarks, and copyrights, then patent if possible.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Ideas 102

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

Graduate Programs – the school should be affiliated with strong, technical graduate schools because astounding business ideas generally originate from engineers, scientists and life sciences students. Note: no bonus points should be given for an MBA program, as MBA’s seldom generate great business ideas.

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Venture Capital Class Patents 100