Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2015

As the desk-based Internet emerged it was initially sold through telecom carriers (after players like AOL and EarthLink innovated the market). Why Exclusivity Matters to Your Customers or Business Development Partners. So the value on the Internet went “up the stack” to portals such as Yahoo!

Outsource Development 150

Outsource Development Startup Customer Custom 150

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

1) Expect Independent Channel Sales Reps To Perform Missionary Sales. Rationale: I cannot afford to hire a direct sales force. Fallacy: Third-party, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) representatives succeed once the sales process is defined, proven and documented. 4) Perform China Syndrome Market Analysis.

Startup 242

Startup Outsource Development Outsource Sales 242

InfoChachkie

MAY 19, 2011

This series describes how entrepreneurs can craft company-changing agreements with BDCs, while avoiding Kiss of Death contract provisions. Guard against a preclusion that would deny you from utilizing the IP developed during the course of executing the agreement. Get The Cheese With Your Neck Intact.

Outsource Development 193

Outsource Development IP Technical Review Entrepreneur 193

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2019

Very few entrepreneurs have the range of skills and experience to be the solution creator as well as business creator, or operational as well as sales leader. If both of you are experts at software development, even though one loves design and the other loves coding, that still won’t get the marketing done. Marty Zwilling.

Software Review 88

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 88

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2015

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Solution development and delivery. Hobbies are developed ad-hoc, driven by personal needs.

Outsource Development 99

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 99

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 15, 2011

I am not a government contracting expert. Government customers abundantly waste both of these assets by negatively impacting a startup’s cash flows while causing it to spend unnecessary time participating in laborious approval processes and elongated sales cycles. The Downside Of Government Contracting.

Startup 207

Startup Outsource Development Software Review Sales 207

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2016

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Solution development and delivery. Hobbies are developed ad-hoc, driven by personal needs.

Ideas 62

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Competition 62

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

Outsourcing your core competency does not work. It takes a long immersion in the marketplace for someone to be a true insider, understand the subtleties of the competitive landscape, recognize the people who are true assets (independent of titles), and look through the propaganda of technical collateral and PR campaigns.

Technical Advisors 105

Technical Advisors Outsource Development Startup High Tech 105

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

The most obvious way to explain this is with sales people. If you hire 6 sales reps in January at $120,000 / year salary then you’ve taken on an extra $60,000 per month in costs yet these sales people might not close new business for 4-6 months. “COGS” represents the amount that each sale costs you.

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2013

A good many startups I know have been “successful” over a couple of years in overcoming the challenges of starting the business, including incorporation, services development, funding, and setting up operations. It’s important to stand up to competition and wear your reputation on your sleeve. Raise the marketing bar.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Startup Outsource Development Sales 93

socalTECH

JULY 8, 2010

Whoever wins, these are some of the local firms in interesting markets--and their tough, well-backed head-to-head competition--worth watching. HauteLook, one of the first firms to capitalize on the sample/private sales market, is already profitable and is growing rapidly. DocStoc vs. Scribd. DocStoc - Profile.

Southern California 124

Southern California Rustic Canyon SoCal Startup 124

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2018

Outsourcing your core competency does not work. It takes a long immersion in the marketplace for someone to be a true insider, understand the subtleties of the competitive landscape, recognize the people who are true assets (independent of titles), and look through the propaganda of technical collateral and PR campaigns.

Technical Advisors 57

Technical Advisors Startup Outsource Development High Tech 57

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2011

The part of the movement that resonates the most with me (in my words) is that entrepreneurs should keep their capital expenditures really low while they’re experimenting with their product and determining whether there is a large market for what they do. Nascent startup markets are like fine wine, they take time to develop.

Development Team Review 374

Development Team Review Technical Review Startup Resource 374

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2012

The product plan tells your developers what to build, and the marketing team what to market. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Market research. Competition analysis. Development and rollout. Market research and competition.

Product 92

Product Outsource Development Competition High Tech 92

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 6, 2012

A good many startups I know have been “successful” over a couple of years in overcoming the challenges of starting the business, including incorporation, services development, funding, and setting up operations. It’s important to stand up to competition and wear your reputation on your sleeve. Raise the marketing bar.

Startup 94

Startup Outsource Development Sales Social Media 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2014

Outsourcing your core competency does not work. It takes a long immersion in the marketplace for someone to be a true insider, understand the subtleties of the competitive landscape, recognize the people who are true assets (independent of titles), and look through the propaganda of technical collateral and PR campaigns.

Technical Advisors 98

Technical Advisors Startup Outsource Development High Tech 98

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2014

If both of you are experts at software development, even though one loves design and the other loves coding, that still won’t get the marketing done. Look at the big picture first of development, finance, and marketing/sales. Passion for what they do. Look impartially from all angles and do the follow-up.

Software Review 107

Software Review Entrepreneur CTO Hire Outsource Development 107

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

I believe that it is part of the DNA of an entrepreneur – being so competitive that you’re practically sick when you lose. They’re competitive. And for my own good I vowed to have relationships in China and knowledge of the local markets. This company is back on the market raising money again.

Outsource Development 333

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 333

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2010

I recently did a post for startups on understanding sales people. I know this will fall like a lead balloon to the many people who believe it is possible to have a [insert: startup incubator or technology accelerator or technology consultant or outsource firm] build your technology. I don’t believe that one exists.

CTO Hire 400

CTO Hire Fractional VPE Startup Outsource Development 400

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

I believe that it is part of the DNA of an entrepreneur – being so competitive that you’re practically sick when you lose. They’re competitive. And for my own good I vowed to have relationships in China and knowledge of the local markets. This company is back on the market raising money again.

Outsource Development 328

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 328

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2017

Very few entrepreneurs have the range of skills and experience to be the solution creator as well as business creator, or operational as well as sales leader. If both of you are experts at software development, even though one loves design and the other loves coding, that still won’t get the marketing done.

Software Review 56

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development CTO Coach 56

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2011

The product plan tells your developers what to build, and the marketing team what to market. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Market research. Competition analysis. Development and rollout. Market research and competition.

Product 93

Product Entrepreneur Outsource Development Competition 93

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2014

Develop your business plan. This will include the first version of many critical processes that can be split out later, including market opportunity, requirements, product definition, business model, sales process, and organization. Product development process. But having no process does not make you more competitive.

Startup 107

Startup Outsource Development Training Outsource 107

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 28, 2011

A good many startups I know have been “successful” over a couple of years in overcoming the challenges of starting the business, including incorporation, services development, funding, and setting up operations. It’s important to stand up to competition and wear your reputation on your sleeve. Raise the marketing bar.

Tips 92

Tips Startup Services Outsource Development 92

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2013

If both of you are experts at software development, even though one loves design and the other loves coding, that still won’t get the marketing done. Look at the big picture first of development, finance, and marketing/sales. Passion for what they do. Look impartially from all angles and do the follow-up.

Software Review 103

Software Review Equity CTO Hire Outsource Development 103

InfoChachkie

APRIL 13, 2015

Because I am cheap and I know that car dealers are incentivized by the manufacturer to hit quarterly and annual sales goals. The rewards are in the form of co-marketing dollars and commission spiffs. Thus, the value of a sale at the end of a quarter can be significant, if the sale contributes to obtaining a manufacturer''s incentive.

Pricing 100

Pricing Startup Sales SaaS 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2013

Develop your business plan. This will include the first version of many critical processes that can be split out later, including market opportunity, requirements, product definition, business model, sales process, and organization. Product development process. But having no process does not make you more competitive.

Outsource Development 92

Outsource Development Training Outsource Metrics 92

InfoChachkie

MAY 23, 2011

Marketers have long known that people are drawn to exclusivity. As noted in Contract Traps Entrepreneurs Should Avoid , exclusivity can kill a small company. Unfortunately, many Big Dumb Companies (BDCs) assume they must unfairly skew the market in their favor by precluding you from freely working with anyone you choose.

Technical Review 183

Technical Review Marketing Sales Competition 183

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2012

The founders now need a $1M Angel investment to do the marketing for a national NewCo rollout, build a team to manage the rollout, and maybe even pay themselves a salary. Here are the components and “rules of thumb” that I recommend to every startup: Place a fair market value on all physical assets (asset approach).

Startup 108

Startup Invest Patents Outsource Development 108

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 29, 2011

If both of you are experts at software development, even though one loves design and the other loves coding, that still won’t get the marketing done. Look at the big picture first of development, finance, and marketing/sales. Passion for what they do. Look impartially from all angles and do the follow-up.

Software Review 96

Software Review CTO Hire Startup Outsource Development 96

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

Develop your business plan. This will include the first version of many critical processes that can be split out later, including market opportunity, requirements, product definition, business model, sales process, and organization. Product development process. But having no process does not make you more competitive.

Startup 102

Startup Outsource Development Writing Training 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2010

If both of you are experts at software development, even though one loves design and the other loves coding, that still won’t get the marketing done. Look at the big picture first of development, finance, and marketing/sales. Passion for what they do. Look impartially from all angles and do the follow-up.

Software Review 92

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 92

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

The founders now need a $1M Angel investment to do the marketing for a national NewCo rollout, build a team to manage the rollout, and maybe even pay themselves a salary. Here are the components and “rules of thumb” that I recommend to every startup: Place a fair market value on all physical assets (asset approach).

Funding 98

Funding Startup Patents Outsource Development 98

InfoChachkie

MARCH 24, 2016

Shortly thereafter, we began developing apps and websites out of Brent’s garage. For instance, in the High Tech Sales class, we discussed the necessity of tracking ad performance. Cardenas: As avid followers of politics, we wanted to create something that would have the predictive powers of old-time prediction markets, such as Intrade.

Startup 100

Startup Sites Research Santa Barbara 100

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

Others hire consultants, or outsource much of the real work. An obvious reason is limited funds, but a more important reason is the need to know and intimately understand what is really going on in the business and the market. Too many entrepreneurs are reluctant to start the sales process, preferring to tweak and refine the product.

Startup 103

Startup Entrepreneur Template Mentor 103

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2010

Develop your business plan. This will include the first version of many critical processes that can be split out later, including market opportunity, requirements, product definition, business model, sales process, and organization. Product development process. But having no process does not make you more competitive.

Startup 95

Startup Outsource Development Writing Training 95

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 9, 2010

The product plan tells your developers what to build, and the marketing team what to market. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Market research. Competition analysis. Development and rollout. Market research and competition.

Product 48

Product Outsource Development Competition High Tech 48