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If you have a software development background like mine, I’m sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. Outsourcing is defined as contracting the work to another company, usually located in a developing country, like India, China, or Eastern Europe. Factor in all the cost elements.
A solution I often recommend, as least in early growth, is the use of outsourcing for critical tasks. He outlines well the following benefits of outsourcing and freelancing, and I agree: Serving your business well is a competitive priority. Direct customer-facing non-technical roles should be the last ones outsourced.
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 it. Either your core is innately technical or it’s not. Don’t take the easy road.
Note: There are clearly routine tasks which can be effectively outsourced at a startup, including those which: (i) do not require a significant time investment on the part of the entrepreneur to educate the outsourcer or, (ii) no institutional knowledge is gained by the outsourcer which could be critical to the venture’s success.
If your forte is a service, like consulting or web site design, it’s harder to find guidance on what will get you funded, and how you can scale your business. With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. Capture your “secret sauce.”
If your forte is a service, like consulting or web site design, it’s harder to find guidance on what will get you funded, and how you can scale your business. With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. Capture your “secret sauce.”
If you have a software development background like mine, I’m sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. Outsourcing is defined as contracting the work to another company, usually located in a developing country, like India, China, or Eastern Europe. Factor in all the cost elements.
Note: There are clearly tasks which can be effectively outsourced at a startup, when: (i) they do not require a significant time investment on the part of the entrepreneur to educate the outsourcer or, (ii) the knowledge gained by the outsourcer is not critical to the adVenture’s operations. 8 ) Grant Exclusivity.
If you have a software development background like mine, I’m sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. Outsourcing is defined as contracting the work to another company, usually located in a developing country, like India, China, or Eastern Europe. Factor in all the cost elements.
If you have a software development background like mine, Im sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. Outsourcing is defined as contracting the work to another company, usually located in a developing country, like India, China, or Eastern Europe. Factor in all the cost elements.
This is the confirmation that your product or service fills a real need in the marketplace. Watch that patent provide a real barrier to competitive entry. Re-live that moment of inspiration that resulted in an innovative design and implementation for your product, and is now providing you with a sustainable competitive advantage.
If your forte is a service, like consulting or web site design, it’s harder to find guidance on what will get you funded, and how you can scale your business. With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. Capture your “secret sauce.”
You have to get past how great the product is to address clearly what your business rationale is, why it is different from the competition's, and why it will succeed. A winning product or service. Provide a simple yet complete description of your product or service and its competitive marketplace.
If your forte is a service, like consulting or web site design, it’s harder to find guidance on what will get you funded, and how you can scale your business. With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. Capture your “secret sauce.”
That''s relevant, because of our third piece, where we have been hired by traditional media companies, to basically provide them a turnkey, outsources content acquisition team. We find the content they want, and we user our technology and people to service the show. Is there a lot of competition for the rights to all of that content?
Products and services for a business need to be attuned to customer requirements, cost and quality tradeoffs, with milestones for pricing and completion. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Marketing, sales, support, and service operations.
If your forte is a service, like consulting or web site design, it’s harder to find guidance on what will get you funded, and how you can scale your business. With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. Capture your “secret sauce.”
We also offer some advice for writing your application, to make sure your proposal is as competitive as possible. The competitive program is open to select small businesses and specifically encourages participation from women and socially or economically disadvantaged persons. million for products and services, and $5.5
Products and services for a business need to be attuned to customer requirements, cost and quality tradeoffs, with milestones for pricing and completion. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Marketing, sales, support, and service operations.
In these days of global competition via multiple channels, you need continuous marketing to find more customers. Trade shows and conferences can produce hundreds of new qualified leads for your business, as well as build relationships with industry leaders, outsourcing vendors, and potential partners. They won’t find you.
Most new business owners I know feel the challenges of not enough time, money, and resources, and see these as problems rather than a competitive advantage. Many companies these days start with a single online-only purchase model, but later move to providing subscription services and freemium alternatives.
You have to get past how great the product is to address clearly what your business rationale is, why it is different from the competition's, and why it will succeed. A winning product or service. Provide a simple yet complete description of your product or service and its competitive marketplace.
A target market is the group of customers that the startup plans to attract through marketing and sales their product or service. How do you produce your product or service? Common choices include manufacturing in-house, outsourcing, off-the-shelf parts. How do you distribute your product or service? Competition.
I define a product plan as a detailed description of your product or service, with a bit of business thrown in at the end. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Competition analysis. Show the timeline, milestones, costs, and people required to produce the product or service.
This is the confirmation that your product or service fills a real need in the marketplace. Watch that patent provide a real barrier to competitive entry. Re-live that moment of inspiration that resulted in an innovative design and implementation for your product, and is now providing you with a sustainable competitive advantage.
I define a product plan as a detailed description of your product or service, with a bit of business thrown in at the end. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Competition analysis. Show the timeline, milestones, costs, and people required to produce the product or service.
A target market is the group of customers that the startup plans to attract through marketing and sales their product or service. How do you produce your product or service? Common choices include manufacturing in-house, outsourcing, off-the-shelf parts. How do you distribute your product or service? Competition.
If one of your core values is exceeding your customer expectations for quality and service, and your potential partner ascribes to the low cost, high profit mantra, a successful partnership is highly unlikely over the long-term. Is your project seen by both as an end in itself, or a means to another end? Conflicting visions won’t work.
A target market is the group of customers that the startup plans to attract through marketing and sales their product or service. How do you produce your product or service? Common choices include manufacturing in-house, outsourcing, off-the-shelf parts. How do you distribute your product or service? Competition.
Products and services for a business need to be attuned to customer requirements, cost and quality tradeoffs, with milestones for pricing and completion. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Marketing, sales, support, and service operations.
Time is money, and may be your primary competitive advantage. You should never outsource the management of your core technology. Unfortunately, working with any of these outside services is hard to manage, risky in results, and some have developed a reputation for taking advantage of unsuspecting entrepreneurs.
Competitive advantages are rapidly vaporizing on these. Outsourcing and manufacturing “offshore” have become the norm. Customers today demand products and services personalized or tailored to local needs with embedded quality of life services. Existing technologies have been “commoditized” globally.
This is the confirmation that your product or service fills a real need in the marketplace. Watch that patent provide a real barrier to competitive entry. Re-live that moment of inspiration that resulted in an innovative design and implementation for your product, and is now providing you with a sustainable competitive advantage.
Time is money, and may be your primary competitive advantage. You should never outsource the management of your core technology. Unfortunately, working with any of these outside services is hard to manage, risky in results, and some have developed a reputation for taking advantage of unsuspecting entrepreneurs.
Time is money, and may be your primary competitive advantage. You should never outsource the management of your core technology. Unfortunately, working with any of these outside services is hard to manage, risky in results, and some have developed a reputation for taking advantage of unsuspecting entrepreneurs.
If you are contracting or outsourcing, this is even more important. Whether you provide an online subscription service, or sell products in a store, you need to consistently and economically sell your product and collect revenue to survive. Customer service and support. But having no process does not make you more competitive.
Time is money, and may be your primary competitive advantage. You should never outsource the management of your core technology. Unfortunately, working with any of these outside services is hard to manage, risky in results, and some have developed a reputation for taking advantage of unsuspecting entrepreneurs.
Before going through the expensive process of sourcing, recruiting, and hiring an employee, look into outsourcing, especially for non-core functions such as HR, accounting, and legal. Undercharging for your product/service. For more information on pricing, see my previous post 6 Pricing Tips for Your product/Service.
ISPs are looking to differentiate themselves with value added services, beyond just telecom and entertainment services, and you are starting to see themselves looking at a platform and what they can add. Google has its own home energy monitoring project, PowerMeter - is this competitive or different?
If you are contracting or outsourcing, this is even more important. Whether you provide an online subscription service, or sell products in a store, you need to consistently and economically sell your product and collect revenue to survive. Customer service and support. But having no process does not make you more competitive.
Customers are not all like you, and they have choices, so a “one size fits all” customer service is no longer a viable option. Her focus is on crafting a customer experience that caters to people not like you, including social media aficionados, to bring in new customers and create a competitive advantage.
Customers are not all like you, and they have choices, so a “one size fits all” customer service is no longer a viable option. Her focus is on crafting a customer experience that caters to people not like you, including social media aficionados, to bring in new customers and create a competitive advantage.
Competitive advantages are rapidly vaporizing on these. Outsourcing and manufacturing “offshore” have become the norm. Customers today demand products and services personalized or tailored to local needs with embedded quality of life services. Existing technologies have been “commoditized” globally.
If one of your core values is exceeding your customer expectations for quality and service, and your potential partner ascribes to the low cost, high profit mantra, a successful partnership is highly unlikely over the long-term. Is your project seen by both as an end in itself, or a means to another end? Similar values and goals.
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