Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2018

The market is changing so fast these days, and if you are not planning a solution today for tomorrow’s customers, you may be setting yourself up for failure and don’t even realize it. There are many free generalized tools, including Google Trends , which can be used to track customer behavior in looking for things that don’t exist yet.

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Customer Custom Technical Review Software Review 57

socalTECH

APRIL 10, 2018

Most of our mentors are people who have been successful entrepreneurs and investors, who have been there, and understand how to get a company to the next sage. Matt Stodder: The most important thing is to understand their customers, and who they are going after. Blake Caldwell: We believe heavily in customer in customer development.

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Startup Seed Funding Mentor Ideas 172

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2023

As an entrepreneur mentor and startup investor, I see with sadness the 50 to 90 percent that fail. Actually, great new customer solutions lead to great platforms, not the other way around. Extrapolating you as the target customer. Never mix up what you like with what your customers will buy.

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Entrepreneur Netflix Social Media Startup 125

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

Great marketing is required to generate revenue and grow every business, especially new businesses which have no brand recognition nor loyal customer base. Yet, as a business consultant, I still find many of you business leaders relying primarily on your technology, word-of-mouth , or location to attract necessary customers.

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Marketing Customer Custom Outsource Development 133

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2022

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Of course, some balance is required. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. In the end, engagement drives customer retention, sales, growth and profit.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2021

Others are really marketers out to make money fast, and believe that they can entice customers to any offering. Of course, discovering your entrepreneur type is only the beginning. Ultimately, most get the best help from business advisors and mentors. External forces (competitors and customers). Some are very positive.

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Entrepreneur Framework Mentor Web 134

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 17, 2010

At VT KnowledgeWorks we screen prospective clients for their Market opportunity, for the Magic that they offer to their prospective customers, and for the Moxie displayed by the start-up team. There is a growing fellowship of special-case start-up programs operated by closely-knit, permanent groups of angel-mentors.

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Incubator Mentor Capital Startup 80

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2022

During my many years of mentoring professionals and entrepreneurs in business, I more often see people focusing on how to get their ideas heard , than how to promote themselves. Of course, how you do this effectively is critical. Your career or startup future is in your hands, not those of your boss, your mentor, or investors.

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Tips Social Media Mentor Technical Review 121

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2023

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs, I also encourage an entrepreneur exit focus early, and I really like the specific steps outlined in the classic book, “ Exit Signs ,” by Pamela Dennis, who has helped companies through this critical transition for decades. At minimum, you need to get an exit advisor to keep you on course.

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Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 99

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2023

Of course, if you want to be in that number, or you want that number to go up, you have to know how to locate potential investors who fit your profile, requirements, and expectations. Identify customer executives who need your solution. Reach out to your biggest fans for investor leads.

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Statistics Entrepreneur Funding Social Media 98

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2021

In fact, as a mentor to entrepreneurs and an investor, I recommend that entrepreneurs avoid using the term disruptive with investors, since many see it as implying extra high risk, a long time for payback, and extensive marketing to build the new market. Look for sizable customer populations unattractive to incumbents.

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Technical Review Entrepreneur Marketing Customer 157

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 23, 2022

Many of you business leaders I work with, and entrepreneurs I mentor, have a great strategy and an innovative solution , but struggle with building and motivating the team necessary to run your business. Of course, listening alone isn't enough. This created a connection with both his team and customers.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 3, 2022

Now may be the time to build new credentials is this digital age by taking time for education courses and attending digital conferences. You need to step out of your comfort zone to socialize, meet new people, and collaborate with peers, company leaders, and mentors. Seek expert mentors and always evaluate feedback.

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Social Media Summary Startup Mentor 125

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2021

There is nothing more inspiring than seeing the results of your mentoring and leadership. Truly satisfied customers are a joy to every business person. Maybe it’s that first customer testimonial, or that first congratulations from someone you respect, or seeing your story in the newspaper. Your solution fills a real market need.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 13, 2021

Once you are able to achieve some real “traction” with your business (paying customers, revenue stream), it may seem the time to relax a bit, but in fact this is the point where many founders start to flounder. The key is to make decisions from data and feedback, once your business has real customers and real products.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2020

In my own business career, many years as a business advisor, and mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I have validated the following strategies to practice and guide you. A broken process or a subtle quality issue can generate a flood of customer satisfaction problems, cost overruns, and loss of market share. Then pick the best one.

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Satisfaction Mentor Study Startup 152

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2021

As a mentor, my mission is to recommend actions that can strengthen your image with investors and peers, as well as help you get the startup job done. Of course, these must always be balanced with winning business practices for maximum value. Focus on customers and people over profits and ego. billion buyout.

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Customer Custom Metrics Ideas 157

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2020

Many entrepreneurs I have mentored make big mistakes in this area, by hiring low-cost friends and family, with minimal skills or training, and expecting them to have the same work ethic , passion, and business knowledge as the founder. Direct customer-facing non-technical roles should be the last ones outsourced.

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Outsource Startup Technical Review Training 123

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Of course, if you want to be in that number, or you want that number to go up, you have to know how to locate potential investors who fit your profile, requirements, and expectations. Identify customer executives who need your solution. Reach out to your biggest fans for investor leads.

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Funding Tips Startup Statistics 173

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2021

As a long-time business advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs, I consistently find that the most thriving businesses are people-centric, and those team members create the best processes, rather than the other way around. Leaders who focus on team communication are also more successful in dealing with partners and customers.

Satisfaction 154

Satisfaction Demand Resource Competition 154

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2023

Of course, starting and running your own business comes with financial and personal risks, so I always recommend that you do your homework first, and follow some tried and proven strategies to improve your odds of success. These are necessary to attract customers, investors, and give you a line of defense with competitors.

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Social Media Metrics Media Tool 98

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2023

That’s why I’m impressed with the classic book, “ All Dreams on Deck: Charting the Course for Your Life and Work ,” by Jeremy Cage. Ask for help from advisors and mentor your team. Thus you need to listen and learn the current reality from your customers, your team, advisors, and experts.

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Ideas Startup Entrepreneur Social Media 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2019

As an advisor to technical entrepreneurs, the most common mistake I see is the “If we build it, they will come” approach with no sales plan, under the assumption that the technology is so spectacular that customers will buy the product. Effective value propositions are quantified and personalized for each customer or target segment.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2021

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs, I also encourage an entrepreneur exit focus early, and I really like the specific steps outlined in the classic book, “ Exit Signs ,” by Pamela Dennis, who has helped companies through this critical transition for decades. At minimum, you need to get an exit advisor to keep you on course.

Startup 173

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 173

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2022

Be sure to encompass all your constituents, especially including customers. Whole Foods , for example, has built their business with a commitment to natural and organic foods, and have a culture of loyal employees and customers, resulting in 500 stores worldwide. Commit to delivering a positive customer experience.

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Product Training Customer Custom 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 22, 2022

They don’t realize that it takes more to succeed in business or a career – it takes leadership skills to get people to follow you, including peers, a team, business partners, and customers. Of course, you can always ride on someone’s coattail, and let them do the leadership, while you do the hard work in the shadows.

Startup 114

Startup Mentor Conference Networking 114

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. Taking on equity investors to fund your company is much like getting married – it is a long-term relationship that has to work at all levels.

Technical Review 138

Technical Review Startup Innocal Offshore 138

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2022

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. Message delivery must be customized for each investor. Of course, previous successes provide more direct evidence of a network of the right people.

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Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 111

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 11, 2021

You can learn to be an entrepreneur by working in a startup, talking to peers, and mentoring. In reality, every startup brings new unknowns, new people, new competitors, and new customers. Of course, you must hire the right people and really listen to them, but don’t expect them to do your job.

Entrepreneur 171

Entrepreneur Ideas Examples Satisfaction 171

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 12, 2020

As an entrepreneur mentor and startup investor, I see with sadness the 50 to 90 percent that fail. Actually, great new customer solutions lead to great platforms, not the other way around. Extrapolating you as the target customer. Never mix up what you like with what your customers will buy.

Startup 124

Startup Netflix Social Media Customer 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2023

Of course, there are some basic principles that people in all careers follow today in maximizing their success, including discipline, determination, learning from mistakes, and practice. Change is the only constant in today’s world of customers and competitors. He then succeeded. Keep your primary attention on market needs today.

Artificial Inteligence 101

Artificial Inteligence Course Startup Tool 101

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2022

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Data, however, removes guesswork, biases, and anecdotal reasoning that can throw decision efforts off course.

Tool 121

Tool Statistics Entrepreneur Metrics 121

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 7, 2021

As a mentor to aspiring business owners. The tougher question is whether you are also wise, in the sense of cultivating the right relationships, understanding team dynamics, and keeping to the correct side of the ethical line to maintain the trust of team members and customers alike. Be willing to adapt quickly as conditions change.

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Patents Mentor Customer Custom 138

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 1, 2022

Based on my own experience mentoring real entrepreneurs and likely candidates, there are at least eight categories of non-starters. Of course, too much early success can kill a business, but real entrepreneurs are certain that they can grow and learn from success, just as they do from failure.

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Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Knowledge Base 153

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2020

When I heard a friend and business mentor say, “Your startup won’t fail if you don’t quit,” I realized that every entrepreneur should adopt “never give up” as their mantra. Of course, they may be out of money as well, but that is often more of an “excuse” than a reason. So why do most startups fail?

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Entrepreneur Startup Statistics Course 121

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2022

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. As your company grows, you have to host customer seminars. After that it’s practice, practice, practice.

Marketing 113

Marketing Entrepreneur Customer Custom 113

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 13, 2023

Yet I find in my mentoring practice that more and more team members prefer the human-centered approach and respond with more engagement and commitment. Make it clear that you always aim for progress, expect mistakes, and recognize that course-corrections or pivots are normal in business. Develop self-awareness of your triggers.

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Case Study Study Startup Examples 112