Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Some analysis and due diligence along the following lines should be performed on every idea, as a reality check, before committing your efforts and other people’s money to building a business: Look for places where competitors are few. Don’t forget to consider customer alternatives, like trains versus airplanes.

Technical Review 58

Technical Review Ideas Patents Startup 58

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 12, 2022

Of course, Jeff Bezos no longer needs investors, but he worked hard in his early days courting potential investors, building relationships and credibility that allowed him to get the money he needed to scale his company quickly. Quality of your technical and business teams. Proprietary technology with a high barrier to entry.

Technical Review 147

Technical Review Social Media Entrepreneur Startup 147

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2023

Some analysis and due diligence along the following lines should be performed on every idea, as a reality check, before committing your efforts and other people’s money to building a business: Look for places where competitors are few. Don’t forget to consider customer alternatives, like trains versus airplanes.

Ideas 106

Ideas Technical Review Patents Startup 106

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 24, 2022

As a business consultant and angel investor, I often ask for your own assessment of marketing ROI , or customer acquisition cost (CAC). Leaders and investors need to know if you have and are tapping into your key sources of relevant data, including web analytics, sales management data, and customer relationship management (CRM) software.

Customer 100

Customer Custom Acquisition Technical Review 100

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Of course, the response depends upon lots of variables, including whether the company is in a fund-raising mode (in which case the CEO may be spending up to 80% of their time on this alone). How much time do you devote to each type of activity?

Class 194

Class Organization Technical Review Activity 194

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. 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.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. 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.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 63

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 10, 2011

The remainder of this article will deal with this decision but it comes down to the different economics of DVD rentals due to “ the first sale doctrine ” which gives Netflix a complete library of films and the fact that the first-sale doctrine doesn’t apply to digital downloads. Of course the press is going to roast you.

Netflix 287

Netflix Customer Custom Pricing 287

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2013

Entrepreneurs have no trouble focusing on how to build a product, and the good ones know how to find and nurture those first critical customers. As the end of the year approaches, it’s a good time for every startup to assess the metrics, technology, and platforms they’re using to manage the business. Customer loyalty and retention.

Metrics 100

Metrics Technical Review Sales Customer 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2020

While this approach appears to cost more on the surface, it often actually costs you less, when you consider the hidden costs of rework, poor customer satisfaction, employee management, and training required. Direct customer-facing non-technical roles should be the last ones outsourced. with experience.

Outsource 123

Outsource Startup Technical Review Training 123

Tech.Co

JULY 22, 2016

Over the course of a month we put Enclave’s CineHome system to the test with dinosaurs, a few zombie games, and a touch of bass nectar. The subwoofer, though large, does pack a punch, but due to the factory tuning is limited in its abilities. Bluetooth is sort of a drunken technology. Personally I sort of hate it. Price: $1200.

Technical Review 70

Technical Review Design Startup Networking 70

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 2013

Clearly in an enterprise customer this is unlikely. We will have to build (or buy) technology in this area.” She might gladly tell you who gets decisions made, who is a pain in the arse, who is super technical, etc. Not always, of course. Call high, and get passed down or; B. It’s too strategic.

Sales 375

Sales Technical Review Organization Case Study 375

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

Of course you could start your own company. Even when you do sign-up initial customers it’s still not clear that your company will be a success and you’re still likely paying yourself under market rates. Of course I’m not suggesting people shouldn’t start a company.

Technical Review 150

Technical Review Startup Venture Capital IP 150

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. Regularly follow reviews and influencers in your industry. Ask the right questions, and listen to your customers.

Customer 57

Customer Custom Technical Review Software Review 57

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2021

Every entrepreneur with a new technology tells me that his innovation will be industry-disrupting, meaning that it will render the existing technology obsolete, and create a new market. Pick a technology that somehow seems inferior to the major incumbents. Look for sizable customer populations unattractive to incumbents.

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Entrepreneur Marketing Customer 157

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2022

” by Donna Cutting, who is a globally-recognized guru on employee culture and optimizing customer service. I will summarize these here, with my insights, for your review and implementation: Physical health. Of course, you as the business leader have a key role in making all this happen. Emotional stability. Social interactions.

Technical Review 141

Technical Review Mentor Social Media Customer 141

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2021

Of course there are people who are great at getting things done, but haven’t had an original idea in their life. For entrepreneurs, effective networking is required to find investors, partners, and customers. Customer retention. More customers are lost to apathy after the sale than poor service or quality.

Activity 133

Activity Startup Ideas Technical Review 133

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

Many times they also pick up product and tech, too. Often times you find the CEO who really just likes to do product or tech. Similarly I talk to CEOs who can’t do a sales pipeline review with me. I once did due diligence on a potential investment where the CEO was projecting $9 million in sales for his next 12 months.

Startup 325

Startup Technical Review Sales Report 325

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 13, 2020

Leading edge technology software and manufacturing require constant course corrections and iterative restarts. Customer-facing services, like call centers, should rarely be outsourced. Internal services, like marketing and accounting, are more manageable and have less customer visibility. Marty Zwilling.

Outsource Development 122

Outsource Development Outsource Software Review Technical Review 122

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Startup 136

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 136

Eric Greenspan

MAY 29, 2010

Using social media to increase your company’s touch and reach with each of your customers may be the most important reason to jump in to this game changing strategy. Social media can help bridge a long standing gap between customers and the companies they trust with their hard earned cash. 40,000) to join me on Facebook.

Social Media 214

Social Media Customer Custom Media 214

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

Although the major crowd funding sites today, including Kickstarter and Indiegogo , don’t technically require a business plan, they do demand essentially the same information in a project format. Of course, building a plan is not an alternative to getting out there and doing something. You need money, and plan to do crowdfunding.

Technical Review 126

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 126

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2022

On the other hand, if you are into solar technologies, there is probably an advantage to being in Arizona or a similar location. Of course, there are always exceptions, but how much added risk do you need for your startup? Of course, there are always exceptions, but how much added risk do you need for your startup?

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Oracle Software Review Ideas 123

SoCal Tech Calendar

APRIL 6, 2017

This course is about selling your innovation to investors, grant proposal reviewers, potential strategic partners, and to your intended customers. There are specific criteria that investors, partner prospects, and grant proposal reviewers are basing their personal decisions upon. Are your target customers not buying-in?

Funding 100

Funding Course Customer Custom 100

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

According to a recent Forbes article , UC Santa Barbara''s Technology Management Program offers students a superior startup education over the University of Pennsylvania (home of Wharton), as well Harvard, Northwestern and even its acclaimed southern neighbor, the University of Southern California. Want to be an entrepreneur? Techpreneurs.

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

socalTECH

DECEMBER 29, 2020

Every year, we feature the year end reflections of founders, CEOs, investors, and others in Southern California's high tech community. It's been a tough year for many due to the pandemic; how have you or your company adapted to the business environment?  We'll be posting these throughout the next two weeks.

Southern California 140

Southern California Technical Review Platform Organization 140

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 16, 2014

But if you level up , raise capital and grow customers, revenue and staff – life changes. The “span of control” for a growing tech startup is probably 6-9 people. You help them prioritize their objectives and review the results. You course correct. Marketing of course often feels the opposite.

Entrepreneur 385

Entrepreneur CTO Hire Startup Sales 385

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2020

and of course a relentless pursuit of helping founders succeed. So mostly we just had to listen to customer feedback from founders, VCs and LPs. The core of the investing job of course is investing dollars into startup companies and helping as a mentor, advisor and board member on the companies in which you’ve invested.

Venture Capital 361

Venture Capital Startup Invest CitySearch 361

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

Some analysis and due diligence along the following lines should be performed on every idea, as a reality check, before committing your efforts and other people’s money to building a business: Look for places where competitors are few. Don’t forget to consider customer alternatives, like trains versus airplanes.

Ideas 83

Ideas Technical Review Patents Startup 83

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2022

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Tips 104

Tips Startup Technical Review Equity 104

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 3, 2021

Smart potential customers only visit and buy from credible and memorable websites. No name, picture, address, or business history only convinces customers that you are hiding, located in an un-trustable country, or don’t have a clue. Highlight interviews and reviews from recognized industry sources, and news sources.

Web 117

Web Search Engine Optimization eBook Advertising 117

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

The main thrust of the post is that with YouTube taking a 45% of revenue and talent taking 70% of the remaining revenue, YouTube Networks didn’t have sustainable businesses unless they invested heavily in technology as a tool to increase margin and provide defensibility. That is the definition of Disruptive Technology.

Company 339

Company Companies Technical Review Content 339

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 27, 2012

David encourages entrepreneurs to stay away from the big tech firms (such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple) because they are hard to compete with. I believe entrepreneurs should, in David’s words, “build big businesses on the outskirts” but I don’t believe that Silicon Valley tech giants will outmaneuver startups.

Technical Review 299

Technical Review Venture Capital Yammer Google 299

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 19, 2013

And of course the most successful technology companies: Google, Facebook, Salesforce.com [duh], Oracle, Microsoft all have loads of sales people. The most important way to sell a product for an early-stage business (or frankly any stage) is to have strong referenceable customers. How do you get referenceable customers?

Startup 403

Startup Sales Software Review Technical Review 403

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

For example, Bill Gates founded and grew Microsoft, and Michael Dell built a great technology company, both with no outside funding until they went successful enough to go public years later and sell shares to common stockholders. Of course, this can be positive if you really need the help and experience in making key decisions.

Funding 107

Funding Startup Satisfaction Venture Capital 107

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2022

Of course, how you do this effectively is critical. Technical skills are important, but your ability to build and nurture relationships with others is more important for leadership growth and career advancement today. Your first priority should always be to sell yourself. Constantly focus on improving interpersonal skills.

Tips 121

Tips Social Media Mentor Technical Review 121

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2017

Even the most diligent investors are often surprised by apparently solid business startups that fail, while others succeed, despite the odds. This is an emerging theme in the past decade as investors learn that customers assign more value and loyalty to business owners who display this attribute. Don’t be afraid to stay the distance.

Technical Review 60

Technical Review Startup Mentor Study 60