Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 10, 2014

Your job is to challenge his thinking because you’ve been spending the last few years in front of customers, competitors, partners and investors and you should have a more intuitive sense of the future. You’re the coach, mentor, cheerleader. But your job isn’t to make every decision for him.

Startup 381

Startup Resource Venture Capital Activity 381

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 7, 2013

The bad news is that it is often difficult to determine which of these alternatives is ideal, since the definition of "ideal" changes as your venture matures. If you use the mentor-driven model that we pioneered at TechStars, you get entrepreneurs who are deeply connected with the broader entrepreneurial landscape.

Incubator 238

Incubator Startup News Entrepreneur 238

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 1, 2022

As a mentor to many business professionals and owners, and aspiring entrepreneurs, I find a wealth of innovative ideas, but often less insight on what it really takes to transform ideas into an income stream that can excite new customers into long-term business success. Test your innovation with at least a hundred customers.

Ideas 145

Ideas Startup Case Study Writing 145

socalTECH

DECEMBER 26, 2012

We were also about to build a really solid mentor network in a short period of time, pulling in about 250 CEO's and CTOs, from all backgrounds and locations. I'd say the biggest lesson I learned is that entrepreneurs need to have more contact with their customers and consumers upfront to build a better assessment of needs and priorities.

Southern California 168

Southern California High Tech SaaS Social Media 168

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2021

In my role as mentor to business professionals, I often get the question about your potential of going out on your own as an entrepreneur, versus your current role of working for a boss at an established company. Most importantly, you have to deal with customers, and understand their wants and needs.

Entrepreneur 158

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Ideas Social Media 158

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 2, 2019

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” According to my definition and Wikipedia , an entrepreneur is someone who builds a new business. The first myth you have to get past is that having the right idea will make you an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur 135

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Writing 135

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2021

In more recent years as a mentor and angel investor, I’ve been even more determined to pass this guidance to those now entering the workforce. Meeting your goals is the only definition of success. You need to understand that business is about satisfying your customer, as well as yourself. So many problems would go away."

Mentor 136

Mentor Conference Customer Custom 136

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

Julie is known as the entrepreneur’s selling mentor, for both men and women. Be passionate about what you are selling, and decide to be of service, by providing your customers with something of value in exchange for deserved payment. Make it real for you and your customers. Claim your sweet spot. Craft your irresistible pitch.

Sales 105

Sales Entrepreneur Mentor Customer 105

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 6, 2015

Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. If you can explain the problem to a mentor, or even write it down, you will more likely get to the root cause quickly, and avoid emotional and blame-infused responses. Explore solutions, outcomes, and options calmly.

Mentor 105

Mentor Entrepreneur Technical Review Satisfaction 105

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2022

In my experience of many years as a business founder, consultant, and executive, I offer the following list of situations that always imply a real need for people and business leadership, and have the potential for long-term positive impact to your bottom line and business success: Your business image is slipping in the eyes of customers.

Coach 120

Coach Satisfaction Customer Custom 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 28, 2014

Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. If you can explain the problem to a mentor, or even write it down, you will more likely get to the root cause quickly, and avoid emotional and blame-infused responses. Explore solutions, outcomes, and options calmly.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Mentor Technical Review Satisfaction 102

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2022

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” According to my definition and Wikipedia , an entrepreneur is someone who builds a new business. The first myth you have to get past is that having the right idea will make you an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Writing 124

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Even though I’m a big proponent of becoming an entrepreneur, it is definitely not for everyone. By following the crowdfunding campaigns of others, you can learn much about what types of ideas and solutions are attractive to customers, and also understand some new ways to raise money in todays competitive world.

Sample 126

Sample Entrepreneur Ideas Startup 126

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

A few are still trying to make a profitable business out of nurturing startups, but it’s a challenge to make money when your customer startups don’t have many resources to give. Mentoring and technical assistance from volunteer or paid experts. Direct seed funding, for a share of the equity, and introductions to investors.

Resource 159

Resource Startup Incubator Seed Funding 159

SoCal CTO

OCTOBER 5, 2010

How-to get that guy as your mentor - Gabriel Weinberg , September 20, 2010 Forming a couple of good mentor relationships can help bridge the gap between startup failure and success, especially for first-time entrepreneurs. But how do you actually get the right people to be your mentors? Want to start up in France? It’s simple.

Startup 191

Startup Product Technology Venture Capital 191

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

In my role as a mentor to business professionals and entrepreneurs over the years, I have found that it’s important to take a hard look at the relationships around you on a regular basis. But, like most other skills, you can learn from these priorities: Everyone benefits from active mentoring.

Tips 95

Tips Mentor Coach Activity 95

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2020

As an angel investor and a mentor to entrepreneurs I still see this every day. Since language and implication have changed a bit since then, I’ll restate Carnegie and Hill’s original principles here, with my own current-day commentary and recommendations added: Definiteness of purpose. Master-mind alliance. Going the extra mile.

Technical Review 126

Technical Review Ideas Entrepreneur Customer 126

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2011

Julie is known as the entrepreneur’s selling mentor, for both men and women. Be passionate about what you are selling, and decide to be of service, by providing your customers with something of value in exchange for deserved payment. Make it real for you and your customers. Claim your sweet spot. Craft your irresistible pitch.

Sales 93

Sales Entrepreneur Mentor Customer 93

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2020

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. Finally I realized that venture capital and angel investors are actually humans, despite some views to the contrary.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 126

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2020

According to most definitions, an entrepreneur is one who envisions a new and different business, meaning one that is not a copy of an existing business model. A business is an entity which exchanges goods and services with people outside the business (customers) for money, social good, or something of equal value.

Ideas 127

Ideas Entrepreneur Satisfaction Summary 127

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2013

Yet our initial customer success didn’t translate into big revenue growth and we faced issues such as: Do we support developers, end-users or both? was definitely in the bucket of amazingly talented founders with a great product that hadn’t yet proved product/market fit. I saw it first hand. I had stayed for 6 years.

Startup 303

Startup Technical Review Product Blogging 303

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 24, 2012

Julie is known as the entrepreneur’s selling mentor, for both men and women. Be passionate about what you are selling, and decide to be of service, by providing your customers with something of value in exchange for deserved payment. Make it real for you and your customers. Claim your sweet spot. Craft your irresistible pitch.

Product 91

Product Mentor Customer Custom 91

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 12, 2022

As an angel investor and a mentor to entrepreneurs I still see this every day. Since language and implication have changed a bit since then, I’ll restate Carnegie and Hill’s original principles here, with my own current-day commentary and recommendations added: Definiteness of purpose. Master-mind alliance. Going the extra mile.

Technical Review 119

Technical Review Ideas Entrepreneur Customer 119

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2019

Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. If you can explain the problem to a mentor, or even write it down, you will more likely get to the root cause quickly, and avoid emotional and blame-infused responses. Explore solutions, outcomes, and options calmly.

Mentor 85

Mentor Entrepreneur Technical Review Summary 85

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2015

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” According to my definition and Wikipedia , an entrepreneur is someone who builds a new business. The first myth you have to get past is that having an idea will make you an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2017

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” According to my definition and Wikipedia , an entrepreneur is someone who builds a new business. The first myth you have to get past is that having the right idea will make you an entrepreneur.

Mentor 90

Mentor Entrepreneur Ideas Writing 90

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. Finally I realized that venture capital and angel investors are actually humans, despite some views to the contrary.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 111

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 25, 2015

As an angel investor and a mentor to entrepreneurs I still see this every day. Since language and implication have changed a bit since then, I’ll restate Carnegie and Hill’s original rules here, with my own current-day commentary and recommendations added: Definiteness of purpose. Master-mind alliance. Going the extra mile. Enthusiasm.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Ideas Customer Custom 108

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 13, 2015

According to most definitions, an entrepreneur is one who envisions a new and different business, meaning one that is not a copy of an existing business model. A business is an entity which exchanges goods and services with people outside the business (customers) for money, social good, or something of equal value.

Entrepreneur 109

Entrepreneur Ideas Satisfaction Summary 109

InfoChachkie

APRIL 28, 2016

As noted in You're Never Too Old (Or Too Successful) For A Mentor , Bob is my mentor and friend. Demand Customer Centricity. Bob successfully managed his constituents by never forgetting that his ultimate “customers” were the students he was serving. I created a wake (for my team to ride.)” Borrow Best Practices.

Santa Barbara 100

Santa Barbara Mentor Education Demand 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2020

I’m definitely a proponent of this latter approach. When you are starting a new venture, raising capital, and landing those initial customers, the obstacles keep coming, so you need all the flexibility and resilience you can muster. In my view, entrepreneurship is an endurance sport, rather than a quick dash to success.

Startup 128

Startup Entrepreneur Satisfaction News 128

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2023

According to most definitions, an entrepreneur is one who envisions a new and different business, meaning one that is not a copy of an existing business model. A business is an entity which exchanges goods and services with people outside the business (customers) for money, social good, or something of equal value.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Satisfaction 108

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2014

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. Finally I realized that Venture Capital and Angel investors are actually humans, despite some views to the contrary.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Angel Social Media Patents 107

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2010

The servant leader serves the people they lead through mentoring, direct assistance, listening, and acting on their employees input. In addition, leaders need to serve the needs of customers and stakeholders, as well as those of team members, so a sense of balance is required. If not you, then who do you know who fits this definition?

Entrepreneur 91

Entrepreneur Mentor Organization Ideas 91

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2014

As an Angel investor and a mentor to entrepreneurs I still see this every day. Since language and implication have changed a bit since then, I’ll restate Carnegie and Hill’s original rules here, with my own current-day commentary and recommendations added: Definiteness of purpose. Master-mind alliance. Going the extra mile. Enthusiasm.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Ideas Startup Customer 104

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2019

Today, customers and future managers put a higher value on relationships, and expect to know you from industry conferences, social media, or recommendations from peers. Use blogging, outside publication, and speaking or mentoring opportunities to establish credibility and stand out above peers. Walk away from a bad role or customer.

Startup 98

Startup Outsource Development Competition Social Media 98

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2015

In my years of mentoring entrepreneurs, a problem I have seen too often is low self-esteem, and over-compensating through arrogance and ego. These entrepreneurs find it hard to respect customers or team members, and their ventures usually fail. Fortunately, both can be fixed.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Startup Satisfaction Competition 102