Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2020

That’s why I caution my aspiring entrepreneur clients against proclaiming to investors that they are a great “idea” person. His challenge is to focus on one market, with a specific design, cost, and price. In addition, creating a business requires leading and interacting with other people, including partners, investors, and customers.

Ideas 126

Ideas Writing Examples Outsource 126

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 26, 2020

Startups across the nation and around the world are looking for ways to relieve shortages of much-needed personal protective equipment and sanitizers used to halt the spread of COVID-19. In fact, Kentucky was outbid by the federal government for personal protective equipment. Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images).

Company 281

Company Companies Mobile Organization 281

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2020

Here are some example strategies to pitch and practice: Adapt an existing product to a new use. Think smartphone cameras, as opposed to a new smartphone design. Target viable customer segments overlooked by competitors. Emulate the expansion of personal computers into industrial-strength versions, and cheap low-function boxes.

Startup 129

Startup Artificial Inteligence Examples Google 129

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2014

Yesterday I wrote a post about The Silent Benefits of PR in which I pointed out that most young companies I encounter don’t fully grasp the benefits of PR because they are less measurable than product milestones or customer acquisition analyses (like CAC/LTV). I wrote about how to build relationships with journalists in this post.

Press 319

Press Startup Writing Training 319

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 19, 2012

He is not a technical person, but is somewhat web savvy. This should be an iterative process with advisors and customers providing feedback on the product. Or you can have a pitch deck. Customer Development Notes I'm assuming founders are having customer development conversations. Don't stress over format.

Develop 354

Develop Development Technical Review CTO Coach 354

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 12, 2019

The company uses a proprietary food recommendation engine to determine its subscribers’ personal preferences to deliver them meals that are more tailored to their individual tastes. Territory also employs a unique business model, leveraging local chefs to prepare meals according to menus designed by the company. Meals are $10.95

Services 133

Services Los Angeles Funding Commerce 133

SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 17, 2009

I’ve recently had a chance to reconnect with Eric David Greenspan ( LinkedIn , Twitter ) He’s the CEO of Make It Work a high quality, personal, high touch technology service provider for homes and small businesses. A day might include a discussion with a finance partner, an investor, a customer or a fusion partner. Great posts.

Acquisition 170

Acquisition Customer Custom Ideas 170

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 25, 2013

They pitched on a Wednesday. Showing me designs. Talking about how to inspire moms to get their children engaged with iPads and physical activity sets customized for their kids and based in part on their digital lives. She talks about creative design of websites and physical products – in our case – stickers.

Startup 398

Startup Design Downey Activity 398

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2021

The best opportunities are recognized from painful needs, plus a growing population of customers with money to spend. Social entrepreneurs pitch me their latest idea for eliminating world hunger (producing algae), but may forget that really hungry people probably don’t have any money.

Startup 112

Startup Ideas Examples Entrepreneur 112

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2018

His focus is primarily on improving the results for traditional sales professionals, but I’m convinced that the same principles are equally critical for entrepreneurs selling their startup to investors, strategic partners, and customers. These attributes include the following: Specific moment-in-time indication.

Startup 84

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 84

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

Your historical trading information including financials and a “customer file” which shows the history of your transactions so that investors can run “cohort” analyses Customer reference, personal references, key team members, compensation, cap table, stock option plan, etc. It felt like heresy. It would be rude!?!

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 26, 2016

His focus is primarily on improving the results for traditional sales professionals, but I’m convinced that the same principles are equally critical for entrepreneurs selling their startup to investors, strategic partners, and customers. These attributes include the following: Specific moment-in-time indication.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Customer Custom 100

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

If you are one of the thousands of entrepreneurs who need equity funding to get your startup going (no loans to repay), you are probably overwhelmed at the prospect of finding, contacting and pitching to the huge number of qualified angels and investment groups around the country. Collect target customer testimonials and advocacy.

Platform 94

Platform Equity Invest Technical Advisors 94

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2015

Many soon find that what you do in a personal context doesn’t necessarily translate to your business, and measuring business value is quite different from measuring personal satisfaction. Startups should begin by selecting just a few of the vast array of social media offerings out there, and customize based on results.

Social Media 108

Social Media Media Startup Tips 108

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 25, 2014

He actually had pitched me on this several years ago, when I was in a middle of another project. What age is the service designed for? Girish pitched me on the idea for Thrively, and I loved the idea. Where''d the idea for the company come from? Jon Kraft: This is a vision that Girish and for several years.

Help 252

Help Idealab Activity Startup 252

Tech.Co

NOVEMBER 3, 2017

Their goal is to redefine personal security using a hybrid of new and old technology. The company recently pitched on Shark Tank. The catalogue of kits is designed to be approachable and memorable for a variety of customer segments. And the best part, it folds.

Startup 70

Startup Statistics Design Customer 70

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 4, 2009

If you sell a product direct to a customer – in person or on the phone – you need to understand what their pain points are and position your product benefits against those pain points. Many, many tech companies I meet start with a set of “awesome features” and present them to me (and I suspect also to customers). Why Buy Mine?

Sales 319

Sales Startup Platform Tips 319

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 28, 2012

Pitch and form teams! People had one minute to “pitch” their idea to the group as a whole. Of the 150+ participants, about 45 people pitched that night. I was #33 to go up and pitch my idea. Once the pitches were done we were given a cup and paper with our company name on it. We had exactly 54 hours!

Startup 99

Startup Technical Advisors Ideas USC 99

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 20, 2019

The best opportunities are recognized from painful needs, plus a growing population of customers with money to spend. Social entrepreneurs pitch me their latest idea for eliminating world hunger (producing algae), but may forget that really hungry people probably don’t have any money.

Startup 90

Startup Ideas Examples Entrepreneur 90

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 25, 2010

I think this is a perfect way to think about the world when you’re designing your product / company. Quite honestly I see way too many company pitches that are designed for Techies but I only want to invest in products designed for Normals. Now remind me, why TF would a person use your product in the first place?

Product 348

Product Startup Design Blogging 348

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2013

Steve Jobs of Apple has been maybe the most visible example of this phenomenon, but others often mentioned include Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Joe Costello (Cadence Design), and Howard Schultz (Starbucks). Strive for breathtaking design, as well as function. Strive for breathtaking design, as well as function.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Marketing Startup Design 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 20, 2015

In a new book, “ Disruption by Design ,” by the renowned innovation consultant Paul Paetz, I found a list of common patterns and recognizable attributes that I like, called disruption fingerprints. Think personal computers compared to mainframes, or smartphone cameras compared to professional cameras. Marty Zwilling.

Marketing 102

Marketing Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 102

socalTECH

DECEMBER 7, 2016

Before that, I was at a multimedia design academy in high school. I've always been a mobile enthusiast, in technology and design and user experience. Eli Aizenstat: I entered into the Design Accelerator, which is an accelerator run in conjunction with the Art Center College of Design and Caltech, in the summer of 2014.

Tech Coast Angels 100

Tech Coast Angels CTO Coach Startup Pasadena Angels 100

SoCal Delicious

JANUARY 9, 2014

Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle framework “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” Simon Sinek If your customers believe in your mission, then they’ll warm to you and listen to what you offer and how. This helps to add some constraints to the design process as everyone has a clear idea of what the product isn’t.

Startup 78

Startup Design Customer Custom 78

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 20, 2012

Steve Jobs of Apple has been maybe the most visible example of this phenomenon, but others often mentioned include Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Joe Costello (Cadence Design), and Howard Schultz (Starbucks). Strive for breathtaking design, as well as function. Strive for breathtaking design, as well as function.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Design Ideas Startup 100

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 14, 2018

The idea is simple enough: several female VC partners at top funds will hold 1-hour meetings with 40 promising female entrepreneurs looking to get advice on their business and pitch in a friendly, non-judgmental, safe environment. Thanks to her, I never thought much about my identity being defined by being a woman.

Venture Capital 256

Venture Capital Examples Screening Help 256

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 13, 2014

Similar to how 800 numbers work, the charge goes to the company instead of the consumer; thus allowing customers to freely browse and interact with their platforms. Interspersed between these announcements were two separate rounds of pitches from the weekend’s hack-a-thon. More here: AT&T Sponsored Data. SafeNecklace.

Develop 81

Develop Development Mobile Design 81

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2016

In a recent book, “ Disruption by Design ,” by the renowned innovation consultant Paul Paetz, I found a list of common patterns and recognizable attributes that I like, called disruption fingerprints. Think personal computers compared to mainframes, or smartphone cameras compared to professional cameras. Marty Zwilling.

Technical Review 61

Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer Custom 61

InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 24, 2011

Value Prop Twitter Style : SocialStay is: "An easy to set up & manage mobile platform designed for the hospitality industry. Without their buy in, we don’t get the opportunity to interact with end customers. Users who will not trade personal info will remain unwilling. It drives revenue & engages guests."

Startup 233

Startup Design Mobile Social Network 233

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2011

You fish where your customers are. And I’ve personally played with all of the major applications in this space. And I’ve personally played with all of the major applications in this space. He also was an executive talent at Activision having designed & managed two products (Mechwarrior 2 and ?Interstate

Gogii 310

Gogii Invest Blogging Startup 310

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2012

If you want advice or funding, and the person you are about to pitch to is a certified investor, or a senior business advisor, skip the NDA. That doesn’t mean you can’t talk in general terms about your idea, and even pitch to investors. Investors don’t need to hear the details anyway, until the due diligence phase.

Startup 97

Startup Patents Sample Ideas 97

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2013

If you want advice or funding, and the person you are about to pitch to is a certified investor, or a senior business advisor, skip the NDA. That doesn’t mean you can’t talk in general terms about your idea, and even pitch to investors. Investors don’t need to hear the details anyway, until at least the due diligence phase.

Ideas 92

Ideas Demand Patents Entrepreneur 92

Tech.Co

JANUARY 4, 2018

For many founders, getting noticed by investors, potential customers, incubators and other companies, is a necessity to take your product to the next level. If you love making custom herbal remedies at home, then Altopa has a gadget for you. Rifft is a company that has designed a multitude of products aimed to enrich our everyday life.

Startup 70

Startup High Tech Product Design 70

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2017

The best opportunities are recognized from painful needs, plus a growing population of customers with money to spend. Social entrepreneurs pitch me their latest idea for eliminating world hunger (producing algae), but may forget that really hungry people probably don’t have any money.

Ideas 59

Ideas Startup Examples Entrepreneur 59

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 24, 2011

If you want advice or funding, and the person you are about to pitch to is a certified investor, or a senior business advisor, skip the NDA. That doesn’t mean you can’t talk in general terms about your idea, and even pitch to investors. Investors don’t need to hear the details anyway, until the due diligence phase.

Patents 90

Patents Sample Ideas Entrepreneur 90

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 18, 2013

All of the fundraising and pitching gets easier if you have a great business,” said Rannala. The Black Tux online tuxedo rental, which is reinventing the customer experience in the antiquated $10B+ tuxedo rental and sales industry. RocksBox , a new discovery and sales channel for designer fashion jewelry.

Class 100

Class Startup Tech Coast Angels CTO Coach 100

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

Kathy Sierra at Business of Software 2009 - Business of Software Blog , May 4, 2010 "In the old days, getting customers was easy. Putting customers first. Legendary customer support. Instead of making a few dollars per sale and hoping for thousands of sales, you sell to only a few customers, and charge much higher rates.

Startup 248

Startup Venture Capital Conference Social Media 248