Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2023

Your concept has to be understood by customers and investors in 30 seconds or less, and everyone needs to immediately see how awesome it would be, or that they would be nuts not to have it. I’m looking for the “hook” right up front, or I lose interest quickly, just like every customer and investor these days.

Startup 96

Startup Education Ideas Customer 96

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2020

Your concept has to be understood by customers and investors in 30 seconds or less, and everyone needs to immediately see how awesome it would be, or that they would be nuts not to have it. I’m looking for the “hook” right up front, or I lose interest quickly, just like every customer and investor these days.

Startup 166

Startup Education Ideas Customer 166

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

(In case it’s not obvious it’s a play on the Nike slogan, “Just Do It.&# ) I believe that being successful as an entrepreneur requires you to get lots of things done. Entrepreneurs make fast decisions and move forward knowing that at best 70% of their decisions are going to be right. This paralyzes most people.

Entrepreneur 414

Entrepreneur Technical Review Slides CTO Coach 414

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2020

For example, I usually hear about an aggressive marketing budget, with a plan to penetrate a few big retail chains, and some videos to catch your attention on YouTube. What I want to hear is an innovative marketing and growth strategy that will set you apart in the minds of investors, as well as customers.

Marketing 170

Marketing Startup Examples Customer 170

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2021

The ultimate compliment that any entrepreneur can get is that they can “see around corners.” Elon Musk with Tesla and SpaceX may be the most current example of this phenomenon, but others often mentioned include Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Joe Costello (Cadence Design), and Howard Schultz (Starbucks).

Marketing 157

Marketing Design Entrepreneur Ideas 157

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2022

Entrepreneurs are now measured against the “triple bottom line” (TBL or 3BL) of people, planet, and profit. How does any entrepreneur define the right balance, and then measure their performance against real metrics? Many young entrepreneurs seem to think that capitalism and making profit are dirty words.

Startup 110

Startup Entrepreneur Capital Examples 110

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2021

I often wonder whether you as the entrepreneur have worked as hard on your pricing strategy as you have on your innovative solution. If your innovation is real, it brings added value to the table, so most customers, especially early ones, are willing to pay a premium over competitive products.

Pricing 145

Pricing Startup Competition Examples 145

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2021

Examples include the Conscious Capitalism® movement, founded by John Mackey of Whole Foods, the B Team , founded by serial entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, and the Benefit Corporation (B Corp) form of business now available in 35 states. That means educating targeted supporters is key, even before you start to sell.

Education 151

Education Customer Custom Sales 151

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2018

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” If you have the urge to be an entrepreneur, I encourage you to think seriously about each of these, before you zero-in on one or two, and get totally discouraged if those don’t work for you.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Startup Equity Funding 96

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 15, 2021

As a long-time business advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs, I’ve always been impressed with the few who seem to always come out ahead, no matter what the challenge. It seems to be more a function of mindset and principles, more than education or natural ability. Deliver value to your customer, to accrue value in you.

Education 148

Education Mentor Customer Custom 148

TechCrunch LA

MAY 23, 2019

“We feel over the next couple of years, we’ll start to see repeat entrepreneurs come out of these LA companies. ” Fika Ventures focuses on the greater B2B ecosystem but has also supported companies solving social issues within housing, education and healthcare. .”

Funding 218

Funding Startup Seed Funding Los Angeles 218

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 3, 2014

These sites (so far) have managed to balance facilitating product discovery and purchase capabilities with users'' desires to entertain and educate themselves without feeling like they are in a marketplace. It is no secret that Pinterest and other social commerce sites have begun to dial in the commerce equation.

Entrepreneur 210

Entrepreneur Commerce Sites Social Network 210

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 25, 2014

The days are gone when a techie or a genius could build things in his garage and customers would find and buy the product, based purely on the “wow factor” of the technology. Thus customers and partners rely more and more on personal engagement with people. New technologies are everywhere today. Make it an enjoyable experience.

Customer 99

Customer Custom Startup Content 99

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2023

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” If you have the urge to be an entrepreneur, I encourage you to think seriously about each of these, before you zero-in on one or two, and get totally discouraged if those don’t work for you.

Startup 106

Startup Capital Equity Funding 106

Berkonomics

OCTOBER 8, 2015

But what most entrepreneurs fail dramatically at is to celebrate the moment. To celebrate with your customers, who worry over continuity and look to you for assurances that the transition will not negatively affect them. The do as all good entrepreneurs do. Many fail multiple times. Some fail in the first year of the attempt.

Entrepreneur 120

Entrepreneur Writing .Net Sales 120

InfoChachkie

JUNE 4, 2012

As an entrepreneur, I helped create companies which achieved two IPOs and two trade sales totaling $385 million. Fallacy: Startup ventures tend to evolve, especially after you begin speaking with pesky customers and demanding partners. Fallacy: An entrepreneur’s two most precious assets are time and money. Grant Exclusivity.

Entrepreneur 272

Entrepreneur Outsource Ideas Technical Review 272

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2020

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” If you have the urge to be an entrepreneur, I encourage you to think seriously about each of these, before you zero-in on one or two, and get totally discouraged if those don’t work for you.

Funding 174

Funding Startup Equity Examples 174

Berkonomics

JANUARY 13, 2022

What most entrepreneurs fail dramatically at is to celebrate the moment. To celebrate with your customers, who worry over continuity and look to you for assurances that the transition will not negatively affect them. Then do as all good entrepreneurs do. and consider those whose exits were not so great. Take a long breath.

Writing 156

Writing Entrepreneur .Net Sales 156

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 13, 2010

It was difficult to make the transition to a “top down&# thinker but as a senior executive – and as an entrepreneur – you’re far less effective without this skill in your arsenal. I assembled tons of data, grouped things, found results and drew conclusions. I started by doing billing systems.

Entrepreneur 372

Entrepreneur Startup Design Framework 372

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2014

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” If you have the urge to be an entrepreneur, I encourage you to think seriously about each of these, before you zero-in on one or two, and get totally discouraged if those don’t work for you.

Startup 113

Startup Entrepreneur Funding Equity 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 15, 2020

As a business advisor, I have too often seen technical entrepreneurs get a product or service off the ground with ease, but then struggle mightily when their business reaches a couple of million in annual sales, or the employee count grows beyond a handful. True entrepreneurs love the tactical and problem solving challenges.

Startup 125

Startup Training Entrepreneur Organization 125

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2022

Very few entrepreneurs have the range of skills and experience to be the solution creator as well as business creator, or operational as well as sales leader. A good overall example is the synergy between Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, as well as long-time Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt. Conflicting visions won’t work.

Software Review 154

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 154

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 19, 2020

Technical entrepreneurs love their technology, and often are driven to launch a startup on the assumption that everyone will buy any solution which highlights this technology. Instead, they need to validate a customer problem and real market need first. Customers buy solutions, not technology. Limit the features and complexity.

Technology 127

Technology Marketing Social Media Customer 127

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 13, 2013

Entrepreneurs are now measured against the “triple bottom line” (TBL or 3BL) of people, planet, and profit. How does any entrepreneur define the right balance, and then measure their performance against real metrics? Many young entrepreneurs seem to think that capitalism and making profit are dirty words.

Entrepreneur 98

Entrepreneur Startup Examples Satisfaction 98

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2014

Technology is so key to every business these days that experienced business-smart but non-tech entrepreneurs are falling deeper and deeper in the hole. Only one component of running a business is managing technology, but it is a critical component, so no entrepreneur can afford to ignore it or totally delegate it.

High Tech 103

High Tech Entrepreneur Startup Social Media 103

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 18, 2020

As an advisor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I tell people that these platforms are an easy and low risk way to test your fit for the entrepreneur lifestyle, without jumping off the cliff. Here are some key principles to consider in every case: Solve a significant problem for customers with money.

Platform 145

Platform Startup Social Media Customer 145

SoCal Tech Calendar

OCTOBER 14, 2016

Join us at the Pepperdine West Los Angeles Graduate Campus and learn invaluable information about what it means to be an entrepreneur. They're seeking community, education, entertainment, and most of all, a sense of authenticity. Storytelling allows brands to speak to their customers in a way that builds lasting trust.

Pepperdine 100

Pepperdine West Los Angeles Education Entertainment 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 24, 2014

Unfocused entrepreneurs boast that their new technology will generate multiple disruptive products for consumers as well as enterprises around the world. Keep these balanced and aligned between people (customers, employees) and process (quality, service, revenue), and keep the scope realistic (eliminating world hunger is too broad).

Entrepreneur 103

Entrepreneur Competition Technical Review Oracle 103

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2013

The ultimate compliment that any entrepreneur can get is that they can “see around corners.” 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).

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Marketing Startup Design 102

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 20, 2013

The days are gone when a techie or a genius could build things in his garage and customers would find and buy the product, based purely on the “wow factor” of the technology. Thus customers and partners rely more and more on personal engagement with people. New technologies are everywhere today. Make it an enjoyable experience.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Startup Content Media 111

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2014

A good overall example is the synergy between Google co-Founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, as well as with Chairman Eric Schmidt. Most entrepreneurs work long hours and weekends to get the job done. The passion has to be in the business context – meaning results oriented, customer oriented, and sensitive to competition.

Software Review 107

Software Review Entrepreneur CTO Hire Outsource Development 107

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 20, 2012

The ultimate compliment that any entrepreneur can get is that they can “see around corners.” 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).

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Design Ideas Startup 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 28, 2012

But once you start selling products, all of these pale in comparison to the level of customer experience you provide. Here are the top ten suggestions from John and others for how to create a culture of extreme customer focus in your organization: Create a customer service vision. Exceed customer expectations.

Customer 104

Customer Custom Startup Organization 104

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 18, 2016

When entrepreneurs introduce new products to the market, their passion and conviction often leads them to assume that every potential customer will see the immediate need and value, and will quickly adopt the solution. If your solution alleviates a high level of existing pain, customers more readily change.

Product 95

Product Case Study Customer Custom 95

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

Among other things, he outlines some of the popular assessment tools that I also often recommend as a mentor to entrepreneurs, including the following: MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator). The MAPP career test was one of the first comprehensive career tests online for consumers, with over 7 million customers. MAPP™ Career Assessment.

Tool 114

Tool Entrepreneur Mentor Help 114

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2020

Technology is so key to every business these days that experienced business-smart but non-tech entrepreneurs are feeling deeper and deeper in the hole. Only one component of running a business is managing technology, but it is a critical component, so no entrepreneur can afford to ignore it or totally delegate it.

Competition 174

Competition High Tech Startup Social Media 174

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 19, 2021

As an entrepreneur, you have to improvise and adapt quickly to survive and thrive in the face of the unpredictable challenges of the market. You can’t learn and adapt quickly to the changing needs of your customers and the marketplace if you are afraid of failure. Leaders must be the example. Improvisation does require training.

Startup 139

Startup Training Examples Ideas 139