Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2022

It is not for everyone, as the entrepreneur’s path is fraught with challenges. Many experts have tried to clearly lay out the criteria for survival in a way that allows you to judge your own situation and your own temperament, and make a rational decision before starting down this path. Problem solvers make successful entrepreneurs.

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Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Resource 110

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

In those days we did it for the joy of problem-solving and seeing something we created in our brains be realized in the real world (or at least the real, digital world). It wasn’t always like this and frankly it took a lot of joy out of the industry for me personally. What happened? A LOOK BACK I started my career as a programmer.

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Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2021

Some people even believe that entrepreneurs must be born with the right genes, and no element of education is relevant. In my view, the most effective entrepreneurs are those with a background of an array of real-life experiences, both positive and negative, as well as good academic and coaching activities.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2023

Many experts are certain that successful entrepreneurs are the ones with the most inspiration (passion and dream), while others will assert that it’s about more perspiration (working harder). Here are five key ones to celebrate: Enjoy the feedback from every satisfied customer. Celebrate the ability to pay yourself a salary.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2023

Every entrepreneur I know has their favorite excuse for a previous failure – an investor backed out, the economy took a downturn, or a supplier delivered bad quality. In that spirit, I offer my perspective on ten common startup failure sources that rarely get admitted by entrepreneurs: Choose to skip the written business plan.

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Startup Writing Entrepreneur Ideas 124

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I tend to see many of the same obstacles appearing in every new startup, and since I don’t want to appear to be a downer , I’m not sure how to properly warn people ahead of time to be on the alert for these challenges. Too many entrepreneurs think that expert external advisors are suspect, or will slow them down.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2023

In the last few years I have seen a popular business model emerging which embodies a greater focus on social and environmental responsibility, and a new requirement for trust and sharing, as well as customer and community collaboration. Customers and team members must be inspired, rather than pushed.

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Commerce Slides Customer Custom 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2023

Commonly, I find that business owners and entrepreneurs look first at solutions which solve painful problems, or have high profit margins, regardless of their own commitment to a higher purpose, such as saving the environment or helping the underserved. Test specifics and potential on friends, advisors, and potential customers.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2020

Many experts are certain that successful entrepreneurs are the ones with the most inspiration (passion and dream), while others will assert that it’s about more perspiration (working harder). Here are five key ones to celebrate: Enjoy the feedback from every satisfied customer. Celebrate the ability to pay yourself a salary.

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Satisfaction Customer Custom Outsource 174

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 28, 2020

How many entrepreneurs do you know that “almost” made it big? Surveys show that entrepreneurs are among the happiest people in the world, despite the challenges. Yet it would pay real dividends to know at the start what separates the “also-rans” from the winners. Startups are very risky, and most fail.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 15, 2021

I just finished a new book, “ Backable ,” by Suneel Gupta with Carlye Adler, which solidifies my belief than anyone can learn to be perceived as more credible and persuasive, and it’s a skill that every entrepreneur and business professional needs to master. Put yourself in a story that makes your case memorable.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

As an investor in startups, I most often see entrepreneurs who are technologists, or at least have a real passion for a specific product. While these investors, and early customers, will always argue that they found you, I’m convinced that there is no substitute for aggressive networking on your part.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2022

The entrepreneur’s challenge is to effectively communicate their value proposition, not only to customers, but also to vendors, partners, investors, and their own team. Stories often work better, because humans don’t always make rational decisions. Finding the source material for good stories.

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Training News Entrepreneur Customer 123

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2023

Savvy entrepreneurs start testing their ideas on potential customers even before the concept is fully cooked. I still hear too many excuses for not working early on the elevator pitch, like wanting to fly under the radar, don’t have the team together yet, or can’t afford an agency. Craft and hone your elevator pitch early.

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Ideas Startup Social Media Blogging 126

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

As an entrepreneur, I understand your passion when pitching your solution to investors and customers, but passion alone won’t make one more technology pitch stand out above all the rest. I can tell you from my own experience as an advisor and an investor, what everyone remembers is a good personal story.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 17, 2020

Every entrepreneur I know has their favorite excuse for a previous failure – an investor backed out, the economy took a downturn, or a supplier delivered bad quality. In that spirit, I offer my perspective on ten common startup failure sources that rarely get admitted by entrepreneurs: Choose to skip the written business plan.

Startup 174

Startup Writing Entrepreneur Ideas 174

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.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2020

As an angel investor and a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m always disappointed to see founders who seem stressed out most of the time, and more annoyed than energized by the abundance of challenges they see in building their startup. Investors and strategic partners look for entrepreneurs who can execute.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021

Yet in my experience on both sides of this equation, I find that many aspiring entrepreneurs focus only on the best idea , assuming that it will attract the right investors. In reality, that’s only half the story. Develop a personal story as a visionary and learner. The other half is you.

Ideas 140

Ideas Entrepreneur Equity Resource 140

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 10, 2021

In the last few years I have seen a popular business model emerging which embodies a greater focus on social and environmental responsibility, and a new requirement for trust and sharing, as well as customer and community collaboration. Customers and team members must be inspired, rather than pushed.

Customer 140

Customer Custom Slides Commerce 140

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2018

As an angel investor and a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m always disappointed to see founders who seem stressed out most of the time, and more annoyed than energized by the abundance of challenges they see in building their startup. Investors and strategic partners look for entrepreneurs who can execute.

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Entrepreneur Startup Activity Ideas 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2023

Many aspiring entrepreneurs I mentor can talk at length about their innovative ideas and passions, and ask lots of good questions, but never make much progress in building a real business. Once you learn how to make things happen in your own life, starting a business is easy. Establish a clear visual picture of each goal.

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Writing Ideas Startup Entrepreneur 92

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2022

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Others will work hard on a business plan, and then mail it indiscriminately to every potential investor they can find on the Internet.

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Technical Review Startup Statistics Social Media 109

socalTECH

MARCH 28, 2019

Earlier this month, the annual Montgomery Summit conference was held in Santa Monica, including a special portion of the conference dedicated to the Rise of the Female Entrepreneur. I see you were involved in the Rise of the Female Entrepreneur effort at the Montgomery Summit this year, tell me a little about what that is all about?

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Capital Entrepreneur Invest Artificial Inteligence 162

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2021

Businesses always seem to take longer to succeed than an entrepreneur expects. Here are ten ways he offers for an entrepreneur to enhance his/her strategies: Facilitate small choices that get you closer to the finish line. Talk directly to every key constituency often, and make your messages as sticky as possible.

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Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Demand 174

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 10, 2023

If you are one of the new age of entrepreneurs who hates the thought of doing a business plan as a first step in starting your new venture you will love this message. No business plan will save you if you are just picking ideas at random, or copying others, just because the story sounds attractive. The only reliable test is a real one.

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Startup Capital Resource Research 142

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2021

Aspiring entrepreneurs ask me why their great idea hasn’t sold; they talk about it endlessly, and they expect others to do the development, finance, and marketing work for them. Those at the other extreme don’t look up from the grindstone long enough to notice whether all their work is producing sweat equity or just sweat.

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Startup Patents Competition Social Network 160

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 4, 2014

Kurt and his crew can make these, and about 35 of other once-in-a-lifetime treks, a reality. If you could share one startup lesson with a young entrepreneur, what would it be? So I ask prospective new entrepreneurs, ''What is it specifically that you can bring to the industry?'' Ever fantasized about climbing Mt.

Entrepreneur 187

Entrepreneur Startup Social Media Resource 187

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 31, 2011

One of the most common questions that entrepreneurs who meet me for the first time like to ask is, “Do you miss being an entrepreneur? I thought I’d talk a bit about the differences I’ve experienced between being an entrepreneur & a VC – you know, from “both sides of the table.&#. On Being an Entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur 384

Entrepreneur Startup Venture Capital Ideas 384

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

He tells the story of how he was out of cash, stressed out, nobody in LA or Silicon Valley would give him money, he had finally found an investor in Minneapolis but his venture bank was going to shut him down for breaking a “covenant&# in their agreement by not having enough cash in the bank. The answer? Something so simple.

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Acquisition Startup Customer Custom 304

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 9, 2021

Many budding entrepreneurs struggle mightily with that first step – out of their comfort zone and into the unknown. So the real challenge is looking inward to check your alignment with these clues: Running a business is a passion you crave. You know what needs to be done, and not afraid to make the decisions.

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Startup Ideas Satisfaction Entrepreneur 168

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 21, 2021

Kaplan is a leading expert in building innovation cultures, and speaks from his real-world experience with many companies, as well as academic study. Kaplan is a leading expert in building innovation cultures, and speaks from his real-world experience with many companies, as well as academic study. You only get what you measure.

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Develop Development Startup Metrics 135

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 12, 2010

He sent me an email asking whether the approach was real and whether he should take it seriously. “Hi [entrepreneur], I hope all is well. I know the firm well and I know the entrepreneur & his business well. Perhaps outbound dialing / emailing programs worked well for growth equity firms in their core business.

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Venture Capital Entrepreneur Email Equity 294

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 16, 2009

This is part of my new series on what makes an entrepreneur successful. I originally posted it on VentureHacks , one of my favorite websites for entrepreneurs. I’m looking for the person that just “gets it.&# They know instinctually how customers buy and how to excite them.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

With the current volatile economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. It sounds like a great way to raise money, but here are some of the challenges you need to consider before trying it: Make sure the shell you choose is squeaky clean.

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Funding Summary Entrepreneur Acquisition 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 8, 2020

Savvy entrepreneurs start testing their ideas on potential customers even before the concept is fully cooked. I still hear too many excuses for not working early on the elevator pitch, like wanting to fly under the radar, don’t have the team together yet, or can’t afford an agency. Craft and hone your elevator pitch early.

Ideas 124

Ideas Tips Marketing Social Media 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 2, 2021

In the eyes of investors like me, to be an entrepreneur, it’s not enough to create an innovative solution – you need to convince me that you can build a profitable business. Understand the real-world domain you are entering. Don’t assume you can just scratch the details on the back of a napkin.

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Funding Startup Ideas Resource 152