Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2023

Most entrepreneurs I meet are reluctant to disclose anything about their idea to investors before getting a signed confidential disclosure agreement (CDA). If you are approaching a recognized venture capital group, or even an accredited angel investor, a non-disclosure agreement is counter-productive. Sharing trade secrets.

Technical Review 101

Technical Review Patents Ideas Sample 101

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

Almost every early-stage startup who has approached investors for funding has heard the innocuous sounding rejection “I love your idea, but come back when you have more traction.” One customer is not traction, and beta tests with a thousand customers at no cost don’t count. Free and freemium products need a solid base.

Startup 121

Startup Metrics Custom Customer 121

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2015

Most entrepreneurs I meet are reluctant to disclose anything about their idea to investors before getting a signed confidential disclosure agreement (CDA). If you are approaching a recognized venture capital group, or even an accredited angel investor, a non-disclosure agreement is counter-productive. Sharing trade secrets.

Ideas 106

Ideas Technical Review Patents Entrepreneur 106

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

As an advisor to new hardware entrepreneurs, I often hear the myth that a business plan is no longer required to find an investor, if your idea is good enough. For the rest of us, we need a business plan, as well as a product plan. Use non-fuzzy terms to quantify customer value. Provide specifics on the customer business model.

Product 169

Product Summary Startup Examples 169

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2020

What I don’t see often are new solutions that force me to rethink how we work together, or really use AI to make the collaboration process more productive. But we all know that these are not solutions by themselves, but require integration into an innovative framework to solve real customer problems. Be forever curious and optimistic.

Startup 134

Startup Artificial Inteligence Ideas Entrepreneur 134

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 15, 2013

Potential startup founders are always looking for ideas to implement, when they should be looking for problems to solve. Customers pay for solutions, but there is no market for ideas. I’m often approached by people with a “million dollar idea,” but I haven’t seen anyone pay that for one yet. Marty Zwilling.

Ideas 99

Ideas Startup Competition Demand 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2013

Based on my own experience and feedback from friends, every investor is approached by at least ten entrepreneurs with a “hot idea” for a new business, for every one who has a real “plan” for a new business. In fact, you can find websites full of ideas, like these “ Free Innovative Ideas ,” by serial entrepreneur Kim E.

Ideas 106

Ideas Startup Summary CalTech 106

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2017

Potential startup founders are always looking for ideas to implement, when they should be looking for problems to solve. Customers pay for solutions, but there is no market for ideas. I’m often approached by people with a “million dollar idea,” but I haven’t seen anyone pay that for one yet. Marty Zwilling.

Ideas 55

Ideas Startup Competition Demand 55

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 Custom Customer Media 214

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 7, 2016

Every startup begins with an idea, but from that point forward, it’s all about execution. Founders soon learn that customers only spend real money for solutions rather than ideas. Investors have also learned not to invest in ideas but only in entrepreneurs and teams who can deliver solutions.

Ideas 59

Ideas Technical Review Google Startup 59

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2015

With the advent of social media and the pervasive move to smartphones, even customers who still prefer to purchase in brick-and-mortar stores have dramatically changed their shopping habits. Many people don’t post about their experiences, but still routinely check first to see what others are saying about the brand and the product online.

Custom 103

Custom Customer Marketing Social Media 103

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 11, 2011

He presented the idea at the TED conference in the mid 90′s and was literally boo’d while he was on stage. The idea actually came to him from the Yellow Pages business. He took out an ad in the Yellow Pages (it was the early 80′s, pre Internet), which cost him $1,000 / month for a half-page ad.

Competition 350

Competition Idealab Product CitySearch 350

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2012

Based on my own experience and feedback from friends, every investor is approached by at least ten entrepreneurs with a “hot idea” for a new business, for every one who has a real “plan” for a new business. In fact, you can find websites full of ideas, like these “ Free Innovative Ideas ,” by serial entrepreneur Kim E.

Ideas 97

Ideas Summary Startup CalTech 97

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 7, 2011

Based on my own experience and feedback from friends, every investor is approached by at least ten entrepreneurs with a “hot idea” for a new business, for every one who has a real “plan” for a new business. In fact, you can find websites full of ideas, like these “ Free Innovative Ideas ,” by serial entrepreneur Kim E.

Ideas 104

Ideas Entrepreneur Summary Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

Others schedule exhaustive training sessions for everyone on the team, including showcase customers, to make sure that everyone paints a consistent picture. Due diligence always involves on-site visits, informal discussions with any or all members of the team, vendors, and good customers as well as bad. Status of the solution.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 118

InfoChachkie

MAY 27, 2013

Last week, Divshot turned a simple April Fool''s Day joke into a marketing coup, generating nearly 6,000 Tweets and over a thousand Beta customers. The team''s ability to drive significant customer interest without spending a dime on marketing was one of the reasons Jim Andelman and I invested in the company.

Custom 195

Custom Customer Template Startup 195

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 24, 2015

Chris Tragos: Jetpack is an ad platform, which I would describe as the most beautiful, best engaging, and most performant ad product for desktop, mobile, and tablet. Our business is helping those guys make more money, through our better ad product. The HTML5 platform that we use is also available as a self service tool to customers.

Buzznet 100

Buzznet Outsource Development Design HTML 100

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. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Both of these approaches are a waste of your time and theirs.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Startup Statistics Social Media 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2021

In a two-minute video clip, you can introduce yourself, show your passion and the engaging personality you need to win over customers, partners, and employees. For the more traditional investor, or for that chance meeting in a real elevator or meeting, you need a two-page brochure (two-sided page). Executive summary glossy.

Entrepreneur 156

Entrepreneur Tips Funding Startup 156

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

As a new business advisor and occasional investor, I get approached regularly by people who have a dream or a new business idea, and are looking for support and money to make it a reality. Thus, I’m more impressed with entrepreneurs who ask me to review their implementation plan, rather than listen again to their idea.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2023

I suggest that the following key reasons from Glei for how the habit of frequency fosters both productivity and innovation in general, apply especially well to an entrepreneur starting a new business: Frequency makes starting easier. Frequency fosters productivity. Getting started is always a challenge. Frequency nurtures frequency.

Startup 109

Startup Writing Blogging Ideas 109

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2019

Starting a new business starts with selling everyone, including yourself, on the viability and specifics of your idea. Most people will be engaged by a single-page double-sided glossy executive summary, and offer support or the right people to move forward. Two-minute video highlighting you and your idea.

Ideas 126

Ideas Slides Sample Examples 126

InfoChachkie

MAY 27, 2013

Last week, Divshot turned a simple April Fool''s Day joke into a marketing coup, generating nearly 6,000 Tweets and over a thousand Beta customers. The team''s ability to drive significant customer interest without spending a dime on marketing was one of the reasons Jim Andelman and I invested in the company. Share and Enjoy.

Custom 153

Custom Customer Template Startup 153

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2020

Most of you aspiring entrepreneurs have new ideas on a regular basis, and find it hard deciding which to pursue, or try to tackle several at the same time. Every investor will tell you that they invest in the person, more than the product, because they have learned that people with focus find success.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Startup Patents Resource 126

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 29, 2020

I suggest that the following key reasons from Glei for how the habit of frequency fosters both productivity and innovation in general, apply especially well to an entrepreneur starting a new business: Frequency makes starting easier. Frequency fosters productivity. Getting started is always a challenge. Frequency nurtures frequency.

Startup 173

Startup Writing Blogging Ideas 173

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

link] Why (and who) she thinks will pay for premium Quibi content In a world of Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and YouTube, why would a customer choose to pay the $4.99 Hence, her analogy of content like “The Da Vinci Code” which had 464 pages and 105 bite-sized, fully realized chapters. monthly subscription (or $8 ad free) for Quibi?

Content 244

Content Netflix Platform Mobile 244

socalTECH

JULY 16, 2012

Jeremy Gocke: With Fliptu, we're aiming to fix the disjointed media and product discovery process for consumers and brands. I like to refer to that as the ultimate brand fan page, or to take the example from the apparel industry, where I come from, a virtual look book for a brand. What is Fliptu? The numbers tell the story.

Social Media 268

Social Media Media Social Network Seed Funding 268

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2021

Others schedule exhaustive training sessions for everyone on the team, including showcase customers, to make sure that everyone paints a consistent picture. Due diligence always involves on-site visits, informal discussions with any or all members of the team, vendors, and good customers as well as bad. Status of the solution.

Technical Review 151

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 151

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2019

Image via jisc Potential startup founders are always looking for ideas to implement, when they should be looking for problems to solve. Customers pay for solutions, but there is no market for ideas. I’m often approached by people with a “million dollar idea,” but I haven’t seen anyone pay that for one yet.

Startup 80

Startup Ideas Competition Demand 80

socalTECH

AUGUST 1, 2012

Last week, Los Angeles-based Chill (www.chill.com) made a stab at that, debuting a new front page meant to guide user to the most interesting videos on the web, through an easy-to-use interface. What's the whole new front page all about? What's interesting, however, is that we've found that we have two customers.

Startup 254

Startup Guide Redpoint Content 254

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 4, 2013

You need to first create a compelling product. Compelling in the sense that you solve a real problem a target group of potential customers has with a product that is significantly better than the alternatives on that market. You need product / market fit. Product / market fit is everything. ” True.

Startup 401

Startup Custom Customer Technical Review 401

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2020

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. Investors are buying part of the business, not the product or service. Both of these approaches are a waste of your time and theirs.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Statistics Startup Social Media 124

Eric Greenspan

APRIL 11, 2013

If you knew what your customers were thinking (and saying) about your product, service, or staff, imagine what you could do with this data. Facebook and Twitter have flourished because of people sharing ideas, content and mostly, sentiment. A customer service division can now spend most of its budget on simply this, listening.

Custom 117

Custom Customer Class Services 117

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2015

Blogging is one of the best ways to do this and build a brand, even before you have a product or service. In this age of relationships, you, the entrepreneur, are a very important element of your new brand, and it’s never too early to start marketing the value of your expertise, insights and ideas. Let that ideal co-founder find you.

Blogging 110

Blogging Startup Search Engine Optimization Social Media 110

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 28, 2011

Try something like, “the product costs $X, and we sell it for $Y.” You can innovate in technology, markets, and customers, but inventing a new business model is a bad bet. This model only works once you have exceeded about one million page-views per month, and spent maybe $50 million to get there. eCommerce model.

Ideas 92

Ideas Startup Custom Customer 92

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Entrepreneurs have always believed that their product or service must show real value to customers, but today the smart ones are even able to make their marketing valuable. The days are gone when marketing was all “pushing product.” Customers don’t even see this as advertising.

Content 92

Content Marketing Advertising Custom 92

SoCal Tech Calendar

JANUARY 8, 2013

Monday, January 14, 2013 -- Use 90 Sec Videos to Explain Your Product - Create Awesome. Explainer videos (those 60-90 sec videos on home pages around the Internet) are all the rage. How do you quickly and succinctly explain your product or service to your target customer so that you can engage them right away.

Product 113

Product Tips Email Ideas 113