Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2022

We are living in a new generation of business, where customers drive the experience, and highly engaged employees are required to keep up with customer expectations. Enlightenment refers to an interest in staying informed and approaching every interaction free of prejudice. Enlightened: open your mind and constantly learn.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 25, 2021

Today’s customers are overloaded and overwhelmed by too much information, so making a decision is a challenge. Every aspect of your business must be about sales. Every aspect of your business must be about sales. No matter how certain you are that your solution perfectly matches customer needs, you will be wrong.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 10, 2021

In addition to obvious economic challenges, the emerging generation of customers is determined to radically change the rules for customer engagement. He makes a convincing argument that it’s time for every company to get prepared for the next customer generation, or your company is heading toward life support.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2022

Today’s customers are much more in control of their buying decision, as they have more choices and more information than ever before. Bloom’s classic book, “ The New Experts: Win Today's Newly Empowered Customers.” This is a key moment where your customer acquisition costs go way down, and your profits go way up.

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Customer Custom Startup Course 146

Berkonomics

JANUARY 24, 2019

Rules about non-compete agreements . So, what are the rules about those pesky non-compete agreements signed upon your discharge, or upon the sale of your previous company? You cannot complain that the document or information in question is more than five years or two employers old. The obvious admonition. Digital or analog!

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Berkonomics

JANUARY 24, 2019

Rules about non-compete agreements . So, what are the rules about those pesky non-compete agreements signed upon your discharge, or upon the sale of your previous company? You cannot complain that the document or information in question is more than five years or two employers old. The obvious admonition. Digital or analog!

Company 120

Company Companies News Startup 120

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 17, 2017

They actually lost about $175 million in cash in that quarter, FWIW. I know this seems obvious but I promise you that even smart people forget this when talking about profitability. Do 20% of the customers make 80% of the revenue or do the top 3 customers represent 80% of the revenue. Is it one product line or multiple?

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 25, 2022

I’m sure you have all noticed how today’s customers have changed the way they shop, but I still find, as an advisor and consultant, that many of you aren’t sure how to deal with the new mode, or are still waiting for things to get back to the old normal. Convenience is in the eye of the customer, not your company.

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Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2013

For much of 2013 I watched the press write articles about how the YouTube “MCNs” (multi-channel networks) were doomed and tried to square that with the data I was watching at the one I invested in, Maker Studios, who has had one hell of a year. I agree with YouTube (that they provide more (hosting, ad sales, etc.)

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Berkonomics

JANUARY 9, 2020

One of your employees is approached by an employee of a customer or of a supplier, stating that “It sure would be great to work in your company.” The rule should be one that includes only one “out”: if a person resigns from the position with the stake-holding company, then you will be happy to talk about a position.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2023

Businesses see this as the Holy Grail for finally being able to predict who, where, and when customers will buy their existing solutions, and what their future solutions must look like to be attractive. Information overload and data quality. quintillion bytes a day. In reality, more data does not necessarily lead to better decisions.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2020

As a long-time business executive and adviser to entrepreneurs, I see a definitive shift away from customer trust in traditional business messages, and the executives who deliver them. I summarize the key elements of the transformation as follows: Customers are seeking control in a run-away world.

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Customer Custom Social Media Technical Review 173

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 28, 2012

This is a hot topic I’ve been asked a lot about recently. When is it appropriate for a VC to call your customers? I have seen some entrepreneurs go into first meetings willing to share almost anything about their company. I have seen others who seem guarded and cloaked about what they’re working on. So why are we here?”

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2022

With the ITRC 2021 End-of-Year Data Breach Report revealing a 68 percent increase in stolen sensitive personal information, there is a growing population out there worried about all the people intent on hurting them. A few years earlier, Marriott account information was hacked, and some feel it hasn’t fully recovered since.

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Customer Custom Technical Review Symantec 137

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2020

Traditional marketing says you have to “push” your message out to customers, over and over again, to get you remembered. A more effective approach in today’s Internet and interactive culture is to use “pull” technology to bring customers and clients to your story. Craft an “About” page. Refresh it often. Skip the Flash videos.

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Customer Custom FAQ Technical Review 160

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 18, 2019

The Truth About the Scooter Economy?—?An Pause to think about how remarkable that truly is. This year we’re in > 100+ cities and 100+ campuses and we’re operational with street teams, better software, better bikes and a more informed ridership. link] The Truth About the Scooter Economy?—?An they were highly visible.

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Santa Monica Venice Competition Software Review 250

Berkonomics

AUGUST 29, 2019

For weeks, we’ve highlighted both good and bad things about boards of directors for your company (or non-profit.) Some of your board members will have and offer more relevant contacts than others, and you will soon learn the importance of keeping those board members in closer contact and better informed between meetings.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Today’s customers are much more in control of their buying decision, as they have more choices and more information than ever before. Bloom’s classic book, “ The New Experts: Win Today's Newly Empowered Customers.” This is a key moment where your customer acquisition costs go way down, and your profits go way up.

Customer 124

Customer Custom Startup Course 124

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Email readers, continue here…] I am chairman of the Technology Division of the ABL Organization, a roundtable organization with multiple CEO roundtables of about twelve members each, meeting monthly. What if?” “How about…” “When should we…” “How could we…” You get the idea. It represents strategic thinking.

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Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 28, 2018

less than 18 months from when the company was created so I thought it was probably a good time to weigh in on the questions I get asked most frequently and why we’re so excited about Bird. How could Bird really be worth the reported $2 billion valuation that I read about in this press? You don’t “Bing” information or “Hulu and chill.”

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Santa Monica Funding Startup Course 256

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 9, 2013

This post talks about the last part of the PUCCKA methodology – an Aligned Purchasing Process. You know exactly when you want to sell to this customer and presumably it’s this quarter! Which customers to target: Elephants, Deer or Rabbits ? Key Players such as enemies, sages and blockers. Beware of crocodile salesmen.

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InfoChachkie

JULY 7, 2016

When investors do interject, demos typically become even more pedantic, as Founders feel compelled to speak expansively about specific features in an attempt address the investor’s concerns. As such, I understand the degree to which hand waving and vaporware can influence investors and potential customers. However, I am indifferent. .

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Venture Capital Product Software Review Technical Review 176

Berkonomics

MAY 30, 2019

And the best way to do this is with the placement of a case study, a story told about and by a satisfied customer with something to say about how your product solved their problem or pain. But it must be told about and by the customer, with your product as the tool of solution, not the focus of the story.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2019

Today’s customers are overloaded and overwhelmed by too much information, so making a decision is a challenge. Every aspect of your business must be about sales. Every aspect of your business must be about sales. No matter how certain you are that your solution perfectly matches customer needs, you will be wrong.

Customer 107

Customer Custom Sales Social Media 107

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 14, 2014

In fact 61% of all mobile searches where a customer contacts a business it is via a phone call (source: Google). People don’t want to speak to customer service reps. I don’t want to speak to customer service reps!! 61% of mobile searches in which a customer contacted a vendor, a phone call was generated.

Email 339

Email SaaS Venture Capital Google 339

socalTECH

JUNE 14, 2013

It''s almost always difficult to get people to share information about your startup to the world. He explained the sharing of cute dog photos came out of the company''s desire to create engaging content in Facebook, about something that people find interesting. Does it work?

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Customer Custom Santa Monica Social Media 216

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2011

I agreed to do the interview because the story was about what other companies can learn rather than about airbnb in particular. Understand the Gravity of the Situation for Your Customers. So how do you know when to publicly come forward with information and when to not do so? Make the story be about your market.

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Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

When Ethan was considering leaving Google we talked about it. And because I wanted Ethan to be able to attract a great team, build & iterate a product, test it with initial customers and refine his strategy before having to take the wrappers off of his company. What do we like about OpenTable?

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TechEmpower

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

So instead, we fill it with a completely custom blurb, written just for him: Hello! The information provided was all pulled from data he’s already entered - just Mark, Houston, Math Teacher, Teach for America. Now that AI is here to help, every textbox is an opportunity to help a customer through the challenge.

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Generative AI Artificial Inteligence TechEmpower Tips 295

Berkonomics

JANUARY 20, 2012

What is the rule about those pesky non-compete agreements signed upon discharge or sale of the previous company? In that case, you must worry only about information and trade secrets taken from the previous company which are both certainly subject to protection by almost all laws and courts.

Company 136

Company Companies News Design 136

InfoChachkie

APRIL 29, 2013

You operate your business from a small boat in the remote waters of northern Fiji and your customers are spread across the globe, residing in the US, Europe and Asia. How can you protect your company''s reputation when a rouge customer unjustly flames your startup? Left unattended, such attacks are detrimental. Bipolar Reviewers.

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Social Media Customer Custom Media 213

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 20, 2015

If one entered between 2009-2015 he or she is no doubt in the “hazard” phase where one need to be careful about thinking he know more about the industry than perhaps he do. No – I’m not talking about YOU – everybody is doing it. I know we spoke about it this week. 10 is the new 3.

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Funding Venture Capital Startup Marketing 150

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 16, 2015

recently wrote a post talking about how some VCs meddle in operating company decisions or some executive teams are too reliant on VCs to jump in and make hard calls for them. It isn’t uncommon for CEOs to talk about biz dev deals prematurely, hint at product announcements or even hint at acquisitions.

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Xconomy

MARCH 15, 2019

A global pharmaceutical company based in France has licensed software developed by San Diego digital health startup CureMatch that aims to help cancer doctors customize the combination of drugs they prescribe to patients based on mutations in cancer DNA. The company, which CEO Bob Manning says has raised about $2.5

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Customer Custom San Diego Guide 76

Berkonomics

APRIL 28, 2022

There is so much information being shot at us daily via social media streams that we should monitor and control that which pertains to our business – and do so with some level of expertise. There are tools to inform you when your company name or personal name is mentioned. Finding your needle in the haystack. Start with a simple tool.

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Social Media Media Search Engine Optimization Tool 156

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2018

In today’s totally interconnected world with its abundance of information, choices, and marketing, how your customers buy has drastically changed. Whether you are an executive, an entrepreneur, a marketer, or a salesperson, it’s time to look beyond how you sell, and focus on how your customers buy.

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Customer Custom Social Media Startup 94

Tech.Co

JANUARY 10, 2018

In the Harvard Business Review Female Economy 2009 report, women purchasing power was predicted to control about $28 trillion in annual global consumer spending, if not more. If they know a product is good enough for their family and children, they will share that information with friends. Connect With Your Customers.

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Tips Customer Custom Dollar Shave Club 71