Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2020

I suggest looking for painful problems to solve, rather than “easier to use” or “nice to have” solutions, for customers with money. Customers line up to believe and buy from people who are viewed as leaders or experts relative to a specific solution. Collaborate with customers to tune your solution.

Outsource Development 154

Outsource Development Social Media Software Review Customer 154

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 19, 2020

Ready to scale is when you have a proven product and a proven business model, about to expand to new geographies and markets. Most consulting services, like marketing, are not scalable, since they must be delivered by experts, and cloning experts is slow and expensive. Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage.

Startup 154

Startup Outsource Ideas Research 154

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Santa Monica-based TaskUs , the fast growing provider of outsourced customer experience and back end services for online companies, said it has hired three new executives on Thursday, to help it with its growth efforts. Sakar was previously at PatientSafe Solutions, Sutherland Global Services, and Sutherland Healthcare Solutions.

Outsource 100

Outsource Santa Monica Yahoo Sales 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

It wasn’t so many years ago that starting a new e-commerce business on the Internet was a complex custom development project, usually costing a million dollars or more. You can now skip the mandatory office space rental, with secretary and bookkeeping staff, or outsourcing. Social media facilitates marketing and sales.

Entrepreneur 162

Entrepreneur Startup Social Media Outsource Development 162

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2023

On the product side, once you have a proven product and business model, all you need is money to build inventory, and a sales and marketing operation to drive the business. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price.

Startup 111

Startup Training Services Writing 111

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. If both of you are experts at software development, even though one loves design and the other loves coding, that still won’t get the marketing done.

Software Review 154

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 154

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 19, 2013

The era of VCs investing in successful consumer Internet startups such as eBay led to a belief system that seemed to permeate many enterprise software startups that hiring sales or implementation people was a bad thing. But the “no sales people” mantra isn’t what I’m here to take on. I believe it’s flawed.

Startup 403

Startup Sales Software Review Technical Review 403

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2020

On the product side, once you have a proven product and business model, all you need is money to build inventory, and a sales and marketing operation to drive the business. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price.

Startup 174

Startup Training Services Writing 174

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2020

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Outsource Development Startup Competition 131

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2019

It’s always tempting to think that more product variations will satisfy more customers and lead to new sales. Ineffective and expensive marketing campaigns. The most cost-effective marketing approaches have changed; from catalogs to web sites, and from television commercials to social media.

Outsource Development 122

Outsource Development Outsource Metrics Technical Review 122

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2012

As I visit the websites of many startups, as well as more mature businesses, I still too often see a “contact” page offering nothing but a sterile form for customers to submit, never to be heard from again. Customers are not all like you, and they have choices, so a “one size fits all” customer service is no longer a viable option.

Social Media 91

Social Media Customer Custom Media 91

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2013

As I visit the websites of many startups, as well as more mature businesses, I still too often see a “contact” page offering nothing but a sterile form for customers to submit, never to be heard from again. Customers are not all like you, and they have choices, so a “one size fits all” customer service is no longer a viable option.

Social Media 99

Social Media Customer Custom Media 99

Berkonomics

JUNE 25, 2015

Sometimes this is called a white label strategy, because your customers offer your product as their own product, writing in their brand name on the blank label in your underlying offering. But, more often, this is just the virtualization of what we used to call outsourcing. Can someone do it better than you, and at lower cost?

Outsource 120

Outsource Social Media Commerce Writing 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2016

For too many small businesses, customer service is still seen as a “burden.” Entrepreneurs don’t realize that this burden is actually costing them over $200 billion in repeat sales, according to a recent study by the W. These days, relationships and online reviews are key drivers for over 80 percent of new customers.

Customer 56

Customer Custom Startup Satisfaction 56

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 18, 2011

Having paying “Customers” is what makes the cash register roar. This article will cover two things; First, the top mistakes small business owners make that end with inquiries leading you to the exit door before making a sale. That is, of course, as long as what you are selling is the absolute best in your market.)

Customer 85

Customer Custom Marketing SEO 85

socalTECH

DECEMBER 12, 2014

If you''re a brand or retailer, needing to get online, there are a lot of things to deal with to run your e-commerce business smoothly--everything from your e-commerce site itself, to taking photos of your products, packing and shipping, to digital marketing. Who are your ideal customers and market?

Commerce 203

Commerce Venture Capital Internet Brands Startup 203

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 2, 2009

As noted in Pour and Stir Part I , the key to the successful execution of this strategy is managing the following equation: The cost to acquire a customer < lifetime value of a customer. Decreasing Your Customer Acquisition Costs. This is equivalent to being handed a free customer for every ten customers you acquire.

Custom 164

Custom Customer Advertising SEM 164

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. Perform China Syndrome Market Analysis. Public relations at a startup is a sales process.

Entrepreneur 272

Entrepreneur Outsource Ideas Technical Review 272

socalTECH

MARCH 5, 2014

So, how do you help ease enterprise customers into the cloud--or at least, help them use cloud technology to help them with their business goals? We caught up with founder and CEO Grant Kirkwood --a serial entrepreneur and veteran of providing infrastructure to the enterprise markets--on the vision behind the company.

Cloud Computing 217

Cloud Computing Outsource Development Outsource Startup 217

socalTECH

OCTOBER 7, 2013

Some of the most recent listings: Director of Marketing , Ramprate. We were recently named Top 10 IT Outsourcing Advisor and Top 5 Boutique Sourcing Advisory recently. Our transaction-focused methodology delivers low risk, best-in-class business terms, rates and service levels for our customers. Stack is Python/Django/MongoDB.

SoCalTech 138

SoCalTech Outsource SaaS Report 138

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 13, 2009

Customer Service – As newspaper boys were the face of their employers, savvy carriers learned to establish healthy customer relationships to facilitate timely collections and generous tips. Other entry-level experiences for budding entrepreneurs included selling items marketed in comic book ads. Make Money – Get Prizes.

Web 2.0 222

Web 2.0 Web Sales Outsource Development 222

socalTECH

APRIL 30, 2018

For this morning's interview, we caught up with Elizabeth Cholawsky , the new CEO of Santa Barbara-based HG Data (www.hgdata.com), which develops software which helps marketers and salespeople understand the "technology stack" of their potential customers and prospects. So, I cam on board. What were you doing before this?

Santa Barbara 113

Santa Barbara High Tech Outsource Development Startup 113

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

1) Expect Independent Channel Sales Reps To Perform Missionary Sales. Rationale: I cannot afford to hire a direct sales force. Fallacy: Third-party, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) representatives succeed once the sales process is defined, proven and documented. 4) Perform China Syndrome Market Analysis.

Startup 242

Startup Outsource Development Outsource Writing 242

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2020

In my experience as an advisor to startups, the difference is almost always related to the founder and their execution strategy , more so than to the solution quality or the market. Initially, you may be able to do everything in your startup, including product development, marketing, and shipping orders.

Startup 123

Startup Outsource Development Entrepreneur Outsource 123

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2015

Ready to scale is when you have a proven product and a proven business model, about to expand to new geographies and markets. Most consulting services, like marketing, are not scalable, since they must be delivered by experts, and cloning experts is slow and expensive. Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage.

Startup 103

Startup Outsource Invest Ideas 103

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 25, 2011

Early in a services business there is usually no profits as the company reinvests in hiring people to grow, but by $20 million in sales the company should at least be pulling in 10% profits (if not more) depending on how much is reinvested. Often in this strategy you end up giving them the product for free and bill them only services fees.

Services 332

Services Venture Capital IP Startup 332

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2010

I recently did a post for startups on understanding sales people. I know this will fall like a lead balloon to the many people who believe it is possible to have a [insert: startup incubator or technology accelerator or technology consultant or outsource firm] build your technology. I don’t believe that one exists.

CTO Hire 400

CTO Hire Fractional VPE Startup Outsource Development 400

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2012

You can’t succeed in business without an operational model that delivers value to customers at a reasonable price, with an underlying cost that allows you to make a profit. The most common failures are solutions looking for a problem, lack of a defined market, and giving away the product. Target market. Sales/Marketing.

Sales 97

Sales Custom Customer Outsource 97

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2011

The part of the movement that resonates the most with me (in my words) is that entrepreneurs should keep their capital expenditures really low while they’re experimenting with their product and determining whether there is a large market for what they do. Nascent startup markets are like fine wine, they take time to develop.

Development Team Review 374

Development Team Review Technical Review Startup Resource 374

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2019

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. If both of you are experts at software development, even though one loves design and the other loves coding, that still won’t get the marketing done.

Software Review 88

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 88

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

Ready to scale is when you have a proven product and a proven business model, about to expand to new geographies and markets. Most consulting services, like marketing, are not scalable, since they must be delivered by experts, and cloning experts is slow and expensive. Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage.

Tips 111

Tips Startup Outsource Ideas 111

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 13, 2013

There are several symptoms of a small business in trouble: running out of cash , not enough customers , staffing issues. Create a Marketing Plan. Marketing is key in helping you to develop long-term, strategic plans that can stop your cash drain. Your sales forecast is an essential variable for cash and profit planning.

Outsource Development 91

Outsource Development Outsource Startup Marketing 91

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2015

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation.

Outsource Development 99

Outsource Development Startup Competition Training 99

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2016

Ready to scale is when you have a proven product and a proven business model, about to expand to new geographies and markets. Most consulting services, like marketing, are not scalable, since they must be delivered by experts, and cloning experts is slow and expensive. Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage.

Funding 67

Funding Startup Outsource Ideas 67

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2011

You can’t succeed in business without an operational model that delivers value to customers at a reasonable price, with an underlying cost that allows you to make a profit. The most common failures are solutions looking for a problem, lack of a defined market, and giving away the product. Target market. Sales/Marketing.

Sales 98

Sales Customer Custom Outsource 98

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 22, 2014

Outsourcing can be an extremely cost-effective solution here. While these days it might seem that there are plenty of “free” ways to grow your business, how will you attract customers and appropriately target your product(s) to the desired client segment, without budgeting for it? Which startup costs do you think are most necessary?

Startup 97

Startup Outsource Development Software Review Sales 97

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

On the product side, once you have a proven product and business model, all you need is money to build inventory, and a sales and marketing operation to drive the business. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price.

Services 72

Services Startup Training Writing 72