Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2017

Ask a mentor for support. Choose a friend or mentor (not your spouse) whom you trust to tell you the truth, and ask for help. Let me assure you, every startup faces more challenges than any other business – unproven product, new processes, new management, and unpredictable customers. Then listen to the recommendations.

Startup 61

Startup Product Mentor Satisfaction 61

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans take too much time, are inaccurate, and rarely add value. In fact, they are probably in such a hurry to give you money that they don’t want you to waste time writing anything down and passing it along to new investors.

Technical Review 126

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 126

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 1, 2020

In our personal lives we’re having to change our routines and figure out how to remain productive?—?often It goes without saying that if you find yourself in a really negative headspace PLEASE reach out to any trusted mentor, friend or family member. He produced a very detailed analysis of his customer base and which would be affected.

Demand 215

Demand Guide Customer Custom 215

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. Each of these can go astray as follows: Your product or service hits unexpected snags.

Startup 131

Startup Entrepreneur Examples Customer 131

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2022

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. As your company grows, you have to host customer seminars.

Marketing 113

Marketing Entrepreneur Customer Custom 113

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2016

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. Proactively seek input, but make your own decisions. Viewed by others as a successful problem solver.

Entrepreneur 63

Entrepreneur Product Startup Activity 63

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2020

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. Some entrepreneurs love to talk and produce videos, but hate to write anything down. Message delivery must be customized for each investor. Expert in your chosen domain.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 126

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2022

These authors bring a wealth of experience in this domain from their workshops, writing, and lecturing on business leadership worldwide. Affirming all shared values is the way to building productive and working relationships. I found some great specifics in a classic book, “ The Leadership Challenge ,” by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z.

Startup 133

Startup Activity Mentor Writing 133

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2021

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. 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.

Entrepreneur 156

Entrepreneur Tips Funding Startup 156

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

Because market is such a broad topic, I’m restricting these lessons to PR marketing (as opposed SEO, SEM, product marketing, etc.). My general rule is that it’s good to be stealth in the early days while you’re building your product and testing your market. It’s a buggy product but pretty damn cool.

Marketing 380

Marketing Startup Press Technical Advisors 380

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

There are lots of resources available for the challenge of that activity, including the Internet and mentors like me. In my experience, the key steps I look for always include the following: Testing the idea against customers who have money to spend. Prepare your marketing story for customers and investors.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2021

With some coaching and mentoring from other leaders, I was able to do it myself, so I know you can do it too, by committing to the following strategies: Train yourself to always look for positives, not negatives. Write down your top 5 core values and review them often. We all need a buffer to handle those special cases.

Coach 137

Coach Training Satisfaction Mentor 137

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Ask a mentor for support. Choose a friend or mentor (not your spouse) whom you trust to tell you the truth, and ask for help. Let me assure you, every startup faces more challenges than any other business – unproven product, new processes, new management, and unpredictable customers. Then listen to the recommendations.

Startup 82

Startup Mentor Satisfaction Writing 82

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Based on my experience as an angel investor and a mentor to dozens of entrepreneurs, having no business plan is the quickest way to define yourself as just a dreamer, or at best a hobbyist. Providing your product or service free to customers may sound attractive in marketing materials, but you need revenue sources to survive.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 23, 2015

The final clip is Fred & I talking about whether “the best product wins” and my assertion that the bias in today’s Silicon Valley dominated tech world there is probably too much emphasis on tech at the expense of how to sell, implement and service customers. But Fred got me to see a broader perspective.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Startup Writing Blogging 150

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 2, 2011

I’m sitting at my computer now at 9.00pm writing this – which is an hour earlier than I normally write (there are about 8 women at my kitchen table having a book club (aka excuse to drink wine & gossip so I’m locked in another room writing. They could chat about it with their peers or mentors.

Email 287

Email Blogging Venture Capital Writing 287

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2015

Five major elements of every business include your people, product, opportunity, money and marketing. Innovative products and services always take longer to develop than anticipated, and quality problems pop up where least expected. Written product specifications and business plans pay big dividends.

Startup 105

Startup Entrepreneur Marketing Satisfaction 105

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 21, 2014

You join teams that got good write-ups on TechCrunch, have great VCs, have star CEO’s, whatever. It also has to be said that bad apples on teams bring down productive even if that person is individually a superstar. Our founder, Yves Sisteron, was my mentor and board member at my first startup. Writing a book will be fun.

CTO Hire 320

CTO Hire Startup CTO Coach Venture Capital 320

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2019

Image via Wikipedia As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. As your company grows, you have to host customer seminars.

Entrepreneur 87

Entrepreneur Customer Custom Guide 87

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2014

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans are a waste of time. They cite sources like the BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this Forbes article. Writing it down promotes both understanding and commitment.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Writing Entrepreneur Slides 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2015

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. 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.

Startup 104

Startup Writing Entrepreneur Slides 104

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

Chander Dhall , a microsoft MP, anuthor, trainer, mentor, professional software architect/lead developer, INTETA speaker, open source contributor, community leader and organizer with years of experience in enterprise Software Development. Troy Miles , A designer and developer of software since 1979 writing games in assembly and C.

JavaScript 93

JavaScript Long Beach Java .Net 93

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2017

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. As your company grows, you have to host customer seminars.

Company 97

Company Companies Entrepreneur Customer 97

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 25, 2019

These authors bring a wealth of experience in this domain from their workshops, writing, and lecturing on business leadership worldwide. Affirming all shared values is the way to building productive and working relationships. I found some great specifics in a classic book, “ The Leadership Challenge ,” by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z.

Activity 92

Activity Entrepreneur Mentor Writing 92

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2014

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. Some entrepreneurs love to talk and produce videos, but hate to write anything down. Message delivery must be customized for each investor. Expert in your chosen domain.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Angel Social Media Patents 107

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2014

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. 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.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Startup Writing Slides 108

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 10, 2013

Ask a mentor for support. Choose a friend or mentor (not your spouse) whom you trust to tell you the truth, and ask for help. Let me assure you, every startup faces more challenges than any other business – unproven product, new processes, new management, and unpredictable customers. Then listen to the recommendations.

Startup 101

Startup Mentor Satisfaction Writing 101

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 10, 2014

If you’re an early investor like I am that often means writing the first $2-3 million check into a business that previously had either survived on fumes or on a $500,000 angel round. The best ones bring in more executive leadership so you can appropriate allocate resources across sales, marketing, product, engineering and support.

Startup 381

Startup Resource Venture Capital Activity 381

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 10, 2012

UCLA 48hr Startup brings together people with technical, design or business background to share ideas, form teams, build products and launch startups. Saturday mentors help teams move their ideas forward by questioning business model assumptions and providing business insights. 2:00pm – Mentors help teams one-on-one.

UCLA 87

UCLA Startup Ideas Mentor 87

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

She focused on her customer. Tracy is knowledgeable enough to talk tech and swap design & product stories with other founders, but she realized early that networking amongst this group and reading and writing in their journals would not bring her more customers.

Startup 363

Startup Entrepreneur SEO Venture Capital 363

InfoChachkie

APRIL 25, 2011

If you are a leader at a startup and you are reading a business book, you are not closing customers, raising capital, improving your product, or spending time with your loved ones. At the beginning of the index, Guy writes, “I hope Robert Cialdini checks this index.” Ask For Mentoring. No doubt, he did. Form Friendships.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Blogging Class Entrepreneur 279

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2012

Ask a mentor for support. Choose a friend or mentor (not your spouse) whom you trust to tell you the truth, and ask for help. Let me assure you, every startup faces more challenges than any other business – unproven product, new processes, new management, and unpredictable customers. Then listen to the recommendations.

Entrepreneur 97

Entrepreneur Startup Mentor Satisfaction 97

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

YOU Selling – My wise old friend & mentor, Ameet Shah, once told me after a meeting we had with clients (when I worked at Accenture), “there are two ways to run a meeting: asking or telling. Let’s assume you run a Customer Support software company. But how to apply “listening&# in a sales meeting?

Sales 314

Sales Startup Venture Capital Customer 314

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 24, 2012

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. As your company grows, you have to host customer seminars.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Media Customer Custom 126

Tech.Co

MARCH 1, 2018

The event is open to tech enthusiasts who want to join an event filled with some of the top leaders, investors and mentors from tech industry to network, find mentors and build their companies. Their first product LexiconMD helped healthcare professionals dictate their notes into e-medical records hands- and eyes- free.

Startup 80

Startup Mentor Platform Help 80

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 29, 2013

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. As your company grows, you have to host customer seminars.

Startup 116

Startup Entrepreneur Customer Custom 116

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2012

Often I find that experienced investors flip to the management page of a business plan, even before they read the product description. To be respected at the top of the pyramid, a CEO must be able to clearly communicate the vision of the company to inspire investors, the team, and customers. That’s how important the people are.

Startup 94

Startup Resource Social Network Mentor 94