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 Custom Customer 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 Custom Customer Media 99

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 1, 2023

Of course, they can outsource part of the work or hire employees, but that approach means more time and money to manage the work, which they don’t have. Network to find co-founders just as you network to find investors. The right answer is to find a co-founder with complementary skills.

Startup 99

Startup High Tech Entrepreneur Writing 99

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 12, 2021

In my experience as a business advisor and occasional investor, many of you won’t make it that far, succumbing to the high costs of getting those first customers, funding an initial inventory, and building an operational support process. Start networking for funding before the crisis. Build your plan around resources you know.

Startup 161

Startup Resource Custom Customer 161

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

socalTECH

MARCH 12, 2013

What is it about the content delivery network market which has enabled Santa Monica-based EdgeCast to go from startup to over $100M in revenues in only a few, short years? We serve up four to five percent of the global Internet on our network. Instead, they outsource to an expert like Edegcast.

CTO Hire 248

CTO Hire Content Networking Web 248

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2020

In addition, creating a business requires leading and interacting with other people, including partners, investors, and customers. Don’t assume you can outsource the implementation decisions. Build your own personal brand image through blogging, industry forums, and networking. You must also learn from your customers.

Ideas 126

Ideas Writing Examples Outsource 126

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? It''s all custom, technology agnostic, and very flexible. My last company was a global communications company with network points of presence around the world.

Cloud Computing 217

Cloud Computing Outsource Development Outsource Startup 217

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 17, 2021

Of course, they can outsource part of the work or hire employees, but that approach means more time and money to manage the work, which they don’t have. Network to find co-founders just as you network to find investors. The right answer is to find a co-founder with complementary skills.

Startup 126

Startup High Tech Entrepreneur Writing 126

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 5, 2010

You attend five customer meetings together over a two-week period and after each meeting you replay the results in the office about what it meant. The sales rep that brings back news from the front line that is shared with the office adds to our collective knowledge about customer needs, product design flaws or partnership opportunities.

Technical Advisors 335

Technical Advisors Outsource Development Offshore Startup 335

socalTECH

OCTOBER 7, 2013

RampRate Sourcing Advisors is a leading IT sourcing advisor with a proprietary index and close network of partners designed to perform fast, efficient IT services transactions. We were recently named Top 10 IT Outsourcing Advisor and Top 5 Boutique Sourcing Advisory recently. Our average client revenue in in the millions.

SoCalTech 138

SoCalTech Outsource SaaS Report 138

Southern California Edison Blog

FEBRUARY 28, 2018

Any interruption in service can have drastic effects on productivity, customer service, and on your bottom line. And for a premium customer service experience, it may make sense to choose a local or regional provider rather than a large national or international corporation. Local network operations center (NOC).

Services 64

Services Southern California Alhambra Technical Review 64

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 18, 2011

Having paying “Customers” is what makes the cash register roar. An entrepreneur having low self worth is the number one deterrent for a potential customer not buying into what you are selling. Using your service or owning your product isn’t why a person buys, it’s the experience your customer will have. Second, how to get leads.

Custom 85

Custom Customer Marketing SEO 85

socalTECH

DECEMBER 28, 2017

We are seeing SaaS companies more and more are competing against other SaaS companies and experiencing more churn, price resistance and customer demand for customization. This is the natural maturation in these segments.

Capital 124

Capital Southern California SaaS SoCal 124

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

Santa Monica-based Happy Returns (www.happyreturns.com) is solving that issue, with a network of "return bars" it has opened in partnership with physical retailers. We do that through a network of physical locations, which we call Return Bars, all around the country. Customers heavily adopted in-person returns.

Training 100

Training Custom Customer Software Review 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 20, 2013

The days are gone when a techie or a genius could build things in his garage and customers would find and buy the product, based purely on the “wow factor” of the technology. Thus customers and partners rely more and more on personal engagement with people. New technologies are everywhere today. Make it an enjoyable experience.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Startup Content Media 111

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2017

Provides networking with cofounders and strategic partners. Meeting the new consumer demand for customization. Customers today increasingly demand solutions that are customized just for them. With the new rapid prototyping tools, products can be physically built for analysis, rather than just conceptualized.

Ideas 61

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Education 61

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 5, 2011

- SoCal CTO , January 13, 2010 5 Lessons from 150 startup pitches - A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks , July 11, 2010 9 Reasons Why Many Smart People Go Nowhere - Life Beyond Code , March 29, 2010 No Accounting For Startups - Steve Blank , February 22, 2010 Startup Advice In Exactly Three Words - #StartupTriplets - OnStartups , January (..)

Startup 378

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Coach 378

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

For example, the concept of an online platform for social networking is a simple one, and has been attempted by thousands of entrepreneurs past and present. In fact, I still hear startup idea variations on social networking more often than any other, yet most people can only name a couple that have really worked.

Social Network 94

Social Network Startup Ideas Entrepreneur 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2012

Obviously we can find many critical success factors, like finding and retaining high-value customers, which apply to companies that are product centric or services centric. Customers don’t like people who don’t show their passion and love for the job. Networking and relationships. Scaling services means cloning yourself.

Satisfaction 91

Satisfaction Patents Outsource Development Services 91

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 9, 2016

For example, there once was a social network called Friendster , often credited with starting the social networking boom way back in 2002. Now you have real customers who can quickly turn off hundreds of potential customers if you ignore their feedback. Trust your gut, and ignore naysayers. It’s a big change.

Social Network 59

Social Network Startup Demand Entrepreneur 59

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2011

The days are gone when a techie or a genius could build things in his garage and customers would find and buy the product, based purely on the “wow factor” of the technology. Thus customers and partners rely more and more on personal engagement with people. New technologies are everywhere today. Make it an enjoyable experience.

Media 91

Media Startup Company Companies 91

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2010

Based on a survey just last year by Robert Half Technology , over half of today’s companies block social networks completely, while another 19 percent only permit it "for business purposes." Social networks have become a great vector for Trojans like Zeus and URLZone. Contractor, temp, or outsource worker off site.

Social Network 87

Social Network Networking Tool Sites 87

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

Obviously we can find many critical success factors, like finding and retaining high-value customers, which apply to companies that are product centric or services centric. Customers don’t like people who don’t show their passion and love for the job. Networking and relationships. Scaling services means cloning yourself.

Product 91

Product Services Satisfaction Patents 91

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 11, 2016

IT professionals are now shouldering the responsibility of setting up system alerts for their networks that help to guard against system compromise. The time when simply setting up a firewall was sufficient to protect a network as passed, and the need for a new approach to network computing has presented itself. Reliability.

Cloud Computing 40

Cloud Computing Design Tool Outsource 40

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 25, 2011

Service as a bridge to a product business - One of the best ways for young startups to finance their business without any dilution is what I call “customer financing,&# which is mostly only possible in businesses that target businesses rather than consumers. You own the IP you create. It’s pure irony.

Services 332

Services Venture Capital IP Startup 332

SoCal CTO

MARCH 4, 2010

He posted on several social networking sites the following message: If you know of a startup company that could benefit from the knowledge, experience, professional network and reputation of a globally recognized technology and innovation leader.

Technical Review 170

Technical Review Technical Advisors CTO Coach Startup 170

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 6, 2015

Of course, they can outsource part of the work or hire employees, but that approach means more time and money to manage the work, which they don’t have. Network to find co-founders just as you network to find investors. The right answer is to find a co-founder with complementary skills.

Startup 105

Startup High Tech Entrepreneur Writing 105

socalTECH

DECEMBER 9, 2008

One of those firms is Hydra (www.hydranetwork.com), which is a cost-per-action affiliate advertising network. The online advertising world is full of ad networks, so we had Adam Wicks Walker, Chief Strategy Officer at Hydra, tell us where they fit into the market. Adam Wicks Walker: It's a broad field these days.

Advertising 100

Advertising Beverly Hills Networking Custom 100

socalTECH

DECEMBER 9, 2008

One of those firms is Hydra (www.hydranetwork.com), which is a cost-per-action affiliate advertising network. The online advertising world is full of ad networks, so we had Adam Wicks Walker, Chief Strategy Officer at Hydra, tell us where they fit into the market. Adam Wicks Walker: It's a broad field these days.

Advertising 100

Advertising Beverly Hills Networking Custom 100

SoCal CTO

JULY 23, 2012

What do we build in-house or outsource? Learning, Networking, Mentors From the question, this person is clearly looking at the issue of how to grow into this role. In addition to networking, I would suggest that formal learning is a great idea. Make sure you are continuously looking at the business and customers.

CTO Coach 231

CTO Coach CTO Hire Outsource Development Develop 231

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2014

If you are contracting or outsourcing, this is even more important. Unless you are bootstrapping everything, you need to have a clear plan on what networking and documents are required to get to friends and family, Angel investors, and institutional investors. Customer service and support. Funding process.

Startup 107

Startup Outsource Development Training Outsource 107

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

Scaling thru Outsourcing. Merge Offline/Online Networks for Startup Success. Strategy to Get Your First 100 Paying Customers (bigMETHOD, Mixergy, Appsumo, Zaarly). Funding: The New Indie: BONA FIDE film. Startups: Demystifying the PR Process for the Lean Startup (Symphony PR). Moral Psychology and Big Data Singularity.

Southern California 89

Southern California SoCal Guide Mixergy 89

socalTECH

JUNE 9, 2014

That''s relevant, because of our third piece, where we have been hired by traditional media companies, to basically provide them a turnkey, outsources content acquisition team. One of those, is content we know from our licensing customers is the kind of content they are interested in. How do you decide what content you will license?

Media 235

Media Content Startup IP 235

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2013

If you are contracting or outsourcing, this is even more important. Unless you are bootstrapping everything, you need to have a clear plan on what networking and documents are required to get to friends and family, Angel investors, and institutional investors. Customer service and support. Funding process.

Outsource Development 92

Outsource Development Training Outsource Metrics 92

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 1, 2010

aka: An Open Letter to the Next Big Social Network) - 500 Hats , November 1, 2010 I've held off writing this post for a long time, because I couldn't quite get my head around all the issues. If network B has 20 users than it’s value is 400 (20*20). No Business Plan Survives First Contact With A Customer – The 5.2

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Startup Product Technology 175

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2010

The category of customers we're targeting are building consumer networking equipment, such as routers, gateways, and set-top boxes. The whole product can be customized for a different OEM or different utility company which wants a dashboard a specific way. One, is we're not providing the hardware ourselves.

Startup 140

Startup OCTANE Outsource Development Google 140