Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 7, 2020

Every entrepreneur and startup loves you, but too many forget that every potential customer is not like you. Unfortunately many of their suggestions may actually increase the solution complexity for the larger segment of mainstream customers who come later and you really need for success. Usability is often an afterthought.

Startup 141

Startup Customer Custom Design 141

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2020

In addition, we all know that patent disclosure rules often facilitate legal reverse engineering, and innovation at this point is now much cheaper. Market research can thus be based on real customers and a previously tested market. Timing is critical, as well as focus on marketing and customer satisfaction.

Startup 157

Startup Social Media Study Research 157

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2021

Others are really marketers out to make money fast, and believe that they can entice customers to any offering. Too many Innovators are like Dean Kamen , still struggling with the Segway Human Transporter , while holding over 1000 other device patents. External forces (competitors and customers).

Entrepreneur 134

Entrepreneur Framework Mentor Web 134

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 25, 2022

In the rush of a startup, it’s tempting to start spending the money you expect any day from a rich uncle or a major new customer. Many entrepreneurs have destroyed a strategic alliance, an investor relationship, or lost a key customer by jumping in with harsh words after a bad day at home or at the office. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 100

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2015

Here are five key ones to celebrate: Enjoy the feedback from every satisfied customer. Talking to real customers is the best way to keep your inspiration alive, as well as the best way keep on track with changing trends and future innovation ideas. Watch that patent provide a real barrier to competitive entry. Marty Zwilling.

Satisfaction 101

Satisfaction Entrepreneur Customer Custom 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2020

A while back, one of my aspiring entrepreneur friends was trying to impress me with his expertise, by bragging that he had the idea for a couple of innovations before anyone else, but he just never got around to filing a patent before someone stole it from him. Today the key is building momentum, customization, and continuous innovation.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2016

Here are five key ones to celebrate: Enjoy the feedback from every satisfied customer. Talking to real customers is the best way to keep your inspiration alive, as well as the best way keep on track with changing trends and future innovation ideas. Watch that patent provide a real barrier to competitive entry. Marty Zwilling.

Satisfaction 61

Satisfaction Startup Customer Custom 61

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 30, 2020

In the rush of a startup, it’s tempting to start spending the money you expect any day from a rich uncle or a major new customer. Many entrepreneurs have destroyed a strategic alliance, an investor relationship, or lost a key customer by jumping in with harsh words after a bad day at home or at the office. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 125

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 125

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. If you don’t have a high level of commitment and passion, you customers won’t seek you out.

Services 72

Services Startup Training Writing 72

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2012

Many writers have outlined the critical success factors for product companies, like sell every unit at a profit, patent the design, and continuous product improvement. 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.

Satisfaction 91

Satisfaction Patents Outsource Development Services 91

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

Many writers have outlined the critical success factors for product companies, like sell every unit at a profit, patent the design, and continuous product improvement. 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.

Product 91

Product Services Satisfaction Patents 91

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2014

The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. If you don’t have a high level of commitment and passion, you customers won’t seek you out.

Services 105

Services Startup Training Writing 105

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2018

In addition, we all know that patent disclosure rules often facilitate legal reverse engineering, and innovation at this point is now much cheaper. Market research can thus be based on real customers and a previously tested market. Timing is critical, as well as focus on marketing and customer satisfaction.

Startup 65

Startup Social Media Study Research 65

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 5, 2014

In the rush of a startup, it’s tempting to start spending the money you expect any day from a rich uncle or a major new customer. Many entrepreneurs have destroyed a strategic alliance, an investor relationship, or lost a key customer by jumping in with harsh words after a bad day at home or at the office. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 109

Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup Satisfaction 109

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2016

The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. If you don’t have a high level of commitment and passion, you customers won’t seek you out.

Services 61

Services Startup Training Writing 61

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2014

In addition, we all know that patent disclosure rules often facilitate legal reverse engineering, and innovation at this point is now much cheaper. Market research can thus be based on real customers and a previously tested market. Timing is critical, as well as a focus on marketing and customer satisfaction.

Technology 103

Technology Entrepreneur Study Research 103

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2014

Despite some recent advances, there are still some cultures which have less regard for patents and other intellectual property. Customer-facing services, like call centers, should rarely be outsourced. Internal services, like marketing and accounting, are more manageable and have less customer visibility. Marty Zwilling.

Outsource Development 95

Outsource Development Outsource Offshore Software Review 95

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2015

In the rush of a startup, it’s tempting to start spending the money you expect any day from a rich uncle or a major new customer. Many entrepreneurs have destroyed a strategic alliance, an investor relationship, or lost a key customer by jumping in with harsh words after a bad day at home or at the office. Marty Zwilling.

Technical Review 60

Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup Satisfaction 60

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2014

This person may be an extraordinary communicator, who rallies employees, customers, and colleagues around the vivid future he sees. What you really need is a VP of Marketing and Customer Development, who can help with lead generation and honing the message, rather than an executive to manage a sales team and existing customers.

CTO Hire 100

CTO Hire Funding Cloud Computing CIO 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2016

In addition, we all know that patent disclosure rules often facilitate legal reverse engineering, and innovation at this point is now much cheaper. Market research can thus be based on real customers and a previously tested market. Timing is critical, as well as focus on marketing and customer satisfaction.

Technology 57

Technology Startup Study Research 57

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2018

In the rush of a startup, it’s tempting to start spending the money you expect any day from a rich uncle or a major new customer. Many entrepreneurs have destroyed a strategic alliance, an investor relationship, or lost a key customer by jumping in with harsh words after a bad day at home or at the office. Marty Zwilling.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup Customer 63

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2016

Despite some recent advances, there are still some cultures which have less regard for patents and other intellectual property. Customer-facing services, like call centers, should rarely be outsourced. Internal services, like marketing and accounting, are more manageable and have less customer visibility. Marty Zwilling.

Outsource Development 53

Outsource Development Outsource Software Review Technical Review 53

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 22, 2013

This person may be an extraordinary communicator, who rallies employees, customers, and colleagues around the vivid future he sees. What you really need is a VP of Marketing and Customer Development, who can help with lead generation and honing the message, rather than an executive to manage a sales team and existing customers.

Startup 97

Startup Invest CTO Hire Cloud Computing 97

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 24, 2011

It may sound counterintuitive, but the greater constraint investors place on their financial resources during a downturn, the better your chances of success, given (of course) that your adVenture is able to either secure funding or generate adequate revenue from customers, as described below in reason #7 – Customer Dollars Taste Great.

Company 257

Company Companies Startup Study 257

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2016

These could include customer penetration, revenue growth, budget guidelines, and industry visibility. Team members begin by working with industry experts, advisors, and customers to validate assumptions, implementation plans, and financial parameters. Patents and other intellectual property must be secured at this point.

Startup 56

Startup Metrics Entrepreneur Resource 56

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2013

Others are really marketers out to make money fast, and believe that they can entice customers to any offering. Too many Innovators are like Dean Kamen , still struggling with the Segway Human Transporter , while holding 440 other device patents. External forces (competitors and customers). But none have any lock on success.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Mentor Framework Web 96

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2017

Patents and other intellectual property go to the first person who files, rather than the first person with the idea. Creating a specific business plan, and executing it, is the only way to answer the real question of how much value your idea brings to customers, as well as yourself. Thinking without action leads to lost opportunities.

Ideas 72

Ideas Entrepreneur Examples Satisfaction 72

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2010

This person may be an extraordinary communicator, who rallies employees, customers, and colleagues around the vivid future he sees. What you really need is a VP of Marketing and Customer Development, who can help with lead generation and honing the message, rather than an executive to manage a sales team and existing customers.

Startup 90

Startup CTO Hire Cloud Computing CIO 90