Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Yet the average perception of customer experience has not improved. It’s a tough job, and inexperienced entrepreneurs just don’t know where to start, and how to do it.

Competition 99

Competition Services Startup Training 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2023

These plans just list a few key competitors out there now, compare feature richness, quality considerations, and pricing. You are never the only alternative, hopefully just the best, in price, utility, and satisfaction. At some level of function, availability, and price performance, customers jump ship away from you.

Competition 88

Competition Startup Framework Pricing 88

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2023

Customer service has traditionally been focused on the resolution of complaints , primarily after a transaction. My recommendations always include adopting a customer mindset, as well as the following steps: Accept today’s definition of relevant customer support. Treat every customer exceptionally before they complain.

Competition 109

Competition Services Custom Customer 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2021

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Yet the average perception of customer experience has not improved. It’s a tough job, and inexperienced entrepreneurs just don’t know where to start, and how to do it.

Startup 154

Startup Training Custom Customer 154

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

Others schedule exhaustive training sessions for everyone on the team, including showcase customers, to make sure that everyone paints a consistent picture. Due diligence always involves on-site visits, informal discussions with any or all members of the team, vendors, and good customers as well as bad.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 118

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 1, 2010

You hear a lot of talk these days about the importance of customer satisfaction, but customer loyalty is the real win. A satisfied customer is necessary, but not sufficient, to be a loyal customer who will come back repeatedly, refer their friends and family to you, and be faithful even when your price is not the lowest.

Satisfaction 49

Satisfaction Custom Customer Startup 49

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2020

These plans just list a few key competitors out there now, compare feature richness, quality considerations, and pricing. You are never the only alternative, hopefully just the best, in price, utility, and satisfaction. At some level of function, availability, and price performance, customers jump ship away from you.

Competition 151

Competition Startup Framework Pricing 151

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2021

Proof of any business model starts with a finished product or solution, sold to a new customer for full price, with high satisfaction for the value received. The conundrum is that once you have really proven the business model, you no longer need the investor money you asked for to start the business.

Sales 165

Sales Custom Customer Social Media 165

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

But very quickly, it is becoming obvious to startups that the value and satisfaction exceeds the costs. To legally facilitate startups who want to give top priority to socially conscious solutions, thirty-five states, starting with Maryland way back in 2010, have passed legislation allowing incorporation as a Benefit Corporation (B-Corp).

Startup 149

Startup Organization Custom Customer 149

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2021

The E-Myth (“Entrepreneurial Myth”) is the mistaken belief that most businesses are started by people with tangible business skills, when in fact most are started by “technicians” who know nothing about running a business. Perhaps an innate business savvy is no longer a requirement for starting a successful business.

Technical Review 136

Technical Review Startup Social Media Satisfaction 136

TechCrunch LA

JULY 15, 2021

It also claims to offer a cheaper and faster process than if one were to build an ADU from start to finish. But a standard bespoke project takes 4-5 months from start to finish, according to Geary. The result has been very high levels of customer satisfaction and rapid growth.” All have kitchens and living space.

Los Angeles 322

Los Angeles Custom Customer Startup 322

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2021

Most of the entrepreneurs I meet as an investor and advisor have no shortage of right-brain thinking, showing vision and creativity, but often don’t realize that their potential is being limited by a balancing focus on results, metrics, and customer specifics. Listen to customer feedback and tune your vision.

Technical Review 133

Technical Review Satisfaction Metrics Startup 133

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2021

Contact key vendors and existing customers. Explain that they may be called, and use the opportunity to check their satisfaction with your company and your product. As a starting point, an investor will ask for resumes of the “key players,” and will then follow-up to verify that executives are experienced, honest, and committed.

Technical Review 152

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Summary 152

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2023

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. Start with a service you know and love. The customer experience is more than the service.

Startup 111

Startup Training Services Writing 111

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2023

Most business professionals I know have been conditioned to think of inflation as highly negative, driving up their costs, and reducing customer buying. I see it as an opportunity to find new ways to attract customers , make long-needed changes to improve productivity, and lower your own costs of doing business.

Outsource 95

Outsource Custom Customer Sample 95

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2012

You hear a lot of talk these days about the importance of customer satisfaction, but customer loyalty is the real win. A satisfied customer is necessary, but not sufficient, to be a loyal customer who will come back repeatedly, refer their friends and family to you, and be faithful even when your price is not the lowest.

Custom 104

Custom Customer Startup Competition 104

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2020

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. Start with a service you know and love. The customer experience is more than the service.

Startup 174

Startup Training Services Writing 174

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2021

Others schedule exhaustive training sessions for everyone on the team, including showcase customers, to make sure that everyone paints a consistent picture. Due diligence always involves on-site visits, informal discussions with any or all members of the team, vendors, and good customers as well as bad.

Technical Review 151

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 151

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2023

One of the biggest challenges in changing your lifestyle from an employee to starting your own business, is focusing on the right ownership elements, versus having a boss who sets the business goals, and provides performance feedback. Every business purpose must be customer-centric and even altruistic.

Entrepreneur 85

Entrepreneur Custom Customer Competition 85

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 24, 2011

As Guy Kawasaki pointed out in our recent conversation , “…it is cheaper than ever to start a company. If there was ever a time to start a company, this is it.”. As the overall industry noise mounts, it becomes increasingly difficult to attract the attention of Messengers , Donors , investors, potential customers and would-be partners.

Company 257

Company Companies Startup Study 257

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2023

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. Productivity and repeatability is the hallmark of a good business, whereas a hobby usually assumes everything is custom built and personal.

Outsource Development 115

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 115

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2013

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Yet the average perception of customer experience continues to decline. It’s a tough job, and inexperienced entrepreneurs just don’t know where to start, and how to do it.

Custom 92

Custom Customer Startup Services 92

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 9, 2020

One of the biggest challenges in changing your lifestyle from an employee to starting your own business, is focusing on the right ownership elements, versus having a boss who sets the business goals, and provides performance feedback. Every business purpose must be customer-centric and even altruistic.

Entrepreneur 159

Entrepreneur Custom Customer Competition 159

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 24, 2017

What neither group seems to fully comprehend is that retail needs to fundamentally change to succeed, far beyond the addition of an online component, to meet the experience expectations of today’s generation, an oversupplied global marketplace, and technology for instant pricing and distribution. Look outside for benchmarks.

Custom 52

Custom Customer Technical Review Summary 52

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2020

No matter what people may proclaim, everyone in business is looking to achieve the highest possible level of satisfaction and financial success in their career. He lays out seven thinking strategies for both entrepreneurs and employees that will make them business winners: Focus on the customers at all times.

Entrepreneur 117

Entrepreneur Sales Custom Customer 117

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

My simple answer is that they keep their focus on customers, rather than technology. Jeff Bezos has kept his focus on customers. In my view, every startup in today’s world would do well to adopt a management system with the same key objectives: Start with a customer-obsessed business model.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Custom Customer 123

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2022

Passion is great, but it must be backed by data, confirming a real problem and customers willing and able to pay for your solution. Starting many initiatives, and hoping that one will stick, is not a formula for success. Able to maintain customer trust and team confidence. Be positive, but don’t count on luck to save you.

Startup 143

Startup Competition Coach Satisfaction 143

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 19, 2022

Let me assure you, from personal experience, and from helping many successful as well as struggling entrepreneurs, that starting a business is hard work, and doesn’t come with any of the benefits mentioned. People see you as great for demanding customers and team bonding. You are driven to compete and win in the marketplace.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Organization Custom Customer 110

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

Both want personal satisfaction and financial success. There are some key strategies I recommend in developing that mindset, whether you are currently and employee or an aspiring entrepreneur: Keep the business customer at the top of your pyramid. Focus your role on solving the customer problem. In fact, U.S.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Custom Customer 93

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 2, 2021

Investors expect a great return for their risk, so they look for people who can look beyond the technology and their own passion to see a customer need that perhaps even the rest of us haven’t yet envisioned. The payoff will be a heightened personal satisfaction, as well as the resources you need to make it happen.

Funding 152

Funding Startup Ideas Resource 152

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. Productivity and repeatability is the hallmark of a good business, whereas a hobby usually assumes everything is custom built and personal.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Outsource Development Startup Competition 131

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2019

They don’t realize that they are missing out on a great opportunity for “free” promotion, as well as taking a great risk by not listening to what customers are saying, and not monitoring or responding to undeserved challenges to their reputation. I recommend the following steps as a start for maximizing your own return.

Social Media 99

Social Media Media Tool Startup 99

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2019

For example, Howard Schultz was not the founder of Starbucks, but started his career in one of their first 60 shops. Steve Jobs started his technical career creating circuit boards at Atari, before joining Steve Wozniak to build personal computers in his garage. Start today in overcoming any “we-versus-them” or “win-lose” mentality.

Technical Advisors 75

Technical Advisors Startup Satisfaction Custom 75

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 26, 2014

The E-Myth (“Entrepreneurial Myth”) is the mistaken belief that most businesses are started by people with tangible business skills, when in fact most are started by “technicians” who know nothing about running a business. Perhaps an innate business savvy is no longer a requirement for starting a successful business.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Startup Social Media Technical Review 107

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2020

Let me assure you, from personal experience, and from helping many successful as well as struggling entrepreneurs, that starting a business is hard work, and doesn’t come with any of the benefits mentioned. People see you as great for demanding customers and team bonding. You are driven to compete and win in the marketplace.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Organization Custom Customer 126

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2015

Proof of any business model starts with a finished product or solution, sold to a new customer for full price, with high satisfaction for the value received. The conundrum is that once you have really proven the business model, you no longer need the investor money you asked for to start the business.

Startup 107

Startup Sales Custom Customer 107

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 7, 2019

While starting a new business always involves tackling many new challenges, I’ve personally found myself reluctant to ask for help. For example, I will admit that my least favorite question from an aspiring entrepreneur is “ Where do I start ?” Start by helping others, and they will return the favor.

Help 123

Help Entrepreneur Course IBM 123