Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2020

So mostly we just had to listen to customer feedback from founders, VCs and LPs. The fact that Kara doesn’t have what my wife likes to refer jokingly as my “Y chromosome problem” is beside the fact. and of course a relentless pursuit of helping founders succeed. We’ve worked together for more than 20 years now. Just you watch.

Venture Capital 361

Venture Capital Startup Invest CitySearch 361

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

JULY 7, 2016

Assessing an entrepreneur’s influence and persuasion skills is important, but I can do this by observing their fundraising pitch rather than listening to a well-rehearsed product overview. As such, I understand the degree to which hand waving and vaporware can influence investors and potential customers. Customers Are All That Matter.

Venture Capital 176

Venture Capital Product Software Review Technical Review 176

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2021

You can listen to the entire conversation above or via this link , but I also wanted to highlight one topic we discussed that I feel strongly about, which is how I think enterprise sales and venture fundraising are basically the same muscle. Everyone loves to know that someone else has bought first, and LPs are no different.

Sales 375

Sales Startup Invest Funding 375

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2020

These days, customers expect to hear and see social and environmental value from a new business, rather than just a new technology or profit. Even if you don’t have previous businesses to reference, relate examples of your problem solving ability and determination in other contexts. Relate a higher purpose to your business proposal.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Startup Examples Metrics 124

InfoChachkie

MARCH 20, 2012

Be An Active Listener. I assert in an entry entitled Listen that most people in western societies are ineffective, passive listeners. He encourages entrepreneurs to be active listeners by, "Listening to hear, versus listening to get your damn opinion in. On the playing field is talking to customers.

Tool 272

Tool Startup Writing Santa Barbara 272

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 3, 2014

Whenever I heard why we didn’t feel a sales process at an important customer was going well (or if we lost) I would get involved myself. They like a solid product, well defined pricing, good references to sell against, a clear quota and well defined competitors. Customers buy solutions to solve their problems.

Sales 382

Sales Help Startup Pricing 382

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 6, 2010

The ability to ask questions effectively is one of the most important skills in business as is the ability to actively listen. developing a product you might like to survey prospective customers without biasing their answers. doing a reference call on a prospective employee. We were selling and not listening.

Startup 311

Startup Invest Course Research 311

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2019

This refers to the human tendency to select and interpret available information in a way that confirms pre-existing hopes and beliefs. This refers to our mind’s tendency to give excessive weight to the first information we receive about a topic or the first idea we think of. When was the last time you really listened?

Ideas 91

Ideas Entrepreneur Press Startup 91

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 17, 2023

All the business leaders I know have noticed that the problems we all face today are becoming more complex, multifaceted, and our customers are more demanding. Of course, you have to stop talking and start really listening if you want to learn anything from questions. Use the show and tell mindset to compel action.

Demand 84

Demand Course .Net Startup 84

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2017

In reality, everyone has biases, and needs to make sure they are researching objective data, and listening to alternatives, before making a decision. These biases, mostly unconscious, are much more extensive that I imagined, and are a key reason that every boss should actively listen to employee input before making decisions.

Examples 60

Examples Sample Summary Study 60

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

Trust me – your chances of selling are much lower if you’re talking rather than actively listening. But how to apply “listening&# in a sales meeting? Let’s assume you run a Customer Support software company. Highlighting a few problems that you have seen in some of your existing customers.

Sales 314

Sales Startup Venture Capital Custom 314

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2012

This refers to the human tendency to select and interpret available information in a way that confirms pre-existing hopes and beliefs. This refers to our mind’s tendency to give excessive weight to the first information we receive about a topic or the first idea we think of. When was the last time you really listened?

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Ideas Press Startup 108

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 21, 2014

I listened to it on tape (he reads it) and it is absolutely brilliant. When you’re hiring most reference checkers focus on the person’s former bosses. Just literally this week I had breakfast with a guy giving a reference who said, “He’s brilliant. ” Just as a test. But it’s instructive.

CTO Hire 320

CTO Hire Startup CTO Coach Venture Capital 320

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 26, 2018

Many customers now actively seek out new technologies, rather than wait for many others to try it first. For example, if your new product reduces pollution or world hunger, this adds immediate value and confirms a positive long-term strategy for customers today. Then you really listen to what they have to say.

Marketing 92

Marketing Demand Examples Social Media 92

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

Whenever I heard why we didn’t feel a sales process at an important customer was going well (or if we lost) I would get involved myself. They like a solid product, well defined pricing, good references to sell against, a clear quota and well defined competitors. Customers buy solutions to solve their problems.

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Custom 316

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 8, 2010

We’re here for Greycroft’s CEO Summit – a gathering of the CEO’s of their portfolio companies with guest speakers covering topics including how to build your team, PR, customer development, etc. It is the key to “customer development” that Steve Blank talks about. Like we were listening to the wise, understated sage.

Startup 279

Startup Venture Capital Tips Custom Development 279

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2013

In other words, once they are convinced that the product works, they assume their price, sales channel, and marketing will bring in the customers. For example, one CEO I know gave away his software product to the first ten customers. Iterate and improve the fit until your test customers are delighted, not just tolerant.

Product 94

Product Pricing Custom Customer 94

socalTECH

JULY 16, 2012

I like to refer to that as the ultimate brand fan page, or to take the example from the apparel industry, where I come from, a virtual look book for a brand. Customers, fans, and buyers can get a brand's essence, their personality, and vibe, in one, visual display. That's where the initial idea for Fliptu came about.

Social Media 268

Social Media Media Social Network Seed Funding 268

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2017

This refers to the human tendency to select and interpret available information in a way that confirms pre-existing hopes and beliefs. This refers to our mind’s tendency to give excessive weight to the first information we receive about a topic or the first idea we think of. When was the last time you really listened?

Startup 62

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Press 62

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 24, 2014

Few customer pitches are too brief - fulfill your customers'' needs by saying less and listening more. Build your network by asking your stakeholders for introductions and references. Let your actions convey your capabilities - deliver value to your customers rather than promises of future greatness.

Hollywood 227

Hollywood Santa Barbara Entrepreneur Custom 227

socalTECH

MAY 10, 2017

We've built this business for our customers, on both side of the marketplace. We did that instead of building an , which doesn't allow our customers to take action like text. I talked to many workers, and many businesses, and listened to them to build a product that they really wanted built.

Startup 100

Startup Orange County Platform Capital 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 13, 2015

Every business should look at its cost of customer acquisition (COCA) and return on investment (ROI) twice a year and after each campaign. These give good customer connection and SEO. To get first-time buyers today, you need push for coupons and business cards, and you need relationship pull through social media for customer service.

Social Media 108

Social Media Media Marketing Resource 108

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2012

In other words, once they are convinced that the product works, they assume their price, sales channel, and marketing will bring in the customers. For example, one CEO I know gave away his software product to the first ten customers. Iterate and improve the fit until your test customers are delighted, not just tolerant.

Entrepreneur 99

Entrepreneur Pricing Custom Customer 99

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2013

This refers to the human tendency to select and interpret available information in a way that confirms pre-existing hopes and beliefs. This refers to our mind’s tendency to give excessive weight to the first information we receive about a topic or the first idea we think of. When was the last time you really listened?

Startup 94

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Press 94

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 14, 2013

These techniques include: o Actively Listen - The most important selling skill is effective listening. The show refers to the salespeople as "consultants," which reinforces each store's problem solving approach to selling. There are a number of solid sales techniques on display by the Say Yes team.

Sales 251

Sales Startup Activity RSS 251

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

Simply put – I’d be in search of a VC who had an intuitive sense of my product, my customers, my organizational issues, my competitors, etc. I do a lot of listening. If I were looking at which VCs to choose I would reference strongly for which ones are supportive in good times and bad. EQ and Team Leadership?

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2013

Every business should look at its cost of customer acquisition (COCA) and return on investment (ROI) twice a year and after each campaign. These give good customer connection and SEO. To get first-time buyers today, you need push for coupons and business cards, and you need relationship pull through social media for customer service.

Social Media 103

Social Media Media Marketing Startup 103

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2011

In other words, once they are convinced that the product works, they assume their price, sales channel, and marketing will bring in the customers. For example, one CEO I know gave away his software product to the first ten customers. Iterate and improve the fit until your test customers are delighted, not just tolerant.

Startup 93

Startup Pricing Custom Customer 93

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 18, 2015

Listen for insights from others, and follow-up on every reference to spark new learning. Put the customer at the center of your business concept. As you consider a really transformative business concept, leverage your domain expertise and create a customer experience never realized before in that industry.

Startup 102

Startup Cloud Computing Ideas Entrepreneur 102

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2017

Every business should look at its cost of customer acquisition (COCA) and return on investment (ROI) twice a year and after each campaign. These give good customer connection and SEO. To get first-time buyers today, you need push for coupons and business cards, and you need relationship pull through social media for customer service.

Media 59

Media Marketing Social Media Resource 59

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2014

Listen for insights from others, and follow-up on every reference to spark new learning. Put the customer at the center of your business concept. As you consider a really transformative business concept, leverage your domain expertise and create a customer experience never realized before in that industry.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Startup Cloud Computing Ideas 107

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2011

This refers to the human tendency to select and interpret available information in a way that confirms pre-existing hopes and beliefs. This refers to our mind’s tendency to give excessive weight to the first information we receive about a topic or the first idea we think of. When was the last time you really listened?

Startup 91

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Press 91

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

As a CEO you never stop needing to go on sales calls (or to work the phones in telesales or customer support) and ceasing to do this as your company grows because you’re focusing on investors, recruiting, PR or whatever is a mistake. Staff never knows whom to listen to. I also liked to sit in on sales pipeline meetings.

Startup 308

Startup CTO Coach Technical Review CTO Hire 308

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2018

Listen for insights from others, and follow-up on every reference to spark new learning. Put the customer at the center of your business concept. As you consider a really transformative business concept, leverage your domain expertise and create a customer experience never realized before in that industry.

Startup 57

Startup Cloud Computing Ideas Entrepreneur 57

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2012

Every business should look at its cost of customer acquisition (COCA) and return on investment (ROI) twice a year and after each campaign. These give good customer connection and SEO. To get first-time buyers today, you need push for coupons and business cards, and you need relationship pull through social media for customer service.

Media 92

Media Social Media Marketing Resource 92

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2015

The attributes to look for in interviews and reference checks would include minimal ego, self-confidence and a willingness to work with others. Team members who won’t listen, immediately become defensive and react emotionally to all suggestions will quickly make your whole team dysfunctional.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Coach Mentor 100