Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 28, 2010

If your startup is great enough to get a term sheet from angel investors or a venture capitalist, the next step for the investor is to complete the dreaded due diligence process. Some startups do nothing to prepare for the due diligence process, assuming the people and business plan documents will speak for themselves.

Technical Review 91

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Summary 91

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 15, 2010

I have no reference point from which to judge whether you were higher on the y-axis 3 months ago or lower. You’ll be able to give them an update on key hires, pilot customers, key tech innovations – whatever. Tags: Startup Advice Tech Market Analysis VC Industry. Keep these interactions low-key and short.

Invest 411

Invest Technical Review Venture Capital Startup 411

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 17, 2013

Clearly in an enterprise customer this is unlikely. The most likely outcome if you manage to interest the senior exec (for the sake of this post let me call her the CEO) is that she will refer you down the organization to somebody who would be involved in the decision. We will have to build (or buy) technology in this area.”

Sales 375

Sales Technical Review Organization Case Study 375

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

This is the mysterious and dreaded due diligence process, which can kill the whole deal. Some entrepreneurs do very little to prepare for due diligence, assuming all the talking has already been done, and the business plan and results to-date tell the right story. Visit reference customers, partners, and vendors.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 118

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2021

If your startup is great enough to get a term sheet from angel investors or a venture capitalist, the next step for the investor is to complete the dreaded due diligence process. Some startups do nothing to prepare for the due diligence process, assuming the people and business plan documents will speak for themselves.

Technical Review 152

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Summary 152

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 138

Technical Review Startup Innocal Offshore 138

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

You’ll get sales information from your VP of Sales, marketing information from your VP Marketing, tech information from your CTO and so on. By going on sales calls you pick up directly the feedback of what customers want and also what they’re telling you about competition.

Startup 308

Startup CTO Coach Technical Review CTO Hire 308

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 16, 2013

It is what is commonly referred to as “vanity metrics” as in, “Look at how many more followers I got us! Customers have long included some of the biggest names in social commerce and online gaming plus startups like TopSpin, Local Response, Maker Studios, StockTwits and the like. The other major pilot customer was.

Marketing 307

Marketing Technical Review Startup Tool 307

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 3, 2014

Most technology startups seem to be funded by product people or business people. 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 are as good at selling you as they are at selling your product to customers.

Sales 382

Sales Help Startup Pricing 382

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. The short version of my review is: “Enchanting? It has also influenced my thoughts, as evidenced by the six infoChachkie blog entries which reference Art.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Blogging Class Entrepreneur 279

TechEmpower

JULY 31, 2023

How does it meet customers’ needs? One way to approach that last question is to use this simple model: Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) How will your business reach prospects? Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) How much money will your business generate from each converted customer? What does the business do?

Metrics 260

Metrics Startup Slides Technical Review 260

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2020

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Funding Innocal Offshore 124

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 21, 2013

In the Ad Tech world PS revenue often means providing “media services” as a value-add to using your product. This might mean helping customers buy traffic, arb’ing deals, helping with RTB pricing or trading, etc. Minimize Any Custom Work That Will Not Feed Back Into Your R&D. rollout support. configuration.

Software Review 321

Software Review Software Services Companies 321

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

Most technology startups seem to be funded by product people or business people. 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 are as good at selling you as they are at selling your product to customers. They’re in beta).

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Customer 316

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2022

Many entrepreneurs think that adapting to the new technologies, like smart phones and Internet commerce, are the key to attracting new customers. High-technology product startups, without customers, don’t make a business. During today’s dynamic customer journey, consumers often find themselves at a point of indecision.

Customer 122

Customer Custom Social Media Technical Review 122

InfoChachkie

JULY 7, 2016

As such, I understand the degree to which hand waving and vaporware can influence investors and potential customers. An interface that is engaging can fool customers into trying a sub-par product. However, if a product with a mediocre GUI is consistently adopted by customers, it may signal a lucrative investment opportunity.

Venture Capital 176

Venture Capital Product Software Review Technical Review 176

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

The functions of an early-stage board are pretty obvious and well understood: Providing introductions to customers, biz dev partners, recruits, the press, other investors, etc. Reviewing financial & operational performance. Ramping up sales teams too quickly and eroding quality & trust in your customer base. Mentorship.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

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. The Greycroft event was a 10 out of 10 so I’ve diligently taken notes.

Startup 279

Startup Venture Capital Tips Custom Development 279

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2021

Most technical entrepreneurs focus hard on building an innovative product, but forget that an elegant solution doesn’t automatically translate into a successful business. Businesses require an equally elegant business model, with the right price, messaging and delivery channel to the right target customers to keep the dream alive and growing.

Product 159

Product Technical Review Pricing Software Review 159

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 13, 2011

For the next four days if you’re in the tech industry you’re going to hear a non-stop stream of information about SXSW. You may choose some where your customers aggregate, others where you hope to find biz dev partners & still others where you want to meet investors. Yes, it’s partly due to ADHD.

Conference 289

Conference Startup Technical Review Writing 289

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2013

Many entrepreneurs think that adapting to the new technologies, like smart phones and Internet commerce, are the key to attracting new customers. High-technology product startups, without customers, don’t make a business. During today’s dynamic customer journey, consumers often find themselves at a point of indecision.

Customer 100

Customer Custom Startup Social Media 100

Eric Greenspan

FEBRUARY 2, 2010

He told me this was a service the BBB provided to its customers since they saved so much money on the same service. In most cases these viewings are done by potential customers who are checking on your company’s rating. We also want you to use and understand this valuable product so that you may attract and retain customers.

Santa Barbara 265

Santa Barbara Technical Advisors Email Technical Review 265

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2022

Today more than ever, the evidence is clear that business people need to find and communicate a purpose that goes beyond making a profit, in order to ensure customer engagement, as well as your own, and drive results in the marketplace. Challenge yourself to delivering a technical innovation.

Technical Review 143

Technical Review Coach Mentor Customer 143

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. Kara is a natural leader and loves taking ownership of tasks and over-performing. And all the platform stuff.

Venture Capital 361

Venture Capital Startup Invest CitySearch 361

socalTECH

JULY 31, 2013

The firm recently raised a $15M series C funding, and we caught up with Kevin to learn more about why its customers, and investors, are interested in its technology. We have created a wireless technology and solution, end-to-end, that allows you to cost effectively connect devices that can be very, very remote.

Technical Review 213

Technical Review Software Review Networking Technology 213

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2022

Then, hopefully, come customers, distribution channels, and going public or merging with an attractive buy-out candidate. From an entrepreneur perspective, here are the key barrier-to-understanding elements: Unclear frame of reference. Technical semantics and jargon. Stereotyping and biases. Information withheld.

Technical Review 137

Technical Review Entrepreneur Guide Mentor 137

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

China is indelibly an important part of the future of the global technology system. Ask your customer why you lost. We had every reference client we worked with call their senior team members (we had already won a major project at Scottish Water, Anglian Water and another at a large water company in Paris, France).

Outsource Development 333

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 333

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

China is indelibly an important part of the future of the global technology system. Ask your customer why you lost. We had every reference client we worked with call their senior team members (we had already won a major project at Scottish Water, Anglian Water and another at a large water company in Paris, France).

Outsource Development 328

Outsource Development Software Review Technical Review News 328

InfoChachkie

MAY 7, 2012

If you are fortunate to pitch a sophisticated investor in person, assume they already believe in the veracity of your idea, the market and the underlying technological trends. Confirmation from people whom the entrepreneur did not cite as a reference is vital. As such, communication had to be clear, open and direct. Think Stewardship.

Ideas 251

Ideas Venture Capital Education Entrepreneur 251

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2019

Many entrepreneurs think that adapting to the new technologies, like smart phones and Internet commerce, are the key to attracting new customers. High-technology product startups, without customers, don’t make a business. During today’s dynamic customer journey, consumers often find themselves at a point of indecision.

Customer 85

Customer Custom Social Media Technical Review 85

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2015

It has become so synonymous with Internet companies that the French have invented a disdainful term including Amazon: “les GAFA,” which they refer to as Google-Apple-Facebook-Amazon to talk about American dominance of the Internet. It is a household name. ” Let’s start with some basics. The value prop is pretty clear.

Ideas 150

Ideas Startup Technical Review Pricing 150

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 63

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Most technical entrepreneurs focus hard on building an innovative product, but forget that an elegant solution doesn’t automatically translate into a successful business. Businesses require an equally elegant business model, with the right price, messaging and delivery channel to the right target customers to keep the dream alive and growing.

Technical Review 108

Technical Review Pricing Startup Software Review 108

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 12, 2014

Then, hopefully, come customers, distribution channels, and going public or merging with an attractive buy-out candidate. From an entrepreneur perspective, here are the barrier to understanding categories: Unclear frame of reference. Technical semantics and jargon. Stereotyping and biases. Information withheld.

Technical Review 104

Technical Review Guide Entrepreneur Mentor 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2013

Then, hopefully, come customers, distribution channels, and going public or merging with an attractive buy-out candidate. From an entrepreneur perspective, here are the understanding barrier categories: Unclear frame of reference. Technical semantics and jargon. Stereotyping and biases. Information withheld.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Technical Review Guide Mentor 101

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2010

They come in the form of personal references. That is when no customers wanted to work with Internet startups because we as an industry had burned so many customers. I learned how to integrate customers into our product development process. We fought for every customer together.

Startup 285

Startup Venture Capital Sales Software Review 285