Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2022

Early-stage entrepreneurs rightly keep their focus on creating an innovative product or service. By definition, second-stage ventures generally have 10 to 99 employees and/or $750,000 to $50 million in revenue, and see that as just the beginning. Switch your attention from product development to sales.

Sales 147

Sales Metrics Guide Startup 147

SoCal CTO

APRIL 2, 2013

I'm going to be looking at aspects like: Things to consider before building your MVP Features often overlooked when documenting an MVP for developers Understanding important metrics you want to measure Risks and challenges in developing an MVP. It should be a fun evening with lots of interesting conversation. What's going to go wrong?

CTO Coach 219

CTO Coach Metrics Framework Software Development 219

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2021

If entrepreneurs answer these questions for their startup, they will definitely stay ahead of most of their competitors in the startup world: What is the “secret sauce” that my startup brings to the problem? The last thing you need in a startup is a false start, where you can’t deliver on a product change deadline, or a new marketing channel.

Startup 155

Startup Resource Metrics Technical Review 155

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2015

Remember, investors are buying into the business, not the product. Investors are business experts, while the entrepreneur is more likely the product expert. Investors will impatiently expect a winning business model, customer segment definitions and volume projections. Specific elements of your marketing and sales plans.

Product 103

Product Slides Customer Custom 103

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2018

What is the definition of traction for a business startup today? This can happen through early marketing, independent of whether you have yet delivered a single product, proven your business model, or have any real customers. Define metrics on customer feedback and user counts. Build an experienced technical and executive team.

Tips 79

Tips Metrics Technical Review Customer 79

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 21, 2014

You’d imagine that companies selling tons of shelfware would quickly meet their deserved fate in the market, yet the spin around a category of software can fool buyers into thinking they “must have this product to compete.” Poorly implemented this category was the definition of shelfware. ROI studies were published.

Marketing 354

Marketing Case Study Metrics Sales 354

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 15, 2022

You can jump into social media with a poor brand definition, poorly focused content, unrealistic expectations of customer service, or be killed by malware or viruses. Assess social media relevance to your product or service. If your business is industrial B2B products, social media should be low on your list.

Social Media 126

Social Media Media Startup Platform 126

socalTECH

MARCH 20, 2015

Tastemade said it commissioned Nielsen to evaluate the effectiveness of its sponsored original content for two advertisers on key advertising metrics (brand recall, brand affinity, purchase intent, and brand perception), comparing its content with 30-second pre-roll and TV ads.

Content 100

Content Redpoint Study Santa Monica 100

SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 10, 2009

He has a really interesting background as a product manager and now an entrepreneur. Like many product managers, my background is fairly eclectic. That's where I learned I enjoyed interacting with customers and working with development teams to build and launch products. Tell me a bit about your background. How did it help you?

Product 150

Product Entrepreneur Social Media Google 150

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 19, 2012

I was talking with an early-stage founder who has a product vision and wants to get it built. He wanted to get input from me on what he's doing, and he wants to begin to ask developers what it would take to build his product. Me : Product definition, use cases, feature list, wireframes, comps, really whatever you have.

Develop 354

Develop Development Technical Review CTO Coach 354

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

By definition?—?I’m We back very early stage companies and work alongside executive teams as their build their teams, launch their products, announce their companies and raise their first downstream capital rounds. The market definition has changed but what we do mostly hasn’t. Are we in a bubble?”

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2021

Yet even I have been known to recommend that approach, in cases where you have a highly innovative product, speed is of the essence, and no clear existing market is available. As a counter, here are some situations where it definitely makes sense to short-circuit the traditional approach: The market won’t wait for your planning cycle.

Marketing 138

Marketing Demand IBM IBM 138

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 9, 2009

The mess really comes from a developer who was willing to get started on a product that was not fully thought out. What are your key Startup Metrics ? Of course, we’ll also discuss the details of the product itself. A lot of the product discussion feeds off the answers to this conversation. Other types of users?

Software Development 292

Software Development Develop Development Startup 292

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 23, 2013

Recast Pilots as the first phase of a multi-phased, definitive agreement. However, we found that we consistently had to re-sell our value prop in order to convert pilot relationships into definitive agreements.". The key to accelerating revenue generation in a phased agreement is to document the success metrics of the landing phase.

Sales 215

Sales Outsource Development Metrics Resource 215

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2022

How does any entrepreneur define the right balance, and then measure their performance against real metrics? In fact, there is plenty of evidence that these arrangements, such as with Whole Foods , are easy to implement, and pay big productivity, loyalty, as well as financial dividends.

Startup 110

Startup Entrepreneur Capital Examples 110

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2019

Early-stage entrepreneurs rightly keep their focus on creating an innovative product or service. By definition, second-stage ventures generally have 10 to 99 employees and/or $750,000 to $50 million in revenue, and see that as just the beginning. Switch your attention from product development to sales.

Startup 97

Startup Sales Metrics Guide 97

SoCal CTO

MAY 21, 2012

Many of the factors are not obvious and include building mystery to drive margin, why boring B2B companies often win but are challenging in other ways, how bootstrapping wins, integrating metrics from the start and many other similar lessons. Startups provide introductions and Tony and fellow panelists provide feedback in real-time.

CTO Hire 175

CTO Hire Startup Metrics eHarmony 175

socalTECH

OCTOBER 14, 2019

Michele Ruiz: In the last year and a half, we have been putting together our product and content. Why that it is important, is the metrics associated with this is are how scalable it is. Because of that, Tinder spent a lot of time on the product, and thinking about the product, to make it as simple as possible.

Content 150

Content Training Education Outsource Development 150

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 4, 2013

I guess this is the ultimate definition of implementing a business model when you’re not clear on strategy! You need to first create a compelling product. In my opinion no amount of clever marketing or chest beating at conferences can create a market if you don’t have an amazing product to begin with. ” True.

Startup 401

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 401

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2013

You can jump into social media with a poor brand definition, poorly focused content, unrealistic expectations of customer service, or be killed by malware or viruses. Assess social media relevance to your product or service. If your business is industrial B2B products, social media should be low on your list. Marty Zwilling.

Social Media 101

Social Media Media Entrepreneur Metrics 101

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2019

It definitely pays to get some help with your first step into social media, since first impressions often become lasting ones. Jumping in haphazardly with poorly a focused message is definitely non-productive, and may harm your business. Use business metrics and tools to tune your efforts.

Social Media 99

Social Media Media Tool Startup 99

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 13, 2019

You can jump into social media with a poor brand definition, poorly focused content, unrealistic expectations of customer service, or be killed by malware or viruses. Assess social media relevance to your product or service. If your business is industrial B2B products, social media should be low on your list.

Social Media 79

Social Media Media Invest Platform 79

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2013

First of all, a definition. Traction is evidence that your product or service has started that “hockey- stick” adoption rate which implies a large market, a valid business model, and sustainable growth. Free and freemium products need a solid base. Average transaction size and revenue per customer. Customer acquisition cost.

Startup 106

Startup Metrics Customer Custom 106

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2015

Early-stage entrepreneurs rightly keep their focus on creating an innovative product or service. By definition, second-stage ventures generally have 10 to 99 employees and/or $750,000 to $50 million in revenue, and see that as just the beginning. Switch your attention from product development to sales.

Startup 108

Startup Sales Metrics Entrepreneur 108

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 25, 2014

If entrepreneurs answer these questions for their startup, they will definitely stay ahead of most of their competitors in the startup world: What is the “secret sauce” that my startup brings to the problem? The last thing you need in a startup is a false start, where you can’t deliver on a product change deadline, or a new marketing channel.

Startup 108

Startup Resource Metrics Technical Review 108

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Terence Chiu: Indeed Prime is a new product Indeed is building, to attract top software engineers, and connect them with the best, attractive companies hiring software engineers. We're definitely seeing interest from people in the Bay Area, and from other cities in the country, who are open to great opportunities in LA. READ MORE>>.

Los Angeles 100

Los Angeles Marketing Angel Technology 100

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

DTC entrepreneurs are more focused on immediate impact, because if they’re not selling product, there’s no large brand propping them up. We’re looking for high-growth brands that we can scale, and we’ve learned through the years that what works well are demonstrable products that have cool user value props.

Commerce 211

Commerce Content Marketing Startup 211

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 28, 2019

How does any entrepreneur define the right balance, and then measure their performance against real metrics? In fact, there is plenty of evidence that these arrangements, such as with Whole Foods , are easy to implement, and pay big productivity, loyalty, as well as financial dividends.

Startup 93

Startup Entrepreneur Capital Examples 93

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 8, 2019

For a successful launch and scalable growth, they need to establish many checkpoints, with metrics to assess their progress and alignment with the vision. Innovation must be applied to your business model, your processes, as well as your product offering. Aim to obsolete your own products with new, before competitors do it.

Startup 88

Startup Demand Training Customer 88

InfoChachkie

JULY 14, 2015

While every state has a slightly different definition of nexus, it is generally defined as, "a physical presence, employee, or products stored in the state." That may sound like a lot, until you consider that the metric is gross revenue, not profit. Sounds reasonable, right? In theory, the concept of nexus makes sense.

Sales 100

Sales Customer Custom Metrics 100

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 19, 2014

I was running the largest deals in the media and entertainment video area across many different Google products. I worked with the head of each product area, such as YouTube, on how to drive more value for our large partners. We have our product in the market, and launched our beta in January. The metrics are very solid.

Google 233

Google Content Startup Venice 233

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 6, 2010

Everyone has their own definition of momentum (user numbers, revenue, channel partners, biz dev deals, whatever). Imagine the “typical&# deal – somebody comes into a VC’s office, they’ve never met, they’re highly referred by a friend and they’re pitching a product demo and a PPT. during your meeting.

Startup 360

Startup Venture Capital Invest Slides 360

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 8, 2017

You can jump into social media with a poor brand definition, poorly focused content, unrealistic expectations of customer service, or be killed by malware or viruses. Check your brand definition against the clarity of this one from Xerox for office software. Assess social media relevance to your product or service.

Social Media 58

Social Media Media Platform Tool 58

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

Early-stage entrepreneurs rightly keep their focus on creating an innovative product or service. By definition, second-stage ventures generally have 10 to 99 employees and/or $750,000 to $50 million in revenue, and see that as just the beginning. Switch your attention from product development to sales.

Startup 56

Startup Sales Metrics Guide 56

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2015

By definition, every startup is predictably unpredictable, since new solutions have no proven track record, startups are usually building a new market, and the world around them is changing faster than ever. Five major elements of every business include your people, product, opportunity, money and marketing.

Startup 105

Startup Entrepreneur Marketing Satisfaction 105

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 18, 2015

Successful entrepreneurs must never stop looking for ways to improve their own productivity, as well as the efficiency and momentum of the team. Perfection is not an affordable target in product development, sales or customer support. They seem to ignore the old idiom that you get what you pay for -- hours, not results.

Training 105

Training Entrepreneur Tool Metrics 105

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

An alternate outcome that I also unfortunately observe in some cases are companies who had extreme early success with an initial product adoption but failed in key areas that limited the growth and therefore the ultimate financial outcomes. How profitable is my product or service? As an early-stage VC I love this phase.

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286