Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 5, 2014

In fact, I have found from personal experience and mentoring that both of these are necessary, but not sufficient, for building a business. Demand for coaching, counseling, and discipline training is high. Examples of exemplary companies practicing this model include Starbucks Coffee and the Whole Foods.

Demand 92

Demand Entrepreneur Startup Training 92

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 20, 2017

Every entrepreneur can learn from a mentor, no matter how confident or successful they have been to date. Most people don’t know that billionaire Mark Zuckerberg , for example, gives real credit to the inspiring mentorship of Steve Jobs for Mark’s Facebook success. Yet most entrepreneurs simply don’t know how to work with a mentor.

Mentor 60

Mentor Startup Summary Satisfaction 60

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 2, 2020

Evan Williams , for example, before cofounding Twitter, started a podcasting platform named Odeo. Both Bill Gates and Warren Buffet , although extremely successful in their own domains, share a great relationship as mentors for each other in learning how to deal with today’s challenging business and social problems.

Startup 173

Startup Mentor Activity Entrepreneur 173

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

Ongoing momentum requires a move to mainstream, or even late adopters, who demand simplicity in your base function. For example, Mark McClain, cofounder and CEO of SailPoint Technologies , created an employee growth culture resulting in growth of forty percent a year, with more than $100 million in revenues.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2020

In my experience as a business mentor, one of the biggest challenges I see is a failure to focus. Good examples of initial focus by an entrepreneur would include Jeff Bezos when he started Amazon as an online marketplace for books only, and Elon Musk starting PayPal as an online bank.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Startup Patents Resource 126

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2015

If you are like most entrepreneurs I know, there just aren’t enough hours in a day to get all your own work done, as well as run the many one-hour meetings each team member seems to demand for decisions and mentoring. For one-on-one coaching from the startup founder, I call this approach five-minute mentoring.

Product 99

Product Mentor Startup Technical Review 99

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2022

For example, I’m an introverted product guy who doesn’t care so much about building the personnel relationships needed to keep a motivated team. The competition will improve, the market will change, and your customers will demand more. Relentlessly drive improvement, change, and growth.

Mentor 133

Mentor Startup Customer Custom 133

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2021

A key part of her message that resonated with me, as a mentor to entrepreneurs, is her guidance on how to deal with the constant demands and requests that every business founder faces. For example, “I have another commitment at the same time that I can’t move,” or “This isn’t my area of expertise, so I’m just not the best person.”

Startup 172

Startup Tool Coach Satisfaction 172

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

Almost every entrepreneur and new business owner I mentor is certain that his/her idea has a very high probability of success, and all find it hard to believe that ninety percent of startups ultimately fail. For example, I believe Bill Gates would have failed without his partners Steve Ballmer and Paul Allen.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 20, 2011

How can you beat finding someone who has been there and done that, able to mentor Gen-Y, has lots of connections to people in your industry, and is often willing to work for equity alone? They know how to arbitrate immature tantrums, and lead by example. Angel Investor. Interim Executive. Executive Assistant (aka Secretary).

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Mentor Demand High Tech 107

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022

In fact, I have found from personal experience and mentoring that both of these are necessary, but not sufficient, for building a business. Demand for coaching, counseling, and discipline training is high. Examples of exemplary companies practicing this model include Starbucks Coffee and the Whole Foods.

Training 142

Training Coach Startup Entrepreneur 142

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2021

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. It seems like everyone wants to be an entrepreneur and get rich these days. Make ‘em want it bad (pitch it).

Ideas 136

Ideas Entrepreneur Mentor Resource 136

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 4, 2020

In my opinion, great examples in today’s entrepreneur world include Elon Musk (Tesla), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), and Richard Branson (Virgin Group). They mentor protégés on talent spotting, creativity, and motivation as well as strategy. Good connections and team building are the keys to success. Take chances on unconventional talent.

Oracle 124

Oracle Organization Examples Coach 124

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain. Success demands testing the solution early and quickly in the market, then iterating to get it right. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point.

Technical Review 143

Technical Review Customer Custom Entrepreneur 143

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2013

How can you beat finding someone who has been there and done that, able to mentor Gen-Y, has lots of connections to people in your industry, and is often willing to work for equity alone? They know how to arbitrate immature tantrums, and lead by example. Angel investor. Interim executive. Executive Assistant (aka Secretary).

Startup 98

Startup Mentor Demand High Tech 98

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2020

Many entrepreneurs I have mentored make big mistakes in this area, by hiring low-cost friends and family, with minimal skills or training, and expecting them to have the same work ethic , passion, and business knowledge as the founder. In addition, you can reduce to soft costs of mentoring, relationship building, and socializing.

Outsource 123

Outsource Startup Technical Review Training 123

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2022

In other words, how do you recognize the challenges that really need your leadership , versus the less critical demands that seem to always bubble to the top? For example, Jeff Bezos of Amazon always finds time for his " divinely discontented " customers, as an opportunity, rather than an irritant. Nothing can be a higher priority.

Coach 120

Coach Satisfaction Customer Custom 120

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2019

In fact, I have found from personal experience and mentoring that both of these are necessary, but not sufficient, for building a business. Demand for coaching, counseling, and discipline training is high. Examples of exemplary companies practicing this model include Starbucks Coffee and the Whole Foods.

Training 123

Training Coach Startup Entrepreneur 123

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 16, 2022

One of the dysfunctions I often see in my coaching and mentoring work with small businesses is team member burnout. Burnout occurs for many when your job demands are too many, the hours are too long, and the resources to handle them are too few. Organization acts without fairness and respect.

Coach 120

Coach Organization Demand Resource 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2022

A common request I get while mentoring entrepreneurs is for a copy of the startup checklist they need to follow, in order to build a successful new business. Other examples include smart-home remote control, cell-phone tracking, and remote auto traffic sensors. I wish it was that easy. Mobile Computing.

Technology 133

Technology Cloud Computing Social Media Networking 133

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2020

For example, if you have a proven product, real revenue, a big potential market, and are ready to scale up the business, every investor will be interested. It’s time to scale up and I need money to keep up with demand.” Angel investors probably will know your business, and want to be mentors along the way. Congratulations!

Startup 148

Startup Ideas Equity Invest 148

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 20, 2012

I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain. Success demands testing the solution early and quickly in the market, then iterating to get it right. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point.

Startup 118

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 118

socalTECH

APRIL 13, 2021

The Startup Garage is an incubator which gives preference to USC teams, or startups that are USC affiliated in some way, for example, alumni-led. Often, if a faculty or grad student is leading with technology, they might not have the best sense of how this would be used in the outside world, if there is demand for it at all.

Marina Del Rey 150

Marina Del Rey Startup USC Incubator 150

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2014

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. It seems like everyone wants to be an entrepreneur and get rich these days. Make ‘em want it bad (pitch it).

Ideas 107

Ideas Mentor Entrepreneur Resource 107

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 13, 2023

Yet I find in my mentoring practice that more and more team members prefer the human-centered approach and respond with more engagement and commitment. Start by getting people comfortable with what they don’t know, showing them you are open to new ideas, and don’t demand perfection in all deliverables.

Case Study 112

Case Study Study Startup Examples 112

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 30, 2022

I believe these same mindsets are equally applicable to the entrepreneurs I mentor, and all of you small business leaders, so I offer you my summary of the authors’ conclusions, paraphrased here, with my own insights: Be bold in vision, strategy, and resource allocation. Keep the teams strong.

Template 109

Template Demand Social Media Summary 109

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2011

I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain. Success demands testing the solution early and quickly in the market, then iterating to get it right. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point.

Startup 114

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 114

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2014

I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain. Success demands testing the solution early and quickly in the market, then iterating to get it right. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point.

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Customer 113

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2015

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. There are lots of resources available for that question, including the Internet and mentors like me. It seems like everyone wants to be an entrepreneur and get rich these days. Make ‘em want it bad (pitch it).

Ideas 104

Ideas Mentor Resource Entrepreneur 104

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

You need to show the team every day how your vision relates to their everyday tasks, with real examples that you can demonstrate. If a team member has a plan that is too ambitious and likely to set them up for failure, he or she needs your direct mentoring to dial it back. Check your ego at the door.

Startup 103

Startup Entrepreneur Template Mentor 103

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 26, 2010

How can you beat finding someone who has been there and done that, able to mentor Gen-Y, has lots of connections to people in your industry, and is often willing to work for equity alone? They know how to arbitrate immature tantrums, and lead by example. So what are some ideal roles for a Boomer relative to your startup?

Mentor 75

Mentor Statistics High Tech Demand 75

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2023

In my opinion, great examples in today’s entrepreneur world include Elon Musk (Tesla), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), and Richard Branson (Virgin Group). They mentor protégés on talent spotting, creativity, and motivation as well as strategy. Good connections and team building are the keys to success. Take chances on unconventional talent.

Oracle 94

Oracle Organization Examples Coach 94

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

In my business of mentoring new entrepreneurs and advising small company owners, I recognize that most don’t start as experienced leaders, and most don’t realize that people leadership is a primary key to their future success. Building a business is not a one-person job, and leading by edict rarely works today.

Develop 124

Develop Development Technical Advisors Satisfaction 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 26, 2019

Be prepared with information, examples, feedback, and ready for discussion. People often ask me about the difference between coaching and mentoring. I see these as two different disciplines - a business mentor helps to fill an experience gap, while a business coach helps fill a skill gap.

Coach 91

Coach Course Mentor Examples 91

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2023

For example, it has long been widely accepted that one of the primary causes for entrepreneur failure in new startups is that many give up too soon. Inside the organization, it also pays to offer some of your time for coaching and mentoring to less experienced team members, as an entrée to a supportive relationship.

Startup 121

Startup Satisfaction Technical Review Ideas 121

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 15, 2015

In fact, I have found from personal experience and mentoring that both of these are necessary, but not sufficient, for building a business. Demand for coaching, counseling, and discipline training is high. Examples of exemplary companies practicing this model include Starbucks Coffee and the Whole Foods.

Startup 103

Startup Training Coach Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

For example, even though Mark Zuckerberg built Facebook as an innovative product, most experts believe it was successful due to his relationship with Peter Thiel and other top VCs that he convinced to invest early. They mentor each other, and seek out experts in domains outside their current expertise and experience.

Startup 113

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 113