SoCal CTO

MARCH 11, 2013

If you do build the MVP and show it to them, they will ask you about your metrics. They really want metrics, not a product. The real question you should be asking is "When I've built this product and show you the following metrics, would you invest?" Investors demand more than that.

Metrics 264

Metrics Venture Capital News Product 264

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2022

A strong vision and deep insight may get your business off the ground, but long-term success requires constant data analysis, metrics, and attention to your customer feedback. Today, customer loyalty is based on the “ total customer experience ,” as opposed to price or service alone. Relentlessly drive improvement, change, and growth.

Mentor 133

Mentor Startup Customer Custom 133

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

At Amazon, Jeff Bezos leads a relentless drive to invent dramatic new ways to delight customers, not waiting for customer demands or competitors to show the way. Incorporate AI-powered data and metrics systems. These days, speed of delivery, rate of change, and automation are key, so these elements get attention for every customer.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Customer Custom 123

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

I recommend a trial run with an experiment or MVP (minimum viable product), at full price and cost, before the big bang launch, risking your investment money and a major time commitment. You need the funding and support, but venture capitalists can be very demanding, and set high targets. Needed help can be your biggest burden.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

2 preamble issues having read the comments on TC today: 1: I know that the prices of startup companies is much great in Silicon Valley than in smaller towns / less tech focused areas in the US and the US prices higher than many foreign markets. You can be pissed off, but I don’t set prices. That’s stupid.

Startup 336

Startup Pricing Technical Review Marketing 336

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

In the short term you need customers to find you at any price, and in the longer term you need revenue, profit, and return loyalty. Although his focus is naturally on bigger companies, I contend that his recommended strategies apply equally well to entrepreneurs and startups: Demand a mindset of deep thinking for the long term.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2019

Second-stage growth usually requires a formal sales model, an experienced and disciplined sales team, and a well-defined process to meet your new goals and demands. Managing business growth is more than metrics. Marketing shapes the concept, branding, packaging, pricing, and positioning.

Startup 97

Startup Sales Metrics Guide 97

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2019

These days, a fun shopping experience, or no-question returns, often tips the scales over extra product features or a lower price. For example, you will often find some new customers who want to test your limits by demanding extra service or concessions, leaving you with little or no lifetime value.

Customer 85

Customer Custom Product Metrics 85

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

In the case of MakeSpace we had huge initial successes in New York City as Rahul led the scaling of our drivers, our trucks and our warehouses and we figured out the right price points to beat the local competition. and we were met with weak demand, slow growth and high costs. were more distributed.

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2017

Many are reluctant to really “market” themselves, and have trouble differentiating their offerings to clients, except by price. If your business card and website come across as just another advisor, consultant, or accountant, then don’t be surprised if price is the only focus. Set pricing to assure both revenue and profit.

Social Media 56

Social Media Pricing Technical Review Demand 56

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2019

Of course, nothing is totally free, and I have heard the horror stories of relatively small companies finding thirty or more employees spending most of their time scanning and using social media for promotions, or engaging high-priced consultants who never seem to be able to show any real return for all of their efforts.

Social Media 99

Social Media Media Tool Startup 99

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

When they look at buying your company they often think in terms of “how long will it take until I earn back the profits to pay for my acquisition price?” I also try to understand things like how you’re pricing your product, how your competitors price and what your pricing expectations will be in the future.

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2018

They have to be energized and able to adapt as the market and competitors demand. You need to communicate quantified and updates goals quarterly, including the metrics to assess progress and success. Too many businesses have their “cash cows,” which they refuse to touch with pricing or new features until it is too late to recover.

Technical Review 84

Technical Review Customer Custom Startup 84

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 5, 2012

And then they said one thing that most marketers go their whole career never hearing, 'Listen Steve, price is irrelevant, it is speed that matters.' We had been pricing our graphics cards to be a low-cost provider. The first thing I did was raise our prices.". Good News Bad News. A Conflict Mitigated By A Common Enemy .

Marketing 271

Marketing Startup Sales Customer 271

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

I suggest you use social media, blogging, crowdfunding, or documented research to quantify a real demand from people who can afford it, and don’t have a better alternative already out there. This is the point where you must manage to metrics, work on the culture of the organization, and look for partner-based growth.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2015

Second-stage growth usually requires a formal sales model, an experienced and disciplined sales team, and a well-defined process to meet your new goals and demands. Managing business growth is more than metrics. Marketing shapes the concept, branding, packaging, pricing, and positioning.

Startup 108

Startup Sales Metrics Entrepreneur 108

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2016

By profit, I simply mean offering a product or service to customers for a price that exceeds the total costs associated with the solution, thus providing some basis for recovering sunk costs and generating a return for stakeholders. Investors look for sales at full price, to people you don’t know, to validate demand, price, and margin.

Entrepreneur 58

Entrepreneur Ideas Pricing Customer 58

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

Second-stage growth usually requires a formal sales model, an experienced and disciplined sales team, and a well-defined process to meet your new goals and demands. Managing business growth is more than metrics. Marketing shapes the concept, branding, packaging, pricing, and positioning.

Startup 56

Startup Sales Metrics Guide 56

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2016

It must be written down, with measurable team objectives, validated by metrics and compared against competition. Customer-centric founders have found that interactive coaching and mentoring by experienced peers is more effective and positive in keeping everyone up to speed on trends, competition, customer demands and technology.

Customer 55

Customer Custom Startup Coach 55

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2013

Second-stage growth usually requires a formal sales model, an experienced and disciplined sales team, and a well-defined process to meet your new goals and demands. Managing business growth is more than metrics. Marketing shapes the concept, branding, packaging, pricing, and positioning.

Sales 96

Sales Metrics Startup Entrepreneur 96

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

So when Sam Rosen came to me with the idea of disrupting storage with a product that is priced cheaper than existing incumbents and he could build a product that is a better service I was intrigued. The metrics were good but we wondered how much better they would be when we expanded our product.

Startup 150

Startup Marketing Study SEO 150

InfoChachkie

JUNE 2, 2014

The result of her efforts is an online service that allows brides to select their bridesmaids'' gowns, within a broad range of colors, styles and price points. We keep our eye on a handful of metrics, but we’re focused on customer satisfaction. We will be moving into other categories based on customer demand.

Design 208

Design Customer Custom Satisfaction 208

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2013

It must be understandable, written down, and verifiable, with regular measurements and metrics to make it real, benchmarked against the competition. Leaders have found that keeping everyone on top of changes in technology, competition, and customer demands is critical to success. Make your service deliver process “happy.”

Customer 92

Customer Custom Startup Services 92

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

He eventually applied his lessons learned in these experiences when he founded Zag, a company that helps consumers buy cars over the Internet at pre-negotiated prices with nearly 4,000 dealers across the country [disclosure: my firm GRP Partners is an investor in Zag]. It’s awesome. The deals we quickly went through are: 1. Foursquare.

Zag 248

Zag Truecar Venture Capital CarsDirect 248

InfoChachkie

MARCH 2, 2010

There were no price guides, standardized rating systems or baseball card stores. This dramatically increased the value of the highest graded cards and depressed the prices of all other cards which did not meet the exacting standards of the grading services. Eventually, card buying speculation drove prices ever higher.

Pricing 138

Pricing Advertising Marketing Startup 138

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 19, 2015

They suffered in trying to live up to public perceptions and the demands to continue their successes. Every $10 million financing only puts more pressure on the founders to figure out how to hit the metrics to get to the next milestone and every company that raises $25 million puts a ton of pressure on their 10 competitors who haven’t.

Press 150

Press Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur 150

Tech.Co

APRIL 11, 2018

The impact can be seen in the skills gap — the San Francisco Bay Area has the largest skills gap among the locations covered by LinkedIn’s report, meaning that supply isn’t keeping up with demand. After, it’s a balancing act for many in the industry, who rely on the same location that’s pricing them out.

Report 70

Report .Net Template Writing 70

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

Ongoing momentum requires a move to mainstream, or even late adopters, who demand simplicity in your base function. It’s important to define your growth strategy, document it, communicate it to your team, and align metrics and employee rewards to target goals. Build a strong employee culture focused on growth.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 22, 2016

Less than a month ago, Snapchat opened custom on-demand geofilters to everyone. Only two rules to the pricing on Snapchat filters: you can’t go over 5 million square feet, and the max amount of time a filter can run for is thirty days. Here’s some that I’ve been doing: ALL THE INFORMATION ON GEOFILTERS YOU NEED TO GET STARTED.

Customer 40

Customer Custom Snapchat Design 40