TechCrunch LA

NOVEMBER 7, 2019

Wrench , the Seattle-based on demand vehicle maintenance and repair service for consumers and fleets, has raised $20 million in its latest round of financing. RepairSmith , which operates a similar service out of Los Angeles and San Francisco, is backed by Daimler to provide much the same on-demand repair services.

Demand 100

Demand Services Los Angeles Mobile 100

socalTECH

JULY 17, 2013

It looks like the battle between Los Angeles e-commerce startup Beachmint and technology blog PandoDaily is flaring up into a major firestorm, over the accuracy of a story posted a couple of weeks ago by the tech blog.

Blogging 153

Blogging Satisfaction News Commerce 153

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2020

One of the most stressful and unanticipated challenges that comes with starting a new business is hiring and managing employees. While this approach appears to cost more on the surface, it often actually costs you less, when you consider the hidden costs of rework, poor customer satisfaction, employee management, and training required.

Outsource 123

Outsource Startup Technical Review Training 123

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 5, 2014

Great leaders learn to listen actively to conversations, so people don’t hold up progress just to be understood. Disruptive office politics start to show. Startups with weak directives, poor communication, and ineffective cultures are breeding grounds for negative interpersonal dynamics. entrepreneur startup'

Demand 92

Demand Entrepreneur Startup Training 92

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2020

Having the best solution is a good start these days, but a solution alone is no longer enough to keep customer attention and loyalty. Start with feedback from real customers, set measurable objectives, and make sure rewards and incentives are tempered by customer experiences, rather than only internal thresholds.

Customer 168

Customer Custom Services Startup 168

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2021

Young entrepreneurs and startups, in particular, often remain naively unfocused, despite their passion, of what it takes to provide the high-quality service expected. It’s a tough job, and inexperienced entrepreneurs just don’t know where to start, and how to do it. Yet the average perception of customer experience has not improved.

Startup 154

Startup Training Customer Custom 154

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

Ongoing momentum requires a move to mainstream, or even late adopters, who demand simplicity in your base function. Your long-term success and satisfaction depends on it. Thus you should never be complacent in your business about the growth you have achieved, or your loyal customer base.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2022

In my view, too many businesses fail, simply because founders give up too early. Starting many initiatives, and hoping that one will stick, is not a formula for success. You should be ready with your personal anecdotes on achieving success through persistence, from non-business efforts as well as business.

Startup 143

Startup Competition Coach Satisfaction 143

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 8, 2022

Most entrepreneurs struggle with many startup founders quandaries in building their business, and these key dilemmas are probably the biggest source of pain and failure for the entrepreneur lifestyle. People may jump into the lifestyle to be their own boss, achieve great wealth, start a new trend, or all the above.

Startup 130

Startup USC Entrepreneur Statistics 130

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 15, 2015

Great leaders learn to listen actively to conversations, so people don’t hold up progress just to be understood. Disruptive office politics start to show. Startups with weak directives, poor communication, and ineffective cultures are breeding grounds for negative interpersonal dynamics.

Startup 103

Startup Training Coach Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2020

What you don’t expect is to feel out of control , or to always be fighting the many demands for your time. There are just not enough hours in a day, and knowledge available, to keep up with it all. The startup world is all about causing change and reacting to unknowns, so set your expectations early to deal with it.

Entrepreneur 122

Entrepreneur Startup Course Examples 122

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2023

These haven’t changed much over the years, but still seem to be often overlooked by business professionals and leaders in their haste to keep up with peers, competitors, and customers in today’s volatile environment. The reality is that starting a business, as well is working an existing business, has always required perseverance.

Startup 121

Startup Satisfaction Technical Review Ideas 121

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2013

Young entrepreneurs and startups, in particular, often remain naively unfocused, despite their passion, of what it takes to provide the high-quality service expected. It’s a tough job, and inexperienced entrepreneurs just don’t know where to start, and how to do it. Know your customers intimately. Involve, empower, and inspire.

Customer 92

Customer Custom Startup Services 92

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2013

But very quickly, it is becoming obvious to startups that the value and satisfaction exceeds the costs. To legally facilitate startups who want to give top priority to socially conscious solutions, seventeen states, starting with Maryland in 2010, have passed legislation allowing incorporation as a Benefit Corporation (B-Corp).

Startup 101

Startup Organization Entrepreneur Customer 101

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 3, 2015

In any case, it is good form to offer compensation, such as a small monthly stipend, plus expenses, and perhaps a 1% ownership in your startup, to show your commitment. Book follow-up sessions, with an agenda, rather than fill time with random discussions. That’s the ultimate satisfaction. Marty Zwilling.

Mentor 105

Mentor Startup Summary Satisfaction 105

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2012

But very quickly, it is becoming obvious to startups that the value and satisfaction exceeds the costs. To legally facilitate startups who want to give top priority to socially conscious solutions, eleven states, including New York and California, have passed legislation allowing incorporation as a Benefit Corporation (B-Corp).

Startup 100

Startup Organization Customer Custom 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

Always use multiple methods, including verbal and written, for defining an assignment, including accountability, with checkpoints and follow-up from you along the way. Make sure that metrics and goals are set up front, and not modified as the project progresses. Provide assessments based wholly on facts.

Startup 132

Startup Training Metrics Examples 132

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2021

In some cases it may be fear of retribution by the boss, but more often they just hate to disappoint others, and end up instead with high stress and low credibility in a crisis to deliver. Be sure to follow-up as promised, to maintain your credibility. Clearly decline without using the word no. Skip the “maybes” or “I’ll try.”

Startup 172

Startup Tool Coach Satisfaction 172

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 28, 2015

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. The challenge is that every new business needs to be innovative and different, in order to rise above the crowd, bring real change to the world, and give you the satisfaction you seek.

Startup 107

Startup Cloud Computing Social Media Entrepreneur 107

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022

Great leaders learn to listen actively to conversations, so people don’t hold up progress just to be understood. Disruptive office politics start to show. Startups with weak directives, poor communication, and ineffective cultures are breeding grounds for negative interpersonal dynamics.

Training 142

Training Coach Startup Entrepreneur 142

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2015

These are responding to the demands of this new world for collaboration, trust, and transparency. Establish vehicles, like a formal customer satisfaction program, to recognize and reward staff and customers for sharing what they can do to help you. Ramp up transparency by making people the boss of what they do. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 99

Startup Organization Social Media Customer 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2021

Every one of you business leaders I know struggles with the competing demands of finding and keeping employees motivated and satisfied, versus building and enforcing a set of repeatable processes that work. That takes less time and gives everyone greater satisfaction. For all the reasons outlined above, don’t let that be your downfall.

Satisfaction 154

Satisfaction Demand Resource Competition 154

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 22, 2011

Even though I have seen many startups succeed, and many that failed, I still struggle with what really makes the difference. Here is a summary of seven maxims that I excerpted from their e-book, which you can use in your startup and every entrepreneurial initiative: Work as a trusted customer advisor. But what does that really mean?

Startup 93

Startup Organization Customer Custom 93

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2022

We are living in a new generation of business, where customers drive the experience, and highly engaged employees are required to keep up with customer expectations. True leaders are tenacious, determined, and self-starting. Traditional business leadership practices, including autocratic, reactive, and narcissistic, aren’t good enough.

Customer 152

Customer Custom Coach Satisfaction 152

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 19, 2013

Most entrepreneurs struggle with many startup Founders dilemmas in building their business, and these key dilemmas are probably the biggest source of pain and failure for the entrepreneur lifestyle. People may jump into the lifestyle to be their own boss, achieve great wealth, start a new trend, or all the above.

Startup 98

Startup Entrepreneur Statistics Equity 98

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2020

In either case, you need to understand the dynamics to maximize team performance, and for your own sanity and satisfaction. Team members may forget you are now the boss, or anyone can make inappropriate comments or demands. Share the timetable at the start of a discussion and stick to it. Show consistency in all interactions.

Satisfaction 150

Satisfaction Product News Startup 150

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 6, 2020

It seems that most of you entrepreneurs I meet in my role as business advisor are convinced that starting a new business requires equity investors, exponential growth, and a plan to go public via IPO. This can be a key source of personal satisfaction, as well as the ultimate success factor and legacy.

Statistics 124

Statistics Equity Satisfaction Entrepreneur 124

TechEmpower

OCTOBER 9, 2023

With Generative AI and LLMs, new avenues for improving operational efficiency and user satisfaction are emerging every day. In layman's terms, while conventional search mechanisms demand exact phrases or keywords to return relevant results, LLMs can understand and interpret the intent and context behind a query.

Generative AI 348

Generative AI Artificial Inteligence Tool Knowledge Base 348

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2019

Most entrepreneurs struggle with many startup founders quandaries in building their business, and these key dilemmas are probably the biggest source of pain and failure for the entrepreneur lifestyle. People may jump into the lifestyle to be their own boss, achieve great wealth, start a new trend, or all the above.

Startup 97

Startup USC Entrepreneur Statistics 97

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2019

Great leaders learn to listen actively to conversations, so people don’t hold up progress just to be understood. Disruptive office politics start to show. Startups with weak directives, poor communication, and ineffective cultures are breeding grounds for negative interpersonal dynamics.

Training 123

Training Coach Startup Entrepreneur 123

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 30, 2013

However, there may be times when you are forced to take up a new endeavor to cement a mentor relationship. It was initially brutal for my friend, who struggled for weeks to keep up with the CTO, yet his efforts paid off. Be Sharing - Mentors are often motivated by the satisfaction they derive from vicariously sharing in your success.

CTO Coach 241

CTO Coach Mentor Activity Satisfaction 241

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

Young entrepreneurs and startups, in particular, often remain naively unfocused, despite their passion, of what it takes to provide the high-quality service expected. It’s a tough job, and inexperienced entrepreneurs just don’t know where to start, and how to do it. Yet the average perception of customer experience has not improved.

Competition 99

Competition Services Startup Training 99

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 13, 2013

I’ve written about this before, but I was surprised again recently at a conference for startups when a couple of entrepreneurs started berating investors for their low rate of funding for early-stage startups. It sounded to investors like me that they expected a funding entitlement for their startup idea. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 98

Startup Satisfaction Customer Custom 98

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

Having the best solution is a good start these days, but a solution alone is no longer enough to keep customer attention and loyalty. Start with feedback from real customers, set measurable objectives, and make sure rewards and incentives are tempered by customer experiences, rather than only internal thresholds.

Customer 106

Customer Custom Startup Competition 106

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 20, 2014

I’ve written about this before, but I was reminded again a while back at a conference for startups when an entrepreneur started berating investors for not funding early-stage startups. It sounded to investors like me that they felt a funding entitlement for their startup idea. And like water or food, it isn’t free.

Startup 96

Startup Entrepreneur Satisfaction Customer 96

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2018

Most entrepreneurs see their new venture as a fun adventure, until the pressures of a cash flow crisis, or a manufacturing quality problem, or a major customer satisfaction problem hits. New competitors can steal your market, or they can open up new markets. True entrepreneurs love change – that’s why they are starting a new venture.

Startup 82

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Mentor 82

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 8, 2011

I’ve written about this before, but I was surprised again recently at a conference for startups when a couple of entrepreneurs started berating investors for their low rate of funding for early-stage startups. Executives need to show up be the model, communicate the model, and enforce the model. Marty Zwilling.

Funding 96

Funding Startup Satisfaction Customer 96