Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2023

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan.

Product 112

Product Summary Activity Entrepreneur 112

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 23, 2013

Every sales organization with more than a handful of reps or that is across multiple offices or time zones would benefit from having a sales methodology. The second post was about the “U” or Unique Selling Proposition , which in industry terms is often called a USP. The first post covered the topic of “P” or pain.

Sales 328

Sales Customer Custom Examples 328

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

Our interview today is with Amos Schwartzfarb , the author of Sell More Faster: The Ultimate Sales Playbook for Start-Ups , which comes out tomorrow, Wednesday. We caught up with Amos to learn about his new book, and to gain some tips for startup entrepreneurs on how to figure out when you're actually ready to scale your sales team.

Sales 113

Sales Startup Custom Development Framework 113

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 17, 2013

In my first enterprise software company we developed a methodology for sales that we called PUCCKA. This post is about the “P” or pain. Having a methodology instead of just going on random sales visits helped force a bit of rigor and honesty amongst team members about how well or not we thought we were doing.

Sales 367

Sales Slides Startup Customer 367

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2013

For much of 2013 I watched the press write articles about how the YouTube “MCNs” (multi-channel networks) were doomed and tried to square that with the data I was watching at the one I invested in, Maker Studios, who has had one hell of a year. I agree with YouTube (that they provide more (hosting, ad sales, etc.)

Networking 366

Networking Media Content Customer 366

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 2, 2010

This is part of a series on sales & marketing. I previously covered how early phase sales teams should be “evangelical&# and consultative in nature. As a tech startup grows it needs to develop more process & management if it is to scale. More experienced sales leaders seldom compete on price.

Sales 289

Sales Startup Training Pricing 289

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 31, 2010

This is part of my ongoing Sales & Marketing Series. In the first part of this post I talked about how sales in a startup is often evangelical , requires as consultative sale and needs constant adjustments based on customer feedback. We had 4 or 5 sales reps that had been around since the early days.

Sales 286

Sales Newsletter Technical Review Activity 286

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2013

This is part of a series that describes a sales methodology for technology companies or frankly many other types of companies, too. This post is about finding your “champion.” ” We developed this at our first company and called it PUCCKA – the overall methodology is described here.

Sales 322

Sales Help Organization Product 322

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2010

A while back I wrote a bunch of posts on Sales & Marketing and have been meaning to get back to that theme for a while. Even if you don’t have “direct&# sales I would tell you that “everything is a sale&# including fund raising, hiring, getting press and doing business development.

Sales 346

Sales Startup Technical Review Customer 346

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

Most technology startups seem to be funded by product people or business people. Specifically what is often not in the DNA of founders are sales skills. The result is a lack of knowledge of the process and of sales people themselves. We focused together on improving our sales methodology, our training and our comp plans.

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Customer 316

socalTECH

JULY 24, 2014

The company--which originally started in Austria--set up shop here two years ago to further expand its footprint in the US, and most recently hired away the entire Los Angeles marketing team of crosstown CRM software developer Nimble. Tell us about Pipeliner CRM? That''s what it''s all about. I''m living now in Los Angeles.

Sales 229

Sales Startup Software Customer 229

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2017

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. Consider licensing your product or intellectual property, and “white labeling.”

Develop 70

Develop Development Product Startup 70

socalTECH

MARCH 19, 2014

Sales tax compliance is not a typical sexy startup area. So, it was a surprise when a number of smart, insider angels -- including Roy Rubin (founder of Magento, which he sold to eBay), and Dan Rose (VP of Partnerships at Facebook)--put their money behind TaxJar (www.taxjar.com), a San Diego startup developing sales tax compliance software.

Sales 149

Sales Software Startup Commerce 149

Berkonomics

JUNE 10, 2021

How about all those daily decisions? Take for example, solving key technology problems that prevent a product from shipment, or from scaling to large production. Take for example, solving key technology problems that prevent a product from shipment, or from scaling to large production.

Examples 156

Examples Sales Demand Equity 156

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 27, 2020

The Los Angeles-based operations and security management software service, Replicated has raised $25 million to ramp up its staffing and scale its sales and marketing efforts. As developers embrace Kubernetes, Replicated launches tools to manage its deployments. It’s about how they automate the integration of the applications.”

Software 224

Software Tool SaaS Los Angeles 224

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2011

I agreed to do the interview because the story was about what other companies can learn rather than about airbnb in particular. If you have information about a situation that has gone terribly wrong don’t cover it up. ’ You’re being talked about for the wrong thing. Make the story be about your market.

Startup 329

Startup Press Training Media 329

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 23, 2013

For this reason, startups who perform Pilots have failed the Business Development Idiot Test. Indecisive prospects diffuse a startup''s focus and slow down its sales velocity. The first step to increasing your company''s sales velocity is to eliminate the word “Pilot” from your salespeople''s lexicon. More Than Syntax.

Sales 215

Sales Outsource Development Metrics Resource 215

Berkonomics

APRIL 9, 2020

If it takes eighteen months to get a new product out the door and into the market, and if a product’s gross margin is ten dollars but the corporate overhead is a million a month, it will take the sale of 67,000 more units to break even than if it were to take only six months to market. A critical question for you.

Competition 156

Competition Sales Marketing Product 156

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 16, 2013

750,000 for Scaling & Product development. Delighted about the $750,000 seed round Chippmunk CEO Brian Nickerson said, “Our passion and commitment to incomparable UX is at the core of what drives our team and we will continue scaling and investing in the product.”. Doubling user base & top-tier clients.

Seed Funding 79

Seed Funding Product Draper Develop 79

socalTECH

MAY 2, 2017

We spoke with Andrew about how the company pivoted from its original model after finding a huge amount of traction for its sales software and data, and its ability to guide brokers on the best practices for them to close more deals, which it is now offering as software-as-a-service. But we don't usually have data to quantify that.

Sales 145

Sales Startup Email Tool 145

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2023

Whether we are talking about startups or corporations, innovation requires a leader who can inspire others to step into the unknown. New product process. Business risks are not just development risks. From time to time, include customers and sales members in ideation sessions. Followers and linear thinkers need not apply.

Coach 137

Coach Metrics Competition Ideas 137

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 16, 2014

Eventually you need a VP of Product to handle your product roadmap, a CTO for engineering leadership and VPs of sales, marketing & biz dev. Of if your VP Sales isn’t complaining about marketing she’s trying to get the function reporting to her. And then there’s product management.

Entrepreneur 385

Entrepreneur CTO Hire Startup Sales 385

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 3, 2019

Musk has been teasing the car’s release since 2015, and in a January letter to shareholders said that high volume production would begin by the end of 2020. Tesla said that to achieve this lower price it will shift all sales globally to online only, meaning the company will be closing many of its stores over the next few months.

Design 272

Design Layoffs Pricing Los Angeles 272

Berkonomics

MARCH 3, 2022

Quality” products and services…. should not be positioned as “cheap,” or your potential customers will question your message from the start and will be more critical of the delivered product than if offered as one or the other, but not both. Fast” applies to either service speed (including delivery) or product manufacturing time.

Resource 156

Resource Sales Pricing Startup 156

TechCrunch LA

DECEMBER 20, 2019

Burst , the subscription dental care service, with the pretty, pretty toothbrushes, has now added a sleek dental floss product to its monthly kits. Burst works hand-in-hand with a network of dental hygienists and dental professionals both as a channel to sell through and a sounding board for new product development.

High Tech 169

High Tech Los Angeles Networking Capital 169

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 28, 2011

That great productivity drain that we somehow all buy into. about their marathon 4-hour sessions to get to zero inbox or somebody else claiming email bankruptcy ( definition if you don’t know it already ). Here’s the thing: I actually do care about responding to people. ” Brilliant! . ” Brilliant!

Email 314

Email Product Startup Writing 314

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 18, 2016

When entrepreneurs introduce new products to the market, their passion and conviction often leads them to assume that every potential customer will see the immediate need and value, and will quickly adopt the solution. Yet most of the startups I see these days are providing a solution that is easier to use, more fun, or more productive.

Product 95

Product Case Study Customer Custom 95

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 9, 2013

This is final part of a series that describes a sales methodology for technology companies or frankly many other types of companies, too. We developed this at our first company and called it PUCCKA – the overall methodology is described here. Well think of it this way – you have your sales process. Unique Selling Proposition.

Customer 324

Customer Custom Marketing Newsletter 324

Berkonomics

JANUARY 27, 2022

Because the first rule for raising money is to do it on good news – right when sales are increasing at an accelerating rate. Or when something happens that makes an investor think this company is about to break out. Why is this important advice? Or when a major customer signs a significant deal. The post Don’t just raise money.

News 156

News SaaS Platform Sales 156

socalTECH

MAY 15, 2019

Burbank-based CareerArc , which develops social recruiting and outplacement. technology and services, says it is in the midst of a big expansion in Los Angeles, and has added about 20 percent to its headcount over the last three months. The company says it has already been expanding its product, engineering, sales and marketing teams.

Burbank 145

Burbank High Tech Sales Los Angeles 145

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 20, 2013

In my first enterprise software company we developed a methodology for sales that we called PUCCKA , which I wrote about previously. Having a good sales methodology can help you ensure your company runs more disciplined campaigns and focuses scarce resources on your best opportunities. But how would I use it?”.

Sales 336

Sales Startup Competition Customer 336

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2022

In fact, it’s all about the “focus” required to get early stage technology products across the deadly chasm from early adopters to mainstream customers. Missions and products that are too broad confuse your team, your customers, and potential investors. Product development chasm. Marketing and sales chasm.

Startup 150

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 150

Berkonomics

JUNE 20, 2019

One of the most obvious reasons mature businesses die away – when we look in the rear view mirror – is that they did not spend to renew their product or service when newer entrants into the business arrived with better products and services built upon newer technology. The life cycle of any product. The R&D “tax”.

.Net 120

.Net Patents Research Sales 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2022

Early-stage entrepreneurs rightly keep their focus on creating an innovative product or service. Weinfurter, talks about making the leap a couple of times himself, and the perspective he gained from many years of consulting with other companies who have done the same. Switch your attention from product development to sales.

Sales 147

Sales Metrics Guide Startup 147

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2014

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan.

Product 101

Product Entrepreneur Summary Activity 101

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2015

When pitching to investors, entrepreneurs always seem to start with a customer pitch, then add a slide or two about the business. In reality, they need a separate pitch about the business, carrying over only a slide or two about the solution. Remember, investors are buying into the business, not the product.

Product 103

Product Slides Customer Custom 103

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

We operate at scale and speed unprecedented in human history.” * I first wrote about the changes to the Venture Capital ecosystem 10 years ago and this still serves as a good primer of how we arrived at 2011, a decade on from the Web 1.0 So in our earliest stages we’re about 70% seed and 30% pre-seed. dot-com bonanza.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471