Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2023

In the aftermath of the recent pandemic, which caused many businesses to close, a new raft of business workers and entrepreneurs are deciding to pursue their own dreams of being a new business owner, and controlling your own destiny. Define key metrics to measure progress and success.

Social Media 98

Social Media Metrics Media Tool 98

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

As an investor in startups, I most often see entrepreneurs who are technologists, or at least have a real passion for a specific product. They mentor each other, and seek out experts in domains outside their current expertise and experience. Using metrics to measure results and commitments.

Startup 113

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2022

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Bigger organizations should invest in the new “big data” tools. Subjectively measuring employee engagement.

Tool 121

Tool Statistics Entrepreneur Metrics 121

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young. As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day.

Search Engine Optimization 103

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 103

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2014

Cashflow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young. As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cashflow personally every day.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 105

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2022

Thus, over the years of my mentoring and consulting efforts with entrepreneurs, I have a key list of practices that I recommend to everyone starting and growing a business. Big growth takes big investment. Use metrics on key deliverables to assure quality results. Managing cash must always be your top priority.

Startup 134

Startup Training Tool Demand 134

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2021

As an angel investor in new startups, I’ve long believed that investors invest in people, not ideas. But the magic that makes one entrepreneur stand out over others is hard to quantify – yet we all recognize it when we see it. Define and use real metrics to measure progress. Don’t play the blame game.

Customer 157

Customer Custom Metrics Ideas 157

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2020

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young. As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day.

Search Engine Optimization 124

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 124

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

We have significant VC commitments (listed below) – every entering company will get $50,000 in funding, mentorship from top VCs and successful entrepreneurs plus free office space. But the most important metric has been the deep and lasting relationships that have been built with startups and also between senior executives.

Venture Capital 287

Venture Capital Funding Startup GRP Partners 287

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2017

Entrepreneurs are people who dream up new ideas, and then commercialize them into new businesses. Yet, in my experience as a mentor to entrepreneurs, the majority of failures I see are related to starting and growing the business, not developing the solution. Manage the business with metrics and goals.

Ideas 72

Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

In a larger public company, it’s all about making your quarterly numbers, versus investing in strategic growth alternatives that may not pay off until several quarters later. It’s your job as a leader to be the model high performer, quantify the team view with metrics, and expand awareness to the best outside competition and new tools.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

Once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur. Although many won’t admit it, true entrepreneurs can’t wait to exit their current startup, and build a new and better one with their next great idea. For these reasons, I always look for an overt exit strategy in every startup I might consider for an angel investment.

Startup 98

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 98

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Thus, I’m more impressed with entrepreneurs who ask me to review their implementation plan, rather than listen again to their idea. There are lots of resources available for the challenge of that activity, including the Internet and mentors like me. Present at trade shows and network with your ten-slide pitch to build your following.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

socalTECH

AUGUST 28, 2017

He and I connected, and walked through PartySlate and what we were doing, and he immediately said he wanted to invest and become an advisor to the company. He introduced me to Wavemaker, also in LA, and also Halogen Ventures, which is led by Jessie Draper, which invests in women-run technology companies.

Technical Advisors 100

Technical Advisors Technical Review Metrics Startup 100

socalTECH

OCTOBER 26, 2016

We spoke earlier with Cody Simms , Executive Director of Techstars America and who leads the program in LA, to hear more about why the startup accelerator operator is opening up its third accelerator here, why Los Angeles has turned out to be one of the leading sources for startups across its network, as well as Cody's advice to entrepreneurs.

Startup 100

Startup Los Angeles Mentor Class 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2015

Yet, as an advisor to startups, I see some common disasters, and recommend some anticipation and recovery moves that can save every entrepreneur some painful time and money. While every entrepreneur needs to remain upbeat and optimistic on all of these, it is also smart to anticipate the worst case scenarios that are possible with each.

Startup 105

Startup Entrepreneur Marketing Satisfaction 105

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young. As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day.

Startup 89

Startup Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 89

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young. As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, here are my best recommendations for keeping the burn rate low, planning ahead and maintaining credibility with investors: Manage cash flow personally every day.

Startup 108

Startup Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 108

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2016

It’s easy to declare yourself an entrepreneur, but it’s not so easy to convince investors, your team and customers that you are that special one to fund and follow. If you don’t consistently display the right entrepreneur mindset traits, people won’t follow and business success will likely elude you.

Startup 58

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Customer 58

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2019

Be willing to invest in effort, before expecting results. Every business owner understands the need for making an investment first, before realizing any return or instant gratification. Help your owner get beyond the misleading metrics of employee overtime and salary increases.

Technical Advisors 75

Technical Advisors Startup Satisfaction Customer 75

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2017

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Bigger organizations should invest in the new “big data” tools. Subjectively measuring employee engagement.

Tool 53

Tool Entrepreneur Statistics Metrics 53

Tech.Co

APRIL 30, 2018

Their financial planning tool helps people track their spending, investments, and credit rating all in one mobile platform. Powered by blockchain technology, this groundbreaking fintech company is one to watch, no matter what you’re invested in. The app can help provide users a snapshot of all financial accounts from one’s phone.

Startup 70

Startup Tool Platform Metrics 70

Jason Nazar

JUNE 1, 2016

These are the pitch techniques the best entrepreneurs employ to raise billions in capital. Too many entrepreneurs get thrown off because they can’t go through their pitch the way they practice it. Read what other startup mentors have to say about attracting investor attention. Every investor wants to invest in a confident team.

Slides 49

Slides Startup Entrepreneur Metrics 49

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2017

Many business executives and entrepreneurs I know are convinced that business success is all about having the right solution for the right price. Thus most investors I know claim to invest in the person, rather than the product. Thus most investors I know claim to invest in the person, rather than the product.

Software Review 57

Software Review Technical Review Startup Press 57

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 9, 2014

This was a chance to blow open the story on their companies, to address a room full of potential investors, mentors, partners, customers, and press. After the event, we caught up, Parker Thompson , Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) charged with leading Batch 8. Rapt.FM – Rap battles over live chat.

Startup 111

Startup Mobile Commerce Education 111

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 23, 2013

Sergey’s diverse experience as an entrepreneur, technology consultant and software executive qualifies him to lead amSTATZ’s technology development. David Cohen from TechStars, someone I look up to as an entrepreneur, says that they don’t invest in ideas, but teams. Sergey Belyankin is our Chief Technology Officer.

Social Network 92

Social Network Networking Training Summary 92

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 13, 2013

Which I have shown to do, but anybody who invests in tech, invests in team. My every day is trying to fundraise, reaching, re-reaching out, and trying to keep people updated with metrics. ML: Being an entrepreneur, especially with very little resources is like a rollercoaster. It’s a huge challenge for me.

Technical Review 87

Technical Review Mobile Startup Los Angeles 87

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2022

One of the attributes that I often recommend to the business professionals and entrepreneurs I mentor is to always be totally accountable for your actions and ideas. Setting your own metrics, and measuring yourself , will facilitate accountability. Be available for mentoring and coaching to others.

Activity 109

Activity Organization Mentor Training 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 19, 2015

Yet I can’t remember the last time any entrepreneur asked me to assess personal potential, despite the fact that most investors will admit they invest in the person more than the product. These entrepreneurs dream big, go big and too often crash big. It is people who drive successful businesses. Specialist.

Startup 106

Startup Incubator Entrepreneur Metrics 106

SoCal CTO

AUGUST 3, 2010

Welcome to the Lost Decade (for Entrepreneurs, IPO’s and VC’s) - Steve Blank , July 15, 2010 If you take funding from a venture capital firm or angel investor and want to build a large, enduring company (rather than sell it to the highest bidder), this isn’t the decade to do it. Metrics availability. Not so bad. Performance.

Startup 217

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Software Review 217