Berkonomics

AUGUST 3, 2023

Some businesses require very little capital and the founder can self-finance the enterprise and retain 100% of its ownership and control from ignition through liquidity event (startup through sale). And even with the significant cost of credit card debt, many entrepreneurs aggressively use existing cards to finance a startup.

Venture Capital 295

Venture Capital Startup Class Invest 295

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 25, 2021

You may think this is only important to your marketing and sales people, but in reality it doesn’t matter how great your product or technology might be, you won’t succeed if you don’t understand your target customer decision process. Every aspect of your business must be about sales. This is the growth equation for a startup.

Customer 136

Customer Custom Sales Social Media 136

InfoChachkie

JULY 4, 2011

Man or woman, the tactics deployed by Sam are applicable to any sales situation and can be put to use by any salesperson, irrespective of their gender. Right from the start, Sam must endure the most painful of all forms of sales rejection, the personal attack. He continues smiling and deploys a rudimentary sales technique.

Sales 219

Sales Entrepreneur Startup Product 219

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 3, 2022

I also recall vividly one of my first investments where the entrepreneur backed out of a sale to a well-known investment company at the last second, declaring his intention not to sell “his” company. Although rarely used, these clauses do give the investors power over your decision to turn your business into a lifestyle project.

Equity 156

Equity Course Sales Invest 156

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2021

So what should an entrepreneur do to convince themselves, as well as potential investors, that they have a viable business model before it is totally proven? Word of mouth is not adequate for marketing and sales. Everyone must be part of the sales process. Customer support is more than handling exceptions.

Sales 165

Sales Customer Custom Social Media 165

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2021

Of course there are people who are great at getting things done, but haven’t had an original idea in their life. Great entrepreneurs, like Bill Gates, are great at both. For entrepreneurs, effective networking is required to find investors, partners, and customers. They expect prompt formal follow-up to questions.

Activity 133

Activity Startup Ideas Technical Review 133

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2021

The ultimate compliment that any entrepreneur can get is that they can “see around corners.” Great entrepreneurs seem to all exhibit a common set of attributes which go well beyond the basic skills required to be an entrepreneur: “Larger than life” personality and presence. Build a great team and nurture them.

Marketing 157

Marketing Design Entrepreneur Ideas 157

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. Is it any wonder why so few entrepreneurs ever find the professional investors they seek? Development schedule and checkpoints.

Product 112

Product Summary Activity Entrepreneur 112

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2023

As an investor and advisor to entrepreneurs, I see accountability, or lack of it, as an override to even the best idea. For example, quite a while back I found some great guidance to the how, why, and who of accountability in the “ QBQ Workbook ,” by John G. Clarify and constantly reinforce expectations. Miller and Kristin E.

Startup 96

Startup Resource Training Tool 96

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

However, certain questions can be tricky for an entrepreneur to answer. Below are five common questions an entrepreneur will encounter when seeking venture funding. These questions, which manifest themselves in numerous forms, all share a common underlying objective: to divine your motivations, expectations and desires.

Entrepreneur 253

Entrepreneur Google Invest RSS 253

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 9, 2023

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. Word-of-mouth is great, but it’s not a launch strategy that stands alone. Marketing alone cannot make a product great.

Case Study 89

Case Study Customer Custom Study 89

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 5, 2010

This is part of my series on what makes an entrepreneur successful. I originally posted it on VentureHacks , one of my favorite websites for entrepreneurs. I started the series talking about what I consider the most important attribute of an entrepreneur : Tenacity. Entrepreneurs are inherently risk takers.

Entrepreneur 293

Entrepreneur Startup Venture Capital CTO Hire 293

socalTECH

DECEMBER 23, 2020

In a year filled with challenging news, we were fortunate (across Archer Venture Capital and Liquid Stock) to have some high quality exits in our portfolio, but moreover to see how our amazing entrepreneurs successfully managed the disruption caused by COVID-19. What are you most looking forward to in the technology/startup world in 2021?

Venture Capital 124

Venture Capital Capital Technical Review Brentwood 124

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 15, 2020

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. Word-of-mouth is great, but it’s not a launch strategy that stands alone. Marketing alone cannot make a product great.

Case Study 174

Case Study Startup Customer Custom 174

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2013

Of course there are people who are great at getting things done, but haven’t had an original idea in their life. Great entrepreneurs, like Bill Gates, are great at both. For entrepreneurs, effective networking is required to find investors, partners, and customers. They expect prompt formal follow-up to questions.

Ideas 110

Ideas Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review 110

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2023

With the availability of high-speed Internet and social media access around the world, it’s easy for entrepreneurs to assume that the world is just one big homogeneous market, and project their business will scale accordingly. Cultural traditions often dictate business roles, procedures, and customer expectations.

Outsource Development 110

Outsource Development Social Media Entrepreneur Summary 110

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 11, 2014

In my experience, inventors and technologists arent interested or arent very good at building a business, and entrepreneurs arent usually good scientists. These people need to find each other, and can jointly make a great team for a new startup. They hate sales, and dont understand what making a profit even means.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Ideas Patents Resource 102

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. Is it any wonder why so few entrepreneurs ever find the professional investors they seek? business plan entrepreneur product plan startup'

Product 101

Product Entrepreneur Summary Activity 101

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 12, 2020

As an investor and advisor to entrepreneurs, I see accountability, or lack of it, as an override to even the best idea. For example, quite a while back I found some great guidance to the how, why, and who of accountability in the “ QBQ Workbook ,” by John G. Clarify and constantly reinforce expectations. Miller and Kristin E.

Startup 147

Startup Resource Training Tool 147

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

Greathouse: Great products and companies that came out (of) Santa Barbara. The problem is that stakeholders, like marketing and sales, don’t know what the latest version of the roadmap is. I chalk up our success to doing a great job validating the opportunity before we started to build the business. Semick: They are.

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 9, 2021

Many budding entrepreneurs struggle mightily with that first step – out of their comfort zone and into the unknown. You get great satisfaction from overcoming all obstacles, and you have no problem with living or dying by your own decisions. This is the right context for being your own boss. Your office would be where you want it.

Startup 168

Startup Ideas Satisfaction Entrepreneur 168

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

MARCH 16, 2019

You may think this is only important to your marketing and sales people, but in reality it doesn’t matter how great your product or technology might be, you won’t succeed if you don’t understand your target customer decision process. Every aspect of your business must be about sales. This is the growth equation for a startup.

Customer 107

Customer Custom Sales Social Media 107

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2022

Very few entrepreneurs have the range of skills and experience to be the solution creator as well as business creator, or operational as well as sales leader. Most entrepreneurs work long hours and weekends to get the job done. Look at the big picture first of development, finance, and marketing/sales. Marty Zwilling.

Software Review 154

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 154

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 21, 2014

I’d like to do a few posts on what life looks like on the way up and perhaps how to keep your head on straight and avoid drinking your own Kool Aid because as I often advise entrepreneurs on irrational exuberance, “ In a strong wind even turkeys can fly.” Have they done a business case on the expected benefits?

Marketing 354

Marketing Case Study Metrics Sales 354

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2022

Almost instantly, via the Internet or on their smartphone in the store, they can find the lowest price alternative or their favorite features, without waiting for push marketing or listening to your best sales person. You only get one chance to make a great first impression. Build a relationship and trust quickly.

Customer 146

Customer Custom Startup Course 146

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2014

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. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Statistics Equity Satisfaction 107

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 8, 2010

Very few of them are started, in my experience, by sales people and very few early stage companies really understand sales. That’s why I started the Sales & Marketing Series and at one point I will do a bunch of posts on the sales methodology we developed at my first company called PUCCKA. More on that later.

Startup 350

Startup Sales Framework Organization 350

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2013

In my experience, inventors and technologists aren’t interested or aren’t very good at building a business, and entrepreneurs aren’t usually good scientists. These people need to find each other, and can jointly make a great team for a new startup. Historically, it’s also not often that a good inventor was also a good entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Ideas Patents Resource 102

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 7, 2019

[Email readers, continue here…] Over the years, I have been delegated by more than several entrepreneurs and boards to negotiate critical agreements, sometimes to sell the company or merge it with another. And as the entrepreneur still tells the story, we two board members walk on water for having delivered such great results.

Pricing 120

Pricing Sales Tool Entrepreneur 120

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 7, 2019

[Email readers, continue here…] Over the years, I have been delegated by more than several entrepreneurs and boards to negotiate critical agreements, sometimes to sell the company or merge it with another. And as the entrepreneur still tells the story, we two board members walk on water for having delivered such great results.

Pricing 120

Pricing Sales Tool Entrepreneur 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2013

The ultimate compliment that any entrepreneur can get is that they can “see around corners.” Great entrepreneurs seem to all exhibit a common set of attributes which go well beyond the basic skills required to be an entrepreneur: “Larger than life” personality and presence. Build a great team and nurture them.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Marketing Startup Design 102

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

They expect to be surprised and delighted as well by their pre-purchase experience and post-purchase interactions. The challenge is to transform and hardwire your entire team to think in these terms, rather than the default focus on distinct towers of product quality, closing the sale, or fixing a complaint.

Customer 106

Customer Custom Startup Competition 106

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

As an entrepreneur I never really knew what to make of VC return data. But privately now most VCs I know contend that it has gone much better than they had initially expected. Case in point: Benchmark, USV, Foundry Group and a ton of other great firms maintain the really small organization model. So some LPs pulled out.

Venture Capital 264

Venture Capital Invest Funding Competition 264

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 19, 2014

Almost instantly, via the Internet or on their smartphone in the store, they can find the lowest price alternative or their favorite features, without waiting for push marketing or listening to your best sales person. You only get one chance to make a great first impression. buying moments customer entrepreneur Robert H.

Customer 98

Customer Custom Entrepreneur Startup 98

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 20, 2012

The ultimate compliment that any entrepreneur can get is that they can “see around corners.” Great entrepreneurs seem to all exhibit a common set of attributes which go well beyond the basic skills required to be an entrepreneur: “Larger than life” personality and presence. Build a great team and nurture them.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Design Ideas Startup 100

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 29, 2012

However, certain questions can be tricky for an entrepreneur to answer. Below are five common questions an entrepreneur will encounter when seeking venture funding. These questions, which manifest themselves in numerous forms, all share a common underlying objective: to divine your motivations, expectations and desires.

Entrepreneur 145

Entrepreneur Google Invest RSS 145