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. The first post on scaling sales dealt with “aiming&# your sales teams – making sure they were focused on the right opportunities.

Sales 289

Sales Startup Training Pricing 289

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 21, 2023

Here are some basic principles from my own experience that will improve your odds and keep you on the right track: Recognize that you are not the market. Marketing is everything these days. On the average, it takes as long to build marketing momentum as it does to build the solution. Everyone must be part of the sales process.

Customer 109

Customer Custom Satisfaction Sales 109

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

the most counter-intuitive fund-raising advice you’ll ever get I’m about to offer you some fund-raising advice that flies directly in the face of what most conventional wisdom will tell you. Let me start out with my premise: “Data rooms are where fund-raising processes go to die.” I have to back up and give you more context.

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

With the enormous changes to our economies and financial markets?—?how how on Earth could the venture capital market stand still? One of the most common questions I’m asked by people intrigued by but also scared by venture capital and technology markets is some variant of, “Aren’t technology markets way overvalued?

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

Almost every early-stage startup who has approached investors for funding has heard the innocuous sounding rejection “I love your idea, but come back when you have more traction.” As an investor, I would like to see one month of sales, and see how that compares to your projections. Market penetration. First of all, a definition.

Startup 121

Startup Metrics Customer Custom 121

TechCrunch LA

NOVEMBER 5, 2021

The global meat substitute market was valued at $4.51 Growing up with a father who was a food marketer, Boyd Myers said she saw firsthand what eating a diet of fast-food can do to a person and was always looking for more healthy food options that also had a positive benefit for the planet. AKUA co-founder and CEO Courtney Boyd Myers.

Startup 191

Startup Los Angeles Sample Funding 191

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 31, 2022

After many years in business, I’m convinced that none of us has the strengths and interest in all the areas needed for success, including solution changes, finance, marketing, and operations. Idea people often don’t get funded as entrepreneurs, because a new business is all about results, not just ideas.

Activity 108

Activity Satisfaction Metrics Startup 108

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2023

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. I still see entrepreneurs who spend money and time for months on a new business idea without any separation of personal and business funds, and any formal accounting system for their new business.

Outsource Development 115

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 115

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2021

Here are some basic principles from my own experience that will improve your odds and keep you on the right track: Recognize that you are not the market. Marketing is everything these days. On the average, it takes as long to build marketing momentum as it does to build the solution. Everyone must be part of the sales process.

Sales 165

Sales Customer Custom Social Media 165

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. How's the startup funded? What is Digsy?

Sales 145

Sales Startup Email Tool 145

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Of course, their answer is that the second intends to get to market faster, but every engine has limits regardless the fuel applied. Count on six months from beginning the funding process until a new check is cashed. Use social media for early marketing.

Search Engine Optimization 103

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 103

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 9, 2020

Others do far too little, assuming the viral effect and word-of-mouth will soon kick in, and sales will suddenly grow exponentially. Continually add new marketing and distribution partners. Real growth always requires real marketing. Ask every employee to focus on sales. Aggressively enter new markets and sales channels.

Search Engine Optimization 131

Search Engine Optimization Startup Social Media Metrics 131

socalTECH

JANUARY 5, 2009

Los Angeles-based Image Metrics (www.image-metrics.com) recently landed a $6.5M, Series B funding round for the firm's facial animation products. Around 2006, they opened up a sales office here, with a couple of guys talking to the film and games business. Tell us a bit about the latest funding round? We're that close.

Metrics 100

Metrics Startup Sales Newsletter 100

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 20, 2015

VC funding. Our perspectives on the topic wax and wane with market cycles. Here’s what I believe, but won’t claim to “know” because every time I think I know something the market seems to do something entirely different. Money when you find product / market fit is an extreme differentiator.

Funding 150

Funding Venture Capital Startup Marketing 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2023

For a new business, you can provide unique ingredients, but the preparation steps in your business plan must follow a tried and true recipe for startup success: Identify a market with a real need. You need a good cook, good marketing, and first-class service. investors invest in people, not ideas) Effective and timely go-to-market.

Startup 112

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 112

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2020

Difficulty in securing and protecting funding. Even in the best of times, funding for change initiatives can become a tempting target. You need to maintain explicit C-suite and Board buy-in for constant transformation through effective communication, highlighting the struggles of peer businesses, and establishing the right metrics.

Metrics 122

Metrics Training Satisfaction IBM 122

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2020

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. I still see entrepreneurs who spend money and time for months on a new business idea without any separation of personal and business funds, and any formal accounting system for their new business.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Outsource Development Startup Competition 131

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2021

The best are ones quickest and most willing to do the realignment on a continuous basis these days, as the market changes, customer interests change, and you learn from experience. Make sure the inspiration that launched your vision isn’t lost in the course of a pivot or market change. Revisit your startup vision and values.

Social Media 143

Social Media Startup Framework Course 143

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

For a new business, you can provide unique ingredients, but the preparation steps in your business plan must follow a tried and true recipe for startup success: Identify a market with a real need. You need a good cook, good marketing, and first-class service. investors invest in people, not ideas) Effective and timely go-to-market.

Startup 156

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 156

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2022

get the attention of the market they choose. For example, if you are working on a great social networking idea to replace Facebook, and need funding, you probably won’t find any interested and focused VCs or angel investors in Arizona, where I live. billion dollar sale to Oracle from Bozeman, Montana.

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Oracle Software Review Ideas 123

socalTECH

MAY 17, 2019

Perspectium recently raised a funding round from TVC Capital. David Loo: Ultimately, at the C-level, the CIO requires data metrics and intelligence, in order to compete and make decisions and take actions to further a company's agenda. The third part we're trying to help get into this is the service provider market.

SaaS 113

SaaS Startup Customer Custom 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

Yet, in the interest of full disclosure, and an honest intent to save future entrepreneurs some grief and money, I would remind you that starting any business has key dependencies on at least five major elements, including product design and delivery, the right people on the team, adequate funding, a sizable market opportunity, and marketing.

Startup 131

Startup Entrepreneur Examples Customer 131

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2020

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Of course, their answer is that the second intends to get to market faster, but every engine has limits regardless the fuel applied. Count on six months from beginning the funding process until a new check is cashed. Use social media for early marketing.

Search Engine Optimization 124

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 124

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

If you are the hot-shot technical innovator that invented your solution, make sure you have an equally adept business and marketing expert to complement your skills. “If Pivot early, as required, to tune your features and marketing to meet the market and technical realities. The market is unpredictable and changes fast.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2019

When you are starting a new business, every resource is precious, including time, funding, and people. It’s always tempting to think that more product variations will satisfy more customers and lead to new sales. Ineffective and expensive marketing campaigns. Most challenges you have are not unique to your business.

Outsource Development 122

Outsource Development Outsource Metrics Technical Review 122

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

To grow faster businesses need resources in today’s financial period to fund growth that may not come for 6 months to a year. The most obvious way to explain this is with sales people. You may have leverage when you DO need to fund raise. If you don’t, somebody else WILL!” ” The Details.

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2016

Many entrepreneurs assume that everyone will love their solution as much as they do, so they tune their marketing focus based on their own needs and wants. Expanding your market into these areas requires thinking outside your personal box. Identify your built-in biases and define compensating development and marketing strategies.

Customer 55

Customer Custom Marketing Social Media 55

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 2, 2015

What I love about my job is getting to see teams of super-early-stage companies develop ideas that while raw have potential to make an impact on the market. For a well-funded seed company I have controversially recommended hiring a great office manager that doubles as an administrative assistant.

Outsource Development 150

Outsource Development Metrics Startup Sales 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2021

Customers today quickly get beyond these, and put a competitive priority on the experience of others, reflected in reviews and social media, and their own total experience with your sales process, delivery, returns, and support on their schedule. These have the vision and the resources to fund long-term digital success.

Competition 142

Competition Software Review Social Media Customer 142

socalTECH

JUNE 1, 2012

My other co-founder, Rusty Jenkins, was also with that company, doing sales. We had gone our ways, and after we left UpSellit and were golfing, we decided that instead of being part of a lifestyle business we wanted to start our own, and help local businesses market themselves. Can you talk about how your company is funded?

CTO Coach 223

CTO Coach Startup Mobile Artificial Inteligence 223

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2020

In my experience as an advisor to startups, the difference is almost always related to the founder and their execution strategy , more so than to the solution quality or the market. Define success metrics, and measure progress regularly. If you have completed four out of five milestones, we can both see success in your future.

Startup 123

Startup Outsource Development Entrepreneur Outsource 123

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 3, 2021

To keep you on a positive track with potential investors, I recommend the following logic principles, to balance your passion in presenting your vision of a new business: Make sure your plan includes some business metrics. Competitors, like the market, never stand still as you disrupt their space.

Entrepreneur 162

Entrepreneur Social Media Examples Metrics 162

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2015

These don’t get funded, nor bought by customers. Here are the motivation elements that investors expect to hear: Size and growth potential of the market opportunity. Your customers don’t care if you are targeting a billion-dollar market and growing at double-digit rates, but investors will skip small or shrinking opportunities.

Product 103

Product Slides Customer Custom 103

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2015

Here are some basic principles from my own experience that will improve your odds and keep you on the right track: Recognize that you are not the market. Marketing is everything these days. On the average, it takes as long to build marketing momentum as it does to build the solution. Everyone must be part of the sales process.

Startup 107

Startup Sales Customer Custom 107

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Of course, their answer is that the second intends to get to market faster, but every engine has limits regardless the fuel applied. Count on six months from beginning the funding process until a new check is cashed. Use social media for early marketing.

Startup 89

Startup Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 89

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2017

They are tasked with “getting deals done” so they race around talking to tons of potential partners inking anything from channel sale deals , product integration, international distribution agreements, co-marketing arrangements, M&A discussions, etc. You have a marketing department with three people.

Activity 164

Activity Conference Press Case Study 164

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2015

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. I still see entrepreneurs who spend money and time for months on a new business idea without any separation of personal and business funds, and any formal accounting system for their new business.

Outsource Development 99

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 99