Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2020

As an advisor to entrepreneurs, one of the most common requests I get is for an evaluation of a next startup idea. I try to explain that even the most innovative idea will fail if it is not a good fit for you at this time, so the question I ask them is “why you now” rather than “ why this solution now ?”

Ideas 151

Ideas Entrepreneur Resource Knowledge Base 151

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2021

As a business mentor, I sometimes feel besieged by people begging for my view and support of their latest idea. In reality, I like most ideas, but I have to tell them that the real challenge is taking the inspiration from a dream to a business reality. Now you see why no one should judge business success potential by the idea alone.

Ideas 136

Ideas Entrepreneur Mentor Resource 136

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2020

In my experience, consummate entrepreneurs tend come up with more startup ideas than they can ever implement, and some of the ideas may not even make business sense. But how does any entrepreneur know which ideas to implement, and which ones are best left behind? Find a recognized billion dollar and growing market.

Technical Review 173

Technical Review Ideas Patents Startup 173

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

Most entrepreneurs I meet are reluctant to disclose anything about their idea to investors before getting a signed confidential disclosure agreement (CDA). These professionals value their integrity, like your therapist or financial advisor, and will not share your business details nor steal your idea.

Ideas 159

Ideas Tips Technical Review Patents 159

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2022

Yet I still too often hear the question, “Can you give me a really sure-fire idea for starting my own business?” My standard answer is that ideas are a dime a dozen, and success is all about smart execution, not ideas. Entrepreneurs need to focus on ideas that lead to customer autonomy, not dependence.

Ideas 105

Ideas Artificial Inteligence Entrepreneur Startup 105

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2023

It’s still popular these days for startup founders to operate in stealth mode, meaning no details about the idea or progress are shared with anyone until the big reveal and rollout. The common reason given is that this prevents any competitor from stealing their idea and beating them to market. Get competitors to surface early.

Marketing 105

Marketing Startup Search Engine Optimization Ideas 105

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 4, 2023

In reality, resource constraints should be seen by startups a competitive advantage, by forcing them to develop new markets, and to think differently and act differently than existing players. Constraints are the best motivators for finding new approaches to solving a problem, building a product, or crafting an effective marketing campaign.

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Resource Ideas Competition Entrepreneur 112

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2020

One thing I have learned the hard way in business is that implementing new ideas is usually much more difficult than conceiving the idea in the first place. That’s why I caution my aspiring entrepreneur clients against proclaiming to investors that they are a great “idea” person. For example, I have a friend with a Ph.D.

Ideas 126

Ideas Writing Examples Outsource 126

Berkonomics

MARCH 31, 2022

The obsolete marketing message. And both have become increasingly obsolete as new channels of reach have evolved, allowing direct and personal contact with our potential customers, and better yet, free and near–free forms of marketing just for the asking. Today’s marketing tools and methods. Revert to “old school” marketing.

Marketing 156

Marketing Custom Customer Tool 156

Berkonomics

NOVEMBER 9, 2017

How many of us throw away marketing dollars because our paid efforts reach an audience that is much larger than the target or niche audience we need to reach? Whether it be for publications, social marketing, or even those once-necessary postal mailers, we have tools now that were not available just a few years ago. This is easy.

Marketing 266

Marketing Resource Advertising Social Media 266

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2023

Product development at this stage is the process of scaling up for manufacturing and marketing rollout. Specialized VCs start to jump in at this stage. Business commercialization. The technology is now embodied in a solution that can be replicated to reliably solve a real customer problem.

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Resource Ideas Funding Research 102

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 6, 2022

Last week, we talked about about the “de-stonkifying” of the market. The company’s stock tanked by more than 26 percent, representing a $230 billion reduction in market cap and a $31 billion drop in Zuckerberg’s personal net worth. Hello friends, and welcome back to Week in Review ! Image Credits: TechCrunch.

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Marketing Newsletter Technical Review News 246

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2023

Here are some key drivers that will likely lead you to a fundable idea: A business crisis. Other countries can provide e-commerce with different business models, outsource manufacturing at low cost, and a huge market for new products. So why do I see some many funding requests for products along these lines?

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Ideas Outsource Development Outsource Course 118

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2021

This is a statement that they are willing and able (and successful) at projecting market and technology turns, not just straight-line innovations. They have the courage to make bold decisions, often contrary to conventional market research. Believe there is no such thing as a crazy idea. More to business than dollars and cents.

Marketing 157

Marketing Design Entrepreneur Ideas 157

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 24, 2020

As a frequent advisor to new entrepreneurs and startups, I often hear your frustration with being treated differently from other startups by investors, on expectations for valuation , traction, and market size. On the other hand, if the market is super-hot, many will be willing to jump in to make your case.

Marketing 174

Marketing Startup Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 174

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2022

Marketing is everything these days. Yet I see many technology entrepreneurs that focus on the basics of marketing too little and too late. How many customers will have any idea what this means to them? I like the guidance from marketing coach David Newman’s classic book “ Do It! Don’t fall into the marketing-speak trap.

Marketing 141

Marketing Startup Social Media Technical Review 141

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2023

Entrepreneurs have always believed that their product or service must show real value to customers, but today the smart ones are even able to make their marketing valuable. The days are gone when marketing was all “pushing product.” by the so-called godfather of content marketing, Joe Pulizzi.

Content 104

Content Customer Custom Marketing 104

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 8, 2014

Ideas posted on the site include "Pizza Bot" -- mobile app for pizza delivery; "Trashnado" -- mobile app for garbage removal; "Power Belt" - a wearable belt to charge your cell phone--and others. All of those ideas have a pre-commited amount of capital from investors willing to back those ideas. READ MORE>>.

Ideas 159

Ideas Idealab Startup Pasadena 159

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2021

As a business consultant, I often have to remind small business owners that their marketing needs to be more interactive, versus the traditional “ push ” model, where you broadcast your message to as many people as possible. Marketing must be everyone’s top priority. Market solutions as an experience or an event.

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Custom Customer Marketing Social Media 168

SoCal Tech Calendar

MARCH 6, 2009

Thursday, March 12, 2009 -- TCVN invites you to attend its Marketing Idea Clinic/Workshop Bring real-world issues and your own business problems before experts and watch in real-time as they slay your marketing challenges. See [link] (more).

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Ideas Marketing TCVN 100

socalTECH

MAY 13, 2019

A new, Irvine-based startup, Neuron EV said late last week that it is targeting the electric vehicle market, unveiling a new idea for an EV called the "HUB".

Marketing 124

Marketing Ideas Startup Capital 124

L.A. Business Journal

AUGUST 14, 2019

Renewable energy storage firm Energy Vault, a portfolio company of Pasadena's Idea Lab, received a $110 million investment from SoftBank Vision Fund to scale its operations and expand into international markets.

Ideas 100

Ideas Invest Funding Pasadena 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2021

Later, in my second career as an entrepreneur with startups, I realized that limited resources and fresh insights actually created the mindset that relied on market change and innovation to survive. We didn’t notice as technology advances had opened a whole new market. Don’t wait for innovation ideas from top management.

Marketing 117

Marketing IBM IBM Resource 117

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2022

As I’ve said before, everyone talks about innovation, but the majority of new business plans I see still reflect linear thinking – one more social network with more features, another smartphone app for marketing, or one more platform for faster e-commerce. Historic changes and great successes don’t come from linear thinking.

Marketing 125

Marketing Tips Organization Ideas 125

SoCal Tech Calendar

FEBRUARY 27, 2009

Thursday, March 5, 2009 -- TCVN invites you to attend its Marketing Idea Clinic/Workshop. Bring real-world issues and your own business problems before experts and watch in real-time as they slay your marketing challenges. See [link] (more).

Ideas 100

Ideas TCVN Marketing 100

Berkonomics

JUNE 22, 2023

Ten tests for your business success: Is your market identifiable and accessible? Test yourself as to whether you can identify the size of your market niche, and whether you can overcome the many barriers to access customers within your niche. How large a total market? Can you dominate that market? Are margins high enough?

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Patents Pricing Ideas Marketing 286

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 3, 2012

In this 8-minute video excerpt from his recent talk, Seth describes the practical, hands-on methodology that he uses on a day-to-day basis to identify and vet his entrepreneurial ideas. As I note in Spilling The Beans , the basic ideas upon which startups are founded are worth nothing. " Ten Step Idea Evaluation Worksheet.

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Ideas Guide Startup Santa Barbara 266

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

But LA-based performance marketing agency MuteSix didn’t wait that long to build its business around scaling DTC brands. If you have growth marketing agencies or freelancers to recommend, please fill out our survey !). Why do you think that performance marketing is the right fit for DTC?

Commerce 211

Commerce Content Marketing Startup 211

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

The following are some lessons I learned about early-stage startup marketing. Because market is such a broad topic, I’m restricting these lessons to PR marketing (as opposed SEO, SEM, product marketing, etc.). They think that only by being open and testing your ideas in an open marketplace can you be successful.

Marketing 380

Marketing Startup Press Technical Advisors 380

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 14, 2013

Mostly it’s because your marketing campaigns suck. Or more directly – they are likely narcissistic resuscitations of your newest features or bragging points that nobody but your marketing team and your mom care about. Plus they run conferences with the top people (which is another form of POV marketing by the way).

Marketing 389

Marketing Press Blogging Startup 389

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

A common request I hear from aspiring entrepreneurs is for an assessment of their latest idea. I don’t even try to assess things at the idea level, since I can’t read minds. Here are seven key considerations for how you should make your own best entrepreneur business idea decision in this context: Pick something you really enjoy doing.

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Ideas Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur 78

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

In my experience, consummate entrepreneurs tend come up with more startup ideas than they can ever implement, and some of the ideas may not even make business sense. But how does any entrepreneur know which ideas to implement, and which ones are best left behind? Find a recognized billion dollar and growing market.

Ideas 83

Ideas Technical Review Patents Startup 83

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2022

As an investor, I sometimes see CEOs who negotiate to send their VP of Marketing to talk. Those requests will always be rejected, since investors invest in people, rather than ideas, and want to look the top decision maker in the eye and gauge their ability and conviction. You have the opportunity to appear on a panel of experts.

Marketing 113

Marketing Entrepreneur Guide Custom 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2022

I know entrepreneurs who have suffered from premature execution often associated with the ready-fire-aim quick-to-market approach. If your product is highly innovative, and speed to market is critical, you won’t get it right the first time anyway, no matter how cautiously you plan. The target market is moving in unpredictable ways.

Marketing 120

Marketing Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 5, 2021

The best startups also see these as opportunities for brand recognition and viral marketing, to simultaneously benefit people and boost the bottom line. Markets are now hyper-connected, where communications technology and rapid transportation link all citizens of the world together. Stakeholder power. Globalization. Marty Zwilling.

Marketing 135

Marketing Startup Entrepreneur Social Media 135

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 27, 2014

In my experience, consummate entrepreneurs tend come up with more startup ideas than they can ever implement, and some of the ideas may not even make business sense. But how does any entrepreneur know which ideas to implement, and which ones are best left behind? Find a recognized billion dollar and growing market.

Ideas 106

Ideas Entrepreneur Technical Review Patents 106

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

A common request I hear from aspiring entrepreneurs is for an assessment of their latest idea. I don’t even try to assess things at the idea level, since I can’t read minds. Here are seven key considerations for how you should make your own best entrepreneur business idea decision in this context: Pick something you really enjoy doing.

Ideas 108

Ideas Satisfaction Entrepreneur Activity 108