Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2023

I agree with the classic book by Ros Taylor, “ Creativity at Work: Supercharge Your Brain and Make Your Ideas Stick ,” which outlines some key psychological impediments to creative business thinking and change: Just use the data metrics. Creative ideas are the outliers, and tend to be eliminated first, rather than evaluated fully.

Marketing 119

Marketing Metrics Demand Statistics 119

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2020

It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Idea management. Build and manage a pipeline of ideas. From time to time, include customers and sales members in ideation sessions. New product process.

Coach 144

Coach Metrics Social Network Competition 144

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2016

In my experience with entrepreneurs, there seems to a wealth of self-proclaimed “idea people” who aspire to start businesses, but only a few who are willing and able to dig in and get the job done. All the great ideas in the world won’t make a business, if the ideas never get implemented.

Ideas 53

Ideas Startup IBM IBM 53

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. First of all, a definition.

Startup 121

Startup Metrics Custom Customer 121

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 31, 2022

This early stage is often called the idea stage, best populated by people who see the need for change early, or always have a vision for unmet opportunities, or a better way to do things. 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

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 21, 2014

The problem with shelfware is that if you have great sales people, you have raised tons of VC money from prominent investors, you have some marquee clients and you thus likely have some great press about you it can be hard to tell true success from that which is ephemeral. Your favorite investor told you this was a bad idea.

Marketing 354

Marketing Case Study Metrics Sales 354

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2023

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. For progress and success assessment, each of these needs some metrics defined, a training plan, and responsibility assignments within your team.

Outsource Development 115

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 115

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2021

I’m convinced that this “me too” or incremental thinking is one of the key reasons that ninety percent of new startups fail, and most of the investors I know won’t sign non-disclosure forms, since they claim to hear the same startup ideas over and over again. Marketing should begin even at the idea stage.

Startup 162

Startup Metrics Ideas Entrepreneur 162

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2020

I agree with the classic book by Ros Taylor, “ Creativity at Work: Supercharge Your Brain and Make Your Ideas Stick ,” which outlines some key psychological impediments to creative business thinking and change: Just use the data metrics. Creative ideas are the outliers, and tend to be eliminated first, rather than evaluated fully.

Metrics 157

Metrics Demand Statistics Sales 157

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2013

Most struggle with the idea and practice of marketing and sales, and see these as a necessary evil, if even required. A great resource for all is a new book by Drew Williams and Jonathan Verney, “ Feed the Startup Beast: A 7-Step Guide to Big, Hairy, Outrageous Sales Growth.” Attract and get found by the right prospects.

Sales 105

Sales Startup Metrics Custom 105

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021

Unfortunately, most of us don’t have enough resources to bootstrap our own startups, so we are completely dependent on investors to help turn great ideas into great businesses. Investors love entrepreneurs who come across as constantly on the lookout for new ideas, and able to grasp the larger implications for market change.

Ideas 140

Ideas Entrepreneur Equity Resource 140

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2016

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. For progress and success assessment, each of these needs some metrics defined, a training plan, and responsibility assignments within your team.

Ideas 62

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Competition 62

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Waiting until you have something to sell before bringing on a sales and operations staff. Getting a sales contract before manufacturing inventory. It’s why most investors proclaim that they invest in people, more than the idea. Social media is not rocket science.

Search Engine Optimization 103

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 103

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2023

As a business advisor, I meet many business professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs who are anxious to be their own boss , or have an innovative idea to start or acquire a new business. He also still gets excited to donate one percent of sales to environmental groups around the world. Document and communicate a solid business plan.

Startup 94

Startup Ideas Metrics Entrepreneur 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2020

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. For progress and success assessment, each of these needs some metrics defined, a training plan, and responsibility assignments within your team.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Outsource Development Startup Competition 131

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2021

I see entrepreneurs every day who are trying to change the world with a new idea, and startups that are trying to survive their hyper-growth phase by changing processes to meet demand. Define hard (data) and soft (anecdotal) metrics on the change, as well as on the quality of your leadership. Just because Google sales hit $1.5

Startup 155

Startup Resource Metrics Technical Review 155

socalTECH

DECEMBER 20, 2017

In the meantime, we’ll continue publishing thoughts and ideas we’ve learned from great product managers here. At long last, product managers could collect feature ideas from users at scale. At long last, product managers could collect feature ideas from users at scale. from sales to marketing, product, to ops and finance?—?centers

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Metrics Ideas Product 100

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 24, 2010

Startups consistently identify more ideas and opportunities than they have the time or resources to pursue, such as potential partnerships, new products, entering emerging markets, etc. Idea Cronyism. This is analogous to a startup CEO selecting which ideas will be considered by a larger group for implementation.

Ideas 187

Ideas Resource Technical Review Startup 187

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 28, 2011

I am a raving fan of AppSumo because the creator of the brand, Noah Kagan , leads his company focusing on community first and sales second. And he showed us examples how implementing his team’s innovations directly sky rocketed company sales. He reminded us many times that he is not perfect and 86% of ideas fail.

Metrics 87

Metrics Email Startup Technical Review 87

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2023

investors invest in people, not ideas) Effective and timely go-to-market. Have you projected sales and marketing costs, cash flow, and capital requirements? Develop metrics with which to measure yourself and use these to incrementally expand and improve your offering as fast as the market and capital will allow.

Startup 112

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 112

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 13, 2021

While the idea was great, they failed on execution. Obsessive sales – must meet revenue goals. Hypermetricemia – metrics for everything. My advice is to focus on a handful of high-level metrics that matter , and are simple and relevant to organizational objectives. Strategic swelling – more features than any other.

Metrics 133

Metrics Product Yahoo Examples 133

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2022

I still have to tell some entrepreneurs that even with the best idea, they have to move to Silicon Valley to find the investors they need, or they need to move to the U.S. Having a great idea in the wrong place won’t get you the funding you need, the experienced domain experts you want, or the pilot market results you need for survival.

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Oracle Software Review Ideas 123

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2023

Measure progress through metrics on sales, revenue, and penetration. These start with your brand image, search visibility and process, and extend to the actual sales transaction. Seek customer feedback on ways to improve value and satisfaction. Seek to dominate your market over competitors.

Custom 91

Custom Customer Marketing Startup 91

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

As a new business advisor and occasional investor, I get approached regularly by people who have a dream or a new business idea, and are looking for support and money to make it a reality. Thus, I’m more impressed with entrepreneurs who ask me to review their implementation plan, rather than listen again to their idea.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2023

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. New startup founders keep all the operating metrics they need in their head. Once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur. Set your startup health gauges and use them.

Startup 99

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 99

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2018

It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Idea management. Build and manage a pipeline of ideas. From time to time, include customers and sales members in ideation sessions. New product process.

Entrepreneur 64

Entrepreneur Coach Metrics Competition 64

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2020

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Waiting until you have something to sell before bringing on a sales and operations staff. Getting a sales contract before manufacturing inventory. It’s why most investors proclaim that they invest in people, more than the idea. Social media is not rocket science.

Search Engine Optimization 124

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 124

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

However, to be a great VC you have to hold two conflicting ideas in your head at the same time. They might be ideas they hatch internally (via a Foundry) or a founder who just left SpaceX and raises money to search for an idea. On the one hand, you’re over paying for every investment and valuations aren’t rational.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

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. It freed up Ophir to grow out our sales organization, to work more closely with agencies, to innovate on product and to raise capital. That’s fantasy. HR & Legal.

Outsource Development 150

Outsource Development Metrics Startup Sales 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2021

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. New startup founders keep all the operating metrics they need in their head. Once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur. Set your startup health gauges and use them.

Startup 173

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 173

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

investors invest in people, not ideas) Effective and timely go-to-market. Have you projected sales and marketing costs, cash flow, and capital requirements? Develop metrics with which to measure yourself and use these to incrementally expand and improve your offering as fast as the market and capital will allow.

Startup 156

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 156

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2015

It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Idea management. Every business needs a continuous improvement process to collect and funnel new ideas for the next cycle. New product process. Ownership.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Metrics 101

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2016

It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Idea management. Build and manage a pipeline of ideas. From time to time, include customers and sales members in ideation sessions. New product process.

Coach 64

Coach Metrics Competition Ideas 64

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2014

I agree with the book by Ros Taylor, “ Creativity at Work: Supercharge Your Brain and Make Your Ideas Stick ,” which outlines some key psychological impediments to creative business thinking and change: Just use the data metrics. Creative ideas are the outliers, and tend to be eliminated first, rather than evaluated fully.

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Metrics Demand Statistics 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 1, 2022

It’s easy to jump to conclusions and attack the symptoms of a new problem, such as blaming the marketing team for declining sales. You need to solicit diverse and creative ideas from outliers, and people who are willing to take a risk, even if you don’t agree. Put metrics in place to track decision results.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Custom Customer Social Media 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

Almost every entrepreneur and new business owner I mentor is certain that his/her idea has a very high probability of success, and all find it hard to believe that ninety percent of startups ultimately fail.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

Funding is depleted before customer sales ramp up. Competitors see the value of your idea, and the good ones move fast. Smarter entrepreneurs don’t wait for a crisis to drive change, by defining key milestones and metrics for tracking progress. Marketing and sales take more time and effort than anticipated.

Startup 131

Startup Entrepreneur Examples Custom 131