Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2023

Many business leaders today, including Howard Schultz , didn’t start the businesses they are now known for, but worked their way up the corporate ranks with ownership thinking. Smart business owners realize that no returns occur without some investment and risk. Use metrics and data to quantify progress and return.

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Startup Satisfaction Metrics Customer 111

SoCal CTO

MARCH 11, 2010

If you’re a Web-based startup, for example, show me how many unique visitors you think you can get in the beginning, and what you’re using for an estimated conversion rate (buyers to browsers). And it’s surprising how few startup founders think in those terms. Part of those questions are around Startup Metrics.

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Metrics Search Engine Optimization Startup Ideas 159

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2021

When you see startups like SpaceX and Pinterest grow from a low valuation to a billion dollars in just a few years, it’s easy to assume that if you just keep doing what you are doing, you can get there as well. Of course, that means a mindset willing to give up much more equity, and taking on a whole new level of risk.

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Startup Course Sales Entrepreneur 151

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Do you need a board when you first start you company? If you haven’t raised any money or if you raised a small round from angels or friends & family I would suggest you avoid setting up a formal board unless the people who would join your board are deeply experienced at sitting on startup boards.

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Startup Venture Capital Tips Capital 236

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 12, 2021

But very few are talking about how to measure your results and return on investment (ROI), and the right metrics for optimizing your marketing environment. Measuring message delivery in social media is a lot like measuring it in classic advertising, so classic metrics apply. Get attention and reach your audience.

Social Media 127

Social Media Media Metrics Satisfaction 127

SoCal CTO

MAY 21, 2012

" I realized that I've never captured topics that I've covered (I'm always willing to look at other topics), nor have I put up my speaker bio. So, here goes: Dr. Tony Karrer Over the past 15 years, Tony has been a part-time CTO for more than 30 startups. Tony has a Ph.D. He is a frequent speaker at trade and industry events.

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CTO Hire Startup Metrics eHarmony 175

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. For these reasons, I always look for an overt exit strategy in every startup I might consider for an angel investment. Set your startup health gauges and use them.

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Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2023

I realized a while back that creating a new company for the first time is a lot like whipping up a great dinner entree for the first time – you need a recipe, even though it may look simple. Yet you may not be so sure where to start, and how to put it all together. Show return on investment, growth rates, and market penetration.

Startup 112

Startup Metrics Coach Marketing 112

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Nearly every successful tech startup I’ve observed over the past 20 years has gone through a similar growth pattern: Innovate, systematize then scale operations. Innovate In the early years of a startup there is a lot of kinetic energy of enthusiastic innovators looking to launch a product that changes how an industry works.

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Startup Technical Review Custom Customer 286

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.” A graph that shows a hockey-stick “up and to the right” curve with at least three data points per key indicator is a great visual assist.

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Startup Metrics Custom Customer 121

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 15, 2019

Almost any startup can start with Excel, and move to open-source data analysis tools, including Python or RStudio. Bigger organizations should invest in the new “big data” tools. Based on many years of HR leadership at SAP and elsewhere, these authors start by highlighting the risks of not leveraging data analytics.

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Metrics Tool Statistics Entrepreneur 98

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

At our mid-year offsite our partnership at Upfront Ventures was discussing what the future of venture capital and the startup ecosystem looked like. Even then private market investors can paper over valuation changes by investing at the same price but with more structure so it’s hard to understand the “headline valuation.”

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Venture Capital Marketing Technical Review Seed Funding 416

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2018

In the classic book, “ Driving Demand: Transforming B2B Marketing to Meet the Needs of the Modern Buyer ,” top marketing consultant Carlos Hidalgo updates the old guidelines on how to set up demand generation processes, keep them current, and measure results. Return on investment for demand generation. Lead-stage content performance.

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Metrics Demand Marketing Paramount 57

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. For these reasons, I always look for an overt exit strategy in every startup I might consider for an angel investment. Set your startup health gauges and use them.

Startup 173

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 173

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 21, 2015

In a new book, “ Driving Demand: Transforming B2B Marketing to Meet the Needs of the Modern Buyer ,” top marketing consultant Carlos Hidalgo updates the old guidelines on how to set up demand generation processes, keep them current, and measure results. Return on investment for demand generation. Lead-stage content performance.

Metrics 101

Metrics Marketing Demand Paramount 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 15, 2022

Most social media outlets don’t require a subscription charge, but they certainly always require an investment, sometimes large, in people, in technology, your reputation, and your time. As with many startup activities, you only have one chance for a great first impression. Find the right tools to analyze the ROI. Marty Zwilling.

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Social Media Media Startup Platform 126

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

Our interview today is with Amos Schwartzfarb , the author of Sell More Faster: The Ultimate Sales Playbook for Start-Ups , which comes out tomorrow, Wednesday. We caught up with Amos to learn about his new book, and to gain some tips for startup entrepreneurs on how to figure out when you're actually ready to scale your sales team.

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Sales Startup Custom Development Framework 113

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. For many years, startups featuring all-electric vehicles fell into this stage of the business lifecycle.

Marketing 174

Marketing Startup Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 174

socalTECH

JULY 18, 2014

Five startups have been named winners at the Siemer Summit , the tech confab which has been being held in Santa Monica for the past couple of days by local investment banking company and investor Siemer Ventures, highlighting some of the top startups in the region.

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Truecar Startup Santa Monica Conference 173

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2013

What I’m talking about here is a level of discipline and skill necessary to collect and analyze the relevant business data, known as metrics. As the end of the year approaches, it’s a good time for every startup to assess the metrics, technology, and platforms they’re using to manage the business. Customer loyalty and retention.

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Metrics Technical Review Sales Statistics 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

What I’m talking about here is a level of discipline and skill necessary to collect and analyze the relevant business data, known as metrics. Here is my selection of ten key metrics that every six-sigma joint like GE tracks without thinking, but too many small businesses only monitor haphazardly, if at all: Sales revenue.

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Metrics Startup Sales Statistics 106

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

I’m over-paying for every check I write into the VC ecosystem and valuations are being pushed up to absurd levels and many of these valuations and companies won’t hold in the long term. On the one hand, you’re over paying for every investment and valuations aren’t rational. That used to be called A-round investing. of the fund.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 18, 2022

Investment into alternative proteins, for example, plant-based meats and dairy substitutes was $5 billion in 2021, according to both the Good Food Institute and Crunchbase data. Meanwhile, chicken is one of the most popular meat groups, which is why a lot of plant-based protein startups began here. Image Credits: Nowadays.

Software Review 187

Software Review Metrics Startup Technical Review 187

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2022

Most startups, and many big businesses, still don’t have a clue on how to use social media productively for marketing their business. Create an action plan with metrics. Good action plans include a listening plan, channel plan, SEO plan, and a content creation plan, with activities and metrics.

Social Media 135

Social Media Framework Media Metrics 135

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

We built one of our companies upon forecasted metrics for a specific class of retail consumer base, but found that there wasn’t enough money in our universe to pay for marketing to create that much dedicated traffic to our site. Starting up' Email readers, continue here.] Some label this as “Bet on the jockey, not the horse.”.

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Startup Summary Metrics Class 245

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

I find it amusing when a journalist writes an article about a prominent startup (either privately held or preparing for an IPO) and decries that, “They’re not even profitable!” Exec Summary: Most companies (98+%) in the world (even tech startups) should be very profit focused. One of them is profitability.

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 21, 2010

This is part of my ongoing series on Startup Advice. As startup entrepreneurs we all want to work with them because having their name as reference clients makes it so much easier for marketing, PR, selling to other customers, fund raising and even recruiting. Large companies can be strange sometimes. Sometimes it actually does.

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Startup Sales Slides Metrics 298

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. This is the first business process that every startup needs, that I wouldn’t expect to find for a hobby. Managing to specific goals, priorities, and a plan. Preparation and management of funding.

Outsource Development 115

Outsource Development Startup Ideas Competition 115

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2022

If you are one of the many entrepreneurs who aspire to get beyond the “art of the start,” there are some proven principles to follow. Very few startups are cash-rich enough to self-finance aggressive second-stage growth. Of course, that means a new level of risk, giving up some control, and a new business plan.

Sales 147

Sales Metrics Guide Startup 147

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. Here is my list of key drivers that I find critical to thriving in big businesses, as well as startups: Networking to build and maintain key relationships.

Startup 113

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2022

But startups need to remember that even zero paid media doesn’t mean that marketing is free. They advocate investing in their new framework, where the Z.E.R.O. New products and startups often require a culture shift to drive acceptance, which can best be accelerated by zealots or a visible chief disciple, like Steve Jobs.

Marketing 127

Marketing Framework Social Media Media 127

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 9, 2020

A common pain of startups after an exhilarating first surge of early adopters is a long and frustrating plateau of slow growth, where it seems like nothing you do will get your business to profitability. There is no magic lever for growth, so several initiatives are required, with metrics to assess value returned. Marty Zwilling.

Search Engine Optimization 131

Search Engine Optimization Startup Social Media Metrics 131

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2019

If you are one of the many entrepreneurs who aspire to get beyond the “art of the start,” there are some proven principles to follow. Very few startups are cash-rich enough to self-finance aggressive second-stage growth. Of course, that means a new level of risk, giving up some control, and a new business plan.

Startup 97

Startup Sales Metrics Guide 97

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

Continuing my series of posts that I’ve been collecting that live at the intersection of Startups and being a Startup CTO : Startup CTO Top 30 Posts for April 16 Great Startup Posts from March here are the top posts from May 2010. It is to out friend. Enjoyed this post? Disruptive. We get it! I Be specific.

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Startup Venture Capital Conference Social Media 248

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2022

I agree with those of you who tell me that you learn the most from your own mistakes, but that shouldn’t keep you from starting with some best practices , and the feedback from others who have been there and done that. Start business discussions only from a positive mindset. Big growth takes big investment.

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Startup Training Tool Demand 134

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

When should you start a company? What company should you start? When should a VC invest? Most startups die. We can miss the round of financing, we can start a company a year or two behind someone else and lose the first-mover advantage. Start writing down predictions about people, companies, and markets.

Venture Capital 202

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Invest 202

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 13, 2019

Most social media outlets don’t require a subscription charge, but they certainly always require an investment, sometimes large, in people, in technology, your reputation, and your time. As with many startup activities, you only have one chance for a great first impression. Find the right tools to analyze the ROI. Marty Zwilling.

Social Media 79

Social Media Media Invest Tool 79