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. The most common mistake is overestimating a particular market’s potential, based on your domestic context.

Outsource Development 110

Outsource Development Social Media Entrepreneur Summary 110

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 6, 2023

Many entrepreneurs are so enamored with their product vision that they believe their own hype and are convinced that the market for their solution is so huge that no one will ask them for independent market research data. Conduct your own customized market research. Modern libraries are still worth a visit.

Statistics 120

Statistics Research Report Newsletter 120

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 25, 2011

There’s a line of thinking in Silicon Valley that you should build product businesses rather than services businesses. It’s nearly impossible to get a services company financed by VCs. Why Shouldn’t Most Services Businesses Raise VC? Why Build a Services Business in the First Place?

Services 332

Services Venture Capital IP Startup 332

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 22, 2014

Many entrepreneurs are so enamored with their product vision that they believe their own hype, and are convinced that the market for their solution is so huge that no one will ask them for independent market-research data. Conduct your own customized market research. Modern libraries are still worth a visit.

Marketing 97

Marketing Entrepreneur Statistics Research 97

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2020

Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan. Just for clarification, I characterize a product plan as a formal description of your product or service, with a quick business description at the end for effect.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Startup Summary Product 124

TechCrunch LA

MAY 11, 2018

Ninebot and Xiaomi are the current champions in the scooter manufacturing market, and locking in their supply may cut off a big source of hardware for competitors Spin and LimeBike , both of which used Ninebot and Xiaomi for scooters. Meanwhile, other companies in the market believe that this agreement is much less than it seems.

Santa Monica 228

Santa Monica San Diego Summary Los Angeles 228

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

Most sophisticated investors ignore them, focusing their attention on an entrepreneur's pitch and presentation materials, financial forecast and executive summary. As such, the primary goal of your executive summary is to open the door to an in-person meeting. Entrepreneurs routinely seek my advice regarding their executive summaries.

Venture Capital 211

Venture Capital Summary Technical Review Template 211

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2013

Customer service has always been reactionary, meaning someone has to wake up and answer website email requests. Great startups are getting ahead of the game with “anticipatory customer service,” like providing smart phone access to product and account data to head off complaints. This exemplary customer service is just savvy marketing.

Customer 89

Customer Custom Services High Tech 89

TechEmpower

AUGUST 21, 2023

Other common scenarios that we’ve seen: Scaling and new markets: Your company and product are established, and now you’re scaling or going after new markets. Keeping up with the competition: You’re a market leader in a fast-growing field. Detailed Findings: For each of the areas in the executive summary, we provide the details.

Technical Review 260

Technical Review Development Team Review Software Review TechEmpower 260

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 21, 2019

I cannot tell you how many times I have seen executive summaries of business plans in which the entrepreneur seeks $5,000,000 to build the business. First, few startups can use that much money today with all the virtual services available and increasingly inexpensive methods of development, prototyping and marketing.

Startup 120

Startup Invest Summary Resource 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 6, 2016

Contrary to popular opinion, viral marketing has not eliminated the need for old-fashioned lead generation to bring customers to a startup. His professional background includes having held marketing-executive roles at big companies as well as startups. Email marketing. Direct mail marketing.

Customer 60

Customer Custom Marketing Social Media 60

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 28, 2016

Many entrepreneurs are so enamored with their product vision that they believe their own hype, and are convinced that the market for their solution is so huge that no one will ask them for independent market research data. Conduct your own customized market research. Modern libraries are still worth a visit.

Marketing 59

Marketing Startup Statistics Research 59

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2021

The specifics of these shortcomings are hard to nail down, but I was impressed with the good summary provided in a new book, “ Make It, Don’t Fake It ,” by Sabrina Horn. Evaluate the brand impact of proposed market moves. The push is always on to grow your market with new geographies, new products, and new market segments.

Examples 170

Examples Customer Custom Social Media 170

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

With one of the many new tools , and a dose of sweat equity, you can create a website for almost nothing -- and you are on your way to success with ecommerce, your latest invention or personal services. Barter services for access to required resources. You will be in good company with the many legends who used this approach.

Equity 139

Equity Social Media Startup Summary 139

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2021

Here is a quick summary of the priorities normally covered by the due diligence process: Evaluation of key players. Size of the market. Having a great product or service is not enough. One of the criteria for a good investment is a large and fast growing “potential market.” Sales and marketing strategy.

Technical Review 152

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Summary 152

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2023

A business is an entity which exchanges goods and services with people outside the business (customers) for money, social good, or something of equal value. Here is a summary of the key stages along the way: Idea and seed stage. Market research and a business plan should be the focus at this stage. Startup and development stage.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Satisfaction 108

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2021

It also starts with a good summary of the intangibles, summarized as the five rules of relevancy, by Mark Zawacki: A startup needs to be relevant and stay relevant. Relevancy for an early-stage company is the discovery and understanding of the real addressable market for a product or service.

Education 151

Education Customer Custom Sales 151

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. Great startups manage to continually improve the relationship through outstanding follow-on support and service.

Customer 146

Customer Custom Startup Course 146

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2022

Despite their own focus on changing the world, they often forget that they too have to change rapidly and often as the market evolves. This is the ability to appropriately analyze problems, assess risks, and take responsibility for problem-dictated and market-dictated changes, while still sustaining the day-to-day business activities.

Startup 116

Startup Training Statistics Summary 116

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 12, 2023

In my small business consultancy, I see this daily, per you owners and professionals struggling with the challenges of new markets and new competitors. Here is my summary of her insights, with my thoughts added: Strive to make things better by serving others. Change is hard , in business as in your personal life.

Satisfaction 130

Satisfaction IBM IBM Summary 130

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 28, 2018

My friend Michael Broukhim, founder & co-CEO of FabFitFun and I recently had a catch-up meeting for 3-miles on the Santa Monica “Bird Trail” No company has ever elicited so many questions by friends, colleagues, entrepreneurs, fellow VCs and journalists as has Bird, the company that pioneered the electronic scooter as a service market.

Santa Monica 256

Santa Monica Funding Startup Course 256

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2020

With one of the many new tools , and a dose of sweat equity, you can create a website for almost nothing -- and you are on your way to success with ecommerce, your latest invention or personal services. Barter services for access to required resources. You will be in good company with the many legends who used this approach.

Social Media 169

Social Media Startup Equity Summary 169

Tech.Co

MARCH 5, 2020

Without physical branches, it’s a digital-only service, with assistance and support available via live chat, as well as phone and email. 24/7 human customer service. In the UK, Monzo has full authorization, and is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the regulatory body for financial services in the UK.

Summary 113

Summary Startup Report Sites 113

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 3, 2021

These are all minimal-cost survival marketing efforts. Beyond these, you will likely need to budget time and dollars (up to $50,000 is not unusual) for real marketing efforts to enhance your visibility and credibility, which include branding, promotions, giveaways, and free services.

Web 117

Web Search Engine Optimization eBook Advertising 117

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

Despite their own focus on changing the world, they often forget that they too have to change rapidly and often as the market evolves. This is the ability to appropriately analyze problems, assess risks, and take responsibility for problem-dictated and market-dictated changes, while still sustaining the day-to-day business activities.

Startup 94

Startup Marketing Training Statistics 94

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2021

Serious investors expect founders to have their homework done before the first interaction – documented executive summary, business plan, and financial model. Effective marketing. Guerrilla marketing preaches the importance of prospect follow-up if you even hope to succeed in business. Investor negotiations. Product development.

Activity 133

Activity Startup Ideas Technical Review 133

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 6, 2021

I found a good summary of the most common mistakes in a classic book by Kelly Clifford, “ Profit Rocket ,” written primarily to help you on the other side of the equation – skyrocket your profits. It’s fair to use your vision, creativity, and innovation to change the world with new and better products and services.

Technical Review 151

Technical Review Startup Summary Pricing 151

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 24, 2012

I cannot tell you how many times I have seen executive summaries of business plans in which the entrepreneur seeks $5,000,000 to build the business. First, few startups can use that much money today with all of the virtual services available and increasingly inexpensive methods of development, prototyping and marketing.

Resource 180

Resource Invest Summary Startup 180

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2020

A business is an entity which exchanges goods and services with people outside the business (customers) for money, social good, or something of equal value. Here is a summary of the key stages along the way: Idea and seed stage. Market research and a business plan should be the focus at this stage. Startup and development stage.

Ideas 127

Ideas Entrepreneur Satisfaction Summary 127

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2021

If you haven’t changed for several years the way you do common processes, like customer satisfaction surveys, lead generation, and marketing, it’s time to look at the new remote apps and social media platforms for more effective and relevant alternatives. Repurpose product and services for emergent needs.

Examples 128

Examples Social Media Summary Satisfaction 128

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2021

I like the summary of the competitive reality in a new book, “ Rethinking Competitive Advantage: New Rules for the Digital Age ,” by Ram Charan, who relates a wealth of current experience from global clients: Customers expect a personalized experience. Create a team culture for personalized service.

Competition 142

Competition Software Review Social Media Customer 142

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2022

I offer here their summary of purposes and inspirations that have motivated existing business leaders, with insights from my own mentoring and coaching experience. Sharing is a lot more effective with customers than selling and marketing.

Technical Review 143

Technical Review Coach Mentor Customer 143

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 28, 2018

If a consumer will pay a fixed price for a product or service then the battle over who gets the margin in any sale is between the person who merchandises a product and the person who manufactures it. It is on this last point where Amazon is best positioned to dominate markets. So Why Does This Matter? What is it, really?

Product 296

Product Course Customer Custom 296

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 22, 2015

We will have two well-funded companies educating the market on why this market opportunity for the $24 billion US storage market is ripe for disruption. years it was hard to get other investors to see this unsexy market as ripe for innovation. The realize there is some market validation when there are competitors.

Funding 150

Funding Competition Marketing Summary 150

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2014

Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan. Just for clarification, I characterize a product plan as a formal description of your product or service, with a quick business description at the end for effect.

Product 101

Product Entrepreneur Summary Activity 101

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 26, 2010

Every time I see a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a couple of years ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth. Develop viral content. Seed viral activity.

Marketing 56

Marketing SEM Blogging Design 56

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2022

Success in any business these days requires a constant flow of new and innovative solutions, to keep up with changes in the market, competition, and to attract new customers. Here is my summary of the ten top creativity mistakes we both still see too often: Criticize any new idea or employee suggestion.

Ideas 111

Ideas Framework Summary Organization 111