Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2020

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.

Entrepreneur 129

Entrepreneur Resource Metrics Customer 129

socalTECH

AUGUST 28, 2017

Unlike Yelp and listings sites that are focused on user-generated reviews or things like that, we're really a portfolio sharing site, and a tool of professionals. He introduced me to Wavemaker, also in LA, and also Halogen Ventures, which is led by Jessie Draper, which invests in women-run technology companies.

Technical Advisors 100

Technical Advisors Technical Review Metrics Startup 100

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I often get asked for the magic that has made Amazon the world's most valuable brand , from a total unknown only twenty years ago. My simple answer is that they keep their focus on customers, rather than technology. Incorporate AI-powered data and metrics systems.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Customer Custom 123

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Thus, I’m more impressed with entrepreneurs who ask me to review their implementation plan, rather than listen again to their idea. There are lots of resources available for the challenge of that activity, including the Internet and mentors like me. Some dreams sound great, but may not yet be viable or proven with today’s technology.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2018

As a long-time advisor to entrepreneurs and business owners, I rarely find someone who doesn’t proclaim that the business world is changing rapidly, with new technology, new customer expectations, and new cultures. You need to communicate quantified and updates goals quarterly, including the metrics to assess progress and success.

Technical Review 84

Technical Review Customer Custom Startup 84

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2014

I reviewed a deal for a friend of mine tonight. He’s an incredibly smart investor and somebody that I actually consider to be a mentor to myself. He wanted to know what I thought of his technology deal. He called me 15 months later excited to show me his metrics and wanted to talk about his A round. Fair enough.

Venture Capital 333

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Email 333

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 13, 2013

The nuts and bolts of our tech company is that CMS in the middle, the connection engine. When I went full-time, I did not have the full-time support on the tech side I wanted. So, I have no tech support right now. Which I have shown to do, but anybody who invests in tech, invests in team. It’s a huge challenge for me.

Technical Review 87

Technical Review Mobile Startup Los Angeles 87

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.

Startup 115

Startup Resource Metrics Entrepreneur 115

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2017

Yet, in my experience as a mentor to entrepreneurs, the majority of failures I see are related to starting and growing the business, not developing the solution. In today’s world, the market evolves even faster than the technology. Manage the business with metrics and goals. Time is of the essence in everything you do.

Ideas 72

Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2015

The best startup founders are ready and able to roll up their sleeves and jump into any issue and contribute, whether it's business related or technical, no matter how much expertise team members may possess. The founder needs to be a mentor and advisor, as well as a leader. The best founders know how to pull the best out of others.

Startup 102

Startup Technical Review Paramount Entrepreneur 102

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2014

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.

Startup 113

Startup Resource Metrics Entrepreneur 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2018

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.

Resource 64

Resource Metrics Entrepreneur Customer 64

Jason Nazar

MAY 1, 2016

I’ve been a part of dozens (maybe hundreds) of product launches And in each of these cases I ask my team to put together a simple dashboard of a small set of metrics for our paid and free products that let me know the success of our efforts. For startup entrepreneurs, you can also track these metrics with Google analytics.

Marketing 40

Marketing CPC Metrics .Net 40

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2016

According to many observers , we can thank or blame technology for these higher expectations, providing information at the speed of light, leading everyone to expect more. Some entrepreneurs are so focused on their technology, they assume their customers think the same way. Provide coaching and mentoring as well as training.

Customer 55

Customer Custom Startup Coach 55

Jason Nazar

NOVEMBER 1, 2015

I’ve been a part of dozens (maybe hundreds) of product launches And in each of these cases I ask my team to put together a simple dashboard of a small set of metrics for our paid and free products that let me know the success of our efforts. For startup entrepreneurs, you can also track these metrics with Google analytics.

Marketing 40

Marketing CPC Metrics .Net 40

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2017

In my years of mentoring and advising business leaders, I find that real planning for the future always gets the short shrift. Due to social media and the Internet, these relationships now need to extend to customers, partners, and suppliers. Data technology facilitates more fact-based decisions.

Company 55

Company Companies Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 55

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2017

In the same way, you may think that people assessment is all about skills and experience, but as a mentor to business owners, I have learned to look more for the right attitude, persistence, and determination, as success factors. Smart business executives learn to use new technology software to give them new insights and more free time.

Software Review 57

Software Review Technical Review Startup Press 57

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

New entrepreneurs, especially technical ones, are excited by early adopters, and tend to focus on their feedback, which will always suggest more product features and options. It’s important to define your growth strategy, document it, communicate it to your team, and align metrics and employee rewards to target goals.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

SoCal CTO

JULY 23, 2012

What are the biggest areas of technical risk? What technology research is required? What technologies will we use? What do we need to do to make sure we can survive technical due diligence by investors and partners? What specific technical innovations might make sense? How can we address this risk?

CTO Coach 231

CTO Coach CTO Hire Outsource Development Develop 231

Berkonomics

JANUARY 16, 2014

community in many ways, including his weekly Internet TV program on entrepreneurism, and participation in several mentoring programs. . Access to new technologies. Perform preliminary due diligence: Review the business plan including marketing, sales strategies and financial needs.

Technical Review 204

Technical Review Startup Examples Metrics 204

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2022

One of the attributes that I often recommend to the business professionals and entrepreneurs I mentor is to always be totally accountable for your actions and ideas. Setting your own metrics, and measuring yourself , will facilitate accountability. Generously give credit to others where credit is due.

Activity 109

Activity Organization Mentor Training 109

SoCal CTO

AUGUST 3, 2010

5 Lessons from 150 startup pitches - A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks , July 11, 2010 I just reviewed several hundred startup pitches for Capital Factory. Though this was 2000 , and all startup & VC blogs we've grown to love didn't exist yet, I did have mentors available. Metrics availability. Silly, right?

Startup 217

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Software Review 217