Remove Mentor Remove Metrics Remove Technical Review Remove Technology
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Praying to the God of Valuation

Both Sides of the Table

And then in the late 90’s money crept in, swept in to town by public markets, instant wealth and an absurd sky-rocketing of valuations based on no reasonable metrics. Almost no financings, many VCs and tech startups cratered for the second time in less than a decade following the dot com bursting.

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10 Strategies To Avoid Bad Risks In Your New Venture

Startup Professionals Musings

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.

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Startup CTO or Developer

SoCal CTO

I’ve been having discussions with several people recently about the role of the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) in very early stage companies. What are the biggest areas of technical risk? What technology research is required? What technologies will we use? What specific technical innovations might make sense?

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10 Strategies For Success Long-Term As Well As Today

Startup Professionals Musings

In my experience, even in startups, longer-term strategy often gets pushed off the agenda due to current challenges. It’s your job as a leader to be the model high performer, quantify the team view with metrics, and expand awareness to the best outside competition and new tools. Connect operations today with long-term goals.

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10 Keys To Winning In A Sea Of Competitors and Change

Startup Professionals Musings

In my role as a mentor, I challenge every business leader to be more open-minded as they face the challenges of change and new competitors entering their space. Technology, competitors, and customers are changing every day, so the “ tried and trusted ” ways you do things need to be reviewed and updated regularly.

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10 Manageable Risks That An Entrepreneur Should Take

Startup Professionals Musings

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.

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8 People And Process Skills Required In Any Business

Startup Professionals Musings

For example, even though Mark Zuckerberg built Facebook as an innovative product, most experts believe it was successful due to his relationship with Peter Thiel and other top VCs that he convinced to invest early. They mentor each other, and seek out experts in domains outside their current expertise and experience.

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