Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 16, 2022

One of the dysfunctions I often see in my coaching and mentoring work with small businesses is team member burnout. The impact is low employee engagement , low productivity, and ultimately business failure or lack of growth. Organization acts without fairness and respect. Workers feel they have little control over work.

Coach 120

Coach Organization Demand Resource 120

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2020

Of course, as you work with contract players, explore the potential for a long-term relationship, and wait until your organization matures to pursue career positions. Focus on a very flat organization, with minimal hierarchy. Today you need that budget for market fluxuations, pandemics, and product updates.

Competition 168

Competition Startup Demand Training 168

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2022

A common request I get while mentoring entrepreneurs is for a copy of the startup checklist they need to follow, in order to build a successful new business. The challenge is that every new business needs to be innovative and different, in order to rise above the crowd, bring real change to the world, and give you the satisfaction you seek.

Technology 133

Technology Cloud Computing Social Media Networking 133

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

In my role as a mentor to business professionals and entrepreneurs over the years, I have found that it’s important to take a hard look at the relationships around you on a regular basis. But, like most other skills, you can learn from these priorities: Everyone benefits from active mentoring. A good coach is not a critic.

Tips 95

Tips Mentor Coach Activity 95

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. A growing team needs skilled managers and an HR organization. Mergers and acquisitions also require new skills.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2023

Based on my own experience as a mentor and angel investor, I find that as many as ninety percent of startups fail in the first five years, despite their best efforts. If an innovative solution is involved, prepare a minimum viable product or a video to demonstrate functionality and usability.

Social Media 98

Social Media Metrics Media Tool 98

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2020

Yet as I mentor entrepreneurs around the country, it still seems to be one of the least understood approaches to startup funding, with more myths than accredited angels and professional venture capital investors combined. The crowd gets the satisfaction of helping, with minimal risk, and no expectation of any high return.

Entrepreneur 129

Entrepreneur Outsource Development Satisfaction Equity 129

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 5, 2022

You will then experience satisfaction, instead of increased pressure. The most productive and respected business people know their limits and assertively protect them. Time spent building and maintaining key work relationships can dramatically improve your productivity, reduce stress, and raise your melting point.

Class 148

Class Activity Coach Satisfaction 148

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

In my business of mentoring new entrepreneurs and advising small company owners, I recognize that most don’t start as experienced leaders, and most don’t realize that people leadership is a primary key to their future success. Building a business is not a one-person job, and leading by edict rarely works today.

Develop 124

Develop Development Technical Advisors Satisfaction 124

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 11, 2021

You can learn to be an entrepreneur by working in a startup, talking to peers, and mentoring. For example, many products are now offered by subscription, which was a concept from the services world. Look inside your organization for spinoffs to grow. Every inventor is an entrepreneur by default.

Entrepreneur 171

Entrepreneur Ideas Examples Satisfaction 171

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2020

Many of the entrepreneurs like you that I have met in my role as a business advisor are really product creators versus business creators, convinced that a great product will generate a great business. In most businesses, this means selling something, and proving that your product or service has value.

Metrics 140

Metrics Entrepreneur Coach Satisfaction 140

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2016

No matter how strong your business and technology insights are, you can benefit from input at all levels of the organization, as well as outside experts and customers. When team member solutions work well, everyone wins, while top-down decisions provide minimal satisfaction and learning for the team.

Coach 64

Coach Satisfaction Organization Activity 64

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2019

A common request I get while mentoring entrepreneurs is for a copy of the startup checklist they need to follow, in order to build a successful new business. The challenge is that every new business needs to be innovative and different, in order to rise above the crowd, bring real change to the world, and give you the satisfaction you seek.

Technology 86

Technology Cloud Computing Social Media Networking 86

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2019

After various roles in this one, he worked his way up the corporate ranks to run the organization of now almost 30,000 stores. Highlight your productivity and efficiency rather than workload. For example, Howard Schultz was not the founder of Starbucks, but started his career in one of their first 60 shops.

Technical Advisors 75

Technical Advisors Startup Satisfaction Customer 75

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 21, 2015

Yet as I mentor entrepreneurs around the country, it still seems to be one of the least understood approaches to startup funding, with more myths than accredited angels and professional venture capital investors combined. The crowd gets the satisfaction of helping, with minimal risk, and no expectation of any high return.

Venture Capital 108

Venture Capital Angel Satisfaction Equity 108

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2015

Five major elements of every business include your people, product, opportunity, money and marketing. Innovative products and services always take longer to develop than anticipated, and quality problems pop up where least expected. Written product specifications and business plans pay big dividends.

Startup 105

Startup Entrepreneur Marketing Satisfaction 105

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2012

But very quickly, it is becoming obvious to startups that the value and satisfaction exceeds the costs. Some customers and stakeholders don’t just prefer that an organization is socially responsible, but insist on dealing only with these startups. Socially responsible products typically sell at a premium price.

Startup 100

Startup Organization Customer Custom 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2019

You will then experience satisfaction, instead of increased pressure. The most productive and respected business people know their limits and assertively protect them. Time spent building and maintaining key work relationships can dramatically improve your productivity, reduce stress, and raise your melting point.

Class 93

Class Activity Coach Satisfaction 93

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Creating an innovative new business is guaranteed to test your skills, patience and determination, and you need to derive satisfaction from the journey, as well as the destination. Don’t hesitate to call in an experienced advisor or mentor to help. Contrary to a popular myth, problem-solving is a talent that can be developed.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Satisfaction Metrics 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 28, 2015

A common request I get while mentoring entrepreneurs is for a copy of the startup checklist they need to follow, in order to build a successful new business. The challenge is that every new business needs to be innovative and different, in order to rise above the crowd, bring real change to the world, and give you the satisfaction you seek.

Startup 107

Startup Cloud Computing Social Media Entrepreneur 107

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2018

This may seem counter-intuitive to many managers who fear losing their best employees, since managers never seem to have time to focus on recruiting and mentoring new talent. They don’t realize that great team members will leave anyway, leaving only the least productive members.

Mentor 52

Mentor IBM IBM Examples 52

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

We all know examples on a smaller scale in every organization. As an advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs, I have seen beginners who quickly accelerate their proficiency and adopt the mindset, skills, rules, and emotional principles to become superstars. Taking smart risks leads to better productivity and better results sooner.

Resource 62

Resource Entrepreneur Examples Satisfaction 62

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2015

Communicate personally and interactively with your constituents, both inside and outside the organization. Apply the same high bar to product quality, employee satisfaction, social responsibilities and customer service. Make it evident that your values drive your business goals, rather than goals driving values.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Training Demand Customer 102

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2017

A common request I get while mentoring entrepreneurs is for a copy of the startup checklist they need to follow, in order to build a successful new business. The challenge is that every new business needs to be innovative and different, in order to rise above the crowd, bring real change to the world, and give you the satisfaction you seek.

Cloud Computing 61

Cloud Computing Startup Social Media Networking 61

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 2, 2014

A common request I get while mentoring entrepreneurs is for a copy of the startup checklist they need to follow, in order to build a successful new business. The challenge is that every new business needs to be innovative and different, in order to rise above the crowd, bring real change to the world, and give you the satisfaction you seek.

Cloud Computing 99

Cloud Computing Social Media Entrepreneur Networking 99

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 19, 2016

Rather than focus on negatives, let me summarize key positive attributes that I look for in people to move ahead, from my own experience as a corporate executive, and many years mentoring entrepreneurs. Innovative change is a given in successful organizations, run by successful people. A desire to drive (not block) future change.

Startup 60

Startup Mentor Education Journal 60

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2017

You will then experience satisfaction, instead of increased pressure. The most productive and respected business people know their limits and assertively protect them. Time spent building and maintaining key work relationships can dramatically improve your productivity, reduce stress, and raise your melting point.

Tips 58

Tips Class Activity Coach 58

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2017

Business productivity is all about having the right people, even though I’m bombarded daily with online tools and mobile apps that promise to solve every problem with automation and data. In reality, business success and satisfaction is about doing the right things at the right time, which requires leadership and coaching.

Coach 57

Coach Training Summary Tool 57

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2017

The reality is that every professional in every organization at every level needs to understand what coaching means, and how to live and build a coaching culture: Nurture the spirit of sharing in every team member. The best team members feel good enough about themselves to not use the coaching relationship to feed their ego.

Coach 54

Coach Satisfaction Organization Guide 54

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

Most of you business professionals that I know have at least thought about or talked about starting their own business, to get more control, make more money, or to get more satisfaction out of their life. As a mentor to young aspiring entrepreneurs , I often get asked for tips on a strategy to get started. You must feel satisfaction.

Startup 114

Startup Tips Coach Satisfaction 114

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. I too often see people who are quick to make excuses, blame failures on peers or customers, or see management as the reason for their lack of productivity.

Activity 109

Activity Organization Mentor Training 109

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2022

As a result, Amazon has ranked as #1 for customer satisfaction for many years in a row and has grown accordingly. Studies show that a positive team culture in an organization can result in 26 percent fewer mistakes, 22 percent higher productivity, 41 percent lower absenteeism, and 30 percent stronger customer satisfaction.

Coach 120

Coach Satisfaction Customer Custom 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 26, 2023

By demonstrating positivity and mentoring, you can make collaboration and connecting with others a productive and enjoyable experience, rather than a burden. It leads to better team member retention and will ultimately give you a competitive advantage, more productivity, and fewer customer crises. Face the worst and don’t panic.

Training 86

Training Resource Competition Satisfaction 86

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 3, 2015

Many women rose to the top of their careers only to discover how unsatisfying, soul-draining and unhealthy a lifestyle it was and completely changed careers to find satisfaction doing something completely different where they once again became successful, but in a more balanced manner.

Conference 40

Conference Entertainment Startup Digital Hollywood 40