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

MAY 31, 2023

Inside the organization, it also pays to offer some of your time for coaching and mentoring to less experienced team members, as an entrée to a supportive relationship. The technology and tools in this discipline have improved dramatically over the years, so be sure you stay current and knowledgeable over time. Loners need not apply.

Startup 121

Startup Satisfaction Technical Review Ideas 121

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 4, 2023

Ironically, as a startup investor and mentor, I have seen too many failures caused by just the opposite – too much money spent too soon, taking time to get product perfection, and assuming customers will wait. Using the solution technology that you already have, in new ways, takes fewer resources than inventing or sourcing new technologies.

Resource 112

Resource Ideas Competition Entrepreneur 112

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2021

But privately, as a mentor to many entrepreneurs, I see mindsets and attributes that may be equally critical to success, but are not readily admitted, for fear of being too wacky. You need to listen to customers on how to tune existing products, but most existing customers actually fear change and avoid new technologies.

Entrepreneur 171

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Demand Customer 171

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

For example, Mark McClain, cofounder and CEO of SailPoint Technologies , created an employee growth culture resulting in growth of forty percent a year, with more than $100 million in revenues. Utilize outside expertise and mentoring. Your long-term success and satisfaction depends on it.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2022

In my experience as an advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs in business, one of the biggest failures I see is a lack of self-leadership. This momentum is what you need for enjoyment and satisfaction, as well as for others to see you as a business leader. You can’t lead a business to success, if you can’t lead yourself.

Capital 114

Capital Coach Satisfaction Ideas 114

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2023

As a mentor and advisor to entrepreneurs and startups, and an angel investor, my passion is to find and nurture those entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas and acumen, to make them into successful business owners. Business owners get their satisfaction from happy customers and happy stakeholders.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Satisfaction 108

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2019

Unfortunately, work and satisfaction have become an oxymoron in many businesses. I loved it when my boss gave me the additional responsibility of mentoring others in solving tough problems. Regularly asking for insight, and then following up, to fix these wasted efforts, will improve job satisfaction, as well as productivity.

Tips 96

Tips Satisfaction Training Mentor 96

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2022

They couldn’t possibly understand the new social media culture, new technologies, or have the determination to beat their younger counterparts in the market. In fact, they are well-qualified overall, having worked with high technology and computers for at least 20 years, are highly educated, and highly motivated.

Technical Review 147

Technical Review Software Review Entrepreneur Report 147

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. Be available for mentoring and coaching to others. Lack of accountability can permeate an entire organization. The same is true with team goals and expectations.

Activity 109

Activity Organization Mentor Training 109

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2022

In my experience as a mentor and advisor, I find that many of you expect these relationships will just happen , without any overt effort on your part. These may include shared business financial objectives, technology advancements, or shared career goals. Being a “lone ranger” won’t get you there, no matter how hard you work.

Product 102

Product Mentor Startup Activity 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2021

Ironically, as a startup investor and mentor, I have seen too many failures caused by just the opposite – too much money spent too soon, taking time to get product perfection, and assuming customers will wait. Using the solution technology that you already have, in new ways, takes fewer resources than inventing or sourcing new technologies.

Startup 164

Startup Resource Entrepreneur Competition 164

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2022

In my role as a business mentor and advisor, I now always look for a culture and recommend team roles that nurture collaboration rather than contention, communities rather than silos , and transparent communication at all levels. You will find improved morale and satisfaction all around as well.

Organization 105

Organization Mentor Startup Training 105

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.

Tips 95

Tips Mentor Coach Activity 95

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 13, 2023

Yet I find in my mentoring practice that more and more team members prefer the human-centered approach and respond with more engagement and commitment. You need both to create better outcomes and increase job satisfaction. I believe that a fully engaged team is the key to both productivity and agility in the face of change.

Case Study 112

Case Study Study Startup Examples 112

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2023

The business world doesn’t thrive with yet another social media or dating site – it’s begging for paradigm shifts in the technology or business model. The best entrepreneurs relish the challenges, and get great satisfaction from overcoming and learning from adversity. Ask for help from advisors and mentor your team.

Ideas 105

Ideas Startup Entrepreneur Social Media 105

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2020

Today there are a wealth of disruptive technologies available, including the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), advanced virtual reality (VR), and high-function robotics. Here are some keys to that mindset that I have seen working for successful entrepreneurs: Think customer-centric rather than technology-centric.

Startup 134

Startup Artificial Inteligence Ideas Entrepreneur 134

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2019

Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. If you can explain the problem to a mentor, or even write it down, you will more likely get to the root cause quickly, and avoid emotional and blame-infused responses. Explore solutions, outcomes, and options calmly.

Mentor 85

Mentor Entrepreneur Technical Review Summary 85

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023

These days, with all the new technology, including smartphones and social media, many are convinced that multi-tasking is the answer. Practicing these will ensure greater productivity, less stress, more job satisfaction, and an improved overall sense of well-being.

Email 96

Email Activity Product Social Media 96

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2020

As a mentor and advisor to entrepreneurs and startups, and an angel investor, my passion is to find and nurture those entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas and acumen, to make them into successful business owners. Business owners get their satisfaction from happy customers and happy stakeholders.

Ideas 127

Ideas Entrepreneur Satisfaction Summary 127

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

DECEMBER 25, 2020

These holidays, with all the new technology, including smartphones and social media, many are convinced that multi-tasking is the answer. Practicing these will ensure greater productivity, less stress, more job satisfaction, and an improved overall sense of well-being.

Email 170

Email Activity Social Media Coach 170

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2022

Progress on the learning curve is their satisfaction. By asking a junior colleague to mentor you, you will more likely hear new approaches or technologies and get new insights on your customer base or business challenges. They don’t have a comfort zone or protocol to fall back on. Reverse the learning role with new team members.

Competition 102

Competition Company Companies Startup 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 19, 2022

As an advisor and mentor, I’m always looking for more ways to improve communication, get people more engaged , and get more done. Every year, new things happen, like the current COVID pandemic, which raise the challenge of how to deal with new situations, new technology, and changing business trends.

Coach 119

Coach Organization Technical Review Satisfaction 119

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2020

They couldn’t possibly understand the new social media culture, new technologies, or have the determination to beat their younger counterparts in the market. In fact, they are well-qualified overall, having worked with high technology and computers for at least 20 years, are highly educated, and highly motivated.

Startup 124

Startup Technical Review Software Review Entrepreneur 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 6, 2015

Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. If you can explain the problem to a mentor, or even write it down, you will more likely get to the root cause quickly, and avoid emotional and blame-infused responses. Explore solutions, outcomes, and options calmly.

Mentor 105

Mentor Entrepreneur Technical Review Satisfaction 105

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2021

In addition, he has often stated that his first priority is serving his employees and his extended business family, through coaching, mentoring, and effective communication. The technology is here to do most hard things effortlessly in business, but I find many business owners stuck in the past, refusing to change.

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Coach Satisfaction Mentor 123

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. Your future satisfaction and success likely depends on your answer.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Customer Custom 123

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2020

The business world doesn’t thrive with yet another social media or dating site – it’s begging for paradigm shifts in the technology or business model. The best entrepreneurs relish the challenges, and get great satisfaction from overcoming and learning from adversity. Ask for help from advisors and mentor your team.

Startup 117

Startup Entrepreneur Social Media Coach 117

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 28, 2014

Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. If you can explain the problem to a mentor, or even write it down, you will more likely get to the root cause quickly, and avoid emotional and blame-infused responses. Explore solutions, outcomes, and options calmly.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Mentor Technical Review Satisfaction 102

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

In my experience as an advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs in business, one of the biggest failures I see is a lack of self-leadership. This momentum is what you need for enjoyment and satisfaction, as well as for others to see you as a business leader. You can’t lead a business to success, if you can’t lead yourself.

Coach 70

Coach Satisfaction Ideas Entrepreneur 70

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2020

Progress on the learning curve is their satisfaction. By asking a junior colleague to mentor you, you will more likely hear new approaches or technologies and get new insights on your customer base or business challenges. They don’t have a comfort zone or protocol to fall back on. Reverse the learning role with new team members.

Startup 122

Startup Entrepreneur Satisfaction Ideas 122

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

OCTOBER 7, 2016

Whether you are starting a paper route, or commercializing a complex technology, the same basic principles of success apply. Although just seventeen years old, Patel has some great insights that I can extrapolate for every aspiring entrepreneur to answer the most common question I get as an advisor and mentor – “Where do I start?”

Entrepreneur 99

Entrepreneur Social Media Satisfaction Customer 99

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

DECEMBER 26, 2015

Great technology leads to innovative solutions that are possible, but not necessarily great businesses. Yet, due largely to non-technology business considerations, including pricing, safety concerns and support infrastructure, there are none that most people can name. Keep up on business issues as diligently as on technology issues.

Technical Review 54

Technical Review Product Activity Technology 54

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 13, 2015

As a mentor and advisor to entrepreneurs and startups, and an Angel investor, my passion is to find and nurture those entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas and acumen, to make them into successful business owners. Business owners get their satisfaction from happy customers and happy stakeholders.

Entrepreneur 109

Entrepreneur Ideas Satisfaction Summary 109