Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2022

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” You will be operating outside of any proven realm, no mentor can give you the answer, and it won’t help to blame anyone else for missteps and environmental changes you can’t predict. Money is not a substitute.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Writing 124

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2021

The best of you train yourselves to show emotions sparingly and strategically, while the rest are convinced that emotions cannot be controlled , and are a function of culture and genetics. Write down your top 5 core values and review them often. Pressure and emotion in business is often an indication of core value conflicts.

Coach 137

Coach Training Satisfaction Mentor 137

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2010

Most schools also foster relationships with local executives whom they use to lecture in MBA courses, judge student business plans, and assign as mentors for spinoffs (I have done all of these). If you need experienced executives, the best professors and entrepreneurship staff will have the contacts you need into the local talent pool.

Help 94

Help Startup Mentor Incubator 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2020

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. Some entrepreneurs love to talk and produce videos, but hate to write anything down. Others send investors email and business plans in all uppercase or no punctuation.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 126

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2015

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” You will be operating outside of any proven realm, no mentor can give you the answer, and it won’t help to blame anyone else for missteps and environmental changes you can’t predict. Money is not a substitute.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2017

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, the most common question I get is, “I want to be an entrepreneur -- how do I start?” You will be operating outside of any proven realm, no mentor can give you the answer, and it won’t help to blame anyone else for missteps and environmental changes you can’t predict. Money is not a substitute.

Mentor 90

Mentor Entrepreneur Ideas Writing 90

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2023

We all have our “security blanket,” like sessions with a trusted friend, classroom training, or prayers to reduce the pain and keep us moving forward. Then write down and prioritize your goals. Use your mentor or support organization to get you over the hurdle, and celebrate the success.

Satisfaction 124

Satisfaction Startup Entrepreneur Mentor 124

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 23, 2013

The fitness professional network develops business tools that make it easier for fitness professionals to run their businesses and keep their clients engaged between training sessions. We knew there’s a better personal training experience to be had, so we set out to create one. We just found this hole in the fitness industry.

Social Network 92

Social Network Networking Training Summary 92

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2022

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. Some entrepreneurs love to talk and produce videos, but hate to write anything down. Others send investors email and business plans in all uppercase or no punctuation.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 111

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2014

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. Some entrepreneurs love to talk and produce videos, but hate to write anything down. Others send investors email and business plans in all uppercase or no punctuation.

Entrepreneur 107

Entrepreneur Angel Social Media Patents 107

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 22, 2015

Everyone must know how to listen, talk and write. Provide mentoring and self-learning opportunities. Most startups don’t have the time or resources to send team members to formal training classes, either in-house or off-site. As the founder, you won’t have a finance chief, a marketing staff or a requirements manager.

Startup 99

Startup Mentor Layoffs News 99

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2016

We all have our “security blanket,” like sessions with a trusted friend, classroom training, or prayers to reduce the pain and keep us moving forward. Then write down and prioritize your goals. Use your mentor or support organization to get you over the hurdle, and celebrate the success.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Startup Mentor 101

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 6, 2012

We all have our “security blanket,” like sessions with a trusted friend, classroom training, or prayers to reduce the pain and keep us moving forward. Then write down and prioritize your goals. Use your mentor or support organization to get you over the hurdle, and celebrate the success.

Entrepreneur 97

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Startup Mentor 97

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 2, 2013

We all have our “security blanket,” like sessions with a trusted friend, classroom training, or prayers to reduce the pain and keep us moving forward. Then write down and prioritize your goals. Use your mentor or support organization to get you over the hurdle, and celebrate the success.

Startup 96

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Mentor 96

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 15, 2018

We all have our “security blanket,” like sessions with a trusted friend, classroom training, or prayers to reduce the pain and keep us moving forward. Then write down and prioritize your goals. Use your mentor or support organization to get you over the hurdle, and celebrate the success.

Satisfaction 94

Satisfaction Startup Entrepreneur Mentor 94

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 7, 2013

We have three main components: education, mentoring, and practice. In mentoring, we match experienced angel investors with, what I like to call them, “angels-in-training” so they can share the lessons learned. For me, it’s very much showcasing that angel investing is not just writing a check, it’s so much more.

Mentor 84

Mentor Invest Entrepreneur Startup 84

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2019

In addition, like an entrepreneur with a new business, you have to factor in all the indirect costs previously covered by employers, including training, health care, and time off for vacations. Use blogging, outside publication, and speaking or mentoring opportunities to establish credibility and stand out above peers.

Startup 98

Startup Outsource Development Competition Social Media 98

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2010

We all have our “security blanket,” like sessions with a trusted friend, classroom training, or prayers to reduce the pain and keep us moving forward. Then write down and prioritize your goals. Use your mentor or support organization to get you over the hurdle, and celebrate the success.

Startup 82

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Mentor 82

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

It’s easier to use screen-captures and notes on existing processes, rather than write detailed manuals. Use mentoring to help people develop as your business develops. Adjust roles and shift resources for optimal performance. Have the right people do the right things at the right time.

Resource 60

Resource Examples Design Entrepreneur 60

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

There was no money train. Starting in 2009 I began writing checks consistently, year-in and year-out. I had realized that I didn’t have it within me to be as good of a player as many of them did but I had the skills to help as mentor, coach, friend, sparing partner and patient capital provider. It was 1991.

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

Productive Programming - Gabriel Weinberg , August 31, 2010 BIG disclaimer: I'm not formally trained in computer science (aside from two classes at MIT in 2000) and I haven't worked closely with that many programmers or teams (maybe 10 or so). We had to write a CRM to keep track of them all. Dec 26, 2009). Has convertible debt won?

Startup 191

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Hire 191

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 24, 2012

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. The other four are: new product development, writing, time management, and sales/marketing.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Media Customer Custom 126

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2022

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. The other four are: new product development, writing, time management, and sales/marketing.

Marketing 113

Marketing Entrepreneur Customer Custom 113

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 29, 2013

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. The other four are: new product development, writing, time management, and sales/marketing.

Startup 116

Startup Entrepreneur Customer Custom 116

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 13, 2013

It was cool that I spoke at the White House last year about mentoring. I am very active in mentoring women and minorities. PF: Pascal, the French mathematician and philosopher, back in the day said something like this, “I wrote you a long letter because I did not have time to write you a short one.” You will just fall asleep.

Mobile 86

Mobile Marketing Writing Startup 86

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2017

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. The other four are: new product development, writing, time management, and sales/marketing.

Company 97

Company Companies Entrepreneur Customer 97

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2019

Image via Wikipedia As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. The other four are: new product development, writing, time management, and sales/marketing.

Entrepreneur 87

Entrepreneur Customer Custom Guide 87

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 21, 2020

Food production and distribution, group collaboration, remote training or education, sensor technology (tracking people movement, temperatures, etc), certain biotech deals. There are large sums of money to be invested and if investors can get comfortable with “downside protections” they’ll still write checks.

Venture Capital 263

Venture Capital Marketing Startup Writing 263

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2010

When I do mentoring and writing about current experiences, I realize all the things I don’t know, and this gives me more incentive to learn more. If you are thinking classes and training, you are already in trouble. Share what you do know. The process of sharing what you know forces you to better understand it yourself.

Startup 97

Startup Class Education Entrepreneur 97

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2012

When I do mentoring and writing about current experiences, I realize all the things I don’t know, and this gives me more incentive to learn more. If you are thinking classes and training, you are already in trouble. Share what you do know. The process of sharing what you know forces you to better understand it yourself.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Startup Class Education 93