Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 26, 2016

There has been a lot of public debate over the past several weeks about whether it’s a good thing to be “gross margin positive” or not and commentary always reminds me that some people at startups don’t quite understand financial metrics or even how to think about which ones are healthy. LTV is imprecise. The first input is CAC.

Metrics 150

Metrics Startup SaaS Course 150

socalTECH

MARCH 3, 2009

Santa Monica-based Image Metrics , a venture-funded developer of facial animation software, announced Tuesday that the firm has signed on a UK-based studio as a client. Image Metrics is backed by Saffron Hill Ventures. Tags: animation content graphics metrics image. Financial impact of the win was not disclosed. READ MORE>>.

Metrics 124

Metrics Santa Monica Content Services 124

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 19, 2021

Los Angeles-based HONK Technologies, which provides a virtual roadside assistance service, has launched a new, business management tool specifically for tow truck business owners. HONK runs a virtual roadside assistance network, and partners with tow truck providers to offer up roadside service to users.

Tool 113

Tool Metrics Los Angeles Networking 113

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2013

What I’m talking about here is a level of discipline and skill necessary to collect and analyze the relevant business data, known as metrics. As the end of the year approaches, it’s a good time for every startup to assess the metrics, technology, and platforms they’re using to manage the business. Cost of customer acquisition.

Metrics 100

Metrics Technical Review Sales Customer 100

socalTECH

MAY 2, 2012

Irvine-based Brand Affinity Technologies , the startup headed by Ryan and Chad Steelberg which is focused on celebrity endorsements, said this morning that it has raised $7.5M in a Series D funding round. BAT said it has now raised $34M in funding.

Technology 159

Technology Miramar Metrics Venture Capital 159

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2019

According to what I see, as outlined by Surdak, this data surge is being driven by the following six technological and social trends: Mobility: smartphones, tablets, and the “Internet of things.” Digital commerce: infinite options for buying goods and services online. Data enable: use metrics and measurements.

Technology 97

Technology Social Media Startup Entertainment 97

socalTECH

MARCH 25, 2020

Los Angeles-based Triton Digital , which provides technology to help the digital audio and podcasting industry with streaming and advertising, says that news and talk format streaming is growing as a result of the ongoing disruption due to COVID-19. READ MORE>>.

News 124

News Technical Review Report Metrics 124

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 19, 2021

Earlier this month, Los Angeles became the latest city to task its various departments with prepping a feasibility study for deploying new software and monitoring technologies to better account for its carbon footprint.

Los Angeles 192

Los Angeles Marketing Study Angel 192

Berkonomics

JULY 9, 2020

And with the rise of modern technology-driven businesses, the same is true of management in the business world. Earliest warning metrics: [Email readers, continue here…] What good is information if you can’t act upon it in a timely manner? Find metrics that will be “leading indicators” of trouble to come.

Metrics 156

Metrics Software Review Statistics Technical Review 156

TechCrunch LA

DECEMBER 5, 2018

The former President of ExactTarget and later chief executive of Salesforce Marketing Cloud has made billions of dollars building products to help support customer service and now he’s back at it again with his latest venture MetaCX. If customers are doing the things i want them to be doing through my product.

Chief Technology Officer 145

Chief Technology Officer SaaS Metrics Customer 145

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 15, 2022

According to what I see, as outlined by Surdak, this data surge is being driven by the following six technological and social trends: Mobility: smartphones, tablets, and the “Internet of things.” Digital commerce: infinite options for buying goods and services online. Data enable: use metrics and measurements.

Startup 126

Startup Social Media Entertainment Metrics 126

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 18, 2022

Unlike other alternative protein companies that are developing new technology, the company is tapping into existing technology used to make foods like pasta and cereal to make whole cuts of its product that is then formed into nuggets for now, and in the future, tenders and cutlets. Is cell-cultured meat ready for prime time?

Software Review 187

Software Review Metrics Startup Technical Review 187

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2021

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Young entrepreneurs and startups, in particular, often remain naively unfocused, despite their passion, of what it takes to provide the high-quality service expected. Train and coach continuously.

Startup 154

Startup Training Customer Custom 154

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

The world around us is being disrupted by the acceleration of technology into more industries and more consumer applications. Technology solutions are now used by authoritarians to monitor and control populations, to stymie an individual company’s economic prospects or to foment chaos through demagoguery. What Has Changed in Financing?

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2021

New technologies drive the need for support and attachments, which could be your opportunity or loss. It may be time to start your own home delivery service, or subscription offering, or time to acquire a struggling competitor to scale your business. Proactively evaluate new technologies for impact.

Marketing 162

Marketing Social Media Metrics Customer 162

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2013

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Young entrepreneurs and startups, in particular, often remain naively unfocused, despite their passion, of what it takes to provide the high-quality service expected. Train and coach continuously.

Customer 92

Customer Custom Startup Services 92

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 15, 2016

Last week, job search service Indeed launched a new service in Los Angeles, called Indeed Prime , hoping to jump into the market for finding talent here to address that issue. Briefly tell us about your new service? Why did you pick Los Angeles for the new job service? because it's been such a hot job market.

Los Angeles 100

Los Angeles Marketing Angel Technology 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2022

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. Find a strategic partner to accelerate growth.

Resource 121

Resource Metrics Entrepreneur Customer 121

socalTECH

MAY 10, 2013

We''re trying to be a broad service offering, not just based on one platform. It''s a combination of leveraging our data to provide activation of users, by sending out the posts, and really providing brands with the metrics of before, during, and after a campaign. How much of this is automated software, versus services and people?

Social Media 237

Social Media Advertising Media Metrics 237

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2021

Too many businesses I know still see customer service as a burden, rather than an opportunity to gain loyalty and advocacy. Your goal must be to make every aspect of a customer interaction a joy to both you and them, starting from the shopping experience, to the sales close, to delivery and service.

Customer 114

Customer Custom Satisfaction Metrics 114

Tech.Co

NOVEMBER 28, 2022

Startups such as TalkShopLive, YunExpress and ChannelEngine all facilitate order fulfillment via integration with marketplaces and shopping technology. By some metrics, certainly not. Should Tech Giants Stop Trying to Make Social Commerce Happen?

Social Media 148

Social Media Startup Commerce News 148

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2019

Some chaos is normal in every new business, but many wait far too long before they install metrics based on “best practices,” and fail to attack obvious bottlenecks with a vengeance. Yet I still see expense budgets based on traditional channels, with no strict metrics on cost of customer acquisition by channel, or lifetime customer value.

Outsource Development 122

Outsource Development Outsource Metrics Technical Review 122

SoCal CTO

MAY 21, 2012

He's also led significant technology projects for a very impressive list of companies including Citibank, Lexus, Microsoft, Nissan, Universal, IBM, HP, Sun, and the list goes on. Its common for startups to think about services like hosting/computing, storage, analytics, maps, email delivery and tracking, and eCommerce. Tony has a Ph.D.

CTO Hire 175

CTO Hire Startup Metrics eHarmony 175

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 21, 2014

I do believe that we are in structural change where technology will increasingly play a bigger role in all facets of life so the long run up for tech is promising through all of these cycles. Have an in-house professional services team that implements your software. I wrote about The Importance of Professional Services here.

Marketing 354

Marketing Case Study Metrics Sales 354

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 31, 2014

The event attracted over 500 distinguished attendees from around the world in the digital media and technology industry including advertising, media, data, eCommerce, software, social and gaming. The startups have so much potential and we’re really eager to see how they will continue to push the culture of global technology forward.

Media 84

Media Technology Truecar Southern California 84

Xconomy

MAY 31, 2016

Technology is crucial for innovation—and innovation in technology is critical to innovation in just about every other arena. Because it’s the forward march of technology that allows us to do more with less, improving our lives in the process. Just look at how we’re living right now.

Technology 72

Technology Artificial Inteligence Cloud Computing Examples 72

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2022

These changes can be cultural, like the increasing need to be social, spawning Facebook and a hundred others, or technological, like the explosion of mobile devices around the world. The advent of new breakthrough technologies. Changes in your organization’s core performance metrics.

eBook 111

eBook Metrics Examples Startup 111

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

Yet, as a business consultant, I still find many of you business leaders relying primarily on your technology, word-of-mouth , or location to attract necessary customers. In this age of instant communication through the Internet and social media, people remember personal images more than a product or service name.

Marketing 133

Marketing Customer Custom Outsource Development 133

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 22, 2018

In an attempt to boost diversity and inclusion efforts and civic engagement between the growing technology industry in Los Angeles and the community that surrounds it, over 80 venture capitalists and entrepreneurs joined the city’s mayor, Eric Garcetti, and the non-profit Annenberg Foundation to announce PledgeLA.

Los Angeles 249

Los Angeles Angel Entrepreneur Orange County 249

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 15, 2022

Most social media outlets don’t require a subscription charge, but they certainly always require an investment, sometimes large, in people, in technology, your reputation, and your time. Assess social media relevance to your product or service. Return-On-Investment metrics are not new, but the tools are different.

Social Media 126

Social Media Media Startup Platform 126

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 4, 2021

Thus I am morphing the points here, with specific focus on the entrepreneur, who would never think of themselves in the context of automobile manufacturing: Offering too many products and services concurrently. Productive processes start with a plan, and end with metrics that measure value delivered. Defective products and services.

Startup 161

Startup Resource Training Entrepreneur 161

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2023

Products and services for a business need to be attuned to customer requirements, cost and quality tradeoffs, with milestones for pricing and completion. Formalize the use of tools and information technology. Marketing, sales, support, and service operations. Solution development and delivery.

Outsource Development 115

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 115

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2023

New digital technologies, business models, and regulatory rulings are forcing all of us to think outside of our silos and rethink what it means to operate effectively. It is fair to bring in outside technology to reduce the risk and speed the implementation. None of us can afford to be a silo anymore.

Outsource Development 140

Outsource Development Outsource Startup Metrics 140

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2023

Quantify the results, and avoid any fuzzy words, such as better usability, advanced technology, or more productivity. Put operational systems and metrics in place early. Resist the urge to expand your offering during early growth with additional products, services, and business models.

Marketing 116

Marketing Resource Training Startup 116

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 29, 2021

Some startups have a new technology, but stick to a tried-and-true business model. Many businesses give lip service to their celebration of innovation, but punish, rather than reward, risk-taking and creativity. Within the startup realm, there is a big difference between having an innovative product versus an innovative business.

Competition 135

Competition Netflix Ideas Metrics 135

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2022

Thus, in my mentoring of potential technical entrepreneurs who have a real passion for their technology, I often recommend that they find a co-founder who can manage the marketing and execution elements of the new venture. Today, customer loyalty is based on the “ total customer experience ,” as opposed to price or service alone.

Mentor 133

Mentor Startup Customer Custom 133

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. Find a strategic partner to accelerate growth.

Entrepreneur 129

Entrepreneur Resource Metrics Customer 129