Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 17, 2015

For the elite startups and entrepreneurs who manage to attract the investor they dream of, and survive the term sheet negotiation, there is still one more hurdle before the money is in the bank. That might start with the CEO giving the investor pitch to the whole organization, and distributing the current business plan document to everyone.

Technical Review 108

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur 108

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2022

You don’t like it, millennials won’t put up with it, and current productivity levels at work continue to decline. She has lived and worked in five countries, and consulted with major corporations, as well as startups, in transforming their workplaces to be more productive as well as more satisfying. Sophie Wade.

Coach 132

Coach Satisfaction Startup Organization 132

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2021

For the elite startups and entrepreneurs who manage to attract the investor they dream of, and survive the term sheet negotiation, there is still one more hurdle before the money is in the bank. That might start with the CEO giving the investor pitch to the whole organization, and distributing the current business plan document to everyone.

Technical Review 151

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 151

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2020

The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. Start with a service you know and love. Capture your “secret sauce.”

Startup 174

Startup Training Services Writing 174

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 6, 2013

Everyone knows that that startups are risky, but they also expect that the job will be exciting and potentially very lucrative (think early employees at Facebook and Google). The truly indispensible person in a startup is a problem solver, because every startup has plenty of problems. Educate yourself one notch up.

Startup 103

Startup Entrepreneur Journal Outsource 103

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 29, 2020

One of the myths I often hear as an advisor to many entrepreneurs is that their lifestyle would somehow be better if they could more easily find other people’s money to build their startup. Usually it pays to move a startup slower rather than risk relationships. Many times friends and family have been broken by failed investments.

Startup 124

Startup Satisfaction Venture Capital Entrepreneur 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2020

Most entrepreneurs start from a base of one or two co-founders, and their vision and focus is on developing an innovative solution, rather than developing people. They do believe it can be accomplished, with the six specific steps paraphrased here: Culture starts by thinking different and thinking big at the top.

Organization 160

Organization Startup Entrepreneur Satisfaction 160

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 12, 2021

He suggests you begin with the “big three” business objectives of higher revenue, reduced costs, and improved customer satisfaction. Tracking public sentiment over time provides invaluable insight and gives you the chance to stay right on top of changes in the marketplace and your organization’s brand equity. That’s where the money is.

Social Media 127

Social Media Media Metrics Satisfaction 127

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2015

By definition, every startup is predictably unpredictable, since new solutions have no proven track record, startups are usually building a new market, and the world around them is changing faster than ever. The market changes faster than your startup. The money runs out before revenues start.

Startup 105

Startup Entrepreneur Marketing Metrics 105

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 9, 2014

Even entrepreneurs who have built many startups, or sold their last one for millions of dollars, know they make occasional people leadership mistakes. These can trip up even the best, often at the cost of more than a good night’s sleep. Engagement drives performance and satisfaction. So why do I sometimes act like a bad one?

Startup 106

Startup Case Study Entrepreneur Competition 106

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 6, 2022

Everyone on the startup team knows there is no buffer, and no personal isolation from impact based on your job description that can save you. Risks to the business drift off their radar screen, resulting in poor business decisions, as well as less job satisfaction and declining professional success. Yet nothing stands still.

Satisfaction 147

Satisfaction Organization Entrepreneur Customer 147

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2020

It seems like every entrepreneur I meet these days is quick to proclaim themselves a visionary, expecting that will give more credibility to their startup idea, and improve their odds with investors. In reality, I’m one of the majority of investors who believe that startup success is more about the execution than the idea.

Startup 131

Startup Ideas Organization Entrepreneur 131

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2015

As a startup advisor, when I suggest cooperating with competitors, most entrepreneurs initially think I'm crazy or suggesting something illegal. And growth is the lifeblood of every startup. And growth is the lifeblood of every startup. Complementary advantages can expand both markets. Be cautious, but not paranoid.

Startup 102

Startup Customer Custom IBM 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 2, 2013

One of the biggest impediments to starting a new venture is the “terror barrier,” as popularized by Bob Proctor , a 75-year-old millionaire and world renowned entrepreneur. If you want to be an entrepreneur and start a new business, you must be willing and able to break through your terror barrier. Work on one step at a time.

Startup 96

Startup Satisfaction Entrepreneur Mentor 96

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.

Startup 114

Startup Tips Coach Tool 114

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2019

A common misconception I often hear in the startup world is that non-profits are easy and safe, since they don’t have to pay taxes, and they don’t have to make a profit for their shareholders. Other countries have similar exemptions for similar organizations. That means they need to grow organically, or find a philanthropist.

Organization 74

Organization Satisfaction Startup Class 74

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 4, 2011

Changing the culture and mindset in an existing businesses is difficult and slow, so this becomes another “opportunity” for smart entrepreneurs and startups to excel. They apply to any business, but every startup better lead with these: Prepare your team to always say “Yes”. Stop bossing and start teaching.

Startup 105

Startup Cloud Computing Customer Custom 105

InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Like cell phone pricing, overage charges motivate fast-growing customers to step up to higher monthly license fee levels. This division of labor facilitates a "spike and spread" of your product across a customer''s entire organization. Up-selling is best done consistently, rather than episodically. Consistency Matters.

SaaS 215

SaaS Pricing Sales Customer 215

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 24, 2013

Your values as you create a startup are the key to creating an enviable culture that attracts more customers, according to Ann Rhoades, in her book “ Built on Values.” I believe in a startup culture that strongly transmits the values of integrity, customer focus, and results. Ann Rhoades entrepreneur culture startup values business'

Startup 100

Startup Customer Custom Social Network 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2021

Innovation is the key to long-term business success, both in startups as well as established organizations. He provides dozens of ideas and examples to illustrate how this discipline can work, and the power it brings to any organization. Your long-term survival and satisfaction depend on it. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 158

Entrepreneur Startup Outsource Development Design 158

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2013

But very quickly, it is becoming obvious to startups that the value and satisfaction exceeds the costs. To legally facilitate startups who want to give top priority to socially conscious solutions, seventeen states, starting with Maryland in 2010, have passed legislation allowing incorporation as a Benefit Corporation (B-Corp).

Startup 101

Startup Organization Entrepreneur Customer 101

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 2, 2013

A common misconception I often hear in the startup world is that non-profits are easy and safe, since they don’t have to pay taxes, and they don’t have to make a profit for their shareholders. Other countries have similar exemptions for similar organizations. That means they need to grow organically, or find a philanthropist.

Startup 104

Startup Organization Satisfaction Class 104

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2012

Everyone knows that that startups are risky, but they also expect that the job will be exciting and potentially very lucrative (think early employees at Facebook and Google). The truly indispensible person in a startup is a problem solver, because every startup has plenty of problems. Educate yourself one notch up.

Startup 92

Startup Journal Outsource Tips 92

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2012

But very quickly, it is becoming obvious to startups that the value and satisfaction exceeds the costs. To legally facilitate startups who want to give top priority to socially conscious solutions, eleven states, including New York and California, have passed legislation allowing incorporation as a Benefit Corporation (B-Corp).

Startup 100

Startup Organization Customer Custom 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2011

Your values as you create a startup are the key to creating an enviable culture that attracts more customers, according to Ann Rhoades, in her book “ Built on Values.” I believe in a startup culture that strongly transmits the values of integrity, customer focus, and results. They drive the market, rather than the other way around.

Startup 92

Startup Customer Custom Social Network 92

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 8, 2022

Most entrepreneurs struggle with many startup founders quandaries in building their business, and these key dilemmas are probably the biggest source of pain and failure for the entrepreneur lifestyle. People may jump into the lifestyle to be their own boss, achieve great wealth, start a new trend, or all the above.

Startup 130

Startup USC Statistics Entrepreneur 130

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

In my experience as an employee, up to an executive, in large companies as well as small, I’ve found that people who are consistently negative and complain are a big constraint on productivity, as well as the most difficult management problem that most business leaders face. Administer regular morale and satisfaction surveys.

Coach 148

Coach Satisfaction Examples Startup 148

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

One of the myths I often hear as an advisor to many entrepreneurs is that their lifestyle would somehow be better if they could more easily find other people’s money to build their startup. Usually it pays to move a startup slower rather than risk relationships. Many times friends and family have been broken by failed investments.

Funding 107

Funding Startup Satisfaction Venture Capital 107

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2013

One of the big advantages of being an entrepreneur and starting your company from scratch is that you get to set the culture, which is much easier than changing the culture of an existing business. Mission statements tend to be narrow, business oriented statements such as “Be the leader in customer satisfaction.” Train all the time.

Startup 101

Startup Training Study Customer 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2011

Everyone knows that that startups are risky, but they also expect that the job will be exciting and potentially very lucrative (think early employees at Microsoft and Google). The truly indispensible person in a startup is a problem solver, because every startup has plenty of problems. Educate yourself one notch up.

Startup 91

Startup Journal Outsource Tips 91

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 4, 2021

After working many years in business, both in large companies as well as startups, I’ve realized that you can learn more from peers and mentors than from any formal education program. Our educational systems today do very little to help you keep up with new generations of customers, employees, and partners.

Mentor 159

Mentor Satisfaction Education Organization 159

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2020

Based on my own experiences in startups, and many years of advising new business owners, I’m convinced that there are a few common frustrations that we all need to anticipate and prepare for, rather than let them be a surprise and a painful dent in your enthusiasm and personal satisfaction from living your dream.

Entrepreneur 122

Entrepreneur Startup Course Examples 122

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2023

These haven’t changed much over the years, but still seem to be often overlooked by business professionals and leaders in their haste to keep up with peers, competitors, and customers in today’s volatile environment. The reality is that starting a business, as well is working an existing business, has always required perseverance.

Startup 121

Startup Satisfaction Technical Review Ideas 121

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2015

I especially like Cushman’s outline of the ten principles which distinguish the organization and operation of an open business from the more traditional closed model. Your stakeholders all need to understand and agree to the “why” of your organization. Shared clients and objectives (networked organization). Adjust accordingly.

Startup 99

Startup Organization Social Media Customer 99

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 7, 2020

Every entrepreneur and startup loves you, but too many forget that every potential customer is not like you. Independent survey organizations know how to do this, and can help you avoid a common entrepreneur misstep, called the confirmation bias. Your long-term satisfaction and business success depends on it.

Startup 141

Startup Customer Custom Design 141

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2023

It seems like every entrepreneur I meet these days is quick to proclaim themselves a visionary, expecting that will give more credibility to their startup idea, and improve their odds with investors. In reality, I’m one of the majority of investors who believe that startup success is more about the execution than the idea.

Startup 82

Startup Ideas Organization Entrepreneur 82

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