Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 29, 2022

When you wave your arms and describe your future product, everyone sees what they want to see, and it looks great. Many ideas I hear sound great, but I have no idea if they can be implemented. You should never outsource the management of your core technology. Quantify the implementation challenges.

Outsource Development 110

Outsource Development Ideas Tool Outsource 110

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2022

If one of your core values is exceeding your customer expectations for quality and service, and your potential partner ascribes to the low cost, high profit mantra, a successful partnership is highly unlikely over the long-term. Is your project seen by both as an end in itself, or a means to another end? Conflicting visions won’t work.

Software Review 154

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 154

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2020

A question I get from time to time is “Can I ever expect any backing from my bank for a great opportunity?” You have to get past how great the product is to address clearly what your business rationale is, why it is different from the competition's, and why it will succeed. Management with a strong track record.

Technical Advisors 162

Technical Advisors Tips Startup Equity 162

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2023

Surprisingly, word-of-mouth and viral efforts require more work and a larger budget than you would expect. One approach, which is even more work, is to keep tasks in-house rather than outsourcing. Even with the perfect product, your customers won’t even know you exist without marketing. Managing cash-flow personally and continually.

Startup 118

Startup Satisfaction Customer Custom 118

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2021

Use the Internet to outsource staff. A great way to make more money more easily online is to replace one-time sales with automatically renewing subscriptions. Even with all this, don’t expect it to be easy. Unreasonable expectations lead to frustration and giving up too soon. Generate revenue around the clock.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Case Study Software Review Startup 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2020

Surprisingly, word-of-mouth and viral efforts require more work and a larger budget than you would expect. One approach, which is even more work, is to keep tasks in-house rather than outsourcing. Even with the perfect product, your customers won’t even know you exist without marketing. Managing cash-flow personally and continually.

Satisfaction 174

Satisfaction Customer Custom Outsource 174

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 2, 2020

When you wave your arms and describe your future product, everyone sees what they want to see, and it looks great. Many ideas I hear sound great, but I have no idea if they can be implemented. You should never outsource the management of your core technology. Quantify the implementation challenges.

Outsource Development 124

Outsource Development Ideas Tool Outsource 124

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 10, 2012

This is important whether you are outsourcing or building it in-house. If you are outsourcing, then this person will also be protecting you from issues like being able to access the source code and making sure can bring it in-house at a later time. Just make sure its clear what the expectations are going into any engagement.

Technical Advisors 332

Technical Advisors CTO Coach Technical Review CTO Hire 332

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2020

I’m sure you have all seen entrepreneurs and startups with great ideas that never seem to live up to their potential, while others with more mundane solutions seem to take off quickly and never slow down. Focus on communication and responsibility assignment.

Startup 123

Startup Outsource Development Entrepreneur Outsource 123

socalTECH

JANUARY 2, 2019

We expect some big things in 2019. The great companies will continue to get a premium but I think the bar will be higher for follow on financing and deals will take longer to close. We continue to focus on companies with Recurring Revenue (SaaS, Subcription) and in FinTech. Reading books continues to be a big focus for me.

Capital 113

Capital Southern California Technical Review SaaS 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 5, 2019

Use the Internet to outsource staff. A great way to make more money more easily online is to replace one-time sales with automatically renewing subscriptions. Even with all this, don’t expect it to be easy. Unreasonable expectations lead to frustration and giving up too soon. Generate revenue around the clock.

Technical Review 97

Technical Review Case Study Software Review Startup 97

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 15, 2019

If one of your core values is exceeding your customer expectations for quality and service, and your potential partner ascribes to the low cost, high profit mantra, a successful partnership is highly unlikely over the long-term. Is your project seen by both as an end in itself, or a means to another end? Conflicting visions won’t work.

Software Review 88

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 88

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2012

Great startups are getting ahead of the game with “anticipatory customer service,” like providing smart phone access to product and account data to head off complaints. Self-service technologies, social media, and smart phones have created a new set of expectations for high-tech consumers today. You probably won’t get a second chance.

Customer 97

Customer Custom Services Startup 97

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2016

Use the Internet to outsource staff. A great way to make more money more easily online is to replace one-time sales with automatically renewing subscriptions. Even with all this, don’t expect it to be easy. Unreasonable expectations lead to frustration and giving up too soon. Generate revenue around the clock.

Startup 107

Startup Technical Review Case Study Software Review 107

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2015

When you wave your arms and describe your future product, everyone sees what they want to see, and it looks great. Many ideas I hear sound great, but I have no idea if they can be implemented. You should never outsource the management of your core technology. Quantify the implementation challenges.

Ideas 107

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Tool 107

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

1) Expect Independent Channel Sales Reps To Perform Missionary Sales. I am differentiating here between outsourced services that execute rote, routine tasks and consultants hired to performed ad hoc, mission critical engagements. If I were you, I would be thinking, ‘Great, but where was the love last week? 8 ) Grant Exclusivity.

Startup 242

Startup Outsource Development Outsource Sales 242

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2014

When you wave your arms and describe your future product, everyone sees what they want to see, and it looks great. Many ideas I hear sound great, but I have no idea if they can be implemented. You should never outsource the management of your core technology. Quantify the implementation challenges.

Outsource Development 105

Outsource Development Startup Ideas Tool 105

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2013

Great startups are getting ahead of the game with “anticipatory customer service,” like providing smart phone access to product and account data to head off complaints. Self-service technologies, social media, and smart phones have created a new set of expectations for high-tech consumers today. You probably won’t get a second chance.

Customer 89

Customer Custom Services High Tech 89

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

Customers expect the retailers to pay for those returns, they expect returns to be free, and they expect outbound shipping to be free. Today, we help enable returns in-person, but we also provide software for retailers that want to outsource their return portal. David Sobie: That's a great question.

Training 100

Training Customer Custom Software Review 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2018

When you wave your arms and describe your future product, everyone sees what they want to see, and it looks great. Many ideas I hear sound great, but I have no idea if they can be implemented. You should never outsource the management of your core technology. Quantify the implementation challenges.

Ideas 53

Ideas Outsource Development Tool Outsource 53

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2011

Peak of inflated expectations. In the next phase, a frenzy of publicity typically generates over-enthusiasm and unrealistic expectations. Technologies and related startups enter the trough of disillusionment because they fail to meet expectations and quickly become unfashionable. Great startups always beat the hype.

Entrepreneur 93

Entrepreneur Press Cloud Computing Technology 93

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2014

If one of your core values is exceeding your customer expectations for quality and service, and your potential partner ascribes to the low cost, high profit mantra, a successful partnership is highly unlikely over the long-term. It doesn’t take long to sense someone’s real commitment, or vision and desired outcome of a joint project.

Software Review 107

Software Review Entrepreneur CTO Hire Outsource Development 107

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2011

Great product ideas (and even potentially great companies) are being thrust at us in an attempt to go more quickly. And having too much money certainly raises board expectations that you will do big things quickly. The former was outsourced, the latter was our own team. Yet it tempts us all.

Development Team Review 374

Development Team Review Technical Review Startup Resource 374

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

He writes with a great perspective and is well worth reading. I told people privately my perfect spec: computer science undergrad from MIT (or any other great school), 2-years at McKinsey but no more than that (I love the analytical framework that the top strategy consulting firms provide. I had to laugh a bit reading it.

Startup 337

Startup Venture Capital Study Course 337

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2015

Surprisingly, word-of-mouth and viral efforts require more work and a larger budget than you would expect. One approach, which is even more work, is to keep tasks in-house rather than outsourcing. Even with the perfect product, your customers won’t even know you exist without marketing. Managing cash-flow personally and continually.

Satisfaction 101

Satisfaction Entrepreneur Customer Custom 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 7, 2013

Use the Internet to outsource staff. A great way to make more money more easily online is to replace one-time sales with automatically renewing subscriptions. Even with all this, don’t expect it to be easy. Unreasonable expectations lead to frustration and giving up too soon. Generate revenue around the clock.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Case Study 105

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 29, 2012

I got a chance to chat with Espree this week about the panel and what event goers can expect to gain from the panel. That’s a great question. One mastermind focuses on how to outsource development and programming. What should one expect to walk out of the panel with? No, I don’t think they are too strict.

Mixergy 70

Mixergy Outsource Development Outsource Conference 70

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 2, 2012

What are your thoughts on what we can expect to see in the mobile application space at SXSW? App makers are realizing they can get great functionality, polished animation and create a great user experience by adapting technologies like Appcelerator or PhoneGap. There are no rules or expectations. Mobile does that.

Design 94

Design Mobile Web Design Outsource Development 94

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2013

If one of your core values is exceeding your customer expectations for quality and service, and your potential partner ascribes to the low cost, high profit mantra, a successful partnership is highly unlikely over the long-term. It doesn’t take long to sense someone’s real commitment, or vision and desired outcome of a joint project.

Software Review 103

Software Review Equity CTO Hire Outsource Development 103

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2017

If one of your core values is exceeding your customer expectations for quality and service, and your potential partner ascribes to the low cost, high profit mantra, a successful partnership is highly unlikely over the long-term. Is your project seen by both as an end in itself, or a means to another end? Conflicting visions won’t work.

Software Review 56

Software Review CTO Hire Outsource Development CTO Coach 56

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 27, 2013

A question I get all the time is “Can I ever expect any backing from my bank for a great opportunity?” You have to get past how great the product is to address clearly what your business rationale is, why it is different from the competition''s, and why it will succeed. Management with a strong track record.

Technical Advisors 75

Technical Advisors Entrepreneur Equity Ideas 75

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 8, 2012

Use the Internet to outsource staff. A great way to make more money more easily online is to replace one-time sales with automatically renewing subscriptions. Even with all this, don’t expect it to be easy. Unreasonable expectations lead to frustration and giving up too soon. Generate revenue around the clock.

Technical Review 99

Technical Review Case Study Startup Software Review 99

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2016

Surprisingly, word-of-mouth and viral efforts require more work and a larger budget than you would expect. One approach, which is even more work, is to keep tasks in-house rather than outsourcing. Even with the perfect product, your customers won’t even know you exist without marketing. Managing cash-flow personally and continually.

Satisfaction 61

Satisfaction Startup Customer Custom 61

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 29, 2011

If one of your core values is exceeding your customer expectations for quality and service, and your potential partner ascribes to the low cost, high profit mantra, a successful partnership is highly unlikely over the long-term. It doesn’t take long to sense someone’s real commitment, or vision and desired outcome of a joint project.

Software Review 96

Software Review CTO Hire Startup Outsource Development 96

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 26, 2013

Just as I don’t recommend you outsourcing the writing of your business plan, I wouldn’t pass on this task. Also, if you foresee future rounds, project out to how much you expect you will be looking for in the future. This is a great guiding principle. Keep it short and simple. . Speak in your own voice.

Summary 76

Summary Tips Startup Writing 76

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2010

A question I get all the time is “Can I ever expect any backing from my bank for a great opportunity?” You have to get past how great the product is to address clearly what your business rationale is, why it is different from the competition's, and why it will succeed. Management with a strong track record.

Technical Advisors 80

Technical Advisors Startup Equity Ideas 80

Berkonomics

JUNE 28, 2018

Consultants, outsourcing, and scrapping the system. If improving individual steps is not the solution, then scrap the process entirely and attempt to define a way to meet the goal through a differing route, such as outsourcing parts or the entire process, doubling the capacity of a segment of production, or redefining the goal itself.

Company 226

Company Companies Outsource Resource 226