Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2022

After years mentoring young aspiring entrepreneurs , I am now convinced that getting along and becoming more productive with other people is a skill that any professional can learn, or accomplish via a dedicated strategy. Write down your key goals and refer to this list before any interaction with your colleague.

Startup 114

Startup Examples Satisfaction Mentor 114

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2023

Both ends of this spectrum fail to bring long-term satisfaction or success. Patagonia , a successful outdoor products company, combines building safe high-quality products with philanthropic efforts to help the environment. Write it down, make it specific, expressive, yet succinct and jargon-free.

Framework 95

Framework Custom Customer Tips 95

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2023

Even if your plan seems simple and intuitively obvious to you, writing it down and having it reviewed by experienced friends will moderate your passion and assure you that all key elements are addressed. If an innovative solution is involved, prepare a minimum viable product or a video to demonstrate functionality and usability.

Social Media 98

Social Media Metrics Media Tool 98

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 22, 2021

Let me assure you, every startup faces more challenges than any other business – unproven product, new processes, new management, and unpredictable customers. As I’m writing this, I’m thinking that these points are so obvious that they don’t need to be reiterated here. This is not the place for downers. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 129

Startup Mentor Satisfaction Writing 129

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 21, 2020

Both ends of this spectrum fail to bring long-term satisfaction or success. Patagonia , a successful outdoor products company, combines building safe high-quality products with philanthropic efforts to help the environment. Write it down, make it specific, expressive, yet succinct and jargon-free.

Tips 174

Tips Framework Custom Customer 174

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 18, 2018

Successful entrepreneurs are usually hard-driving, and highly focused on some specific goals, like being the dominant player in a given domain, or the low-priced provider of their product. Without precise goals, you can’t measure progress, and you miss the real satisfaction of knowing when to declare success. Write it down.

Writing 97

Writing Organization Satisfaction Entrepreneur 97

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2016

The challenge is not to let success come without personal satisfaction, or at the expense of the ones you love. Write down your goals, and then take ownership to make them happen and feel the satisfaction. Successfully recovering from problems should be a key source of satisfaction. A motivated team is a successful one.

Satisfaction 71

Satisfaction Startup Entrepreneur Writing 71

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

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. Low cost and low margin products can be winners, if the volume is high enough.

Services 72

Services Startup Training Writing 72

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2021

You must recognize that change is the new norm in business, so problems represent opportunities to learn something new, improve your productivity and competitiveness of the business. Write down your top 5 core values and review them often. Take satisfaction from wins to balance against setbacks.

Coach 137

Coach Training Satisfaction Mentor 137

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2016

Successful entrepreneurs are usually hard-driving, and highly focused on some specific goals, like being the dominant player in a given domain, or the low-priced provider of their product. Without precise goals, you can’t measure progress, and you miss the real satisfaction of knowing when to declare success. Write it down.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Writing Organization Satisfaction 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 5, 2020

Although customers today are comfortable providing personal information in return for a better experience, they are also quick to write you off if you misuse the data, disclose it, or use it to push irrelevant products. Supplement this feedback with more formal modern satisfaction surveys, like the Net Promoter Score.

Customer 133

Customer Custom Social Media Startup 133

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2014

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. Low cost and low margin products can be winners, if the volume is high enough.

Services 105

Services Startup Training Writing 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 1, 2016

You’ve probably already made your resolutions for 2016, but if not, I suggest a renewed commitment to finding happiness and satisfaction in your chosen business lifestyle. The happiest people are the ones who can split their focus between work and family, and get value and satisfaction from both. Keep expectations realistic.

Entrepreneur 69

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Study Writing 69

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Let me assure you, every startup faces more challenges than any other business – unproven product, new processes, new management, and unpredictable customers. As I’m writing this, I’m thinking that these points are so obvious that they don’t need to be reiterated here. This is not the place for downers. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 82

Startup Mentor Satisfaction Writing 82

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2016

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. Low cost and low margin products can be winners, if the volume is high enough.

Services 61

Services Startup Training Writing 61

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 1, 2018

You’ve probably already made your resolutions for 2018, but if not, I suggest a renewed commitment to finding happiness and satisfaction in your chosen business lifestyle. The happiest people are the ones who can split their focus between work and family, and get value and satisfaction from both. Keep expectations realistic.

Satisfaction 60

Satisfaction Entrepreneur Mentor Writing 60

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Successful entrepreneurs are usually hard-driving, and highly focused on some specific goals, like being the dominant player in a given domain, or the low-priced provider of their product. Without precise goals, you can’t measure progress, and you miss the real satisfaction of knowing when to declare success. Write it down.

Writing 103

Writing Organization Satisfaction Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2015

Five major elements of every business include your people, product, opportunity, money and marketing. Innovative products and services always take longer to develop than anticipated, and quality problems pop up where least expected. Written product specifications and business plans pay big dividends.

Startup 105

Startup Entrepreneur Marketing Satisfaction 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 1, 2017

You’ve probably already made your resolutions for 2017, but if not, I suggest a renewed commitment to finding happiness and satisfaction in your chosen business lifestyle. The happiest people are the ones who can split their focus between work and family, and get value and satisfaction from both. Keep expectations realistic.

Satisfaction 61

Satisfaction Entrepreneur Study Writing 61

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2018

In this age of constant change, I usually find myself writing about what has changed. Every human body needs time to rejuvenate, for maximum productivity and creativity at work. More importantly, these things that don’t change can be your anchor for stability and enjoyment, leading to real satisfaction as well as success.

Custom 90

Custom Customer Social Media Satisfaction 90

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

Jim Semick: I’ve been launching and managing software products for 15 years now, going back to when you and I worked together at Expertcity before it was acquired by Citrix. I have always worked on early stage products. Some of the products I’ve helped validate and launch include GoToMyPC, GoToMeeting and AppFolio.

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 16, 2011

Successful entrepreneurs are usually hard-driving, and highly focused on some specific goals, like being the dominant player in a given domain, or the low-priced provider of their product. Without precise goals, you can’t measure progress, and you miss the real satisfaction of knowing when to declare success. Write it down.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Writing Organization Satisfaction 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 1, 2013

You’ve probably already made your resolutions, but if not, I suggest a renewed commitment to finding happiness and satisfaction in your work. The happiest people are the ones who can split their focus between work and family, and get value and satisfaction from both. Welcome to the New Year 2013! Keep expectations realistic.

Satisfaction 103

Satisfaction Startup Entrepreneur Study 103

SoCal CTO

OCTOBER 11, 2010

It’s one thing when you provide a blank space to write your goals when you are in a classroom and there’s a teacher who can help you. Of course, improving customer satisfaction is a goal, but the system would drill down to specific issues such as knowledge of store layout. Yes, I’m yelling – it’s really that bad.

Satisfaction 167

Satisfaction Examples Course Technical Review 167

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2013

Yet most startups I know experience the same shock of disappointment when they first open up their website to offer their “million dollar idea” product, and nobody comes. Publish a regular blog, contribute to relevant social networks, and write a “white paper” on your technology. Follow-up for customer satisfaction.

Search Engine Optimization 105

Search Engine Optimization Startup Advertising SEO 105

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 9, 2018

Even more disappointing are other statistics that show most websites that do exist have a very low “conversion rate,” or ratio of visitors to the site versus ones who meet your goal of buying a product or signing up for a newsletter. Find your niche and highlight how your product meets the customer’s exact need, and is the best in the world.

SEO 53

SEO Tips Newsletter Statistics 53

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 10, 2013

Let me assure you, every startup faces more challenges than any other business – unproven product, new processes, new management, and unpredictable customers. As I’m writing this, I’m thinking that these points are so obvious that they don’t need to be reiterated here. This is not the place for downers. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 101

Startup Mentor Satisfaction Writing 101

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2014

You cant isolate your customers from language idiosyncrasies and empowerment issues, per reduced customer satisfaction highlighted a while back by the Wall Street Journal. Its hard to write a detailed specification on an evolving new service, process, or product that embodies your core competency. Marty Zwilling.

Outsource Development 95

Outsource Development Outsource Offshore Software Review 95

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 1, 2011

You’ve probably already made your resolutions, but if not, I suggest a renewed commitment to finding happiness and satisfaction in your work. The happiest people are the ones who can split their focus between work and family, and get value and satisfaction from both. Welcome to the New Year 2011! Do something nice for someone.

Satisfaction 105

Satisfaction Startup Entrepreneur Writing 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2012

Let me assure you, every startup faces more challenges than any other business – unproven product, new processes, new management, and unpredictable customers. As I’m writing this, I’m thinking that these points are so obvious that they don’t need to be reiterated here. This is not the place for downers. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 97

Entrepreneur Startup Mentor Satisfaction 97

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2012

Yet most startups I know experience the same shock of disappointment when they first open up their website to offer their “million dollar idea” product, and nobody comes. Publish a regular blog, contribute to relevant social networks, and write a “white paper” on your technology. Follow-up for customer satisfaction.

Search Engine Optimization 96

Search Engine Optimization Entrepreneur Sites SEO 96

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 25, 2016

Both ends of this spectrum fail to bring long-term satisfaction or success. Patagonia , a successful outdoor products company, combines building safe high-quality products with philanthropic efforts to help the environment. Write it down, make it specific, expressive, yet succinct and jargon-free.

Entrepreneur 54

Entrepreneur Framework Custom Customer 54

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2016

You can’t isolate your customers from language idiosyncrasies and empowerment issues, per reduced customer satisfaction highlighted a while back by the Wall Street Journal. It’s hard to write a detailed specification on an evolving new service, process, or product that embodies your core competency. Marty Zwilling.

Outsource Development 53

Outsource Development Outsource Software Review Technical Review 53

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2010

Yet most startups I know experience the same shock of disappointment when they first open up their website to offer their “million dollar idea” product, and nobody comes. Publish a daily blog, contribute to relevant social networks, and write a “white paper” on your technology. Highlight personal and product testimonials.

Tips 92

Tips Search Engine Optimization Startup Advertising 92

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2011

Let me assure you, every startup faces more challenges than any other business – unproven product, new processes, new management, and unpredictable customers. As I’m writing this, I’m thinking that these points are so obvious that they don’t need to be reiterated here. This is not the place for downers. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 84

Startup Mentor Satisfaction Writing 84

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2010

Successful entrepreneurs are usually hard-driving, and highly focused on some specific goals, like being the dominant player in a given domain, or the low-priced provider of their product. Without precise goals, you can’t measure progress, and you miss the real satisfaction of knowing when to declare success. Write it down.

Writing 50

Writing Organization Entrepreneur Satisfaction 50

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2010

Let me assure you, every startup faces more challenges than any other business – unproven product, new processes, new management, and unpredictable customers. As I’m writing this, I’m thinking that these points are so obvious that they don’t need to be reiterated here. This is not the place for downers. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 48

Startup Mentor Satisfaction Writing 48