Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2015

Social media is so pervasive in today’s world that every entrepreneur believes instinctively that they know how to use it for their startup. Many soon find that what you do in a personal context doesn’t necessarily translate to your business, and measuring business value is quite different from measuring personal satisfaction.

Social Media 108

Social Media Media Startup Tips 108

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 29, 2013

ProProfs started life as a simple online quiz maker that was easy to use. Fast forward two and a half years later and ProProfs is one of the leading online tools that lets the public and private sectors to create online quizzes, polls, surveys, flashcards, and classes with an extensive list of options.

Tool 77

Tool Class HTML Course 77

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

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

In my experience with startups, that is still necessary, but not sufficient. This book is focused on strategic customer support jobs in every company, but I believe the hiring rules apply equally well to every job in a startup, since customer focus has to be pervasive from the beginning in modern new companies.

Startup 135

Startup Customer Custom Tool 135

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 Satisfaction 114

InfoChachkie

APRIL 21, 2014

It wasn''t until I turned 50 that I fully adopted basketball legend John Wooden''s definition of victory: "Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.". I travelled up the Killer Curve by incrementally celebrating extremely small successes.

Activity 275

Activity Santa Barbara Startup Tips 275

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 30, 2021

Based on my own long experience in business, team satisfaction, engagement, and productivity continues to be a challenge. Most people don’t recognize their own strengths, and need your help, as well as strength assessment tools, to capitalize on them. Getting peers to help others also is a great source of satisfaction and engagement.

Satisfaction 168

Satisfaction Coach Resource Tool 168

Xconomy

SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

Zingle, a startup whose software is used by hospitality, travel, and retail industries to more easily and quickly connect with their customers via messaging, has been acquired for about $42 million in cash by Medallia, a publicly traded software company in San Francisco. Read more » Reprints | Share: UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS.

Software 95

Software Startup Satisfaction Customer 95

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 26, 2020

Examples cited include biometrics, tool productivity, environmental control, social visibility, relationship data, and brand insight. This shrinking group is willing to share location, brand history, and tool productivity data, but is still reticent to share social, biometric, and environmental data. Reluctant consumers – 44 percent.

Social Media 132

Social Media Startup Tool Google 132

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. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 105

Startup Cloud Computing Customer Custom 105

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

AUGUST 16, 2021

In some cases it may be fear of retribution by the boss, but more often they just hate to disappoint others, and end up instead with high stress and low credibility in a crisis to deliver. Be sure to follow-up as promised, to maintain your credibility. Green, a noted executive coach, speaker, and CEO of Brilliance, Inc. Drop the guilt.

Startup 172

Startup Tool Coach Satisfaction 172

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2020

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. This is the first business process that every startup needs, that I wouldn’t expect to find for a hobby. Formalize the use of tools and information technology.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Outsource Development Startup Competition 131

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. Measure to see if you have an increase in revenue, a lowering of costs, and improvement in customer satisfaction. Start now to look at where social media will be in two to ten years, and prepare for it.

Social Media 128

Social Media Media Metrics Satisfaction 128

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.

Satisfaction 147

Satisfaction Organization Customer Custom 147

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 12, 2015

One of the simplest questions I get from aspiring entrepreneurs, and ironically one of the hardest, is “How do I start?” I want to tell them to just start anywhere, but I realize that most have no idea where anywhere is. The wealth of online education offerings is a great start, but is not enough.

Entrepreneur 112

Entrepreneur Startup Education Tool 112

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 28, 2013

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. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 88

Startup Cloud Computing Customer Custom 88

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2021

It started a few years ago with the advent of email satisfaction surveys after an online purchase, but now includes interactive Internet ads, as well as custom requests for input on the design of future products and influencers on social media. Are your costs going up, and the returns going down?

Customer 168

Customer Custom Marketing Social Media 168

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

Always use multiple methods, including verbal and written, for defining an assignment, including accountability, with checkpoints and follow-up from you along the way. Make sure that metrics and goals are set up front, and not modified as the project progresses. Provide assessments based wholly on facts.

Startup 132

Startup Training Metrics Examples 132

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

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 118

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 118

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2015

In my experience with startups, that is still necessary, but not sufficient. This book is focused on strategic customer support jobs in every company, but I believe the hiring rules apply equally well to every job in a startup, since customer focus has to be pervasive from the beginning in modern new companies.

Startup 100

Startup Customer Custom Tool 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2022

Every new entrepreneur has to initiate the right actions to be perceived as a leader in their chosen business domain by their team and by their customers, or the road to success and satisfaction will be lost along the way. Authentic leaders are willing to open up and establish a connection with everyone around them.

Startup 127

Startup Training Entrepreneur Resource 127

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2023

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. This is the first business process that every startup needs, that I wouldn’t expect to find for a hobby. Formalize the use of tools and information technology.

Outsource Development 115

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 115

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2020

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.

Satisfaction 124

Satisfaction Organization Customer Custom 124

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2012

He suggests you begin with the “big three” business objectives of higher revenue, reduced costs, and improved customer satisfaction. Measure to see if you have an increase in revenue, a lowering of costs, and improvement in customer satisfaction. Start now to look at where social media will be in two to ten years, and prepare for it.

Social Media 98

Social Media Metrics Media Startup 98

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2015

Many startups and mature businesses have not yet accepted the fact that customer satisfaction and loyalty in this “always connected” age are about more than product and service quality. But to engender loyalty, you have to be delivering a good experience and keeping satisfaction high. Marketing-driven customer acquisition.

Customer 100

Customer Custom Satisfaction Social Media 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 6, 2020

It seems that most of you entrepreneurs I meet in my role as business advisor are convinced that starting a new business requires equity investors, exponential growth, and a plan to go public via IPO. This can be a key source of personal satisfaction, as well as the ultimate success factor and legacy.

Statistics 124

Statistics Equity Satisfaction Entrepreneur 124

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 11, 2013

Many startups and mature businesses have not yet adapted to the fact that customer satisfaction in this “always connected” age is more than product and service quality. But to engender loyalty, you have to be delivering a good experience and keep satisfaction high. Customer upsell, selling more to existing customers.

Customer 97

Customer Custom Satisfaction Social Media 97

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2015

Establish vehicles, like a formal customer satisfaction program, to recognize and reward staff and customers for sharing what they can do to help you. Use and contribute to shared resources, like Wikipedia and Creative Commons, rather than relying totally on proprietary and internal tools. Shared knowledge packaging (shareability).

Startup 99

Startup Organization Social Media Customer 99

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 7, 2020

In my own role as advisor and mentor to many entrepreneurs and startups, I was struck by how relevant and critical these same initiatives are to even the earliest stage businesses. Your startup’s survival, as well as people performance, is at stake. Make sure required data, resources, and tools are provided early.

Entrepreneur 120

Entrepreneur Coach Satisfaction Resource 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2020

Either they are never really ready to commit, study an opportunity until it has passed, or fail with tools and techniques from a bygone business era. The challenge is to find the time and initiative to keep up with the information wave, and be able to curate the data into knowledge that must be learned, unlearned, or relearned.

Social Media 127

Social Media Startup Education Entrepreneur 127

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2019

Image via Pixabay After a frustrating meeting with a small business client recently who didn’t “have time” for social media, I was surprised to find evidence on the Internet that up to one quarter of small business owners are still hesitant to invest time, money, and effort into a social media strategy.

Social Media 99

Social Media Media Tool Startup 99

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2015

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.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Customer Custom 106

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 6, 2023

Either they are never really ready to commit, study an opportunity until it has passed, or fail with tools and techniques from a bygone business era. The challenge is to find the time and initiative to keep up with the information wave, and be able to curate the data into knowledge that must be learned, unlearned, or relearned.

Social Media 120

Social Media Startup Entrepreneur Education 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2015

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. This is the first business process that every startup needs, that I wouldn’t expect to find for a hobby. Formalize the use of tools and information technology.

Outsource Development 99

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 99

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2014

In a startup, key resources include funding, facilities and tools, and the time to get the job done. Positive social interactions with fellow team members lead to improved job satisfaction and motivation. Cash incentives are a good start, but even intangible rewards, like lunch with the boss, can be powerful motivators.

Startup 108

Startup Resource Tips Layoffs 108

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2013

In a startup, key resources include funding, facilities and tools, and the time to get the job done. Positive social interactions with fellow team members leads to improved job satisfaction and motivation. Cash incentives are a good start, but even intangible rewards, like lunch with the boss, can be powerful motivators.

Entrepreneur 99

Entrepreneur Startup Resource Layoffs 99