Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2017

In my experience working with startups, the best approach these days is to find and use a good mentor (been there, done that). Of course, mentoring is not new – it’s been the favored way to learn arts and crafts since way back in the middle ages. But I assert that mentoring in business is making a comeback.

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Mentor Technical Review LAMP Coach 61

Tech.Co

JANUARY 10, 2018

“Focusing on emotion is key when communicating with female customers. Maxeme Tuchman, CEO and cofounder of Caribu.co , an app that allows you to video call and have story time with your children together from anywhere in the world, targeted her company’s efforts on gaining referrals from women customers.

Tips 71

Tips Customer Custom Dollar Shave Club 71

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 17, 2013

Mentors tell you what you need to hear. When the message is the same from both, you don’t need the mentor anymore. In that sense, you should think of a mentor more like your advisor who has done all he can. Also don’t confuse a business mentor with a business coach. Friends tell you what you want to hear.

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Mentor Coach Startup Entrepreneur 101

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2012

Mentors tell you what you need to hear. When the message is the same from both, you don’t need the mentor anymore. In that sense, you should think of a mentor more like your advisor who has done all he can. Also don’t confuse a business mentor with a business coach. Friends tell you what you want to hear.

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Mentor Coach Startup Ideas 95

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2016

Some will argue that people leadership is a skill you have to be born with, but I’m convinced that it can be learned from experience, mentoring, and failures. They reach to find mentors who have been there, read books on the subject, and participate in leadership development programs. Set personal leadership goals and solicit feedback.

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Mentor Entrepreneur Demand Coach 59

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2017

Most business mentors tell me that the single biggest problem they have to deal with in small companies is the lack of open, honest, and effective communication, both from the top down and from the bottom up. Then, hopefully, come customers, distribution channels, and going public or merging with an attractive buy-out candidate.

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Mentor Technical Review Entrepreneur Guide 61

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 12, 2021

Sometimes entrepreneurs are so focused on making change happen for customers that they forget that continually changing themselves and their company is equally important. Here are the key recommendations from both of us, based on my own business mentoring insights: Re-launch using your enhanced core competency.

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Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Customer 167

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2012

The servant leader serves the people they lead through mentoring, direct assistance, listening, and acting on their employees input. In addition, leaders need to serve the needs of customers and stakeholders, as well as those of team members, so a sense of balance is required. What is servant leadership? Marty Zwilling.

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Mentor Startup Organization Ideas 109

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

Get connected to the right mentors and your business may catapult to the next level. I figured if Matt was on the verge of bankruptcy and one mentor changed his trajectory, what if we had a formalized, community-wide program? He is very hands-on and helpful – especially for any company looking into customer acquisition.

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Acquisition Startup Customer Custom 304

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 13, 2011

Mentors tell you what you need to hear. When the message is the same from both, you don’t need the mentor anymore. In that sense, you should think of a mentor more like your advisor who has done all he can. Also don’t confuse a business mentor with a business coach. Friends tell you what you want to hear.

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Mentor Coach Ideas Entrepreneur 98

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2022

You may focus only on Facebook, and missing customers who expect to see you on Instagram and YouTube. Get interactive with online users and customer feedback. Publishing your content is positive, but responding to customers online multiplies your impact. Sponsor customer events for visibility and giveaways.

Marketing 119

Marketing Social Media Mentor Conference 119

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 28, 2021

High scoring leaders seek and positively respond to feedback from three critical groups: peers, customers, and direct reporting team members. Find and enjoy the company of one or more mentors. The leadership benefits of mentoring start in childhood, but are just as important at the mature CEO level.

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Entrepreneur Mentor Ideas Invest 165

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 26, 2016

Even an extraordinary engineer or product lead who have built a breakthrough product aren’t guaranteed success unless they can get access to capital, get much needed press to drive low-cost customer acquisition and persuade fickle business leaders to join their company and help them shape their businesses beyond tech innovation.

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Mentor Venture Capital Marketing Product 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2022

Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. If you can explain the problem to a mentor, or even write it down, you will more likely get to the root cause quickly, and avoid emotional and blame-infused responses. Explore solutions, outcomes, and options calmly.

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Startup Mentor Entrepreneur Technical Review 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. Balance of passion with reality and customer feedback. Pay attention to all.

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Mentor Startup Customer Custom 133

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2016

If you can’t provide a memorable customer experience, your startup won’t survive very long these days. You now need more than loyalty from your customers -- they need to be your best advocates. The days of pushing new and marginal performers into customer service are gone. Every job on your team drives your customer experience.

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Customer Custom Startup Coach 55

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 20, 2020

For example, if you as an entrepreneur come across as arrogant or too casual, many people you need to deal with in business, including investors, suppliers, and customers, will run the other way. Shares views and learns from a personal mentor. These can be honed over time, and can’t be easily faked.

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Entrepreneur Mentor Metrics Customer 168

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2018

The market is changing so fast these days, and if you are not planning a solution today for tomorrow’s customers, you may be setting yourself up for failure and don’t even realize it. There are many free generalized tools, including Google Trends , which can be used to track customer behavior in looking for things that don’t exist yet.

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Customer Custom Technical Review Software Review 57

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

Every new business I know dreams of building momentum in their business, where growth continues to increase, customers become your best advocates, and employee motivation is high. Unfortunately, with limited resources, this isn’t possible, and it frustrates customers and the team. Focus first on finding more of the right customers.

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Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2021

As a long-time mentor to new entrepreneurs and business owners, I have noticed that many no longer associate more fulfillment and satisfaction with more money, power, and success. In fact, customers today also seem more attracted to companies with a higher purpose than profit. Mentor others to share what you have learned.

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Satisfaction Mentor Coach Entrepreneur 173

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2022

Today more than ever, the evidence is clear that business people need to find and communicate a purpose that goes beyond making a profit, in order to ensure customer engagement, as well as your own, and drive results in the marketplace. As you grow, so will your team and customers. Driven to reduce personal hardship and suffering.

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Technical Review Coach Mentor Customer 143

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2023

Customer service has traditionally been focused on the resolution of complaints , primarily after a transaction. My recommendations always include adopting a customer mindset, as well as the following steps: Accept today’s definition of relevant customer support. Treat every customer exceptionally before they complain.

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Competition Services Customer Custom 109

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 17, 2011

Every startup mentor has his favorite list of basic strategies to avoid pitfalls, and I’m no exception. In business, “most important” means time to market, customer service, low cost, and beating your competitors. This is especially true for students tackling their first venture. Manage your time.

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Mentor Startup Social Network Patents 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 17, 2010

At VT KnowledgeWorks we screen prospective clients for their Market opportunity, for the Magic that they offer to their prospective customers, and for the Moxie displayed by the start-up team. There is a growing fellowship of special-case start-up programs operated by closely-knit, permanent groups of angel-mentors.

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Incubator Mentor Capital Startup 80

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 9, 2023

I’m sure you can imagine how much that impacts any business or startup’s ability to react to changing customer needs and growth opportunities, no matter how insightful their leaders. If you and your team are confident in each other, and proud of your business solution, you will not be afraid to innovate as customer requirements change.

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Coach Mentor Study Activity 117

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

Mark Zuckerberg, while still in school, tested the viability of his “ FaceMash ” technology as a business by rolling it out to other students at Harvard as customers. He learned quickly that several pivots were required for business, legal, and customer acceptance reasons. Take advantage of free startup programs and mentors.

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Entrepreneur Mentor Class Resource 157

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2023

Listen to your team, mentors, and customers to recognize real successes and failures, and surround yourself with people who can fill in the gaps. Allocate your time and resources to customer expectations and competitor challenges. We all have strengths and weaknesses. Celebrate even small wins to keep yourself motivated.

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Mentor Startup Coach Satisfaction 104

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2022

Yet I find, as a mentor and outside consultant, that many of you focus only on working conditions and compensation as the key factors determining team engagement , health, and productivity. by Donna Cutting, who is a globally-recognized guru on employee culture and optimizing customer service. Emotional stability. Environmental safety.

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Technical Review Mentor Social Media Customer 141

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain.

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Technical Review Customer Custom Entrepreneur 143

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2023

Here are five key ones to celebrate: Enjoy the feedback from every satisfied customer. Talking to real customers is the best way to keep your inspiration alive, as well as the best way keep on track with changing trends and future innovation ideas. Increasing customer focus and loyalty.

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Startup Satisfaction Customer Custom 118

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2021

Rather than get angry and upset, fall back to your initial process for evaluating markets, customer needs, and financial implications. Often what looks like an emotional issue, like unwarranted customer complaints online, have specific facts behind them, which may surprise you. Seek input from the team, as well as mentors.

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Mentor Satisfaction Customer Custom 127

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2022

In my own experience as a startup advisor and mentor, I find that entrepreneurs who can’t attract and maintain a highly motivated team rarely even get off the ground. Good hiring, training, and mentoring are the best motivators. Your display of pride in the company and respect for the customer will translate directly into motivation.

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Examples Mentor Activity Product 145

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2021

Others are really marketers out to make money fast, and believe that they can entice customers to any offering. Ultimately, most get the best help from business advisors and mentors. External forces (competitors and customers). Some just want to change the world and make it a better place. But none have any lock on success.

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Entrepreneur Framework Mentor Web 134

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2021

For example, Elon Musk says he seeks out innovations from his team by constantly asking them how they can make things better, how often they get out of internal meetings and into customer shops, and actively encouraging them to try new things. Spend more time mentoring and coaching your team.

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Tips Satisfaction Coach Mentor 159

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2023

Both authors are recipients of numerous academic and management awards for leadership thinking, and I will summarize here their key strategy insights, combined with my own experiences: Lead with a focus on finding customer value. Aim high to build a better world for customers. Don’t confuse the means with the ends.

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Capital Netflix Resource Customer 142

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2010

Mentors tell you what you need to hear. When the message is the same from both, you don’t need the mentor anymore. In that sense, you should think of a mentor more like your advisor who has done all he can. Also don’t confuse a business mentor with a business coach. Friends tell you what you want to hear.

Mentor 49

Mentor Coach Entrepreneur Ideas 49

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2022

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. People-centric leaders drive ownership and engagement down to their customer-facing team members.

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Coach Organization Mentor Startup 128