Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2019

In the interests of helping you work smarter and last longer, I would like to offer my top ten list of key resource drains to avoid in early businesses and startups, based on my years of advising entrepreneurs and my own business experience: Expanding your product line too quickly for scaling. Outsourcing services that could be done in-house.

Outsource Development 122

Outsource Development Outsource Metrics Technical Review 122

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2020

If you can’t quantify or document your service for repeatability and new employee training, you will kill yourself trying to grow the business. Customers won’t pay to see your new employees learning on the job, and outsourcing the real work to a cheap labor source is a recipe for disaster.

Startup 174

Startup Training Services Writing 174

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2020

For some reason, too many aspiring entrepreneurs I know seem to focus on “actions” rather than “results.” These are not the entrepreneurs that I want to support, since I’m well aware that running a startup is far more complex, albeit more satisfying, than most conventional roles in established enterprises.

Product 123

Product Startup Tips Entrepreneur 123

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 2, 2020

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. You should never outsource the management of your core technology.

Outsource Development 124

Outsource Development Ideas Tool Outsource 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2011

A business plan is an “outward facing” document for external investors, or for C-level executives within your own company. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Because this document is “outward facing” the tone and level has to change to be understandable by customers and investors.

Product 93

Product Entrepreneur Outsource Development Competition 93

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2020

Yet every entrepreneur I meet wants to talk about the idea, and rarely mentions the team. Thus I was happily surprised when I found the classic book, “ The Tech Entrepreneur’s Survival Guide ,” by Bernd Schoner, PhD, and cofounder of ThingMagic, which leans heavily on the people side of the equation. The operations superstar.

Technical Advisors 123

Technical Advisors Outsource Development Startup High Tech 123

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2015

I recognize that entrepreneurs tend to substitute vision and passion for formal processes, but no discipline or process in building something new is a sure way to spend money, rather than see any return and build a self-sustaining business. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation.

Outsource Development 99

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2015

Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage. Smart entrepreneurs never outsource their core competency, and never rely on intellectual property they don’t own. Document processes and build online training videos so new people can come online quickly and consistently. Attract and relish investor funding.

Startup 103

Startup Outsource Invest Ideas 103

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage. Smart entrepreneurs never outsource their core competency, and never rely on intellectual property they don’t own. Document processes and build online training videos so new people can come online quickly and consistently. Attract and relish investor funding.

Tips 111

Tips Startup Outsource Ideas 111

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2014

Like it or not, you are now entering the dreaded realm of specifying and documenting “formal business processes.” I’m continually amazed at the number of entrepreneurs who go for months into a new business without really keeping a formal record of money spent or assets acquired. entrepreneur funding hobby investors startup'

Startup 107

Startup Outsource Development Training Outsource 107

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2016

I recognize that entrepreneurs tend to substitute vision and passion for formal processes, but no discipline or process in building something new is a sure way to spend money, rather than see any return and build a self-sustaining business. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation.

Ideas 62

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Competition 62

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2015

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. You should never outsource the management of your core technology.

Ideas 107

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Tool 107

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2016

Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage. Smart entrepreneurs never outsource their core competency, and never rely on intellectual property they don’t own. Document processes and build online training videos so new people can come online quickly and consistently. Attract and relish investor funding.

Funding 67

Funding Startup Outsource Ideas 67

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

Yet every entrepreneur I meet wants to talk about the idea, and rarely mentions the team. Thus I was happy to see a recent book, “ The Tech Entrepreneur’s Survival Guide ,” by Bernd Schoner, PhD, and cofounder of ThingMagic, which leans heavily on the people side of the equation. Outsourcing your core competency does not work.

Technical Advisors 105

Technical Advisors Outsource Development Startup High Tech 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2014

Yet every entrepreneur I meet wants to talk about the idea, and rarely mentions the team. Thus I was happy to see a new book, “ The Tech Entrepreneur’s Survival Guide ,” by Bernd Schoner, PhD, and cofounder of ThingMagic, which leans heavily on the people side of the equation. Outsourcing your core competency does not work.

Technical Advisors 98

Technical Advisors Startup Outsource Development High Tech 98

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2014

If you can’t quantify or document your service for repeatability and new employee training, you will kill yourself trying to grow the business. Customers won’t pay to see your new employees learning on the job, and outsourcing the real work to a cheap labor source is a recipe for disaster. Are you ready to make it happen?

Services 105

Services Startup Training Writing 105

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

If you can’t quantify or document your service for repeatability and new employee training, you will kill yourself trying to grow the business. Customers won’t pay to see your new employees learning on the job, and outsourcing the real work to a cheap labor source is a recipe for disaster.

Services 72

Services Startup Training Writing 72

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2014

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. You should never outsource the management of your core technology.

Outsource Development 105

Outsource Development Startup Ideas Tool 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2013

Like it or not, you are now entering the dreaded realm of specifying and documenting “formal business processes.” I’m continually amazed at the number of entrepreneurs who go for months into a new business without really keeping a formal record of money spent or assets acquired. The right question is “What is the minimum that I need?”

Outsource Development 92

Outsource Development Training Outsource Metrics 92

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2012

A business plan is an “outward facing” document for external investors, or for C-level executives within your own company. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Because this document is “outward facing” the tone and level has to change to be understandable by customers and investors.

Product 92

Product Outsource Development Competition High Tech 92

Alon Schwartz

DECEMBER 2, 2008

My name is Alon Shwartz and I’m the CTO and co-founder of Docstoc, a LA based start-up focused on sharing and finding documents: www.docstoc.com. Check my profile and documents on: www.docstoc.com/Profile/Alon. Tags: Business Docstoc docstoc.com entrepreneur Technology. More coming soon. Contact me at alon at docstoc.com.

SEO 40

SEO Tips Outsource Blogging 40

Alon Schwartz

DECEMBER 2, 2008

My name is Alon Shwartz and I’m the CTO and co-founder of Docstoc, a LA based start-up focused on sharing and finding documents: www.docstoc.com. Check my profile and documents on: www.docstoc.com/Profile/Alon. Tags: Docstoc Technology entrepreneur docstoc.com Business. More coming soon. Contact me at alon at docstoc.com.

SEO 40

SEO Tips Outsource Blogging 40

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2018

Yet every entrepreneur I meet wants to talk about the idea, and rarely mentions the team. Thus I was happily surprised when I found the classic book, “ The Tech Entrepreneur’s Survival Guide ,” by Bernd Schoner, PhD, and cofounder of ThingMagic, which leans heavily on the people side of the equation. The operations superstar.

Technical Advisors 57

Technical Advisors Startup Outsource Development High Tech 57

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 9, 2016

Good entrepreneurs are all about managing change, but too many forget that they have to change themselves as their dream evolves from a startup to a scalable business. When the business starts to scale, you need documented processes and people with the right skills and training who can do the right work without you.

Social Network 59

Social Network Startup Demand Entrepreneur 59

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2018

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. You should never outsource the management of your core technology.

Ideas 53

Ideas Outsource Development Tool Outsource 53

Alon Schwartz

DECEMBER 2, 2008

My name is Alon Shwartz and I’m the CTO and co-founder of Docstoc, a LA based start-up focused on sharing and finding documents: www.docstoc.com. Check my profile and documents on: www.docstoc.com/Profile/Alon. Tags: Docstoc Technology entrepreneur docstoc.com Business. More coming soon. Contact me at alon at docstoc.com.

SEO 40

SEO Tips Outsource Blogging 40

SoCal CTO

OCTOBER 15, 2009

My clients are typically entrepreneurs who have other jobs and are looking for help to get their side projects going but don’t have the time or skill set to launch it themselves. But there's often a gap between what a technical group like ours is looking for and what an entrepreneur is able to define. What keeps you up at night?

Los Angeles 179

Los Angeles Product Angel Startup 179

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2012

Customers don’t like to see you learning on the job or outsourcing. Define and document the service process you sell. You can’t measure, scale, or patent a service process that is not clearly documented. In addition, the statistics show that over half of new startups, perhaps as high as 75%, provide services only (no product).

Satisfaction 91

Satisfaction Patents Outsource Development Services 91

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2016

If you can’t quantify or document your service for repeatability and new employee training, you will kill yourself trying to grow the business. Customers won’t pay to see your new employees learning on the job, and outsourcing the real work to a cheap labor source is a recipe for disaster.

Services 61

Services Startup Training Writing 61

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 8, 2011

All distributors are obliged to sign documents stating that they would not use any of their commissions for payments to foreign officials. Distributors willingly signed the required documents, since they were threatened by corporate with cancellation if they did not comply. However, in reality the U.S.

Outsource Development 88

Outsource Development High Tech Outsource Examples 88

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

Customers don’t like to see you learning on the job or outsourcing. Define and document the service process you sell. You can’t measure, scale, or patent a service process that is not clearly documented. Tags: entrepreneur startup services critical success factors products. Make it happen. Marty Zwilling.

Product 91

Product Services Satisfaction Patents 91

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 10, 2010

All distributors are obliged to sign documents stating that they would not use any of their commissions for payments to foreign officials. Distributors willingly signed the required documents, since they were threatened by corporate with cancellation if they did not comply.

High Tech 71

High Tech Outsource Press Coach 71

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

I’m continually amazed at the number of entrepreneurs who go for months into a new business without really keeping a formal record of money spent or assets acquired. Even if you are doing the work yourself, you need to document requirements, features, metrics, and milestones. Product development process. Funding process.

Startup 102

Startup Outsource Development Writing Training 102

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 19, 2011

Yet a critical mistake I see many entrepreneurs make is that they hand over too much control to their third-parties. They outsource the critical negotiations and “trust their advisors to handle the details.&# You can’t outsource this to a recruiter. As an entrepreneur I have one company to sell. You name it.

Venture Capital 319

Venture Capital Pricing Startup Outsource 319

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2010

I’m continually amazed at the number of entrepreneurs who go for months into a new business without really keeping a formal record of money spent or assets acquired. Even if you are doing the work yourself, you need to document requirements, features, metrics, and milestones. Product development process. Funding process.

Startup 95

Startup Outsource Development Writing Training 95

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 3, 2015

The startup ecosystem is not just made up of entrepreneurs and investors; it also includes lawyers, bankers, HR and payroll providers as well as financial services providers. I always recommend that early-stage startup founders outsource non-critical functions and take on part-time contractors for as long as possible. HR Partner.

Startup 40

Startup Outsource Development IP Outsource 40

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 9, 2010

A business plan is an “outward facing” document for external investors, or for C-level executives within your own company. Enough detail is required so that someone else can build it without you (outsourcing). Because this document is “outward facing” the tone and level has to change to be understandable by customers and investors.

Product 48

Product Outsource Development Competition High Tech 48