Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Based on my experience as an angel investor and a mentor to dozens of entrepreneurs, having no business plan is the quickest way to define yourself as just a dreamer, or at best a hobbyist. Opportunity segmentation and competitive environment. No mention usually means no plan and not competitive.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2017

Yet, in my experience as a mentor to entrepreneurs, the majority of failures I see are related to starting and growing the business, not developing the solution. Business objectives need to be quantified and measured to assess progress and positioning against competition. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 01/17/2017.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 28, 2017

In the heat of scaling the business, it’s tempting to skip the cost and time of finding qualified job candidates, and enlist those close at hand, without paying them a competitive wage for the hard work and commitment you need. Advisors and mentors enhance the learning and effectiveness of even the best business leaders.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2017

Business leaders must convince the team that the decision makers today are customers, the marketplace, competition, feedback, innovation, and breakthroughs. Develop accountability through coaching and mentoring. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 10/13/2017. Check your own ego before you attempt to engage another.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 28, 2017

We all face pressure in our lives, but there’s nothing like that of an entrepreneur facing customer crises and the competitive challenges of a new business. Thus, here is my own reframing of the authors generalized rules into some specifics for an entrepreneur or business leader: Reframe competitive threats to opportunities.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2017

In my many years of experience in business, and recent work as a mentor to entrepreneurs, I have seen the business world change, and can relate well to his five success practices paraphrased here: Build the team from people with a shared obsession. Marty Zwilling First published on Huffington Post on 02/12/2017.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2017

Most business leaders today realize that smart management of scarce resources is the key to competitive success. It also means setting up a personalized coaching and mentoring system, and accelerated rotations for top talent. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 03/09/2017. That’s why they manage money so carefully.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2017

In my experience as an advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs in business, one of the biggest failures I see is a lack of self-leadership. Yet every business still requires leadership, since competition and the pace of change dictate innovative actions on a regular basis to get results.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 6, 2017

In this new world of constant cultural and technological change, the only source you can trust is your own ability to learn faster and be more creative than your competition. The best mentors in business often find themselves learning as much as their mentees. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 10/23/2017.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2017

I was mentoring some graduate students at a local university recently, and I sensed again that profit seems to be a dirty word these days to many aspiring entrepreneurs. It is a very competitive approach, but requires design and development effort for value at every level. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 11/17/2017.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2017

These will provide the competitive edge you need with customers and less-focused team members. No single person knows enough to solve every problem in a business, so the best business executives are always anxious to listen and learn from others, especially mentors and customers. Demonstrates an ability to listen and learn.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2017

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Marty Zwilling First published on Huffington Post on 12/09/2017. Where are you along this spectrum?

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2017

In this age of information overload, success is all about building a brand that stands out above the competition. In my long-time role as a mentor and business advisor, I still see too many people who are waiting to be found as a candidate for their dream role, or waiting for investors to find their startup.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2017

Set aside time to seek out experts in your field for ideas, as well as mentoring and coaching. The stakes are higher than ever in this competitive and rapidly changing world. Marty Zwilling First published on Huffington Post on 06/01/2017. Make this a priority in your private life also.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 11, 2017

Conventional wisdom has them looking for a painful problem, a very large opportunity, and minimal competitive barriers to entry. Good big companies provide the training, mentoring, and experience managing teams that entrepreneurs need, but can’t afford. You are never to smart or too old for a mentor.

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