Both Sides of the Table

JULY 17, 2018

." Revenue doesn't pay your bills, GM does  —  @msuster 2/ Founders obsess with revenue as a vanity metric. Payback periods on customer acquisition way more important to you in the near-term. But if you raise at too high a price you make it harder to raise next round.

Software Review 242

Software Review Technical Review Pricing Metrics 242

socalTECH

MARCH 21, 2016

TrueCar, which provides upfront pricing on vehicles to automotive buyers, has already been tracking similar metrics for new cars; the new data and awards comes thanks to the acquisition of ALG, a provider of automotive residual value projections, back in 2011. READ MORE>>.

Truecar 100

Truecar Santa Monica Metrics Pricing 100

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

Obviously this definition is generic, so my first recommendation is that you take the lead in defining traction metrics for your startup, and then selling your results convincingly to investors. Customer acquisition cost. As an investor, I would like to see one month of sales, and see how that compares to your projections.

Startup 121

Startup Metrics Customer Custom 121

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2018

According to most investors I know, traction is some clear evidence that the “dogs are eating the dog food” – usually meaning that you have at least one customer paying full price for your solution. Define metrics on customer feedback and user counts. Count connections with experts, media, and influencers.

Tips 79

Tips Metrics Technical Review Customer 79

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2021

Explosive growth to an enterprise normally requires a scalable sales model, a well-documented process with incentives, training, and metrics for tracking and management. Utilize mergers and acquisitions to accelerate growth. As you might imagine, even with the proper planning, mergers and acquisitions are difficult to pull off.

Startup 151

Startup Course Sales Entrepreneur 151

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

I recommend a trial run with an experiment or MVP (minimum viable product), at full price and cost, before the big bang launch, risking your investment money and a major time commitment. Mergers and acquisitions also require new skills. Paul Allen was the technical visionary, Test the viability of your business parameters.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2019

With the real data from that surge, you need to take a hard look at business model realities, cost of customer acquisition, inventory costs, and other key metrics. Control costs and adjust prices to maintain your margin. Document processes and metrics for economies of scale.

Metrics 86

Metrics Startup Training Customer 86

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 27, 2019

Often board members themselves don’t do the work to say “what metrics would we like to see.” Any great board member should tell you, “please don’t create any performance metrics or materials that analyze the business that you’re not already creating for your own management’s use.” Sometimes they don’t even know.

Startup 226

Startup Slides Metrics News 226

SoCal CTO

MARCH 11, 2013

If you do build the MVP and show it to them, they will ask you about your metrics. They really want metrics, not a product. The real question you should be asking is "When I've built this product and show you the following metrics, would you invest?"

Metrics 264

Metrics Venture Capital News Product 264

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 13, 2013

Once you build it, they will now ask you about the key metrics that they need proven in order to see if you really are a good investment. The real reason to build an MVP is to do early tests of key Startup Metrics for the business. " Once you have the metrics defined, it focuses your effort. To prove/disprove a hypothesis.

Technical Review 338

Technical Review CTO Hire CTO Coach Software Review 338

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

It’s important to define your growth strategy, document it, communicate it to your team, and align metrics and employee rewards to target goals. In most companies, maintaining momentum requires the right strategic partners and acquisitions, in lieu of short-term price adjustments and special sales.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2019

Pick a single metric that is the focus for all growth. Today’s world is full of metrics leading to business growth, including customer logins, revenue per customer, retention, and average solution price. For many companies, the long game is choosing the right strategic partners and acquisitions. Less is more.

Social Media 87

Social Media Metrics Customer Custom 87

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

How long does it take me to pay back my original customer acquisition costs? In the case of MakeSpace we had huge initial successes in New York City as Rahul led the scaling of our drivers, our trucks and our warehouses and we figured out the right price points to beat the local competition. How profitable is my product or service?

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

In the short term you need customers to find you at any price, and in the longer term you need revenue, profit, and return loyalty. It’s your job as a leader to be the model high performer, quantify the team view with metrics, and expand awareness to the best outside competition and new tools.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2015

You should be counting only those people who fit your target customer demographic and paid full price for the product or service, without any prior connection to you or the business. Is your customer-acquisition rate accelerating? Is customer acquisition cost going down? Are you penetrating or skimming your target segment?

Acquisition 100

Acquisition Entrepreneur Customer Custom 100

socalTECH

MARCH 6, 2017

A lot of what we've been looking at are the metrics. It's very exciting to find these apps, and once we make those acquisition and changes, see if our expectations and projections are meeting up with what happens in reality, once we actually own the application. We have a huge acquisition pipeline.

Media 153

Media Mobile Startup Acquisition 153

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2017

Pick a single metric that is the focus for all growth. Today’s world is full of metrics leading to business growth, including customer logins, revenue per customer, retention, and average solution price. For many companies, the long game is choosing the right strategic partners and acquisitions. Less is more.

Competition 65

Competition Social Media Metrics Customer 65

socalTECH

DECEMBER 11, 2017

You have to make sure your cost of acquisition, retention rates, and conversion metrics are all in place. Then there was haggling back and forth about price. Scott Cannon: I had to go back, and really get operating metrics in place to know how to look at the business. You cannot grow your problems.

Startup 174

Startup Metrics Customer Custom 174

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2019

Of course, nothing is totally free, and I have heard the horror stories of relatively small companies finding thirty or more employees spending most of their time scanning and using social media for promotions, or engaging high-priced consultants who never seem to be able to show any real return for all of their efforts.

Social Media 99

Social Media Media Tool Startup 99

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 31, 2012

They do provide the right products at the right price to save all customers money (with good customer service), but they don’t try to find their most valuable customers, and nurture them to buy more or bring in friends. That means setting up operational and financial metrics, educating team members, and rewarding the right actions.

Customer 90

Customer Custom Startup Pricing 90

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

When they look at buying your company they often think in terms of “how long will it take until I earn back the profits to pay for my acquisition price?” I also try to understand things like how you’re pricing your product, how your competitors price and what your pricing expectations will be in the future.

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 6, 2010

That might work for $50-100k but less likely for $3m unless you’re a seasoned entrepreneur, known to the VC, have some metrics that work in your favor or have built something the VC believes to be truly unique. So NEVER talk about early exits, quick flips, tuck-in acquisitions, previous interest shown by acquirers, etc.,

Startup 360

Startup Venture Capital Invest Slides 360

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Obviously this definition is generic, so my first recommendation is that you take the lead in defining traction metrics for your startup, and then selling your results convincingly to investors. Customer acquisition cost. As an investor, I would like to see one month of sales, and see how that compares to your projections.

Startup 106

Startup Metrics Customer Custom 106

SoCal CTO

MARCH 20, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. User Interface Beyond the Web Site ► November (7) Negative Customer Acquisition Costs - Creative Sta. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO? Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Guide CTO Coach Southern California 150

SoCal CTO

MARCH 9, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. User Interface Beyond the Web Site ► November (7) Negative Customer Acquisition Costs - Creative Sta. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO? Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Invest CTO Coach Southern California 150

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2015

Of course, these should never be in a customer pitch, but investors expect an overall strategy with specific budgets, milestones and metrics. Partnerships, distribution channels and pricing models should be included. “If Specific elements of your marketing and sales plans. Projected revenues and expenses over the strategic period.

Product 103

Product Slides Customer Custom 103

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 25, 2007

skip to main | skip to sidebar SoCal CTO Sunday, February 25, 2007 Challenge of Predicting Winners I just read a bit on the payout to YouTube from the Google Acquisition ( Internet News , CNN ). Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -.

CTO Coach 150

CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire Social Media 150

InfoChachkie

JANUARY 16, 2018

Greathouse: I know it’s difficult to estimate, but how much further along do you think you would be from a customer acquisition and revenue generating standpoint if you had taken in a few million in investment dollars? Semick: We’re a very metrics driven company, and we have been from the beginning.

Venture Capital 115

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Santa Barbara SaaS 115

SoCal CTO

MARCH 20, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. User Interface Beyond the Web Site ► November (7) Negative Customer Acquisition Costs - Creative Sta. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO? Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles.

CTO Coach 150

CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire Social Media 150

SoCal CTO

MARCH 13, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. User Interface Beyond the Web Site ► November (7) Negative Customer Acquisition Costs - Creative Sta. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO? Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles.

CTO Coach 150

CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire Software 150

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 28, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. User Interface Beyond the Web Site ► November (7) Negative Customer Acquisition Costs - Creative Sta. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO? Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles.

Google 150

Google Mobile CTO Coach Southern California 150

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 25, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. User Interface Beyond the Web Site ► November (7) Negative Customer Acquisition Costs - Creative Sta. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO? Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles.

CTO Coach 150

CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire Startup 150

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 17, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. User Interface Beyond the Web Site ► November (7) Negative Customer Acquisition Costs - Creative Sta. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO? Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles.

Blogging 150

Blogging CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire 150

SoCal CTO

MARCH 5, 2007

One of his companies - Gluecode - was sold to IBM for a pretty good price. Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. User Interface Beyond the Web Site ► November (7) Negative Customer Acquisition Costs - Creative Sta.

Southern California 150

Southern California CTO Coach CTO Hire Social Media 150

SoCal CTO

MARCH 1, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. User Interface Beyond the Web Site ► November (7) Negative Customer Acquisition Costs - Creative Sta. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO? Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles.

Networking 150

Networking CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire 150

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 17, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. User Interface Beyond the Web Site ► November (7) Negative Customer Acquisition Costs - Creative Sta. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO? Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles 150

Los Angeles CTO Hire CTO Coach Develop 150

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

He eventually applied his lessons learned in these experiences when he founded Zag, a company that helps consumers buy cars over the Internet at pre-negotiated prices with nearly 4,000 dealers across the country [disclosure: my firm GRP Partners is an investor in Zag]. Rumored to have turned down acquisition offers from Yahoo and Facebook.

Zag 248

Zag Truecar Venture Capital CarsDirect 248