Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2020

In my role as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that most have the technical challenges well understood, but many are a bit short on some basic street smarts , or basic business realities. Intellectual property is required for a competitive edge. Even the best college degree is not a substitute. Neither is good.

Entrepreneur 173

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Technical Review 173

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

As shown below, it was recently ranked as the fifth most active metropolitan area in the US, in terms of venture deals and dollars, on a per capita basis. Apeel Sciences - Founded in 2012, after winning $10,000 at UCSB’s New Venture Competition, the company closed $1.25M in funding during 2013.

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

I acted as the occasional mentor, advisor and coach to Ethan. In the same year they won Business Insider’s Startup competition. ” When merchants sign up MyTime then helps them with marketing activities through marketing automation tools they’ve build across SEM, social, and email. Nice sweep!

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2020

I was shocked to read an old Gallup study that indicates only 13 percent of employees worldwide are actively engaged at work, and more recent data shows only a small change in the right direction. Find ways to recharge your emotional batteries, through supportive relationships and community activities. Start today. Marty Zwilling.

Product 129

Product Examples Mentor Activity 129

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 9, 2023

Active listening is more important than active talking. Promote team inclusive activities and diversity. Facilitate coaching and mentoring, inside and outside. Every team member needs stimulation to broaden their horizons, correct weaknesses, and understand competitive strategies.

Coach 117

Coach Mentor Study Activity 117

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2021

I often think of the scope of this example in my role as mentor to a struggling entrepreneur who is quick to blame his problems on employee mistakes, or even changing customer expectations. In today’s world, every organization needs to be in a constant state of change to stay competitive.

Training 173

Training Examples Startup Social Media 173

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. The competition will improve, the market will change, and your customers will demand more.

Mentor 133

Mentor Startup Customer Custom 133

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

For example, we all know people who really believe that everyone in the world is their supporter, when in fact many are actively working against them. In my role as a mentor to business professionals and entrepreneurs over the years, I have found that it’s important to take a hard look at the relationships around you on a regular basis.

Tips 95

Tips Mentor Coach Activity 95

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

Based on my recent experience as an angel investor, and advisor to new business owners, I now recommend that all entrepreneurs, especially introverts, learn and practice the discipline they need to build and nurture relationships with key constituents through the following activities: Formalize a mentoring relationship with someone you trust.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Mentor Activity Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2021

In my role as mentor to many of you aspiring entrepreneurs, I often find you convinced that all you need to start is a unique innovation or idea , and now you are ready to jump in with both feet and enjoy the ride. Actively share info with entrepreneur peers. Enlist a mentor and advisor who is not a ‘yes’ person.

Satisfaction 135

Satisfaction Entrepreneur Startup Mentor 135

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2020

Based on my experience and a business advisor and mentor, this is the ideal time to get back to the basics of business leadership and innovation. Be sure to tie changes back to the “why” – customer value, business objectives, and competition. He considers mentoring on of his most critical roles at work.

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Mentor Ideas Competition Examples 122

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

Of course you need to discount any investor competitive positioning, but local investment group leaders will quickly tell you the strengths and terms of active investors in your area. Invite the investor to dinner or fun-related activity. If your investor is unknown, or peers offer no positive attributes, take it as a red flag.

Technical Review 138

Technical Review Startup Innocal Offshore 138

socalTECH

OCTOBER 14, 2010

It's trying to determine if there is a viable way to go to market, and also deal with competitive issues. Where is this talent coming from? John Morris: I think it's trying to make a decent connection with customers, and trying to assess the size and viability of the market.

Networking 215

Networking Research Startup USC 215

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 21, 2022

A little competition for results is always a good thing. It is always important to take an active role in employee development, and that starts by recognizing and reinforcing good behavior and results. Don’t wait for the next performance appraisal, or for an accumulation of good events. Show confidence in their progress and future.

Startup 133

Startup Mentor News Coach 133

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2020

You need to make sure that everyone on the team, from the clerical assistant to the chief financial officer, knows your vision and product, and doesn’t hesitate to actively engage and be an effective proponent with anyone who might be of value to the business. In fact, having one marketing guru on the team alone won’t get you very far.

Marketing 130

Marketing Develop Development Startup 130

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2022

As with most investors and advisors, I always look first at some key personal characteristics and leadership strategies that I find often make you a more likely survivor and winner in the highly competitive world of businesses, both new and mature. I believe in the old axiom, “ no risk means no reward.”

Startup 143

Startup Competition Coach Satisfaction 143

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 5, 2022

Save 30 percent of your energy for outside activities. After having assessed your environment, start healthy networking activities, such as lunch, with important people in your professional network on a weekly basis. Set aside time to seek out experts in your field for ideas, as well as mentoring and coaching.

Class 148

Class Activity Coach Satisfaction 148

socalTECH

JULY 13, 2009

GRP has just recently closed on a new $200M fund, and Mark has been one of the more active venture capitalists in the Los Angeles area in recent months. We've heard quite a bit about your mentoring efforts here, can you talk about that? The objective is to provide more mentoring for startups, and actually getting in and helping them.

GRP Partners 157

GRP Partners Southern California Santa Barbara Rustic Canyon 157

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2020

Of course you need to discount any investor competitive positioning, but local investment group leaders will quickly tell you the strengths and terms of active investors in your area. Invite the investor to dinner or fun-related activity. If your investor is unknown, or peers offer no positive attributes, take it as a red flag.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Funding Innocal Offshore 124

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

We actually saw lots of startup activity in Los Angeles last year. Scott Sangster: The Tech Coast Angels is still actively investing. In 2008, I began angel investing more actively, and found the TCA, which is just a great group filled with accomplished angel investors, looking to help CEOs.

Tech Coast Angels 182

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 182

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 15, 2021

As a long-time business advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs, I’ve always been impressed with the few who seem to always come out ahead, no matter what the challenge. Your strengths are your real competitive advantages, so focus on them. It seems to be more a function of mindset and principles, more than education or natural ability.

Education 148

Education Mentor Customer Custom 148

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2010

Consider setting up a mentoring and reverse mentoring program to foster relationships between workers of different generations. The busiest generation ever isn’t going to give up its activities just because of jobs. Make your Gen-Y people your competitive edge. Foster family relationship with workers. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 92

Startup Mentor Competition Ideas 92

Tech.Co

JULY 19, 2017

Independent media network WelkerMedia is launching the world’s first no-equity and not-for-profit acceleration program with a focus on digital activism, social impact and creative projects. The program’s three tracks include digital activism & media; social change and non-profits; and creativity and art. How It Works.

Mentor 70

Mentor Media Activity Competition 70

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2013

As a result, they are always too busy to proactively get to the urgent and strategic tasks, or provide the leadership and mentoring needed to motivate the team for the long haul. Show some progress each and every day, and constantly purge low value-added activities. Be quick to reward the winning actions of everyone on the team.

Activity 105

Activity Entrepreneur Mentor Startup 105

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

In his book, “ Out-Executing the Competition ,” seasoned executive Irv Rothman provides tips to corporate executives on how to dig in and “get their fingernails dirty.” If a team member has a plan that is too ambitious and likely to set them up for failure, he or she needs your direct mentoring to dial it back. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 103

Startup Entrepreneur Template Mentor 103

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2012

As a result, they are always too busy to proactively get to the urgent and strategic tasks, or provide the leadership and mentoring needed to motivate the team for the long haul. Show some progress each and every day, and constantly purge low value-added activities. Be quick to reward the winning actions of everyone on the team.

Activity 95

Activity Entrepreneur Mentor Competition 95

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

All businesses these days are too complex to be one-person shows, so you need all the complementary held you can find to keep up with customers and competition, fill your expertise gaps, and scale the market. They mentor each other, and seek out experts in domains outside their current expertise and experience.

Startup 113

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2021

With some coaching and mentoring from other leaders, I was able to do it myself, so I know you can do it too, by committing to the following strategies: Train yourself to always look for positives, not negatives. Define a clear break between work and private activities. Write down your top 5 core values and review them often.

Coach 137

Coach Training Satisfaction Mentor 137

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Of course you need to discount any investor competitive positioning, but local investment group leaders will quickly tell you the strengths and terms of active investors in your area. Invite the investor to dinner or fun-related activity. If your investor is unknown, or peers offer no positive attributes, take it as a red flag.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Innocal Offshore Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2012

In his new book, “ Out-Executing the Competition ,” seasoned executive Irv Rothman provides tips to corporate executives on how to dig in and “get their fingernails dirty.” If a team member has a plan that is too ambitious and likely to set them up for failure, he or she needs your direct mentoring to dial it back. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 94

Entrepreneur Startup Template Mentor 94

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2021

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs, I don’t believe that it is only a birthright, and there are several key strategies, including the following, that you can learn and practice which will lead to success: Give your own judgement a high priority in decisions. Demonstrate integrity and strong ethics in all activities.

Entrepreneur 132

Entrepreneur Course Satisfaction Guide 132

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2020

Many risks can be managed or calculated to improve growth or provide a competitive edge, while others, like skipping quality checks to save money, are recipes for failure. The challenge is to avoid the bad risks, while actively seeking and managing the smart risks. In reality, all risks are not the same.

Entrepreneur 129

Entrepreneur Resource Metrics Customer 129

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Thus, as an initial step in my mentoring efforts to young or older aspiring entrepreneurs alike, I always recommend ways of dipping your toes in the water, before risking all your life savings, some important personal relationships, and your own well-being for a long time to come. Make yourself an active part of the entrepreneur community.

Sample 126

Sample Entrepreneur Ideas Startup 126

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2023

You need to make sure that everyone on the team, from the clerical assistant to the chief financial officer, knows your vision and product, and doesn’t hesitate to actively engage and be an effective proponent with anyone who might be of value to the business. In fact, having one marketing guru on the team alone won’t get you very far.

Startup 95

Startup Coach Mentor Social Media 95

socalTECH

MAY 2, 2013

I''m pretty active in all of them as a mentor, and I''m at least a frequent visitors to all of the local accelerators. Although they might have more people in the field up in the Bay Area, there''s more competition for those people. What''s the biggest challenges you see talking with companies here?

Invest 159

Invest Technology Startup Venture Capital 159

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2022

Many risks can be managed or calculated to improve growth or provide a competitive edge, while others, like skipping quality checks to save money, are recipes for failure. The challenge is to avoid the bad risks, while actively seeking and managing the smart risks. In reality, all risks are not the same.

Resource 121

Resource Metrics Entrepreneur Customer 121

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2015

In my years of mentoring entrepreneurs, a problem I have seen too often is low self-esteem, and over-compensating through arrogance and ego. Identify and redirect unhealthy competition and comparisons. Competition sabotages teamwork and leaves feelings of isolation and alienation. Fortunately, both can be fixed.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Startup Satisfaction Competition 102