Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2010

I see way too many startup founders who don’t have experience in selling and probably don’t feel that comfortable going to customers and asking for orders. Spending time selling to customers is the best way to find out what their problems are and how good your solution currently is at mapping to their needs.

Sales 346

Sales Startup Technical Review Custom 346

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

Most VCs are book smart. In fact, book smart can be a negative. VCs should be more of a coach than proscriptively telling you what to do. Simply put – I’d be in search of a VC who had an intuitive sense of my product, my customers, my organizational issues, my competitors, etc. I think of VCs as coaches.

Venture Capital 364

Venture Capital Coach Writing SaaS 364

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 3, 2014

” So I did want any rational person who wants to improve does – I hired a coach. Whenever I heard why we didn’t feel a sales process at an important customer was going well (or if we lost) I would get involved myself. They are as good at selling you as they are at selling your product to customers.

Sales 382

Sales Help Startup Pricing 382

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 11, 2021

In addition to a standard tipping tool, Snipfeed allows users to sell digital goods, like on-demand video, e-books, access to livestreams and one-on-one consultations. Meanwhile, Beacons takes 9% of sales from its free version , and 5% from its $10 per month version, which offers more customization, integrations and analytics.

Platform 286

Platform Commerce Startup Tool 286

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 12, 2019

Much has been written recently about the requirement to focus today on the total customer experience, as a competitive edge or even for survival. The challenge I hear from savvy business owners and entrepreneurs operating on a shoestring is that providing a superior customer experience costs money.

Customer 96

Customer Custom Coach Pricing 96

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2011

All the experts these days are talking about the increasing need for customer focus and maximizing sales. Typically entrepreneurs and even professional sales people think this means more emphasis on the customer selling process, when in fact it means spending more time understanding the customer buying process (view from the customer).

Sales 93

Sales Customer Custom Competition 93

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2012

All the experts these days are talking about the increasing need for customer focus and maximizing sales. Typically entrepreneurs and even professional sales people think this means more emphasis on the customer selling process, when in fact it really means spending more time understanding the customer buying process (view from the customer).

Sales 96

Sales Customer Custom Competition 96

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

So I did want any rational person who wants to improve does – I hired a coach. Whenever I heard why we didn’t feel a sales process at an important customer was going well (or if we lost) I would get involved myself. They are as good at selling you as they are at selling your product to customers.

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Custom 316

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2013

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Yet the average perception of customer experience continues to decline. You have to start with hiring only people who are willing and able to make serious customer service happen.

Customer 92

Customer Custom Startup Services 92

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2015

Most importantly, it’s more about being a proactive leader who connects to customers and the team deeply, rather than a bright light that struggles to be seen amidst the glare of a million other bright lights. It’s more about the quality of the execution, rather than the quality of the idea.

Customer 97

Customer Custom Entrepreneur Tips 97

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2021

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Yet the average perception of customer experience has not improved. You have to start with hiring only people who are willing and able to make serious customer service happen.

Startup 154

Startup Training Customer Custom 154

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2017

In reality, business success and satisfaction is about doing the right things at the right time, which requires leadership and coaching. But coaching doesn’t always work the way you expect. Trevor is a veteran coach who has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs, organizations, and business families across the country.

Coach 57

Coach Training Summary Tool 57

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2020

Overall I like the principles in the classic book “ Robert’s Rules of Innovation: A 10-Step Program for Corporate Survival ,” by Robert F. It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Training and coaching. Ownership.

Coach 144

Coach Metrics Social Network Competition 144

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 4, 2021

The last thing they can afford is to waste any of these, but in my mentoring and coaching activities, I see it happening all too often. Waste in a startup is any activity that burns resources, but creates no value or competitive advantage in the eyes of customers. Then always measure customer results, not work.

Startup 161

Startup Resource Training Entrepreneur 161

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

I should note that my friend Brad Feld has written a new book on the subject that I would recommend if you want the bible on the topic. The functions of an early-stage board are pretty obvious and well understood: Providing introductions to customers, biz dev partners, recruits, the press, other investors, etc. Mentorship.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

Berkonomics

JUNE 8, 2017

Dave’s book and ebook on raising money available on Amazon.com. More on raising money in BERKONOMICS book, also available on Amazon.com. Friends, family and fools: This term, although pejorative, describes the typical mix of early investors in a small, young growing business. composed of these investors and management.

Venture Capital 266

Venture Capital Class Invest Equity 266

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2020

Successful entrepreneur leaders, including Bill Gates and Elon Musk , are noted for taking deep dives into new technologies, and reading new books every week, to stretch their minds, even though they already have a range of knowledge far beyond their peers. Spend more time coaching and mentoring your team.

Coach 144

Coach Customer Custom Entrepreneur 144

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2023

Overall I like the principles in the classic book “ Robert’s Rules of Innovation: A 10-Step Program for Corporate Survival ,” by Robert F. It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Training and coaching. Ownership.

Coach 137

Coach Metrics Competition Ideas 137

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022

There is more and more evidence that a more human-centered or heart-centered leadership yields the best results with your team and with customers in the long run. Demand for coaching, counseling, and discipline training is high. Customer relationships culture is slipping.

Training 142

Training Coach Startup Entrepreneur 142

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.

Technical Review 143

Technical Review Coach Mentor Custom 143

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2017

We all know some peers in business who could use some coaching to unleash their potential and optimize performance, but would you know how to do the job if they asked you for help? In an effort to help myself, I read a new book on this topic, “ The Master Coach ,” by Gregg Thompson. Self-centered members need coaching.

Coach 54

Coach Satisfaction Organization Guide 54

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2021

In reality, the picture is a bit larger than this, as outlined in the classic book “ Leading with GRIT ,” by Laurie Sudbrink, a well-known business leadership coach and speaker. Usually these people think they are doing a great job, and are totally oblivious to their unhappy customers or cash drain.

Startup 164

Startup Class Entrepreneur Coach 164

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 9, 2020

Even if you were an “A-Player” in your previous organization (top 10-percent performer, high integrity, exceeds on commitments), you had peers and executives around you to provide coaching and keep you centered. Every business purpose must be customer-centric and even altruistic. Increase ownership thinking on business efficiency.

Entrepreneur 159

Entrepreneur Customer Custom Competition 159

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2021

However, I’m convinced that you can mitigate many of these anxieties by your actions, so I was pleased to see similar insights in a new book, “ Anxiety at Work: 8 Strategies to Help Teams Build Resilience, Handle Uncertainty, and Get Stuff Done.” Don’t be afraid to deliver fair, tough coaching. Show humility and own your mistakes.

Marketing 148

Marketing Coach Startup Product 148

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 30, 2021

I believe the real solution is more aligned with the strategies outlined in a new book, “ Put Happiness To Work ,” by Eric Karpinski, who has been successfully bringing positive psychology tools and cultural transformations to the workplace for many years. Enhance intrinsic motivation through coaching.

Satisfaction 168

Satisfaction Coach Resource Tool 168

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 10, 2014

It’s why I wrote this post that the controversial first hire after an A round out to be an office manager / assistant / HR person who handles everything from stocking supplies to booking travel to scheduling group meetings. You’re the coach, mentor, cheerleader. But your job isn’t to make every decision for him.

Startup 381

Startup Resource Venture Capital Activity 381

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2022

I found these pillars, and the first principles behind them, pulled together well in a classic book, “ Embracing Progress: Next Steps For The Future Of Work ,” by A. Coach for productivity, performance, and creativity. The costs of these elements will be more than repaid by employee engagement and customer loyalty. Sophie Wade.

Coach 132

Coach Satisfaction Startup Organization 132

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2022

You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. How many customers will have any idea what this means to them? I like the guidance from marketing coach David Newman’s classic book “ Do It!

Marketing 141

Marketing Startup Social Media Technical Review 141

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. That’s why I was pleased to see the balance on people versus process in a classic book on how to fix your organization, “ The Diamond Process ,” by Mike Diamond and Christopher Harding.

Coach 128

Coach Mentor Organization Startup 128

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2019

There is more and more evidence that a more human-centered or heart-centered leadership yields the best results with your team and with customers in the long run. Demand for coaching, counseling, and discipline training is high. Customer relationships culture is slipping.

Training 123

Training Coach Startup Entrepreneur 123

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 28, 2020

While pulling together my thoughts on how to better implement change initiatives, I was happy to see some specific guidance in a new book, “ Ruthless Consistency ,” by Michael Canic, PhD. Team members must be engaged and enabled to do the job – that means aligned, equipped, coached, supported, and valued for the work and changes ahead.

Coach 159

Coach Resource Summary Metrics 159

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 7, 2020

I saw the key ones outlined well in the classic book, “ Creating High Performers ,” by William Dann, a leading coach to experienced CEOs. Your standards for product quality, sales growth, and customer satisfaction must be documented and reviewed prior to results and performance reviews.

Entrepreneur 120

Entrepreneur Coach Satisfaction Resource 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2022

The hard part is providing the leadership required to align and motivate all the constituents and players – from engineers, to investors, vendors, and ultimately customers. Works with other team members on mutual aspirations (coach metaphor). Evolve from guru to guide, and coaching others to find answers for themselves.

Coach 114

Coach Framework Entrepreneur Tool 114

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2013

Entrepreneurship is all about leading – leading customers to a new product or service, leading a startup team to peak performance, and leading a new business to the market opportunity, while providing maximum return to stakeholders. Pretend to be a customer or client of the business you lead. Murray, “ It’s Already Inside.”

Entrepreneur 116

Entrepreneur Mentor Coach Customer 116

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2020

I recall a good summary of how to motivate and train a team to accomplish this in the classic book, “ The Business of Creativity: How to Build the Right Team for Success ,” by Keith Granet. A single marketing coordinator can accelerate your efforts by being the coach and mentoring key members of the team on soft marketing.

Marketing 130

Marketing Develop Development Startup 130

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2015

Overall I like the principles in the classic book “ Robert’s Rules of Innovation: A 10-Step Program for Corporate Survival ,” by Robert F. It starts with a vision, but benefits quickly from a structured process of idea generation, evaluation, prototyping, customer feedback, and success metrics. Training and coaching. Ownership.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Metrics 101

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 2, 2020

In addition, creating a business requires leading and interacting with other people, including partners, investors, and customers. Aspiring entrepreneurs are often impatient in rolling out the business, assuming the hard work was finalizing the idea, and that if you build it, customers will come.

Ideas 126

Ideas Writing Examples Outsource 126