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. Of course, some balance is required. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. In the end, engagement drives customer retention, sales, growth and profit.

Coach 128

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 128

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2017

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. The implications to you and your company are also large, so be prepared. After that it’s practice, practice, practice.

Company 97

Company Companies Entrepreneur Customer 97

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2023

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs, I also encourage an entrepreneur exit focus early, and I really like the specific steps outlined in the classic book, “ Exit Signs ,” by Pamela Dennis, who has helped companies through this critical transition for decades. Running a mature company is totally different from running a startup.

Startup 99

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 99

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2022

During my many years of mentoring professionals and entrepreneurs in business, I more often see people focusing on how to get their ideas heard , than how to promote themselves. Of course, how you do this effectively is critical. Your career or startup future is in your hands, not those of your boss, your mentor, or investors.

Tips 121

Tips Social Media Mentor Technical Review 121

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 3, 2022

These now provide better quality, better paying, and more exciting jobs than big companies. Now may be the time to build new credentials is this digital age by taking time for education courses and attending digital conferences. Seek expert mentors and always evaluate feedback. Imagine your best future with digital credentials.

Social Media 125

Social Media Summary Startup Mentor 125

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 17, 2010

By Jim Flowers A few months ago, Marty invited me to comment on business incubation and what a startup company ought to expect from an incubator. At VT KnowledgeWorks we screen prospective clients for their Market opportunity, for the Magic that they offer to their prospective customers, and for the Moxie displayed by the start-up team.

Incubator 80

Incubator Mentor Capital Startup 80

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 13, 2021

Once you are able to achieve some real “traction” with your business (paying customers, revenue stream), it may seem the time to relax a bit, but in fact this is the point where many founders start to flounder. The key is to make decisions from data and feedback, once your business has real customers and real products.

Entrepreneur 169

Entrepreneur Startup Coach Mentor 169

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2023

Of course, if you want to be in that number, or you want that number to go up, you have to know how to locate potential investors who fit your profile, requirements, and expectations. Identify customer executives who need your solution. Industry leaders are a prime source of leads to companies and individuals that may invest.

Statistics 98

Statistics Entrepreneur Funding Social Media 98

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 23, 2022

Many of you business leaders I work with, and entrepreneurs I mentor, have a great strategy and an innovative solution , but struggle with building and motivating the team necessary to run your business. Of course, listening alone isn't enough. This created a connection with both his team and customers.

Mentor 108

Mentor Social Media Coach Customer 108

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2021

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs, I also encourage an entrepreneur exit focus early, and I really like the specific steps outlined in the classic book, “ Exit Signs ,” by Pamela Dennis, who has helped companies through this critical transition for decades. Running a mature company is totally different from running a startup.

Startup 173

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 173

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2020

Many entrepreneurs I have mentored make big mistakes in this area, by hiring low-cost friends and family, with minimal skills or training, and expecting them to have the same work ethic , passion, and business knowledge as the founder. Direct customer-facing non-technical roles should be the last ones outsourced.

Outsource 123

Outsource Startup Technical Review Training 123

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 22, 2020

Of course, if you want to be in that number, or you want that number to go up, you have to know how to locate potential investors who fit your profile, requirements, and expectations. Identify customer executives who need your solution. Industry leaders are a prime source of leads to companies and individuals that may invest.

Funding 173

Funding Tips Startup Statistics 173

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2021

Obviously, both are required for a company to stay healthy and growing. As a long-time business advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs, I consistently find that the most thriving businesses are people-centric, and those team members create the best processes, rather than the other way around.

Satisfaction 154

Satisfaction Demand Resource Competition 154

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2022

Be sure to encompass all your constituents, especially including customers. Whole Foods , for example, has built their business with a commitment to natural and organic foods, and have a culture of loyal employees and customers, resulting in 500 stores worldwide. Commit to delivering a positive customer experience.

Product 109

Product Training Customer Custom 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2019

As an advisor to technical entrepreneurs, the most common mistake I see is the “If we build it, they will come” approach with no sales plan, under the assumption that the technology is so spectacular that customers will buy the product. Effective value propositions are quantified and personalized for each customer or target segment.

Mentor 90

Mentor Startup Sales Examples 90

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2023

That’s why I’m impressed with the classic book, “ All Dreams on Deck: Charting the Course for Your Life and Work ,” by Jeremy Cage. Ask for help from advisors and mentor your team. Yet running a new company cannot always be a consensus-driven process, so you need to trust yourself in making the hard decisions.

Ideas 105

Ideas Startup Entrepreneur Social Media 105

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

Taking on equity investors to fund your company is much like getting married – it is a long-term relationship that has to work at all levels. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 138

Technical Review Startup Innocal Offshore 138

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2022

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. The implications to you and your company are also large, so be prepared. After that it’s practice, practice, practice.

Marketing 113

Marketing Entrepreneur Customer Custom 113

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 12, 2020

As an entrepreneur mentor and startup investor, I see with sadness the 50 to 90 percent that fail. Actually, great new customer solutions lead to great platforms, not the other way around. Extrapolating you as the target customer. Never mix up what you like with what your customers will buy.

Startup 124

Startup Netflix Social Media Customer 124

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 1, 2020

In our business lives we’re having to deal with decisions that could have lasting impacts on our companies without any compass to guide us in the direction we’re heading . It goes without saying that if you find yourself in a really negative headspace PLEASE reach out to any trusted mentor, friend or family member. you name it.

Demand 215

Demand Guide Customer Custom 215

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2020

When I heard a friend and business mentor say, “Your startup won’t fail if you don’t quit,” I realized that every entrepreneur should adopt “never give up” as their mantra. Of course, they may be out of money as well, but that is often more of an “excuse” than a reason. So why do most startups fail?

Entrepreneur 121

Entrepreneur Startup Statistics Course 121

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2017

In my years of mentoring and advising business leaders, I find that real planning for the future always gets the short shrift. I believe these factors are key to the future success of every new startup, as well as every mature company: Leadership must be values-based and people focused.

Company 55

Company Companies Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 55

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2021

Johnson , was quick to accept accountability via a company apology on Twitter for a racial profiling incident at a Starbucks in Philadelphia, even though he could have claimed that a fired employee was at fault. You are in the best position to take the initiative to address growth, emerging technologies, and changing customer needs.

Training 173

Training Examples Startup Social Media 173

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2022

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. Data, however, removes guesswork, biases, and anecdotal reasoning that can throw decision efforts off course.

Tool 121

Tool Statistics Entrepreneur Metrics 121

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 7, 2021

As a mentor to aspiring business owners. The tougher question is whether you are also wise, in the sense of cultivating the right relationships, understanding team dynamics, and keeping to the correct side of the ethical line to maintain the trust of team members and customers alike. Be willing to adapt quickly as conditions change.

Patents 138

Patents Mentor Customer Custom 138

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

With the current volatile economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. The image of shell companies has long been tarnished by true stories of lawsuits and “ pump and dump ” schemes. Being a public company isn’t cheap or easy.

Funding 104

Funding Summary Entrepreneur Acquisition 104

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I often get asked for the magic that has made Amazon the world's most valuable brand , from a total unknown only twenty years ago. My simple answer is that they keep their focus on customers, rather than technology. Jeff Bezos has kept his focus on customers.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Customer Custom 123

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2020

The traditional model for hiring permanent employees who can grow their career with your company just doesn’t work, and can jeopardize your business before it even gets traction. Many successful new companies have moved more to self-management, or decentralizing the decision-making with few managers.

Competition 168

Competition Startup Demand Training 168

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2021

Then there was always the risk of failure, which of course doesn’t apply once your real job is gone. First, pick a name for your company and do the paperwork on starting a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC). Offer to help a couple of customers free, just to get your act together and your presence known.

Startup 156

Startup Social Network Activity Ideas 156

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2019

Today, every employee wants to feel a sense that they are bringing more than profit to a company – they want to feel a sense of positive contribution to the environment and society as well. Too many companies think of employee development efforts and benefits as an expense that must be minimized.

Mentor 97

Mentor Examples Report Training 97

socalTECH

APRIL 13, 2021

Those companies tend to be around for longer than one year, because of course our faculty are not working on those things full time, they're continuing to teach classes. What we do, is regional customer discovery for teams, typically academic. Companies talk to one another, and there's a lot of back and forth.

Marina Del Rey 150

Marina Del Rey Startup USC Incubator 150

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2023

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” Of course, every alternative has advantages and disadvantages, so any given one may not be available or attractive to you. Negotiate an advance from a strategic partner or customer.

Startup 106

Startup Capital Equity Funding 106

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

As the school year kicks off for college students, one of the big tasks of the year is buying books for their courses. What our site does, instead, is it integrates directly with a student course schedule, so you can just enter your course, and it automated the process of buying all of your books simultaneously.

UCSD 185

UCSD Course Startup Sites 185

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2019

I found many more helpful suggestions in a new book, “ The Culture Question ,” by Randy Grieser, Eric Stutzman, Wendy Loewen, and Michael Labun, who have spent years providing leadership and professional development training to companies around the world. Many companies also promote local mentoring and coaching opportunities.

Tips 96

Tips Satisfaction Training Mentor 96

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2019

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. Of course, some balance is required. Customers demand more engagement and flexibility. In the end, engagement drives customer retention, sales, growth and profit.

Coach 94

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 26, 2019

Of course, that assumes that you or someone you trust knows how to do it right, has the right attitude, and has the trust of the person who needs the coaching. These things don’t happen automatically, and require you as a business leader to build a company culture of coaching at all levels from the very beginning.

Coach 91

Coach Course Mentor Examples 91

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 21, 2022

Thus, ever after years as an executive in IBM and other companies, I’m still looking for the magic. Howard Schultz, former chief executive of Starbucks, credits servant leadership with driving his company to scale so quickly to now almost 34,000 stores in 80 countries. Help constituents find meaning in what they do.

Framework 127

Framework Organization IBM IBM 127