Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2022

If you aren’t yet adapting to the market and your customers, you are falling behind. In other words, change in your business has to become the accepted norm, just like it is in your market. Be proactive rather than reactive to market change. Foster a collaboration culture, rather than competition.

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Competition Metrics Demand Custom 148

Berkonomics

MARCH 25, 2021

Here’s important homework for your marketing effort. The momentum from an old decision that took lots of effort to implement is worth something to a marketing professional. And that is a lesson for all of us in marketing. The post Switching costs: A competitive advantage? The costs of replacing a lost customer.

Competition 156

Competition Custom Customer Email 156

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 11, 2021

Most of these startups spend the lion’s share of their marketing budget in today’s social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Snap, TikTok and so on because?—?no founders, marketers, investors?—?and no surprise?—?that’s that’s where the customers are. For these companies, it looks like a rosy picture. Why Did I Invest in Trust?

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Product Platform Advertising Acquisition 424

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 17, 2023

As an investor, I always listen carefully to what an entrepreneur says, and does not say, about competition. Every business area has competition and every customer has alternatives, so a smart entrepreneur needs to acknowledge these as a positive in defining a big market, and position the features of a new solution in this context.

Competition 111

Competition Entrepreneur Patents Custom 111

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2020

Traditional marketing may be adequate for linear growth, but it likely won’t catapult you to Amazon’s unicorn status , or make waves in the business world. For example, I usually hear about an aggressive marketing budget, with a plan to penetrate a few big retail chains, and some videos to catch your attention on YouTube.

Marketing 170

Marketing Startup Examples Custom 170

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

But LA-based performance marketing agency MuteSix didn’t wait that long to build its business around scaling DTC brands. If you have growth marketing agencies or freelancers to recommend, please fill out our survey !). In today’s highly competitive ad environment, both content and data are kings. The key takeaway?

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Commerce Content Marketing Startup 211

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2020

Just like you don’t have to be a financial guru to recognize a good CFO, or a marketing genius to hire a VP of Marketing, you can find the right technical partner or team member by using the right evaluation and hiring steps, including the following: Engage a technical advisor to assist with recruiting and early interviews.

Competition 174

Competition High Tech Startup Social Media 174

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 27, 2022

In my experience as a business advisor, most organizations, large and small, struggle to keep up with the pace of change and competitive forces today. A question I often get is how to transform that overall team into a smooth-running machine that will keep up with the pace of market change, and competition in today’s world.

Competition 136

Competition Resource Startup Organization 136

Berkonomics

JULY 6, 2017

Know your market and competition, or don’t spend a dime on anything else. Well, here is one of those, and it deals with market research first and foremost. Here’s where some intelligent market research might have saved the company and my investment. There is no competition.” Fast forward just a few years to 1996.

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Competition Research Summary Pricing 266

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 4, 2013

Compelling in the sense that you solve a real problem a target group of potential customers has with a product that is significantly better than the alternatives on that market. In my opinion no amount of clever marketing or chest beating at conferences can create a market if you don’t have an amazing product to begin with.

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Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 16, 2014

Eventually you need a VP of Product to handle your product roadmap, a CTO for engineering leadership and VPs of sales, marketing & biz dev. If you hire truly talented people you end up definitionally with a lot of competitive peers who will inevitably jockey for resources and control. Marketing of course often feels the opposite.

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Entrepreneur CTO Hire Startup Sales 385

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2020

This lets you evolve your strategy with the market. Optimize staffing overhead and flexibility in a fluid market. Today you need that budget for market fluxuations, pandemics, and product updates. Seek expert talent based on the stage of your expansion. In addition, these staffing issues are a major drain on your own time.

Competition 168

Competition Startup Demand Training 168

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

Differentiation is still a key requirement for a successful startup rollout, and but it must be sustainable to keep ahead of new competition. Marketing and target customer relationships are always required, no matter how obvious the differentiation is to you. In my view both of these numbers have come down recently.

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Competition Custom Customer Examples 123

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2023

In this context, even “satisfied” is only a “meets-minimum,” and does not put you ahead of your competition. Even the best marketing doesn’t do it. This means real customer value emphasis in all interactions and marketing, versus low price and price concessions. Prioritize value to the customer over and above cost to you.

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Competition Services Custom Customer 109

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2021

While you all recognize that reacting to weak market signals is critical to staying in business and staying competitive, I find that many don’t have the skills and focus to trigger change decisions on a timely basis. Now is the time to take a hard look at your own operation.

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Marketing Social Media Metrics Custom 162

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2021

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a long time ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth. People are more demanding and have more choices than ever before.

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Marketing Startup SEM Blogging 139

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 9, 2020

The venture is also one of the few e-motorcycle companies drawing engineering tips from competition. Track competition is a secondary arena for Energica. But the competition is closing in on some of the Italian EV maker’s numbers. MotoE Worldcup racing, Image Credits: Energica. Image Credits: TechCrunch.

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Technical Review Competition Demand Sales 277

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2022

Marketing is everything these days. Yet I see many technology entrepreneurs that focus on the basics of marketing too little and too late. I like the guidance from marketing coach David Newman’s classic book “ Do It! Don’t fall into the marketing-speak trap. Good marketing is not rocket science. Marty Zwilling.

Marketing 141

Marketing Startup Social Media Technical Review 141

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2023

I second his list of top innovation challenges and strategies to capitalize on untapped global startup opportunities: Create new markets rather than disrupt existing ones. Competition is not always a bad thing, and the real purpose is often to make the world a better place. Target a global market rather than a local from day one.

Capital 138

Capital Marketing Ideas Venture Capital 138

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2014

15 years ago we were at the peak of Internet hype with the launch of many over-capitalized businesses with a market size & opportunity was limited. The VC market has right-sized (returned back to mid 90′s levels & less competition). But markets value high growth over short-term profitability.

Venture Capital 398

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Seed Funding 398

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 19, 2024

An entrepreneur pitches using a deck with no slide for competition. We have no competition. Perhaps buyers cannot obtain attractive financing in the current market. ” The post A lesson: How NOT to define your competition! We investors see this all the time. When asked (as we always do), the response is This is new.

Competition 156

Competition Slides Sales Research 156

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

With the enormous changes to our economies and financial markets?—?how how on Earth could the venture capital market stand still? One of the most common questions I’m asked by people intrigued by but also scared by venture capital and technology markets is some variant of, “Aren’t technology markets way overvalued?

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

Great marketing is required to generate revenue and grow every business, especially new businesses which have no brand recognition nor loyal customer base. I also look for a commensurate portion of the plan describing the specific innovative marketing deliverables, beyond the traditional marketing items.

Marketing 133

Marketing Custom Customer Outsource Development 133

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 11, 2014

I actually really enjoyed many of the points Muhammad made about marketing in general and I found myself nodding through the entirety of the article except for it’s core premise. It’s about looking out for and catching the next major marketing wave before others have grokked it. I laughed as I did at much of his rant.

Technical Review 384

Technical Review SEM SEO Marketing 384

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

How might our next phase of the journey seem brighter, even with more uncertain days for startups and capital markets? And then in the late 90’s money crept in, swept in to town by public markets, instant wealth and an absurd sky-rocketing of valuations based on no reasonable metrics. It’s just a market. What happened?

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 22, 2014

They were a little too fierce in their competitive practices against Lyft to sign up drivers. As somebody who has to rub shoulders with big tech companies often I can tell you that there is much blood spilled in the competitive trenches of Apple, Twitter, Facebook, Google and so on. Tech Market Analysis' Hardly “evil.”

Press 418

Press Journal Startup Training 418

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 3, 2021

And while the grocery delivery market has become increasingly competitive, Hall argued that Good Eggs stands out thanks to the quality and breadth of its products — 70% of its products are locally sourced, and it often delivers them within 48 hours of harvesting. That’s a meaningful increase in our addressable market.”

Southern California 318

Southern California Orange County San Diego Commerce 318

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 29, 2014

Companies are now raising much more capital in the private markets now before they go public. With private markets capturing more value in the future and continued disruption of every industry – can LPs afford NOT to be long in Venture Capital? This is the opportunity set for venture capitalists. Thus is a key point.

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Venture Capital Capital Startup Writing 362

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2022

In my role of business advisor to startups, I often recommend these to increase initial brand identity and market penetration. With the rate of market change today, and the advent of worldwide competitors, you need every strategy you can muster to keep up, and respond quickly to new threats.

Marketing 119

Marketing Social Media Mentor Conference 119

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2021

This raises a big red flag with potential investors, who conclude that no competitors means no market, or you haven’t looked, and the new startup is likely not investable. First to market, for example, is not normally a sustainable advantage for startups. Thought leadership position in your market and customer set.

Competition 166

Competition Funding Startup Patents 166

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2023

Most experts agree that the pace of business change is increasing , and all the business owners I know are struggling to keep up, much less surpass the wealth of global competitors now entering the market. Highlight the competitive edge you bring to the market. Use test marketing to identify changes before scale-up.

Marketing 116

Marketing Resource Training Startup 116

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2021

You must clearly delineate between issues where answers are known, such as process problems, versus market challenges, where forces are unpredictable. Overall, it’s important to remember that business uncertainties lead to the opportunities for you to win competitively, and succeed in the long run.

Marketing 148

Marketing Coach Startup Product 148

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2023

Contrary to popular opinion, viral marketing has not eliminated the need for old-fashioned lead generation to bring customers to a startup. His professional background includes having held marketing-executive roles at big companies as well as startups. Email marketing. Direct mail marketing.

Marketing 114

Marketing Invest Social Media SEM 114

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 26, 2022

At the time, the company raised $2 million, and Alexandrov said about the perceived competition, “The level of competition in this market in the U.S. Are rivals snacking on Instacart’s core grocery delivery market?

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Funding Demand Los Angeles Competition 246

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 19, 2019

Mullenax told me he became interested in this market after working as a finance and operations analyst at Bonobos, where he “fell in love with the [direct-to-consumer] model.” ” He argued that the market has room for more than just “one winner or two winners or five winners.” Paul Munford.

Startup 217

Startup Seed Funding Los Angeles Competition 217

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

Thus began my marketing campaign. Competitive (Athlete: skier & rowed at Princeton, hates losing at everything she does). Having been at Battery Ventures for 5 years earlier in her career has given her the investor vantage point and years of seeing booming markets and contracting ones. And the contractions always come back.

Venture Capital 408

Venture Capital Startup Outsource Development CitySearch 408

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 14, 2018

I know all of this because every VC knows this because we’ve all either funded companies that have marketing technology or we’ve seen a pitch with a company that does this. Your pitch deck should really be your best marketing tool Your pitch deck shouldn’t contain your deepest, darkest secrets and plans. A deck is a deck.

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Funding Venture Capital IP Email 239