Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

Your historical trading information including financials and a “customer file” which shows the history of your transactions so that investors can run “cohort” analyses Customer reference, personal references, key team members, compensation, cap table, stock option plan, etc. It doesn’t. The data room is where your process goes to die.

Funding 336

Funding Venture Capital Startup Email 336

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 23, 2013

Thus, startups must quickly determine which prospects are most likely to purchase in the near term and focus their energy on delivering these prospective customers an incredible experience. The reason we previously offered our customers the option of a Pilot was to secure their business more quickly.

Sales 215

Sales Outsource Development Metrics Resource 215

Berkonomics

NOVEMBER 5, 2020

What happens to careful planning, sure-fire metrics, quality test scenarios, market research, a good business plan – all in place before pulling the trigger of a new opportunity. Either way, without even pausing to document the process internally, no-one can easily take over the job, if for any reason the cowboy coder is no longer in control.

Artificial Inteligence 156

Artificial Inteligence Metrics Ideas Email 156

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 14, 2018

Here’s Why You Should Just Send the Deck I know you have your document sending tool to send your fund-raising deck to VCs and track who read your deck, which pages they read and how much time they spend on each page. I Know Everybody Told You to Send Your Fund-Raising Decks as a Link. What should not be in your deck?

Funding 239

Funding Venture Capital IP Email 239

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

Eric is also author of the book The PayPal Wars: Battles With Ebay, the Media, the Mafia, And the Rest of Planet Earth , where he documented that experience. For investors, it gives them a dash board of key metrics, and ensures those investors stay in the loop. Eric, what's the story behind CapLinked?

Southern California 243

Southern California Entrepreneur Software Review Yammer 243

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2011

But the reality is that sellers are no longer in charge of the customer buying process. Kristin Zhivago, in her new book “ Roadmap to Revenue ,” makes the point that the selling system is broken, since sellers no longer sell the way customers are buying. The best way to do this is with real customer interviews.

Customer 96

Customer Custom Search Engine Optimization Summary 96

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

What used to be an “A” round in 2011 is now routinely called a Seed round and this has been so engrained that founders would rather take less money than to have to put the words “A round” in their legal documents. We can’t wait for customers to use the product for 12–18 months and do customer interviews or look at purchase cohorts.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

Every new business I know dreams of building momentum in their business, where growth continues to increase, customers become your best advocates, and employee motivation is high. Unfortunately, with limited resources, this isn’t possible, and it frustrates customers and the team. Focus first on finding more of the right customers.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

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. Of course, customer relationships, and penetration into new market segments are also critical elements. Isolate marketing from sales for maximum customer focus.

Startup 151

Startup Course Sales Entrepreneur 151

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2020

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Outsource Development Startup Competition 131

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2020

Obviously, the business of business has been around a long time, with many “best practices” well-defined and well documented, so creativity that ignores these is usually not a good thing. Using data metrics alone for decisions, without seeking the root problem and alternative solutions, kills creativity. Not always to good effect.

Metrics 157

Metrics Demand Statistics Sales 157

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 12, 2021

If customers don’t know you exist, you can’t solve their problem, they won’t buy. Getting customer attention often takes more innovation today than solving the tough technical problems. Talk to real live customers in addition to marketers. Avoid the use of jargon, big claims, and special promotions.

Technical Advisors 154

Technical Advisors Tips Marketing Case Study 154

SoCal CTO

APRIL 8, 2010

Death By Competitive Analysis - Steve Blank , March 1, 2010 Trading emails with a startup CEO building an iPhone app, I asked him why potential customers would buy his product. How do the sample Series Seed financing documents differ from typical Series A financing documents? In response he sent me a competitive analysis.

Startup 150

Startup Software Review Competition SoCal 150

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2020

Market research can thus be based on real customers and a previously tested market. The auto industry and others have used this model for generations, so business processes and metrics for innovation are well documented. Timing is critical, as well as focus on marketing and customer satisfaction. Martin Zwilling.

Startup 157

Startup Social Media Study Research 157

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2023

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.

Outsource Development 115

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 115

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2020

The days of lengthy, text-heavy, business plan documents prepared by expensive experts are behind us. Building a minimum viable product, with customer validation. Early customer feedback will position your solution, and help you make pivots before critical time and money are lost. Just make sure you can fill in all the details.

Tips 161

Tips Startup Social Media News 161

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2019

It’s always tempting to think that more product variations will satisfy more customers and lead to new sales. Some chaos is normal in every new business, but many wait far too long before they install metrics based on “best practices,” and fail to attack obvious bottlenecks with a vengeance. Use multiple small orders at first.

Outsource Development 122

Outsource Development Outsource Metrics Technical Review 122

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 3, 2016

Sets goals and milestones, with metrics to track progress. Good implementers document and communicate long-term goals, and translate them into daily action items. They define metrics for each goal, and diligently track themselves against these metrics. Focus all initiatives around value to your customers.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Metrics Ideas 106

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

Finally you create and document your recipe (business plan). If you can’t identify customer interest, it doesn’t matter how good your product is. Don’t be afraid to test your ultimate entree on customers. This means find some hungry people who would love a good dinner, and be willing to pay for it. Make them “feel the love.”

Startup 156

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 156

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2013

But the reality is that sellers are no longer in charge of the customer buying process. Kristin Zhivago, in her book “ Roadmap to Revenue ,” makes the point that the selling system is broken, since sellers no longer sell the way customers are buying. The best way to do this is with real customer interviews.

Startup 105

Startup Search Engine Optimization Summary Customer 105

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2021

You continually get frustrated with your team members, customers, vendors, and partners. Data – Define a handful of key metrics to free you from managing personalities, egos, subjective issues, emotions, and intangibles. Each must be documented clearly and refined regularly. It’s very frustrating.

Entrepreneur 174

Entrepreneur Search Engine Optimization Satisfaction Social Media 174

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 26, 2021

Based on my experience with startups, trust is the most valuable asset you can have, especially when asking people to step into the unknown by funding your innovation, by joining your team, or just buying your new product as an early customer. For multiple party contracts, always document.

Company 165

Company Companies Metrics Entrepreneur 165

Berkonomics

JANUARY 16, 2014

Research and talk to existing and past customers. Clarify operation responsibilities and metrics used to measure performance. It is highly recommended that legal document are created and/or reviewed by a business transaction attorney. Review long term company debt, goals, objectives and financial projections.

Technical Review 204

Technical Review Startup Examples Metrics 204

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2022

I have long believed that each of you is responsible for documenting and communicating your own value, without bragging or hyperbole. Documenting your input early, and follow-up later by quantifying customer revenue is your only way to make sure your value in the revenue growth process is not forgotten.

Examples 133

Examples Metrics Startup Customer 133

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2022

Even with advantages that independent startups can never hope to match, including brand recognition, customers, financial capital, and distribution, I don’t often see the entrepreneurial passion for innovation, agility, and team perseverance exhibited by new startups. A documented business plan for the new venture is critical here.

Incubator 143

Incubator Seed Funding Metrics Customer 143

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2023

Obviously, the business of business has been around a long time, with many “best practices” well-defined and well documented, so creativity that ignores these is usually not a good thing. Using data metrics alone for decisions, without seeking the root problem and alternative solutions, kills creativity. Not always to good effect.

Marketing 119

Marketing Metrics Demand Statistics 119

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2015

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.

Outsource Development 99

Outsource Development Startup Competition Ideas 99

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2012

But the reality is that sellers are no longer in charge of the customer buying process. Kristin Zhivago, in her book “ Roadmap to Revenue ,” makes the point that the selling system is broken, since sellers no longer sell the way customers are buying. The best way to do this is with real customer interviews.

Tips 93

Tips Search Engine Optimization Summary Startup 93

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2014

Obviously, the business of business has been around a long time, with many “best practices” well-defined and well documented, so creativity that ignores these is usually not a good thing. Using data metrics alone for decisions, without seeking the root problem and alternative solutions, kills creativity. Not always to good effect.

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Metrics Demand Statistics 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2013

Obviously, the business of business has been around a long time, with many “best practices” well-defined and well documented, so creativity that ignores these is usually not a good thing. Using data metrics alone for decisions, without seeking the root problem and alternative solutions, kills creativity. Not always to good effect.

Metrics 110

Metrics Entrepreneur Demand Statistics 110

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2019

Don’t get me wrong, it’s always great to see that first surge of customers, but that’s just the beginning of your work. 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.

Metrics 86

Metrics Startup Training Customer 86

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2014

Like it or not, you are now entering the dreaded realm of specifying and documenting “formal business processes.” Even if you are doing the work yourself, you need to document requirements, features, metrics, and milestones. Customer service and support. The right question is “What is the minimum that I need?”

Startup 107

Startup Outsource Development Training Outsource 107

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Terms like “every customer needs this” and “next generation platform” are far too soft, and should be avoided. Clearly define the customer, channel, and revenue model associated with this solution.

Competition 116

Competition Metrics Startup Sales 116

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Terms like “every customer needs this” and “next generation platform” are far too soft, and should be avoided. Clearly define the customer, channel, and revenue model associated with this solution.

Competition 113

Competition Metrics Startup Invest 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 1, 2021

For example, in a conflict over the right branding logo , it may help to understand who and how the ultimate decision will be made, including key elements driving the decision, such as targeted customers and competition. Don’t let it be just a conflict over graphic design. Evaluate conflict win-lose versus win-win potential.

Activity 145

Activity Organization Examples Satisfaction 145

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2023

Finally you create and document your recipe (business plan). If you can’t identify customer interest, it doesn’t matter how good your product is. Don’t be afraid to test your ultimate entree on customers. This means find some hungry people who would love a good dinner, and be willing to pay for it. Make them “feel the love.”

Startup 112

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 112

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2014

Market research can thus be based on real customers and a previously tested market. The auto industry and others have used this model for generations, so business processes and metrics for innovation are well documented. Timing is critical, as well as a focus on marketing and customer satisfaction.

Technology 103

Technology Entrepreneur Study Research 103