Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 23, 2021

Yet, as a business consultant, I often find minimal focus on improving employee engagement and assessing their customer-facing performance. For example, I commonly see metrics to keep track of revenue per employee, overtime, and absenteeism, but I don’t often see measures of overall customer satisfaction with individual employees.

Customer 147

Customer Custom Technical Review Metrics 147

TechCrunch LA

OCTOBER 5, 2020

Companies that have leveraged technology to make the procurement and delivery of food more accessible to more people have been seeing a big surge of business this year, as millions of consumers are encouraged (or outright mandated, due to Covid-19) to socially distance or want to avoid the crowds of physical shopping and eating excursions.

Technical Review 343

Technical Review Startup Marketing San Diego 343

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2020

Traditional marketing says you have to “push” your message out to customers, over and over again, to get you remembered. A more effective approach in today’s Internet and interactive culture is to use “pull” technology to bring customers and clients to your story. Refresh it often. Skip the Flash videos. Make it fast.

Customer 160

Customer Custom FAQ Technical Review 160

InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 11, 2013

Because of the rapid pace with which Venture Capitalists review investment opportunities, they must employ pattern matching techniques which include identifying common fundraising deal breakers. • Facebook • Twitter • Delicious • LinkedIn • StumbleUpon • Add to favorites • Email • RSS.

Technical Review 264

Technical Review Entrepreneur IP RSS 264

TechEmpower

JULY 24, 2023

At TechEmpower, we frequently talk to startup founders, CEOs, product leaders, and other innovators about their next big tech initiative. After all, that’s what tech innovation is all about. Who are the customers? Do you have a custom algorithm or other technology? For customer service?

Develop 520

Develop Development Technical Review SEO 520

InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 4, 2013

Given the thousands of startups Venture Capitalists review annually, they must adopt efficient methods of quickly assessing if a person/opportunity is worth further diligence. Such deals are ideally funded by customer dollars until the opportunity is adequately proven and/or management accrues an adequate level of experience.

Technical Review 244

Technical Review Startup Venture Capital RSS 244

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2020

As a long-time business executive and adviser to entrepreneurs, I see a definitive shift away from customer trust in traditional business messages, and the executives who deliver them. I summarize the key elements of the transformation as follows: Customers are seeking control in a run-away world.

Customer 173

Customer Custom Social Media Technical Review 173

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 28, 2011

Guy’s latest book, Enchantment , was released in March of 2011, to overwhelmingly upbeat reviews. Of the 225 customer reviews currently posted on Amazon, over 90% are highly positive. I enjoyed the book as well, as evidenced by the review I wrote at the time of its release, which you can read HERE.

Santa Barbara 262

Santa Barbara Technical Review Social Media Startup 262

SoCal CTO

MARCH 3, 2011

Many of the founders of these companies are surprised to learn that I'm willing to review what they are doing (maybe an hour) and get on the phone for an hour with them and provide free advice. Who's the customer? What's you believe is your biggest technology risk, if any? What Is This? How does the product solve a pain?

CTO Hire 264

CTO Hire Startup Technical Review Development Team Review 264

SoCal CTO

MARCH 3, 2011

Many of the founders of these companies are surprised to learn that I'm willing to review what they are doing (maybe an hour) and get on the phone for an hour with them and provide free advice. Who's the customer? What's you believe is your biggest technology risk, if any? What Is This? How does the product solve a pain?

CTO Hire 259

CTO Hire Startup Technical Review Development Team Review 259

Eric Greenspan

FEBRUARY 2, 2010

I’ve remained a skeptic about the BBB and as a result of an email I received a couple of weeks ago from them, I have raised the skepticism threat level. So here’s the email I received: Eric, My name is Chad Ratliffe emailing from the Better Business Bureau. That’s how we do business at Make It Work.

Santa Barbara 265

Santa Barbara Technical Advisors Email Technical Review 265

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 2, 2011

It’s apropos because there is so much noise these days with email, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, web shows, etc. He’s committed to getting through every email. It’s not because I don’t want to respond to all emails – I do. I get way too many emails – many of them unsolicited.

Email 287

Email Blogging Venture Capital Writing 287

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 10, 2010

If you’re not familiar with the term it’s basically trying to help all of us who are deluged with technology to find ways to cope with the masses of information without having it ruin our lives. We were high tech at the very start of the boom. I got to experience much of the local culture and customs.

Startup 295

Startup Email Technical Review Course 295

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 2, 2009

As noted in Pour and Stir Part I , the key to the successful execution of this strategy is managing the following equation: The cost to acquire a customer < lifetime value of a customer. Decreasing Your Customer Acquisition Costs. This is equivalent to being handed a free customer for every ten customers you acquire.

Customer 164

Customer Custom Advertising SEM 164

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2011

Traditional marketing says you have to “push” your message out to customers, over and over again, to get it remembered. A more effective approach in today’s Internet and interactive culture is to use “pull” technology to bring customers and clients to your story. Refresh it often. Skip the flash (and Flash). Make it fast.

Technical Review 90

Technical Review Customer Custom FAQ 90

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 8, 2009

Traction can simply mean showing that you’re making progress with customers, product development, channel partners, initial revenue as a proof point, attracting well-known angel investors, winning industry awards / recognition. They get positive product reviews on TechCrunch, GigaOm or Paidcontent.org. They hire key staff.

Venture Capital 309

Venture Capital Guide Startup Technical Review 309

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2010

Like you, I struggle to return everybody’s emails because I get too many. So I often try to stay off of email during the day. It made me laugh because the technical world has this exact phrase to talk in computing sense about the need to block out interruptions in order to complete a task.

Product 280

Product Startup Email Technical Review 280

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 12, 2018

seems like an unlikely place to grow one of the next billion-dollar startups in the booming Los Angeles tech ecosystem. These more basic needs can be solved with seemingly simple technologies—software for billing, scheduling, navigation and many other business workflows. The city of Glendale, Calif.

Glendale 271

Glendale Los Angeles Startup Technical Review 271

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 21, 2020

Maven had paused service due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company sent an email to customers Tuesday that after examining the business, the car-sharing industry and COVID-19, it decided to shutter the service permanently. Maven had already suspended its consumer car-sharing and a peer-to-peer service due to COVID-19.

Los Angeles 215

Los Angeles Technical Review Email Services 215

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

My initial desire to blog came from something that’s always been my approach to investing – I’m a nerd and I love to play with the technology and part of my approach has really been to understand things both at a user level and at a reasonably deep tentacle level. Very few people can do a good job with a presentation that is emailable.”.

Venture Capital 288

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Software Review 288

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 1, 2010

I continue to collect great content that is the intersection of startups, products, online and technology. The United States is now a debtor nation to China and that the bill is about to come due. We had several emails back and forth where he provided basic details on the concept. It may be that all the doomsayers are right.

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Startup Product Technology 175

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2022

Here are a few specifics on how to be part of the solution, without the costs, rather than part of the problem: Put a personal face and address on your site; don’t hide behind an “info” email address. Market your solution and user benefits, not the mysterious technology behind it. Don’t take shortcuts on these.

Customer 137

Customer Custom Technical Review Symantec 137

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2017

Customer service has traditionally been a support function to respond to customer initiated requests, meaning someone waits for the phone to ring or for a website support request form. The old days of routing a customer to a single phone queue for any request will quickly kill any brand loyalty or advocate referral.

Customer 95

Customer Custom Services Technical Review 95

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014

I wrote a version of this post four years ago but given the hectic nature of today’s tech markets I thought it was worth revisiting and updating. I wrote directly to his assistant asking why he had cancelled and made it clear that I had not attended a conference in town due to my having accepted this meeting.

Conference 369

Conference Startup Century City Email 369

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2013

Traditional marketing says you have to “push” your message out to customers, over and over again, to get you remembered. A more effective approach in today’s Internet and interactive culture is to use “pull” technology to bring customers and clients to your story. Refresh it often. Skip the flash (and Flash). Make it fast.

Customer 99

Customer Custom FAQ Technical Review 99

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

Too Techie - Tone down emphasis on the technology underlying your venture; an interested investor will perform tech diligence at the appropriate time. What does your pain reliever look like, how is it implemented by the customer and what future products do you expect to roll out? Distribution and Sales. Share and Enjoy.

Venture Capital 211

Venture Capital Summary Technical Review Template 211

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 26, 2022

It started with an email survey on your last stay at their hotel, but now includes requests for online product reviews, to social media input on the design of future products. They do it because engaged customers become loyal advocates and buyers. Some say it’s happening today because it’s new, and technology makes it possible.

Customer 107

Customer Custom Technical Review Social Media 107

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2016

Traditional marketing says you have to “push” your message out to customers, over and over again, to get you remembered. A more effective approach in today’s Internet and interactive culture is to use “pull” technology to bring customers and clients to your story. Refresh it often. Skip the flash (and Flash). Make it fast.

Customer 102

Customer Custom FAQ Technical Review 102

InfoChachkie

MAY 6, 2013

This is due to a fundamental disconnect between the increased activity of high-volume seed investors (that fill out lots of Seed rounds) and the relatively small number of Series A investors, who only make 1 or 2 investments, per partner, per year.". A from a new outside lead. There are no villains in the current Series A drama.

Entrepreneur 246

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Technical Review Capital 246

Tech.Co

JUNE 24, 2022

A number of tech companies have made the headlines this week for hiring new members of staff, only to rescind such offers before they start. Get all the latest tech news straight to your inbox. Get all the latest tech news straight to your inbox. Please fill in your email. A False Start. Please fill in your name.

Technical Review 115

Technical Review Company Companies Startup 115

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 27, 2013

We're taking all of those leads, and creating the tools to convert them to customers. When a local consumer has a need, they can use the service to figure out who they are going to transact with, and then go through the lead gen process, through the conversion to a customer, where we help them book an appointment, and buy.

ReachLocal 217

ReachLocal Technical Review Woodland Hills Services 217

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 25, 2010

Before booking a hotel I always check out Trip Advisor and read reviews. It’s hard for angels to assess whether or not to invest because they often have day jobs and can’t commit to the kind of due diligence that most VCs go through. Anything requiring lead generation and/or customer acquisition I call Matt Coffin.

Guide 293

Guide Funding Venture Capital Technical Review 293

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 13, 2011

For the next four days if you’re in the tech industry you’re going to hear a non-stop stream of information about SXSW. You may choose some where your customers aggregate, others where you hope to find biz dev partners & still others where you want to meet investors. Yes, it’s partly due to ADHD.

Conference 289

Conference Startup Technical Review Writing 289

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

Seattle should be the envy of any non Silicon Valley tech community in the country. It really wouldn’t take much to turn a great technology ecosystem into a truly electric one. He listed all of the product releases that were up coming, the customers that were in the pipeline and where he saw his competition moving.

Venture Capital 317

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Press 317

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 30, 2012

James (chairman of the Althea Foundation) and appointed Adam Sroka as Senior Vice President of Technology in a move to make business transactions simple and secure. . Jackson , “This financing round, coupled with hiring Adam Sroka as our head of technology, puts CapLinked in a position to further enhance our enterprise product offerings.”.

Technical Review 88

Technical Review Software Review Bertelsmann Technology 88

Berkonomics

MAY 30, 2019

Email readers, continue here…] How do you reach an audience that pays less attention to advertising then at any time in the past one hundred years? And the best way to do this is with the placement of a case study, a story told about and by a satisfied customer with something to say about how your product solved their problem or pain.

Case Study 120

Case Study Study Customer Custom 120

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2012

It started with an email survey on your last stay at their hotel, but now includes requests for online product reviews, to social media input on the design of future products. They do it because engaged customers become loyal advocates and buyers. Some say it’s happening today because it’s new, and technology makes it possible.

Customer 95

Customer Custom Marketing Technical Review 95