Top 120 Startup Posts for 2010
SoCal CTO
JANUARY 5, 2011
Steve Blank , January 25, 2010 10 Tips for Adding Game Mechanics to a Non-Gaming Service - ReadWriteStart , September 21, 2010 Startups & VCs: Learn How to Design, Market, & Eat Your Own. -
Customer Ideas Outsource 
7 Business Mistakes Serial Entrepreneurs Never Make (Twice)
InfoChachkie
JUNE 4, 2012
Attempt To License An Idea. Rationale: My idea is so mind-blowingly fantastic, I can sit back and collect licensing fees while someone else does all the work required to turn my idea into a successful business. Fallacy: Ideas are worthless, while skillful execution is priceless. Rely On A Public Relations Agency.
Entrepreneur 
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5 Steps To Get You From Your First Idea To A Business
Startup Professionals Musings
MARCH 2, 2020
One thing I have learned the hard way in business is that implementing new ideas is usually much more difficult than conceiving the idea in the first place. That’s why I caution my aspiring entrepreneur clients against proclaiming to investors that they are a great “idea” person. For example, I have a friend with a Ph.D.
Ideas 126
126 
5 Generators Of Customer Pain Conducive To Startups
Startup Professionals Musings
OCTOBER 17, 2020
Here are some key drivers that will likely lead you to a fundable idea: A business crisis. Other countries can provide e-commerce with different business models, outsource manufacturing at low cost, and a huge market for new products. So why do I see some many funding requests for products along these lines?
Customer 167
167 
9 Women Can’t Make a Baby in a Month
Both Sides of the Table
MARCH 30, 2011
In the initial phases of any new market you’re developing a product (hopefully with a minimal set of features), getting feedback from customers, refining your product based on user feedback and then re-launching your product. Rinse & repeat. This benefits you, the entrepreneur. It takes options off of the table. You have a hunch.
How TaskUs Is Powering LA's Technology Startup Boom
socalTECH
AUGUST 7, 2014
Bryce Maddock: TaskUs is the best provider in the world of customer care and back office services for emerging growth companies. Customer care, obviously, is emails, phone calls, and customer service back office services. In 2008, we started to throw around ideas, and eventually settled on this one.
Startup 231
231 
The Controversial First Role to Hire After Your “A Round”
Both Sides of the Table
OCTOBER 28, 2011
I was once asked on Quora what my idea startup team would be. I never invest in: - business people who outsource tech dev to 3rd parties (“to speed up time to market”)” If you like that feel free to go vote it up on Quora - it fell back a bit in the rankings. My ideal team is simple: Assuming 6 people. 5 engineers.
Startup 325
325 
Ten Rookie Startup Mistakes You Won’t Make
InfoChachkie
MAY 16, 2011
Thus, you must first create the playbook by which an independent sales rep can readily sell your product, including: identifying objections and developing strategies to overcome them, creating reference accounts and establishing meaningful customer adoption. 3) Attempt To License An Idea. 3) Attempt To License An Idea.
Startup 242
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Pour And Stir II – Managing Your Cost Per Customer
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
164 
6 Ways A Prototype Will Enhance Your Startup Idea
Startup Professionals Musings
AUGUST 23, 2015
These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. Many ideas I hear sound great, but I have no idea if they can be implemented.
Ideas 107
107 
A Conversation With Appetize's Kevin Anderson On Getting Customer Service Right
socalTECH
MARCH 1, 2018
As part of the lead in to the conference, and as a part of our sponsor relationship with the conference, we're running a series of interviews with speakers from the conference about their experience in the area of recurring revenues, customer service, and similar topics. We respond very quickly to all of our customers. Kevin Anderson.
Customer 113
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Customer Engagement Is Key To Branding Yourself
Startup Professionals Musings
MAY 25, 2014
The days are gone when a techie or a genius could build things in his garage and customers would find and buy the product, based purely on the “wow factor” of the technology. Thus customers and partners rely more and more on personal engagement with people. New technologies are everywhere today. Make it an enjoyable experience.
Customer 99
99 
Balance Your Focus Between Passion And Perspiration
Startup Professionals Musings
MAY 16, 2020
That’s why all those so-called million dollar ideas I hear about as an investor don’t get me excited, and entrepreneurs find that working twenty hours a day often generates nothing more than sweat, instead of the desired sweat equity. Here are five key ones to celebrate: Enjoy the feedback from every satisfied customer.
Satisfaction 174
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10 Keys To Enabling Your Startup For Unicorn Growth
Startup Professionals Musings
APRIL 19, 2020
Here are some pragmatic tips on how to make your startup more scalable and investable: If you need investors, start with a scalable idea. Just because all your buddies think an idea is cool, that doesn’t mean it is scalable. Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage. These are more likely scalable and investable.
Startup 154
154 
9 Success Principles To Propel Your Next New Venture
Startup Professionals Musings
OCTOBER 30, 2020
Every aspiring entrepreneur I know is talking about the fact that there are over 2,000 billionaires in the world today, and how their innovative idea could make them one of the next ones. I suggest looking for painful problems to solve, rather than “easier to use” or “nice to have” solutions, for customers with money.
10 Tips To Ensure That Your New Venture Is Investable
Startup Professionals Musings
JANUARY 14, 2023
Here are some pragmatic tips on how to make your startup more scalable and investable: If you need investors, start with a scalable idea. Just because all your buddies think an idea is cool, that doesn’t mean it is scalable. Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage. These are more likely scalable and investable.
Tips 135
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White-label it: Make it ‘YOU’ inside.
Berkonomics
JUNE 25, 2015
Sometimes this is called a white label strategy, because your customers offer your product as their own product, writing in their brand name on the blank label in your underlying offering. But, more often, this is just the virtualization of what we used to call outsourcing. Forgive me, but I had no idea what that meant.
Outsource 120
120 
10 Disciplines Every Entrepreneur Needs To Practice
Startup Professionals Musings
NOVEMBER 14, 2021
He provides dozens of ideas and examples to illustrate how this discipline can work, and the power it brings to any organization. The idea is to seek fundamental truths that will always remain true, after you remove all the things that don’t necessarily have to remain true. Outsource services back to the customer.
Entrepreneur 158
158 
6 Cost-Cutting Recommendations For New Entrepreneurs
Startup Professionals Musings
FEBRUARY 17, 2021
It wasn’t so many years ago that starting a new e-commerce business on the Internet was a complex custom development project, usually costing a million dollars or more. You can now skip the mandatory office space rental, with secretary and bookkeeping staff, or outsourcing. Work out of your home, and keep your own books.
Entrepreneur 162
162 
5 Key Recovery Strategies Counter Economic Downturns
Startup Professionals Musings
OCTOBER 21, 2020
Driven by the current pandemic, smart entrepreneurs of all ages are jumping into the fray with new ideas, new recovery strategies, and discarding outmoded business models. It's far less expensive to nail down repeat business from your existing customers than it is to land new ones. Every dark cloud has a silver lining.
Geni 172
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How OneStop Internet Is Powering Ecommerce For Brands
socalTECH
DECEMBER 12, 2014
We provide a turnkey, back end, managed service offering for brands and retailers on an outsourced basis. We do everything from picking, packing, and shipping to customer service, fulfillment, and providing the technology that powers the e-commerce site, online marketing, creative design, and digital imaging and photography.
Commerce 203
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In a Strong Wind Even Turkeys Can Fly
Both Sides of the Table
DECEMBER 13, 2010
During the down market they were able to double down on recruiting, sales, outsourcing, new market entries and marketing (yes, with Tiger ads ). Often when I meet them the idea seems at odds with what others are doing and as long as it’s the right team with a well-thought-through plan I kinda like that. I love that.
Technical Review 302
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Interview with Dan Tamkin, Unified Dispatch
socalTECH
OCTOBER 20, 2011
The idea was they were going to create their own interactive voice response (IVR) technology, which we would keep in house and allow us to open up a nationwide call center to handle taxi calls. Back in 2003 and 2004, we were focused on the international market, and started outsourcing to India and the Philippines for call center services.
8 Indications Of A Real Entrepreneur Versus A Hacker
Startup Professionals Musings
JUNE 7, 2020
I still see entrepreneurs who spend money and time for months on a new business idea without any separation of personal and business funds, and any formal accounting system for their new business. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.
Entrepreneur 131
131 
10 Tips For Building The Most Scalable Startup
Startup Professionals Musings
SEPTEMBER 7, 2013
Here are some pragmatic tips on how to make your startup more scalable and investable: If you need investors, start with a scalable idea. Just because all your buddies think an idea is cool, that doesn’t mean it is scalable. Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage. These are more likely scalable and investable.
Tips 111
111 
10 Tactics To Shorten Your Race To Cash-Flow Positive
Startup Professionals Musings
APRIL 12, 2021
In my experience as a business advisor and occasional investor, many of you won’t make it that far, succumbing to the high costs of getting those first customers, funding an initial inventory, and building an operational support process. Use “white label” or custom contract for extra income. The advisor will give you real credibility.
Startup 161
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6 Ways A Prototype Will Add Value To Your New Venture
Startup Professionals Musings
FEBRUARY 2, 2020
These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. Many ideas I hear sound great, but I have no idea if they can be implemented.
Maintain Your Startup Motivation While Working Harder
Startup Professionals Musings
FEBRUARY 11, 2023
That’s why all those so-called million dollar ideas I hear about as an investor don’t get me excited, and entrepreneurs find that working twenty hours a day often generates nothing more than sweat, instead of the desired sweat equity. Here are five key ones to celebrate: Enjoy the feedback from every satisfied customer.
Startup 118
118 
8 Signs Of A New Business Initiative And Not A Hobby
Startup Professionals Musings
MARCH 10, 2023
I still see entrepreneurs who spend money and time for months on a new business idea without any separation of personal and business funds, and any formal accounting system for their new business. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.
How To Take Your Idea From A Hobby To A Business
Startup Professionals Musings
MAY 28, 2016
I still see entrepreneurs who spend money and time for months on a new business idea without any separation of personal and business funds, and any formal accounting system for their new business. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.
Ideas 62
62 
10 Actions To Make Sure Your New Business Will Scale
Startup Professionals Musings
JANUARY 11, 2015
Here are some pragmatic tips on how to make your startup more scalable and investable: If you need investors, start with a scalable idea. Just because all your buddies think an idea is cool, that doesn’t mean it is scalable. Outsource what is non-strategic to optimize leverage. These are more likely scalable and investable.
Startup 103
103 
8 Ways The Maker Movement Turns Ideas Into Businesses
Startup Professionals Musings
AUGUST 25, 2017
This new culture builds on hobbyist technologies, extends the open-source inventory of hardware and software, and bridges the gap into real business solutions with other advantages, as follows: Shortens the time and cost from idea to prototype. These ideas can grow quickly into real products.
Ideas 61
61 
6 Reasons To Build A Working Model Of Your Solution
Startup Professionals Musings
OCTOBER 29, 2022
These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. Many ideas I hear sound great, but I have no idea if they can be implemented.
10 Ways To Get Tagged As High-Potential In A Startup
Startup Professionals Musings
NOVEMBER 5, 2021
You can’t outsource that one. If you see a customer service problem hurting the company, step up proactively with a proposal to fix it. Then focus on ideas that will likely get your boss promoted. You attitude and the clothes you wear assert your authority to subordinates, peers, the media, and customers.
Startup 125
125 A Chat with Chris Tragos of Jetpack
socalTECH
SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
The HTML5 platform that we use is also available as a self service tool to customers. We offer up customers a high impact creative which is not bounded by the box. As a result, our customers see a much higher percentage of engagement, more than 5 percent, versus the standard ad creative, which is a very small percentage of that.
Buzznet 100
100 
Entrepreneurs Need to Sell Themselves as the Brand
Startup Professionals Musings
FEBRUARY 20, 2013
The days are gone when a techie or a genius could build things in his garage and customers would find and buy the product, based purely on the “wow factor” of the technology. Thus customers and partners rely more and more on personal engagement with people. New technologies are everywhere today. Make it an enjoyable experience.
Entrepreneur 111
111 
8 Processes Define A Business Rather Than A Hobby
Startup Professionals Musings
MAY 24, 2015
I still see entrepreneurs who spend money and time for months on a new business idea without any separation of personal and business funds, and any formal accounting system for their new business. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.
Kickstart Your Startup Credibility With A Prototype
Startup Professionals Musings
JULY 16, 2014
These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. Many ideas I hear sound great, but I have no idea if they can be implemented.
How To Enjoy Your Business Dream As Well As The Work
Startup Professionals Musings
JANUARY 16, 2015
That’s why all those so-called million dollar ideas I hear about as an investor don’t get me excited, and entrepreneurs find that working twenty hours a day often generates nothing more than sweat, instead of the desired sweat equity. Here are five key ones to celebrate: Enjoy the feedback from every satisfied customer.
Satisfaction 101
101 Kareo: Bringing The Power Of the Cloud to Small Medical Practices
socalTECH
MARCH 26, 2014
We also have a cloud-baesd, billing and practice management solutions, which enables them to manage all of their internal financial processes, and we also have solutions for billing and cloud-based outsourcing of back office tasks. We use a recurring revenue model, where a customer pays us a few hundred dollars on average.
Startup 160
160 
Top 57 Online Startups Meets Technology Meets Product Posts for November 2010
SoCal CTO
DECEMBER 1, 2010
And I tried to evaluate the idea and figure out: What did the founder really need here? It’s 2010 and that idea has not graduated to mainstream yet. Your First Iteration of an Idea Will Be Wrong. No Business Plan Survives First Contact With A Customer – The 5.2 Was it a Startup Founder Developer Gap ? By doing the job.
Technical Review 175
175 Take Your Idea To The Next Level With A DIY Prototype
Startup Professionals Musings
FEBRUARY 10, 2018
These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute. Many ideas I hear sound great, but I have no idea if they can be implemented.
Ideas 53
53 10 Thinking Methods That Foster Business Innovation
Startup Professionals Musings
FEBRUARY 3, 2019
He provides dozens of ideas and examples to illustrate how this discipline can work, and the power it brings to any organization. The idea is to seek fundamental truths that will always remain true, after you remove all the things that don’t necessarily have to remain true. Outsource services back to the customer.
Startup 105
105 
8 Ways To Stay Competitive In Today’s Technical World
Startup Professionals Musings
AUGUST 10, 2020
I find that many entrepreneurs are so passionate about their own idea that they can’t stop selling it to potential partners. Outsourcing to expert freelancers or business partners is often a better solution for startups than managing everyone into the inside team. Let candidates educate you on attributes you need and they bring.
Competition 174
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