Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2023

Most entrepreneurs I meet are reluctant to disclose anything about their idea to investors before getting a signed confidential disclosure agreement (CDA). Professional investors and advisors, on the other hand, usually refuse to sign these agreements today due to the risk of litigation and administrative workload, and will walk away.

Technical Review 101

Technical Review Patents Ideas Sample 101

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 21, 2020

Many of the entrepreneurs I advise or invest with spend considerable time on the Internet, keeping up with technology, customers, and competitors, but very few feel the need for an early personal presence. In fact, some totally avoid it, assuming their product or solution will speak for itself later.

Product 127

Product Entrepreneur Technical Advisors Technical Review 127

TechEmpower

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Are specific technologies or platforms involved in your project? Ensure that you investigate the designers' past work, samples of their work product, and their process. Do they have experience with the technologies involved in your project? Quality of Work: The end product should not only look good but function as expected.

Software Development 295

Software Development Software Review Development Develop 295

socalTECH

DECEMBER 20, 2017

At productboard we aim to bake best practices of product management straight into the interface, so you can improve the way you manage your products right out of the box. In the meantime, we’ll continue publishing thoughts and ideas we’ve learned from great product managers here. Why is product management hard?

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Metrics Ideas Product 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2023

Entrepreneurs need to be effective team leaders, since no one can transform an idea into a product and a business without some help. Unfortunately many founders I work with as a mentor are experts on the technical side, but have no insight into leading a team. Have monthly reviews with each team member. Marty Zwilling

Technical Review 127

Technical Review Development Team Review Startup Activity 127

InfoChachkie

APRIL 21, 2011

Part I of this series describes the 360-review that I conducted at a growing, dynamic SaaS business which has recently graduated from the startup stage and entered the early-growth phase. One of the most compelling conclusions I drew from the reviews is that both Founders need delegate more of their day-to-day tasks.

Technical Review 182

Technical Review Software Review Startup Outsource 182

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2015

Most entrepreneurs I meet are reluctant to disclose anything about their idea to investors before getting a signed confidential disclosure agreement (CDA). Professional investors and advisors, on the other hand, usually refuse to sign these agreements today due to the risk of litigation and administrative workload, and will walk away.

Ideas 106

Ideas Technical Review Patents Entrepreneur 106

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 27, 2016

There is an old saying in the startup investor community, “Smart investors invest in the team, not the idea.” As an angel investor, I’ve learned to believe in this approach, since I have seen great ideas go astray, due to poor execution and I have seen apparently marginal ideas make millions, managed by a savvy entrepreneur.

Ideas 53

Ideas Technical Review Entrepreneur Advertising 53

Tech.Co

JANUARY 3, 2020

However, as a business owner, you know that resting on your laurels can be dangerous, which is why staying up to date with the latest business technology is a necessity. And if you aren't making good use of this business tech, you're missing out. Assuming you aren't an expert, the idea of designing a website can seem pretty scary.

Technical Review 91

Technical Review Software Review Social Media Platform 91

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 7, 2016

Every startup begins with an idea, but from that point forward, it’s all about execution. Founders soon learn that customers only spend real money for solutions rather than ideas. Investors have also learned not to invest in ideas but only in entrepreneurs and teams who can deliver solutions. billion in 2015.

Ideas 59

Ideas Technical Review Google Startup 59

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

Since its 2017 inception, SpotOn has been focused on providing software and payments technology to SMBs with an emphasis on restaurants and retail businesses. SpotOn will now have over 500 employees on its product and technology team, according to co-founder and co-CEO Zach Hyman.

Technical Review 296

Technical Review Software Review Invest Acquisition 296

InfoChachkie

MAY 7, 2012

Ideas are infinite, and in the absence of competent execution, they are worth nothing. Thus, if both ideas and money are abundant, what is the scarce constraint in the fundraising equation? Skilled entrepreneurs bring ideas and money together by building a bridge of trust. Think Stewardship. The same precept holds true today.

Ideas 251

Ideas Venture Capital Education Entrepreneur 251

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2021

When someone introduces me to an “idea person,” I automatically jump to the down-side conclusion that this person doesn’t do follow-up. Of course there are people who are great at getting things done, but haven’t had an original idea in their life. Product development. So which is the most important, the idea or the follow-up?

Activity 133

Activity Startup Ideas Technical Review 133

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2020

Entrepreneurs need to be effective team leaders, since no one can transform an idea into a product and a business without some help. Unfortunately many founders I work with as a mentor are experts on the technical side, but have no insight into leading a team. Have monthly reviews with each team member.

Technical Review 130

Technical Review Startup Development Team Review Activity 130

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2021

Too many entrepreneurs I know start by highlighting their new technology , and assume that it will sell itself. Unfortunately, technology doesn’t create a vision, and usually frightens customers away, unless they understand the vision and value first. Show results with a minimal viable product (MVP).

Technical Review 133

Technical Review Satisfaction Metrics Startup 133

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 5, 2014

The press around the raise & company was fantastic and the promise of their technology – wireless charging that works as easily as WiFi – would positively affect many of our lives. uBeam’s tech does work and I have safely seen it demo’d in the real life many times. Now they are partners.

Technical Review 417

Technical Review Startup Software Review Course 417

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

When Fred Wilson funded Twitter I guarantee you it wasn’t obvious that it was a billion dollar idea. When the early teams: angels, lowercase capital & first round capital funded Uber they had no idea it would be one of the most revolutionary ideas of our time. Far from it. It was an early and smart bet.

Funding 362

Funding Technical Review Ideas Startup 362

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2013

When someone introduces me to an “idea person,” I automatically jump to the down-side conclusion that this person doesn’t do follow-up. Of course there are people who are great at getting things done, but haven’t had an original idea in their life. Product development. So which is the most important, the idea or the follow-up?

Ideas 110

Ideas Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review 110

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 22, 2021

You see, investors invest in people, before they invest in ideas or products. Since they don’t know you (yet), their first integrity check on you as a person is whether your friends and family believe in you strongly enough to give you seed money for your new idea. Be passionate about the idea. Nobody likes a downer.

Invest 135

Invest Technical Review Startup Ideas 135

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2022

Moore titled “ Crossing the Chasm ,” but most entrepreneurs have no idea how it relates to them. In fact, it’s all about the “focus” required to get early stage technology products across the deadly chasm from early adopters to mainstream customers. Product development chasm. Marketing costs can be a deep hole.

Startup 150

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 150

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

And yet, such relationships properly used and never overused, can quickly and precisely help you cut through delays in government agencies, speed the process of product planning and ultimate release, aid in positioning in the market and help you avoid a myriad of mistakes that could prove costly in time and money.

Class 194

Class Organization Technical Review Activity 194

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 26, 2022

With social media and smart phone apps, real product information spreads at astounding speeds. If you as an entrepreneur are not “listening” to your online reviews, and not moving quickly to make changes, you are losing ground. An agile business doesn’t wait for their current product line to fail, before planning some enhancements.

Technical Review 151

Technical Review Organization Social Media Entrepreneur 151

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

Almost every entrepreneur and new business owner I mentor is certain that his/her idea has a very high probability of success, and all find it hard to believe that ninety percent of startups ultimately fail. Bill Gates was the technical genius, but Steve Ballmer, from Procter & Gamble, ran the business side of the equation.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 25, 2021

Partially due to the pandemic, but also due to longer, healthier lives and changes in job tenure, Boomers are now expected to stay in the labor force longer, and according to projections , could actually dominate the labor market by 2024. In terms of job creation, innovation, and productivity, entrepreneurs drive growth.

Technical Review 126

Technical Review Technical Support Entrepreneur Startup 126

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2014

You can have the best technology, but if customers don’t know you exist, or they don’t know how your technology solves a real problem for them, your startup will fail. Yet I see many technology entrepreneurs that focus on the basics of marketing too little and too late. Marketing is everything these days. Marty Zwilling.

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Tips Marketing Entrepreneur 103

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 6, 2014

Today, there are many companies competing for innovation in the field of wearable tech. Not only can wearable technology make our lives easier, but it can also help to make the lives of many with illnesses or disabilities more comfortable and productive. Google Glass is one of the most famous examples of wearable Tech.

Technical Review 88

Technical Review Technology Software Review Google 88

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2017

Entrepreneurs are people who dream up new ideas, and then commercialize them into new businesses. Most people believe that the hard part is coming up with the idea, and the easy part is turning it into a business. Most experts agree that a great team is more important than a great product.

Ideas 72

Ideas Startup Metrics Entrepreneur 72

socalTECH

AUGUST 1, 2014

We spoke with George Collado , CEO and founder of the company, to hear about how his own battles trying to manage a number of restaurants was the genesis of the company''s product. It''s too cumbersome, and most of the products are 360 reviews, corporate management type products, which are too expensive.

Help 223

Help Hermosa Beach Technical Review Redondo Beach 223

Tech.Co

MARCH 8, 2018

Fortunately, for those headed to SXSW, Startup Night SXSW 2018 , presented by the Kauffman Foundation and TechCo, will be filled with investors from a multitude of industries who are looking to discover and fund startups building the latest solutions and tech innovations. Blackwell, iTech Program Executive & OCT Innovation Liaison, NASA.

Technical Review 70

Technical Review Startup Software Review Entrepreneur 70

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

I have often thought that creative endeavors where one has a quick turn-around between idea and realization of one’s work as one of the more fulfilling experiences in life. In those years I learned to properly build product, price products, sell products and serve customers. There was no money train. It was 1991.

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 12, 2022

In this world of constant change, new technologies, and a thousand cultures, it’s evident and somehow comforting to me that the basic rules for business prosperity really haven’t changed in the last hundred years. Business success is still more about the people than the technology or idea involved. Master-mind alliance.

Technical Review 119

Technical Review Ideas Entrepreneur Customer 119

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 29, 2009

so compelling (other than the fact that the CEO Sean Rad is a great young technology leader and his advisers – Brian Norgard , Dan Gould and Evan Rifkin - are some of the guys I respect most in the LA tech market.). Wordpress), video (YouTube), pictures (Flickr), review sites (Yelp) and collaborative content (Wikipedia).

Ideas 286

Ideas Advertising Google Technical Review 286

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. Other patterns VCs look for include: Technical Guru with great ideas, but no management experience. Hairy Pattern Matching.

Technical Review 244

Technical Review Startup Venture Capital RSS 244

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2023

These should come as no surprise to you, since they haven’t changed in many decades, and I expect will serve you well in the current turbulent times we all face: Spend time nurturing productive work relationships. I have seen too many careers and businesses fail due to projects that went off the rails. Find what works for you.

Startup 121

Startup Satisfaction Technical Review Ideas 121

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Neither breakthrough technology nor maximum features will assure that “if we build it, they will come.” Nail the solution.

Technical Review 143

Technical Review Customer Custom Entrepreneur 143

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2022

I still have to tell some entrepreneurs that even with the best idea, they have to move to Silicon Valley to find the investors they need, or they need to move to the U.S. On the other hand, if you are into solar technologies, there is probably an advantage to being in Arizona or a similar location. Personal relationships do count.

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Oracle Software Review Ideas 123

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

Many product innovations come from quality improvement focuses, like the Japanese Kaizen initiative. Some innovations are clearly implementations of visionary ideas, but anyone at the operational level can think outside the box, individually or as a team, to suggest and implement innovations. Innovations come from people, not culture.

Organization 94

Organization Ideas Technical Review Research 94