SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 13, 2013

Once you build it, they will now ask you about the key metrics that they need proven in order to see if you really are a good investment. The real reason to build an MVP is to do early tests of key Startup Metrics for the business. " Once you have the metrics defined, it focuses your effort. To prove/disprove a hypothesis.

Technical Review 338

Technical Review CTO Hire CTO Coach Software Review 338

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. When sales fall off, you need to dig deep for the “why,” rather than just assuming the price needs to go down.

Marketing 162

Marketing Social Media Metrics Custom 162

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.

Startup 401

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 401

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 2, 2010

This is part of a series on sales & marketing. Some objections are real and they end up becoming changes to your product, your service plan or your pricing / bundling. Prices are too high – Inexperienced sales reps will try to convince you they need to lower price to win deals.

Sales 289

Sales Startup Training Pricing 289

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 6, 2010

And they’re easy to remember because they all begin with an M: management, market, money and above all else momentum. That might work for $50-100k but less likely for $3m unless you’re a seasoned entrepreneur, known to the VC, have some metrics that work in your favor or have built something the VC believes to be truly unique.

Startup 360

Startup Venture Capital Invest Slides 360

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

We need venture debt, factoring companies and public markets. Price creep hurts investors. But it also hurts entrepreneurs – Mike asked people about what they were doing to keep prices down. There is no way for people to keep prices down – it’s a competitive market. We all know that.

Venture Capital 308

Venture Capital Training Startup Entrepreneur 308

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 Customer Custom Outsource Development 133

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

What sized team can I afford in order to sell, market & provide service to these customers? In the case of MakeSpace we had huge initial successes in New York City as Rahul led the scaling of our drivers, our trucks and our warehouses and we figured out the right price points to beat the local competition.

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Custom Customer 286

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 23, 2012

There are obvious reasons the industry has had less-than-desirable returns, including: massive over-funding of the sector, huge increases in inexperienced venture capitalists that took a decade to peter out, and the massive correction in the value of the public stock markets that closed many exit opportunities for half a decade.

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Capital Technical Review Startup 347

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 16, 2013

The minute you try to monetize now they have metrics with which to beat you up and say you’re business has limitations.” Delaying going out of business gives you way more chances at product / market fit than any other strategy I know of. In your market conditions knowing what I know I would tend to go for it.

Venture Capital 412

Venture Capital Startup Funding Snapchat 412

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2016

I spend hours thinking about the products, competitors, market opportunities, recruiting and financing of these businesses. How else can I begin this multi-year journey if I’m not in love? Maybe some people can be dispassionate financial investors. I feel personally committed and engaged. Early stage.

Invest 254

Invest Writing Pricing Metrics 254

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

JANUARY 22, 2021

Proof of any business model starts with a finished product or solution, sold to a new customer for full price, with high satisfaction for the value received. Here are some basic principles from my own experience that will improve your odds and keep you on the right track: Recognize that you are not the market.

Sales 165

Sales Customer Custom Social Media 165

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 27, 2019

Often board members themselves don’t do the work to say “what metrics would we like to see.” Any great board member should tell you, “please don’t create any performance metrics or materials that analyze the business that you’re not already creating for your own management’s use.” Sometimes they don’t even know.

Startup 226

Startup Slides Metrics News 226

SoCal CTO

MARCH 9, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. Early Stage Marketing and Branding – Farida Fotouh. Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO?

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Invest CTO Coach Southern California 150

SoCal CTO

MARCH 20, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. Early Stage Marketing and Branding – Farida Fotouh. Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO?

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Guide CTO Coach Southern California 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 22, 2016

That should make you wonder - how do you measure traction in a metric? While thinking about the parameters of traction, and how to measure it, I was impressed with a new book, “ Scaling Lean: Mastering the Key Metrics for Startup Growth ” by Ash Maurya, a serial entrepreneur, and creator of the one-page business modelling tool Lean Canvas.

Metrics 57

Metrics Funding Startup Customer 57

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 23, 2021

As a consumer, I rarely pay attention to your marketing pitch, but I certainly always remember a exceptionally positive total experience with your team, based on a memorable set of interactions from first contact to discussions with friends. Incentives should be a combination of metrics and recognition to highlight results.

Customer 147

Customer Custom Technical Review Metrics 147

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2010

He eventually applied his lessons learned in these experiences when he founded Zag, a company that helps consumers buy cars over the Internet at pre-negotiated prices with nearly 4,000 dealers across the country [disclosure: my firm GRP Partners is an investor in Zag]. It’s awesome. The deals we quickly went through are: 1. Foursquare.

Zag 248

Zag Truecar Venture Capital CarsDirect 248

SoCal CTO

MARCH 20, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. Early Stage Marketing and Branding – Farida Fotouh. Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO?

CTO Coach 150

CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire Social Media 150

SoCal CTO

MARCH 5, 2007

One of his companies - Gluecode - was sold to IBM for a pretty good price. Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. Early Stage Marketing and Branding – Farida Fotouh. Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles.

Southern California 150

Southern California CTO Coach CTO Hire Social Media 150

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

For a new business, you can provide unique ingredients, but the preparation steps in your business plan must follow a tried and true recipe for startup success: Identify a market with a real need. You need a good cook, good marketing, and first-class service. investors invest in people, not ideas) Effective and timely go-to-market.

Startup 156

Startup Coach Metrics Marketing 156

socalTECH

JUNE 13, 2011

Our marketplace is organized like a used item marketplace, like Amazon or eBay, or Craiglist, in that a seller lists an item, picks a cause, and sets a price. Obviously, once we're comfortable with that, the big challenge is marketing KarmaGoat. Before we were up, we started a buzz marketing campaign at UCLA on the theme of goats.

UCLA 256

UCLA Startup Ideas Help 256

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 17, 2022

I found some good lessons in this regard in a classic book, “ Becoming Facebook ,” by Mike Hoefflinger, the former Head of Global Business Marketing at Facebook. Too many choices confuse all customers, and make your job in marketing, distribution, and support much more difficult. Pick a single metric that is the focus for all growth.

Startup 144

Startup Social Media Metrics Customer 144

socalTECH

MARCH 21, 2016

Santa Monica-based TrueCar has begun ranking vehicles, based on how well their values hold up in the pre-owned vehicle market, through an annual "TrueCare Pre-Owned Value Awards" program, the company said over the weekend.

Truecar 100

Truecar Santa Monica Metrics Pricing 100

SoCal CTO

MARCH 20, 2007

Whats interesting is that Ive been seeing opportunities to use social marketing for businesses that typically target Time Poor audiences. I also read - The Difference Between Apple and Microsoft Marketing that tells us: Apples marketing is designed for Time Poor buyers, while Microsofts is designed for Time Rich buyers.

CTO Coach 150

CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire Social Media 150

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

Traction is evidence that your product or service has started that “hockey- stick” adoption rate which implies a large market, a valid business model, and sustainable growth. Market penetration. Investors want evidence that the “dogs are eating the dog food,” and your financial projections are not just a dream.

Startup 121

Startup Metrics Customer Custom 121

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 17, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. Early Stage Marketing and Branding – Farida Fotouh. Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO?

Blogging 150

Blogging CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire 150

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 25, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. Early Stage Marketing and Branding – Farida Fotouh. Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO?

CTO Coach 150

CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire Startup 150

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 28, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. Early Stage Marketing and Branding – Farida Fotouh. Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO?

Google 150

Google Mobile CTO Coach Southern California 150

SoCal CTO

MARCH 1, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. Early Stage Marketing and Branding – Farida Fotouh. Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO?

Networking 150

Networking CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

Fight the urge do more things, to attract more customers in a broader market. In reality, too many choices actually dilutes customer interest in your existing market, and makes your job of production, marketing, and support much more complex. The company has since gone public, and is still a market leader.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 7, 2011

I finally realized that there is nobody specifically speaking to women in the automotive world, either editorially, or frankly, even on the marketing side. Marketing departments tend to be headed by men, and face it, men have been trying to figure out women since Adam and Eve. We're tough to figure out. How did you manage that?

Truecar 204

Truecar Writing Edmunds Sites 204

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 17, 2007

When I recently was looking to find people who had experience with using social networks to reach people for what might be considered guerilla marketing efforts, again LinkedIn worked great. Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -.

CTO Coach 150

CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire Social Media 150

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 25, 2007

As I look at more and more start-ups predicated on viral growth, and at the use of social marketing, its becoming simultaneously easier to understand some aspects of viral growth and still a gap in understanding whats going to be that "hook" that will grab people at the end of the day. Early Stage Marketing and Branding – Farida Fotouh.

CTO Coach 150

CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire Social Media 150

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 27, 2007

One of the things that Greg Forgatch (the original CEO) should be credited with was testing many different marketing approaches until he found the ones that worked. Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. Early Stage Marketing and Branding – Farida Fotouh.

eHarmony 150

eHarmony CTO Coach CTO Hire Southern California 150

SoCal CTO

MARCH 12, 2007

Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. Early Stage Marketing and Branding – Farida Fotouh. Marketing, Startups and Networking in Los Angeles. ► February (2) CTO Founders / Cofounders Part-Time Startup CTO?

MyShape 150

MyShape CTO Coach Southern California CTO Hire 150