Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 23, 2021

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. Incentives should be a combination of metrics and recognition to highlight results. Provide training, tools, and required decision authority.

Customer 147

Customer Custom Technical Review Metrics 147

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2012

A closer analysis often indicates the cause to be a lack of diligence in handling common business finances. A required metric is average days to payment compared to expected. If you fail to pay a cash obligation when it is due, the business is technically insolvent. This difference will kill your profit margin.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Startup Entrepreneur Summary 109

Berkonomics

AUGUST 15, 2013

And with the rise of modern technology-driven businesses, the same is true of management in the business world. You should consider creating such a dashboard, or reviewing the one you use if already driving with one at hand. Earliest warning metrics: What good is information if you can’t act upon it in a timely manner?

Metrics 184

Metrics Software Review Technical Review Statistics 184

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

New entrepreneurs, especially technical ones, are excited by early adopters, and tend to focus on their feedback, which will always suggest more product features and options. It’s important to define your growth strategy, document it, communicate it to your team, and align metrics and employee rewards to target goals.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Technical Advisors Startup Mentor 160

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2013

A closer analysis often indicates the cause to be a lack of diligence in handling common business finances. A required metric is average days to payment compared to expectations. If you fail to pay a cash obligation when it is due, the business is technically insolvent. This difference will kill your profit margin.

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Entrepreneur Summary Pricing 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2013

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Young entrepreneurs and startups, in particular, often remain naively unfocused, despite their passion, of what it takes to provide the high-quality service expected. Train and coach continuously.

Customer 92

Customer Custom Startup Services 92

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Young entrepreneurs and startups, in particular, often remain naively unfocused, despite their passion, of what it takes to provide the high-quality service expected. Train and coach continuously.

Competition 99

Competition Services Startup Training 99

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Nearly every successful tech startup I’ve observed over the past 20 years has gone through a similar growth pattern: Innovate, systematize then scale operations. How profitable is my product or service? What sized team can I afford in order to sell, market & provide service to these customers? Seriously, this happens.

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

I review these tenets with my entrepreneurial students at UC Santa Barbara at the beginning of each quarter to reinforce many of the key topics we will cover in the following weeks. But we do it anyway, because we believe that the short-term metrics probably aren’t indicative of the long term.”. Don’t Chase The Quick Buck.

Tips 279

Tips Startup Framework Customer 279

Berkonomics

JULY 9, 2020

And with the rise of modern technology-driven businesses, the same is true of management in the business world. You should consider creating such a dashboard or reviewing the one you use if already driving with one at hand. Find metrics that will be “leading indicators” of trouble to come. Managers need real time information.

Metrics 156

Metrics Software Review Technical Review Statistics 156

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

If you are the hot-shot technical innovator that invented your solution, make sure you have an equally adept business and marketing expert to complement your skills. “If 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

JANUARY 8, 2021

Most leaders agree that poor customer service is a business killer today, in terms of lost customers, reduced profits, and low morale. Young entrepreneurs and startups, in particular, often remain naively unfocused, despite their passion, of what it takes to provide the high-quality service expected. Train and coach continuously.

Startup 154

Startup Training Customer Custom 154

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

Even a million users on your social media site won’t pay the bills until you sell some advertising or a premium service. In my experience, even in startups, longer-term strategy often gets pushed off the agenda due to current challenges. Hone your process for due diligence and integrating these new elements.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 13, 2013

Matt Lucido wanted to help with everyone’s daily life by creating a service app called Porter. Porter is a service app that provides daily services to your door, hassle-free. Services such as house cleaning, dry cleaning, wash & fold, and pet care. How did you find all the people to do all these services?

Technical Review 87

Technical Review Mobile Startup Los Angeles 87

SoCal CTO

MARCH 22, 2007

We have been using LinkedIn for both sourcing recruits and reviewing backgrounds for recruits. Technology Advisor Technology Roles in Startups Pricing Customer Acquisition Sunk Costs and More -. Technology Jobs in Southern California – a Rebound. Its been great to zero in on very specific skillsets.

Blogging 150

Blogging CTO Coach CTO Hire Southern California 150

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 3, 2016

Sets goals and milestones, with metrics to track progress. They define metrics for each goal, and diligently track themselves against these metrics. I still hear too much focus on disruptive technologies, making more money, and working less. Tie executive titles and organizations to business roles.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Metrics Ideas 106

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2018

If your phone app or service is free, then the number of users or downloads better be impressive and growing exponentially. Unfortunately, your personal assessment that you have traction probably won’t be convincing to potential investors and partners, so it’s important that you create and track your progress against some metrics.

Tips 79

Tips Metrics Technical Review Customer 79

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2020

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.

Entrepreneur 129

Entrepreneur Resource Metrics Customer 129

socalTECH

AUGUST 28, 2017

Unlike Yelp and listings sites that are focused on user-generated reviews or things like that, we're really a portfolio sharing site, and a tool of professionals. He introduced me to Wavemaker, also in LA, and also Halogen Ventures, which is led by Jessie Draper, which invests in women-run technology companies.

Technical Advisors 100

Technical Advisors Technical Review Metrics Startup 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2022

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.

Resource 121

Resource Metrics Entrepreneur Customer 121

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

According to a recent Harvard Business Review article , only 60% of companies today use social media for marketing, and only 12% of those feel that they are using it effectively. You need these to add the human element to your business or service. Define relevant metrics and measure. What’s the problem? Or are you too busy?

Social Media 115

Social Media Media Startup Social Network 115

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2023

Silicon Valley is focused on disrupting established industries, but in many parts of the world, innovators must create new sectors, such as education, health care, financial services, and energy. Even here, Elon Musk faced this issue with Tesla, needing a support ecosystem as well as new technology.

Capital 138

Capital Marketing Ideas Venture Capital 138

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.

Startup 115

Startup Resource Metrics Entrepreneur 115

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2014

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.

Startup 113

Startup Resource Metrics Entrepreneur 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2020

Silicon Valley is focused on disrupting established industries, but in many parts of the world, innovators must create new sectors, such as education, health care, financial services, and energy. Even here, Elon Musk faced this issue with Tesla, needing a support ecosystem as well as new technology.

Ideas 124

Ideas Venture Capital Software Review Technical Review 124

socalTECH

JUNE 11, 2018

For our interview this morning, we caught up with Scot Lawrie , the President and technical Co-founder of Los Angeles-based Coverfly (www.coverfly.com), and John Rhodes , Coverfly's head of Marketing and Business Development, to learn a bit more about the early stage, bootstrapped startup focused on Hollywood script writers. What is Coverfly?

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Hollywood Platform Competition 100

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 23, 2011

These metrics-application rely on our need to know our “value” and will only continue to perpetuate the dilution of online engagement. This is an open call to the people that use these services, or are simply indexed by them, to opt-out and delete your presence on Klout, Kred, PeerIndex and Empire Avenue. 02% from tweets.

Social Network 106

Social Network Metrics Technical Review Sites 106

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2019

With the advent of instant communication and social media, customer service starts at the first hint of interest by you, and never ends for repeat customers. For example, the days are gone when simply replacing a purchase or giving your money back was considered premium service. Technology enhances experience, not impedes it.

Customer 84

Customer Custom Company Companies 84

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2017

Not so long ago, every business assumed that the keys to success were the highest quality product, the best value for the buck, and the best customer service. Exploit your product and service differences. You must be able to highlight these differences between your products and services, and those of your competitors.

Customer 85

Customer Custom Product Marketing 85

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Thus, I’m more impressed with entrepreneurs who ask me to review their implementation plan, rather than listen again to their idea. Some dreams sound great, but may not yet be viable or proven with today’s technology. Make the product or service come alive. Reach out with creative videos to influencers in your domain.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

Too many entrepreneurs look for that one magic bullet -- an exciting new technology, perhaps, or their own determination to make the world a better place -- to override any shortcomings in their startup model. Product distribution or service delivery. Yet, magic bullets are not sufficient to assure business success.

Pricing 100

Pricing Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2019

For those of you who don’t have time to read the whole book, here is a sampling of a few key points that should get you thinking in the right direction, and maybe just keep you a step or two ahead of your big competitors: Add a platform that provides self-service growth. Institute deep metrics measuring all aspects of the customer experience.

Commerce 89

Commerce Artificial Inteligence Cloud Computing Platform 89

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 17, 2019

You are so engaged in building and selling your product or service, that you “don’t have time” to focus on strategy and the next round of changes for the business to survive and grow. Highlight your competitive value, not your technology. The result is a business plateau that hits you like a ton of bricks.

Technical Review 87

Technical Review Customer Custom Competition 87

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2016

Update your technology to reach new customer segments. Make sure you website is mobile-friendly, totally user-friendly, includes a blog and provides for customers review and feedback. Overhaul the buying and service experience. They are looking for online reviews and social-media recommendations from their friends.

Customer 55

Customer Custom Marketing Social Media 55

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 29, 2014

Freshplum , founded by Sam Odio, Michael Yuan and Nick Alexander, uses data science to help businesses that sell goods and services electronically increase their overall revenue while reducing their online promotion spend.

Sales 77

Sales Statistics IBM IBM 77

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2018

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.

Resource 64

Resource Metrics Entrepreneur Customer 64

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2016

According to many observers , we can thank or blame technology for these higher expectations, providing information at the speed of light, leading everyone to expect more. The days of pushing new and marginal performers into customer service are gone. Every job on your team drives your customer experience.

Customer 55

Customer Custom Startup Coach 55