Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2011

Good implementation requires a plan, and a good plan and good operational decisions come from good people. People and operational excellence have to converge in every business, large or small. I found a good summary of the relevant keys to business operational excellence in a new book by Faisal Hoque, called “ The Power of Convergence.”

Architecture 250

Architecture Startup Operations Metrics 250

Feld Thoughts

MARCH 12, 2014

We learned this dynamic in the early 2000’s with our investment in ServiceMagic. We loved the two founders, Michael Beaudoin and Rodney Rice, but knew very little about marketplace businesses or the home improvement category. Before ignoring vanity metrics became trendy, ServiceMagic ignored them.

Seattle 149

Seattle Metrics Cofounder Finance 149

500hats.com

AUGUST 2, 2012

While a flood of new VCs came into existence during the late 90’s internet boom, many had difficulty raising new funds after the crashes of 2000-2001 and 2008 , and as a result significantly fewer fund managers exist now compared to a decade ago. In the past ten years there have been several dramatic changes in venture capital.

Silicon Valley 74

Silicon Valley Early Stage Venture Capital Valuation 74

The Equity Kicker

FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Startup founders should expect that it will take seven or more years to exit their company. If I think back over the sixteen years I’ve been investing in startups the market for private company investing was tough from 2000-2004, from 2008-2011 and is getting tough again now.

Startup 60

Startup Metrics Valuation Operations 60

ConversionXL

MARCH 19, 2020

The HBR study contrasts Office Depot and Staples during the 2000 recession: Office Depot cut 6% of its workforce, but it couldn’t reduce operating costs significantly. At the same time, the company contained its operating costs and came out of the recession stronger, bigger, and more profitable than it had been in 1999.

Marketing 121

Marketing Campaign Non-Compete Lean 121

Seeing Both Sides

JULY 11, 2013

Before this occurs, the sales process is a craft or an art - custom-made by the founder or evangelist sales VP. To that point, a well-run telesales operation will be super metrics-driven. The best sales VPs of telesales operations are more like accountants than charismatic salespeople. 3) Developer Driven Sales.

Sales 50

Sales Technical Review Software Review B2B 50

www.joelonsoftware.com

MARCH 24, 2010

Wanted: High Frequency Performance Operations Specialist at Two Sigma Investments (New York, New York United States). Joel on Software Fog Creek Compensation by Joel Spolsky Wednesday, August 30, 2000 At Fog Creek Software, the way we make sure that people are paid fairly and rewarded for excellent work is based on a professional ladder.

Software Review 48

Software Review Stock Options Salary Technical Review 48

David Teten

AUGUST 7, 2019

Likely signs of a Value investment: the company has challenges in filling out the round; the investors have more negotiating leverage than the founders during the closing process; the company has significantly better metrics (e.g. LTV / CAC, revenue growth, etc.) Requires less analysis. But VC is historically and consistently cyclical.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Valuation Stock NDA 60

Duct Tape Marketing

APRIL 30, 2019

He is the founder of Dooley Direct. They may not even realize that their shopping cart is hard to operate. And there’s a lot of work that’s been done on work and motivation and having that work directed in a productive creative way is one key metric. This is John Jantsch and my guest today is Roger Dooley.

Revenue 58

Revenue SEO Texas Minnesota 58

ConversionXL

MAY 16, 2018

Know the difference between leading and lagging metrics. While it’s always necessary to keep track of lagging indicators to evaluate ongoing performance, as marketers we want to understand what causes those metrics to move either up or down. As you can see, leading metrics differ wildly depending on the brand and industry.

Marketing 133

Marketing Metrics Programming Design 133

www.joelonsoftware.com

JULY 10, 2012

That means on the average day you have 150 metric tons of wheat flour in stock. Operating systems, or anything where software has to be installed by every user, is usually batched up. I’m Joel Spolsky , co-founder of Fog Creek Software , a New York company that proves that. I’m also the co-founder of Stack Overflow.

Software Review 85

Software Review Software Database New York City 85

Duct Tape Marketing

APRIL 27, 2022

John also spent several years at The New York Times Company at NYTimes.com running strategy, marketing, and operations. He also spent a number of years at the New York times company at NYT, I guess it's NY times dot com, running strategy, marketing, and operations. There is a founder called Priscilla side. I have an example.

Community 69

Community New York Small Business New York City 69

Seeing Both Sides

AUGUST 16, 2012

Founded in 2000 by Stephen Kaufer and Langley Steinert, Boston-based TripAdvisor is a travel website that provides reviews and other information for consumers about travel destinations around the world. Big Data meets travel…in 2000. Magical, really. TripAdvisor’s History: Two Big Pivots.

Part-Time VPE 54

Part-Time VPE Software Review Costa Rica Technical Review 54

Startup Lessons Learned

JUNE 9, 2020

I've known Brian Chesky, Co-Founder, CEO and Head of Community at Airbnb for a long time. One by one the markets in which you operate shut down. People, not just metrics. I think every founder, every CEO, every leader, could learn something, could take heart from Brian's example and I hope they will. I hope you will.

Silicon Valley 60

Silicon Valley Hosting Cofounder Employee 60

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

The US is headed to be a second rate or third rate power if policy isn't changed to permit new and ground breaking applications to operate in large networks. Since 2000 we have passed a number of laws and regulations that are killing innovation in the US. All three of the pillars have been under attack since 2000.

DC 90

DC Washington San Francisco SBIR 90

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 12, 2010

Mo was graduated from Wharton, worked in investment banking, spent 6 years at IAC (including in an operational role for Connected Ventures which includes College Humor, Busted T’s and Vimeo) before joining Spark Capital in 2008. Company grew by more than “400% each year” for past few years [assume growth metric = revenues].

Venture Capital 217

Venture Capital Los Angeles Oakland Asia 217

YoungUpstarts

MAY 7, 2019

These metrics show the progress you’re making to determine if you are on or off track. Reach $125 billion in sales by 2000.” I realized we were really taking off once we opened operations in the New York City and Long Island markets. Josh Cohen is the CEO and founder of Junkluggers. But not all goal setting is equal. .

Connecticut 180

Connecticut New York City New York Australia 180

VC Cafe

JANUARY 16, 2011

i-nigma was successfully deployed by hundreds of enterprises, among them operators, advertisers, integrators and solution providers. This highest quality of the traffic information, never achieved before, together with the perfect applications generate significant revenues for the operator and maintain customers’ loyalty.

Mobile 103

Mobile Securities and Exchange Commission Flash IP 103

SoCal CTO

AUGUST 3, 2010

Though this was 2000 , and all startup & VC blogs we've grown to love didn't exist yet, I did have mentors available. Startup Culture Lessons From Mad Men - OnStartups , July 26, 2010 The following is a guest post by Brian Halligan who is my co-founder and CEO at HubSpot (which means he gets to do most of the really hard work).

Software Review 217

Software Review Startup Venture Capital Technical Review 217