Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

I come from a high-tech software background, and only a few years ago, it would cost at least a million dollars ($1M) for a team of professionals to produce any commercial software product. Now, with open source software components, and low-cost development tools, the same job can be done by one good hacker for a few thousand dollars.

Entrepreneur 235

Entrepreneur Burn Rate SEM Social Network 235

www.reincubate.com

FEBRUARY 1, 2010

Start-ups often hire at one extreme -- closer to a Lead Developer or VP of Engineering -- whereas corporates may focus on their CIO, which is potentially quite a different role. We think the most important principle is that the CTO is the go-to point for all technology in the business. Firstly, theres no one-size-fits-all description.

Fractional CTO 40

Fractional CTO CTO Technical Review CTO Hire 40

Gust

JUNE 10, 2012

I come from a high-tech software background, and only a few years ago, it would cost at least a million dollars ($1M) for a team of professionals to produce any commercial software product. Now, with open source software components, and low-cost development tools, the same job can be done by one good hacker for a few thousand dollars.

Cost 139

Cost Burn Rate SEM Startup 139

Steve Blank

DECEMBER 7, 2010

I’ve introduced a new class at Stanford to teach engineers, scientists and other professionals how startups really get built. Many entrepreneurship courses focus on teaching students “how to write a business plan.” Their company can focus in any area– software, hardware, medical device or a service of any kind.

Wiki 311

Wiki Lean Management Business Model 311

www.forentrepreneurs.com

FEBRUARY 2, 2010

When it does happen, the associated businesses are usually extremely attractive, provided they have a way to monetize their customers. Far more common is a need to acquire customers through a series of steps like SEO, SEM, PR, Social Marketing, direct sales, channel sales, etc. that will cost the company significant amounts of money.

Acquisition 103

Acquisition Cost Customer Entrepreneur 103

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2010

I come from a high-tech software background, and only a few years ago, it would cost at least a million dollars ($1M) for a team of professionals to produce any commercial software product. Now, with open source software components, and low-cost development tools, the same job can be done by one good hacker for a few thousand dollars.

Burn Rate 125

Burn Rate SEM Social Network Angel Investor 125

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 8, 2008

It felt like software that grownups were supposed to use, and we didnt qualify. It cost us a few hundred thousand dollars to get our app up and running, but none of that was dollars spent on software licenses or professional services. I dont really remember why it didnt work. It wouldnt boot. It would boot and crash. yeah, its awesome.

San Francisco 68

San Francisco Technology Continuous Deployment Lean 68

Startup Lessons Learned

MARCH 13, 2009

In some businesses, especially in certain industries like traditional enterprise software, you simply cannot bring a new product to market on your own. Figuring this out takes time, and few entrepreneurs have the patience to wait it out, because the business plan does such a good job of explaining what customers are going to think.

San Francisco 168

San Francisco PR Lean Early Stage 168

www.cscyphers.com

MARCH 8, 2012

It used to be that a techie needed a business person to get a business plan together and then use that to raise money. Not only are there rafts and rafts of books to help someone cobble together a rudimentary business plan, any quality VC values execution over ideas. And… what else?”).

Cofounder 40

Cofounder Technical Review Founder Software Review 40