View from Seed

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

Isaac Cambron is co-founder and CTO of Zensight.co , whose pre-launch product enables sales reps to find and use their best content to close more deals. Below, he answers questions about developing products from scratch, as well as the difficult technology choices and tradeoffs CTOs must make.

Technology 334

Technology Ruby Startup Engineer 334

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2015

"If we design a great product, investors will find us." Technologists forget that investors are buying a chunk of the business, not the product. Every solution needs a business team first who knows how to market, distribute and support the product. Business work should start only after the product is done."

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Startup Angel Investor Social Media 120

Up and Running

MARCH 24, 2021

Keeping track of this measurement and noting any positive or negative changes can help inform your return on investment for any marketing or sales campaigns. One of the best ways to start developing your market penetration strategy is using the Ansoff Matrix. Launch a new product or service.

Software Review 146

Software Review Marketing Forecast Campaign 146

The Startup Magazine

AUGUST 11, 2023

It is necessary to cover the early stages of product development, thorough market research, and other processes during the initial step. pexels A war chest is virtually always a competitive edge in all aspects that count, including employing key staff, public relations, marketing, and sales. Hence they will miss the finish line.

Seed Stage 119

Seed Stage Technical Review Early Stage Due Diligence 119

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

It wasn’t always perfect, but it was way more right than wrong, It informed our product development to a great degree and kept us working on more or less the right stuff. Being distributed/network ready (even though Ethernet was just barely coming into use in the enterprise). Back then he advocated for.

Technical Review 333

Technical Review Venture Capital Software Review Database 333

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2012

There are unknowns at every turn, leading product development, attracting customers, managing cash, and dealing with human resources and office politics. Too many startups simply follow the standard distribution channels, use standard pricing, and count on their one extra feature to give them the market.

Advisory Board 240

Advisory Board Forecast Early Stage Product Development 240

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2011

There are unknowns at every turn, leading product development, attracting customers, managing cash, and dealing with human resources and office politics. Too many startups simply follow the standard distribution channels, use standard pricing, and count on their one extra feature to give them the market.

Advisory Board 232

Advisory Board Startup Forecast Early Stage 232

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 9, 2020

Others do far too little, assuming the viral effect and word-of-mouth will soon kick in, and sales will suddenly grow exponentially. Continually add new marketing and distribution partners. Ask every employee to focus on sales. Aggressively enter new markets and sales channels. Real growth always requires real marketing.

Social Media 329

Social Media Metrics Viral Channel 329

Steve Blank

APRIL 23, 2018

When Sloan arrived at GM in 1920 he realized that the traditional centralized management structures organized by function (sales, manufacturing, distribution, and marketing) were a poor fit for managing GM’s diverse product lines. billion in sales in today’s dollars). Yet, you never hear who built GM to that size.

Michigan 268

Michigan Cofounder Stock Forecast 268

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2010

Whether your new software is ‘in the cloud,’ an online download, or distributed on a CD through various direct and indirect distribution channels, the process of localization is still a time consuming, manually intensive, and expensive effort. In addition this person should report, dotted line, to product development or engineering.

Software 200

Software Distribution Europe Database 200

Business Plan Blog

OCTOBER 4, 2013

While some investors will be willing to help you build your team, they will not be willing to invest in your startup if you are not willing to distribute responsibility and bring on diversified expertise. Rather, give titles such as VP of Engineering, Product/Technology, Sales, Marketing, Finance, etc.

Part-Time VPE 79

Part-Time VPE Fractional VPE Cofounder CTO Hire 79

Up and Running

JUNE 14, 2017

Some believe in the all-in approach to product development: build an advanced app. Then, about two weeks before launch, I distributed a survey to those 256 partners. Although Recycler Spotter was perceived as a great model for increasing awareness and sales, most partners decided to wait for the product launch.

Technical Review 96

Technical Review Distribution Redemption Demand 96

View from Seed

AUGUST 10, 2021

Here in 2021 startups operate in a more distributed fashion earlier in their lifecycle, a trend which preceded COVID but certainly was accelerated by the remote work environment for knowledge workers brought on by the pandemic.

Chicago 177

Chicago Miami Cofounder B2B 177

Growthink Blog

SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

And a boost toward a faster timeline and better probability of a business sale at an exciting price. Company Scenario #2: A company with a solid revenue base - say more than $5 million in sales - but competes in an industry not one of great, current interest to buyers / investors. A boost toward better financial results. Relationships.

Harvest 48

Harvest IP Software Review Forecast 48

View from Seed

AUGUST 10, 2021

Here in 2021 startups operate in a more distributed fashion earlier in their lifecycle, a trend which preceded COVID but certainly was accelerated by the remote work environment for knowledge workers brought on by the pandemic.

Chicago 156

Chicago Miami Cofounder B2B 156

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 2, 2009

The key contributors to an out-of-control burn rate is 1) hiring a sales force too early, 2) turning on the demand creation activities too early, 3) developing something other than the minimum feature set for first customer ship. The Customer Development process (and the Lean Startup) is one way to do that. Something else?

Lean 244

Lean Silicon Valley Startup RSS 244

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 8, 2009

Traction can simply mean showing that you’re making progress with customers, product development, channel partners, initial revenue as a proof point, attracting well-known angel investors, winning industry awards / recognition. They tell you they’re going to ship product and they do. They hire key staff. .&#

Technical Review 309

Technical Review Term Sheet Venture Capital Revenue 309

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 12, 2010

There are unknowns at every turn, leading product development, attracting customers, managing cash, and dealing with human resources and office politics. Too many startups simply follow the standard distribution channels, use standard pricing, and count on their one extra feature to give them the market.

Advisory Board 125

Advisory Board Startup Forecast Early Stage 125

View from Seed

AUGUST 10, 2021

Here in 2021 startups operate in a more distributed fashion earlier in their lifecycle, a trend which preceded COVID but certainly was accelerated by the remote work environment for knowledge workers brought on by the pandemic.

Chicago 136

Chicago Miami Cofounder B2B 136

Duct Tape Marketing

APRIL 6, 2022

Look, if you work in sales, wanna learn how to sell, and frankly who doesn't check out the sales podcast, where host Will Barron helps sales professionals learn how to find buyers and win big business ineffective and ethical ways. It's just not the same when you're distributed and talking remotely.

San Francisco 96

San Francisco Technical Review Incubator Silicon Valley 96

Berkonomics

JULY 13, 2023

Example tactics for one strategy: [Email readers, continue here…] Strategy Three: Expand into at least three new continents through new distribution channels. Assign our development manager to localize design and oversee the needed enhancements to our product and support materials for each new territory.

Asia 62

Asia America Distribution Channel 62

ConversionXL

MAY 1, 2017

Reporting in the Harvard Business Review on a major study of growth stalls they conducted, Olson and his colleagues cite the case of the iconic brand Levi Strauss, which hit a historic high mark of sales in 1995, reaching revenue of $7 billion, but then, starting in 1996, saw a decline in sales so precipitous that by 2000, revenue was down to $4.6

Technical Review 127

Technical Review Algorithm Channel Analytics 127

This is going to be BIG.

AUGUST 22, 2012

Let’s start out with the basic functions of a tech company: 1) Engineering 2) Marketing 3) Sales 4) Business development 5) PR 6) Design 7) Product Management 8) HR 9) Operations 10) Finance Ok, that's just overwhelming. Let’s take sales and business development. Ready to start simplifying?

PR 132

PR Technical Review Seed Stage Design 132

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 11, 2014

The Lockheed Skunk Works led by Kelly Johnson was responsible for its Advanced Development Projects – everything from the P-80 , the first U.S. Skunk works differed from advanced research groups in that they were more than just product development groups. jet fighter plane, to the U-2 and A-12 spy planes. Lessons Learned.

Channel 286

Channel Customer Development Distribution Restful 286

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 3, 2009

When they promise to help you with marketing, sales, distribution, integrated product development, etc. But the venture guys don’t make the calls on what the product / business guys do. Imagine your investor has to call the CEO of a $20 billion company for approval for your merger or sale.

Strategic Investors 279

Strategic Investors Venture Capital Due Diligence Early Stage 279

Hearpreneur

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022

Besides the general focus on customer and product development, an entrepreneur should foresee the next moves that will serve to guide him on the right path. Nufactur is a marketplace for industrial distribution so it is important to grow both the demand side, the users, and the supply side, the distributors.

Forecast 127

Forecast Artificial Inteligence Entrepreneur Technical Review 127

Steve Blank

JANUARY 21, 2010

The good news is this team found a business model, product/market fit and a repeatable sales model. What lies ahead, however, is a different set of challenges: finding the new set of mainstream customers on the other side of the chasm and managing the sales growth curve. What’s Next.

Agile 120

Agile Development Team Review Leadership Merger 120

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 4, 2021

It is relevant to and aligns the entire organization, e.g., sales, marketing, development, etc. It’s worth remembering that people buy products and services to get a “job” done. The goal of the market definition canvas is to help innovators uncover the job-to-be-done as perceived by the customer , not the product developer.

Customer 420

Customer Marketing Lean Vertical 420

Startup Lessons Learned

APRIL 14, 2009

Their product definition fluctuates wildly – one month, it’s a dessert topping, the next it’s a floor wax. Their product development team is hard at work on a next-generation product platform, which is designed to offer a new suite of products – but this effort is months behind schedule.

Customer 167

Customer San Francisco Lean Hockey Stick 167

Steve Blank

AUGUST 27, 2009

This series of posts is a brief explanation of how we’ve evolved from Product Development to Customer Development to the Lean Startup. The Product Development Diagram Emerging early in the twentieth century, this product-centric model described a process that evolved in manufacturing industries.

Silicon Valley 260

Silicon Valley Product Startup RSS 260

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 21, 2015

In the first 50 years of commerce in the then-new United States, most businesses were general merchants , buying and selling all types of products as exporters, wholesaler, importers, etc. and concentrated on a single part of the supply chain – importing, distribution, wholesale, retail.

Silicon Valley 120

Silicon Valley Venture Capital United States Technical Review 120

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

To do so, they’ll need smart logistics to fulfill the sales pipeline with the goods that retailers have ordered. The closer their nearest warehouse is to both a major US Postal Service distribution depot and the national parcel couriers, the quicker their Amazon Prime deliveries will be. Being Careful with New Product Creation.

Stock 113

Stock Distribution Matching Reputation 113

VC Cafe

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

Seth Rosenberg at Graylock published ‘ Product Led AI’ – pointing to opportunities for founders building AI-first companies. Undoubtedly, there will be detractors who believe many products are simply features on top of foundational models.

Generative AI 78

Generative AI ChatGPT Artificial Inteligence Cofounder 78

ConversionXL

MAY 27, 2022

Sales intelligence platform Cognism cut their lead generation efforts by 90% in 2021. In this article, you’ll learn how to build a demand generation funnel that fuels the pipeline, shortens the sale cycle, and generates revenue. an ebook); Then you blast them with sales messaging (e.g., email, ads, retargeting, etc.)

Demand 124

Demand B2B Distribution Channel 124

K9 Ventures

AUGUST 13, 2010

So the departments either didn’t have the capacity to pay or it would be an endless sales-cycle, where we would spend lots of time on the sales, but it still wouldn’t close. I tell these stories to lay the groundwork for what I am going to call Revenue Development. In a nutshell, Product Development is about building something.

Revenue 72

Revenue Developer Java Customer Development 72

Startup Lessons Learned

AUGUST 24, 2009

One is explaining the world as it used to work: the importance of gatekeepers, the scarcity implied by limited distribution, and the resulting quality bar that the industry is so proud of. Mostly it is the time and expense required to create the means of distribution for that industry. It’s just taking some longer than others.

San Francisco 113

San Francisco Lean Technical Review Distribution 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2016

Others do far too little, assuming the viral effect and word-of-mouth will soon kick in, and sales will suddenly grow exponentially. Continually add new marketing and distribution partners. Ask every employee to focus on sales. Aggressively enter new markets and sales channels. Real growth always requires real marketing.

Social Media 120

Social Media Metrics Viral Channel 120