A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

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How should a startup founder value her time?

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

Almost no startup founder values her time properly. Sign up for AppSumo 's daily deals specifically for web geeks & entrepreneurs. Consultants know exactly what their time is worth: their hourly rate. As they say, it’s how much “the market will bear.” It means you should obsess about doubling your productivity.

Founder 291
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Yes, but who said they'd actually BUY the damn thing?

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

By definition, if you're a startup founder you're explicitly not your customer. founder Blogger & Twitter. "If Repeat after me: You are not your customer." — Eric Ries , Lean Startup leader (repeating a conversation with a startup founder). It's the spark of inspiration, not the strategy.

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Special Edition: Smart Bear Live!

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

It’s “ Loveline for startups ,&# where entrepreneurs get to ask any question about their startup and have me and a rotating co-host tackle the problem and devise constructive next-actions. ServerBeach , the entrepreneur-friendly, affordable hosting company, for buying everyone pizza. I finally started Smart Bear Live.

Cofounder 226
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Startup identity & the sadness of a successful exit

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

” Almost all startup founders experience a deep and prolonged sadness after selling their company , even when the sale is an outrageous success. The answer is important and fundamental for all startup founders, whether or not they ever intend to sell their company. A startup is the founder’s personal identity.

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Refutation: An acquisition is always a failure

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

” He explains: Either the founders failed to achieve their goal, or – far likelier – they failed to dream big enough. The proper ambition for a tech entrepreneur should be to join the ranks of the great tech companies, or, at least, to create a profitable, independent company beloved by employees, customers, and shareholders.

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10 things I’ve never heard a successful startup founder say

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

Sign up for AppSumo 's daily deals specifically for web geeks & entrepreneurs. I wish I had spent more time reading and weighing the pros and cons of various philosophies instead of just jumping in and doing what I thought was morally and financially sensible. Let’s collect more in the comments !

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If you build it, they won't come, unless.

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

Ask a technical founder about his startup, and he'll proudly describe his stunning software — simple, compelling, useful, fun. Four uncomfortable seconds later, a smile breaks across the founder's face. This is Part 5 of the 5-part series: 5 lessons from 150 startup pitches. Frightening honesty. Making Oprah cry.