Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2020

Every startup founder loves to prompt for questions from investors and potential key team members about their vision, and the huge opportunity that can be had with their disruptive technology. Most founders like to talk about their many months or years of sweat-equity , but cash invested is a stronger commitment. Marty Zwilling.

Technical Review 436

Technical Review Due Diligence Sweat Equity Burn Rate 436

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

Use social media for early marketing. Social media is not rocket science. This could equate to two technical founders (with a minimal salary), funding two developers for a year. Tackling most of the support tasks yourself. The timing of cash flow is everything.

Burn Rate 258

Burn Rate Hockey Stick Management Salary 258

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2023

Every startup founder loves to prompt for questions from investors and potential key team members about their vision, and the huge opportunity that can be had with their disruptive technology. Most founders like to talk about their many months or years of sweat-equity , but cash invested is a stronger commitment. Marty Zwilling

Sweat Equity 207

Sweat Equity Burn Rate Technical Review Intellectual Property 207

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

The Founder needs to remember that meetings up to this point have been primarily off-site, with staged demos, and managed personally by the CEO or a small team. Make sure everyone accurately posts their role with your startup on social media profiles, resumes, and references. My best advice is to stick to the middle ground.

Technical Review 296

Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Bankruptcy 296

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2020

Use social media for early marketing. Social media is not rocket science. This could equate to two technical founders (with a minimal salary), funding two developers for a year. Tackling most of the support tasks yourself. The timing of cash flow is everything.

Burn Rate 310

Burn Rate Hockey Stick Salary Angel Investor 310

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2020

They couldn’t possibly understand the new social media culture, new technologies, or have the determination to beat their younger counterparts in the market. Supportive co-founder and executive positions. Yet credible reports on current trends tell us just the opposite. Member of the Advisory Board. Manage customer service.

Advisory Board 312

Advisory Board Startup Dividend Angel Investor 312

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2019

The most cost-effective marketing approaches have changed; from catalogs to web sites, and from television commercials to social media. But I often see premiums being paid for social media monitoring, standard accounting, and facilities mgmt. Ineffective and expensive marketing campaigns. Excessive support and return activities.

Technical Review 306

Technical Review Metrics Social Media Channel 306

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2019

In the Kauffman Foundation Survey of nearly 5,000 companies that began in 2004, nearly two-thirds of the founders are now between the ages of 35 and 54. 65 percent of online users aged 50-64 use social media now, and the growth rate continues to increase. These trends seem likely to persist.

Technical Review 299

Technical Review United States Startup America 299

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2021

By default, the Founder is the chief disciple who displays the qualities to build the required social contracts. Use social media to generate emotion. Social media is central to the creation of a social contract because it serves as an emotional beacon, and helps to fuel the invention of illogical leaps. Embrace illogical leaps.

Marketing 317

Marketing Social Media Affiliate Viral 317

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2022

For example, TOMS shoes inspired everyone by highlighting and effectively communicating a higher purpose from founder Blake Mycoskie of helping the needy by donating a pair of shoes for every pair sold. You see this today on the Internet with people who dominate social media as “influencers,” leading customers to new trends and brands.

Technical Review 357

Technical Review Green Social Media Lean 357

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2021

The Founder needs to remember that meetings up to this point have been primarily off-site, with staged demos, and managed personally by the CEO or a small team. Make sure everyone accurately posts their role with your startup on social media profiles, resumes, and references. My best advice is to stick to the middle ground.

Technical Review 379

Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Bankruptcy 379

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2023

Here is my perspective on the highest risk elements, from my years of working with investors and watching startups come and go: All the co-founders are first-time entrepreneurs. On the Internet, I am wary of one more search engine provider, clones of existing social-media sites, and yet another new dating site.

New York City 246

New York City Silicon Valley Bootstrapping Technical Review 246

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2022

It is your responsibility to facilitate regular communication between team members and all constituents via all channels, including social media, email, and video. The recent pandemic and remote team members have made the focus on social even more critical. Spiritual connections.

Technical Review 353

Technical Review Cofounder Employee Global 353

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2020

Even the best solutions these days need to be marketed on multiple platforms, including online, social media, and the proper industry and customer channels for customer geographies. Certainly interfacing to the outside world may not be an inventor forte. Master of multi-platform communication and marketing.

Founder 312

Founder Intellectual Property Dilution Startup 312

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 16, 2018

Yet I find that many technical founders don’t feel they need it at all, or at best point to one person on the team who is marketing. Too many founders, strapped for cash or time, make poor team selections, assuming they can fix the problem later. I believe the real challenge is make your whole team a marketing machine.

Technical Review 178

Technical Review Marketing Due Diligence Social Media 178

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

Smart founders and smart salesmen look for customers with a painful problem, rather than pushing a nice-to-have solution. Through social media and customer interaction, you must convince customers that your culture matches theirs. Your first idea about where pain resides is nearly always wrong. No pain usually means no sales.

Sales 348

Sales Startup Bootstrapping Technical Review 348

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2019

I found that role validated and highlighted in a new book, “ Scale or Fail ,” by Allison Maslan, who has built ten successful companies from the ground up, and consulted with many more in her current role as founder and CEO of Pinnacle Global Network. For example, I knew Bill Gates back in the early startup days of Microsoft.

Leadership 248

Leadership Technical Review Cofounder Social Media 248

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

Use social media for early marketing. Social media is not rocket science. This could equate to two technical founders (with a minimal salary), funding two developers for a year. Tackling most of the support tasks yourself. The timing of cash flow is everything.

Burn Rate 223

Burn Rate Hockey Stick Startup Salary 223

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2020

Here is my perspective on the highest risk elements, from my years of working with investors and watching startups come and go: All the co-founders are first-time entrepreneurs. On the Internet, I am wary of one more search engine provider, clones of existing social-media sites, and yet another new dating site.

New York City 315

New York City Silicon Valley Startup Bootstrapping 315

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 24, 2019

Expand your communication media world. For example, you might block your working day into half-hour segments, and never allow any activity or meeting to take too much of your time. Reserve time for tasks important to you, rather than just urgent to someone. Build your world up a little at a time.

Founder 315

Founder Framework Entrepreneur Community 315

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2012

Now, even the earliest stage startup can rise to visibility or be forever lost by their first media spotlight, so it behooves us all to know the rules early. Most entrepreneurs I know admit to a poor first media interaction, and many are still waiting for the instant replay. On the social media side, the stakes are just as great.

Media 233

Media Entrepreneur Social Media Social Network 233

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 20, 2017

Now, even the earliest stage startup can rise to visibility or be forever lost by their first media spotlight, so it behooves us all to know the rules early. Most entrepreneurs I know admit to a poor first media interaction, and many are still waiting for the instant replay. On the social media side, the stakes are just as great.

Media 137

Media Social Media Startup Social Network 137

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 26, 2018

Too many founders still focus their product design and selling efforts only on direct paybacks to the customer. Use social media and the media to build demand for change. Highlight positive social and environmental impacts. Incent your team to continually think “outside-the-box.”

Marketing 231

Marketing Demand Campaign Differentiation 231

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2014

They couldn’t possibly understand the new social media culture, new technologies, or have the determination to beat their younger counterparts in the market. Supportive co-founder and executive positions. Yet credible reports on current trends tell us just the opposite. Member of the Advisory Board. Manage customer service.

Entrepreneur 266

Entrepreneur Advisory Board Dividend Angel Investor 266

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2018

In my years of working with entrepreneurs, I have heard many times the promise that their new idea will create the next Amazon or Apple, but I rarely hear the more important promise that the founder will practice all the good habits of winning entrepreneurs like Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs. Seek first to understand, then be understood.

Founder 129

Founder Social Network Social Media Entrepreneur 129

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2013

The Internet and social media have totally destroyed the meaning of the word “friend” and even changed it from a noun to a verb. business entrepreneur Facebook founder friends whale' Facebook users with “whale” status (5,000 friends), are not even rare any more. Marty Zwilling.

Founder 239

Founder Startup Social Network Internet 239

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2014

Use social media for early marketing. Social media is not rocket science. This could equate to two technical founders (with a minimal salary), funding two developers for a year. Tackling most of the support tasks yourself. The timing of cashflow is everything.

Burn Rate 262

Burn Rate Hockey Stick Entrepreneur Salary 262

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2017

The best founders operate with a key set of internal principles that allow them to break through all but the toughest business obstacles. He cites several studies, in addition to his own experience, that highlight the following key people drivers to business success: Founders need to be driven by impact rather than money.

Technical Review 152

Technical Review Stealth Lean Social Media 152

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2016

Just like executive recruiters recognize the best executives, a technical expert in your business domain will recognize the right combination of skill, creativity, and experience you need for a co-founder or key team member. Start with existing co-founders, extend the request to advisors and investors, and finally to existing team members.

Cofounder 120

Cofounder Founder Non-Compete Social Media 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2023

I’m not proposing that anyone promise things that they don’t intend to deliver, but it’s time that founders switch to start selling their product before they build it, rather than believing the old adage of “if we build it, they will come.” These days, images are especially important, as well as a tag line, and your social media links.

Elevator Pitch 315

Elevator Pitch Public Relations Social Media Startup 315

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 21, 2023

Too many founders have learned that passion and free beta products do not imply a sustainable business. Don’t skip the market research, input from influencers, analysis of competitors, and the simple act of really listening to potential customers via social media, before quantifying your opportunity. Marketing is everything these days.

Business Model 273

Business Model Customer Angel Investor Bootstrapping 273

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 27, 2023

With interactive social media and video everywhere, everyone needs to feel they have a relationship with their leaders, and every brand needs leader personification for customers to relate. There are a multitude of opportunities through social media to engage your customers, as well as getting out of your office into the marketplace.

Customer 350

Customer Miami Private Equity Social Media 350

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2016

But for founders who do their homework, the cost of entry is lower and the opportunity is higher than ever. Excellent detailed resources are everywhere, including a new book, “ The Startup Checklist ,” by serial entrepreneur and founder of the New York Angels, David S. Establishing your brand with interactive social media.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Groups Social Media 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2023

As a startup advisor and investor, I’ve heard and seen hundreds of pitches from entrepreneurs, and the majority of founders are convinced that if you will just give them an hour or more time, you will love their business. Highly saturated domains (more than 10 existing players), such as niche social media sites, are highly risky.

Intellectual Property 240

Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch Algorithm Social Media 240

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 10, 2016

Every startup founder loves to prompt for questions from investors and potential key team members about their vision, and the huge opportunity that can be had with their disruptive technology. Most founders like to talk about their many months or years of sweat-equity , but cash invested is a stronger commitment. Marty Zwilling.

Sweat Equity 120

Sweat Equity Burn Rate Technical Review Intellectual Property 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2014

Founders stock, and stock options, will be worth nothing for the first several years, if not forever. Typically you can browse them by region or technology to find founders. There are many networking groups on FaceBook, LinkedIn, and others social media sites, which can help you increase your odds of finding a match early.

Technical Review 250

Technical Review Stock Options Due Diligence Silicon Valley 250

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2016

Ron Conway , of SV Angels, and Reid Hoffman , LinkedIn's founder, are names often mentioned in this category. Startup founders typically invest some real dollars into their new startup as well as months or years of their time with no salary. Deep-dive meeting. Although the term may sound negative, it’s actually a very positive sign.

Software Review 120

Software Review Sweat Equity Accredited Investor Angel Investor 120