Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2023

It’s never too early to start marketing, since it usually takes as long to build marketing momentum as it does to build a product. Marketing should start before product development. No startup can afford to do these serially. In today’s information age, it takes time and money to make your solution visible.

Intellectual Property 312

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Investor Viral 312

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2019

Product development chasm. Another common chasm is never-ending product development. Focus is required to resist adding a few more neat features, made possible by the new technology, which in fact make the product more complex to use, impossible to test, and very expensive in time and cost.

Technical Review 255

Technical Review Dilution Early Stage Product Development 255

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2020

Building your public image and presence should start even before product development, through your website, logo, and blogging. These days you can create a C-corporation online quickly at a low cost, which will serve you well, without waiting for an outside attorney. Establishing your brand with interactive social media.

Intellectual Property 404

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Groups Social Media 404

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2022

I like it in many cases, since it is action-oriented, helps streamline and decrease product development time and costs, and focuses the product and the firm on customer needs rather than technology. Of course, if you fire without aiming, there’s always a greater chance that you will shoot yourself in the foot.

Marketing 302

Marketing Technical Review Cost Product Development 302

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2020

For example, a software development startup raising $250,000 from angel investors better be able to operate on $25,000 per month. This could equate to two technical founders (with a minimal salary), funding two developers for a year.

Burn Rate 310

Burn Rate Hockey Stick Salary Angel Investor 310

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 17, 2020

It’s never too early to start marketing, since it usually takes as long to build marketing momentum as it does to build a product. Marketing should start before product development. No startup can afford to do these serially. In today’s information age, it takes time and money to make your solution visible.

Intellectual Property 436

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Viral Distribution 436

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2019

The problem is that professional investors (angels and venture capital) want a proven business model before they invest, ready to scale, rather than early projections and product development. Leave the world of new computer chips and new drugs to the big companies, and people with deep pockets.

Finance 320

Finance Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator 320

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2023

These days, almost every new product is not deemed scalable until it has been certified as meeting a multitude of quality and agency standards, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and Underwriters Lab (UL). Expanding the product line. Specialized VCs start to jump in at this stage.

Angel Investor 256

Angel Investor Early Stage Incubator Government 256

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 23, 2017

Product development chasm. Another common chasm is never-ending product development. Focus is required to resist adding a few more neat features, made possible by the new technology, which in fact make the product more complex to use, impossible to test, and very expensive in time and cost.

Customer 191

Customer Entrepreneur Technical Review Dilution 191

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2021

These days, almost every new product is not deemed scalable until it has been certified as meeting a multitude of quality and agency standards, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and Underwriters Lab (UL). Expanding the product line. Specialized VCs start to jump in at this stage.

Early Stage 412

Early Stage Angel Investor Incubator Government 412

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2013

Product development chasm. Another common chasm is never-ending product development. Focus is required to resist adding a few more neat features, made possible by the new technology, which in fact make the product more complex to use, impossible to test, and very expensive in time and cost.

Entrepreneur 252

Entrepreneur Marketing Technical Review Dilution 252

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

For example, a software development startup raising $250,000 from angel investors better be able to operate on $25,000 per month. This could equate to two technical founders (with a minimal salary), funding two developers for a year.

Burn Rate 223

Burn Rate Hockey Stick Startup Salary 223

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2018

You need skills in finance, operations, and marketing to supplement product development, and more hours of work than one person can manage. Plan to and assemble the right team, including co-founders. Building and running a business is not a solo operation.

Angel Investor 249

Angel Investor Cofounder Finance Operations 249

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2019

I like it in many cases, since it is action-oriented, helps streamline and decrease product development time and costs, and focuses the product and the firm on customer needs rather than technology. Of course, if you fire without aiming, there’s always a greater chance that you will shoot yourself in the foot.

Technical Review 233

Technical Review Startup Cost Product Development 233

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 10, 2012

Product development chasm. Another common chasm is never-ending product development. Focus is required to resist adding a few more neat features, made possible by the new technology, which in fact make the product more complex to use, impossible to test, and very expensive in time and cost.

Startup 254

Startup Technical Review Dilution Early Stage 254

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2019

Most of you aspiring entrepreneurs have no idea how dramatically your own role has to evolve as you develop a solution, start a business, and expect it to scale into a successful self-managed company. Thus my job as a small business advisor really is really more about getting you developed than perfecting the business.

Leadership 248

Leadership Technical Review Cofounder Social Media 248

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. The challenges stem from the simple fact that every entrepreneur is starting something new, where things are predictably unpredictable.

Advisory Board 240

Advisory Board Forecast Early Stage Product Development 240

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 19, 2013

There''s always going to be something newer, something faster, something bigger; and the perfect product is a never ending chase — but only if you allow it to be. Remember that in new product development, as in writing, addition by subtraction is the Golden Rule.

Technical Review 275

Technical Review Startup Software Review Database 275

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

Product development chasm. Another common chasm is never-ending product development. Focus is required to resist adding a few more neat features, made possible by the new technology, which in fact make the product more complex to use, impossible to test, and very expensive in time and cost.

Marketing 238

Marketing Entrepreneur Technical Review Dilution 238

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2014

For example, a software development startup raising $250,000 from angel investors better be able to operate on $25,000 per month. This could equate to two technical founders (with a minimal salary), funding two developers for a year.

Burn Rate 262

Burn Rate Hockey Stick Entrepreneur Salary 262

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2013

Product development. For a great idea person, the product details keep changing for the better, but nothing ever gets finished. Serious investors expect founders to have their homework done before the first interaction – documented executive summary, business plan, and financial model.

Entrepreneur 275

Entrepreneur Technical Review Software Review Retention 275

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. The challenges stem from the simple fact that every entrepreneur is starting something new, where things are predictably unpredictable.

Advisory Board 232

Advisory Board Startup Forecast Early Stage 232

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2013

Product development is stuck at that 90% mark, a key person leaves, and customers are talking but not buying. Starting a business is a lot like starting a marriage. At first, all parties are in dreamland, with a vision of changing the world, having lots of fun, and raking in the profits. But all too soon, reality sets in.

Founder 250

Founder Startup Software Developers Software Development 250

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2010

Product development chasm. Another common chasm is never-ending product development. Focus is required to resist adding a few more neat features, made possible by the new technology, which in fact make the product more complex to use, impossible to test, and very expensive in time and cost.

Startup 227

Startup Technical Review Dilution Early Stage 227

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2017

In today’s fast moving market, the basic product development cost and time are critical to survival. They come at the early stage while a startup has no revenue or valuation, so professional investors are hard to find. Quick low-cost design and fabrication alternatives are extremely valuable.

Technical Cofounder 153

Technical Cofounder Intellectual Property Wiki Cofounder 153

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2012

Product development is stuck at that 90% mark, a key person leaves, and customers are talking but not buying. Starting a business is a lot like starting a marriage. At first, all parties are in dreamland, with a vision of changing the world, having lots of fun, and raking in the profits. But all too soon, reality sets in.

Software Developers 229

Software Developers Software Development Business Model Product Development 229

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 12, 2018

The problem is that professional investors (angels and venture capital) want a proven business model before they invest, ready to scale, rather than early projections and product development. Leave the world of new computer chips and new drugs to the big companies, and people with deep pockets.

Intellectual Property 134

Intellectual Property Technical Review Startup Incubator 134

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

In today’s fast moving market, the basic product development cost and time are critical to survival. I believe the Maker Movement and hardware startups with limited resources are made for each other. Here are some key positives from an entrepreneur perspective: Shorten the time and cost from idea to prototype.

Startup 397

Startup Cofounder Incubator Early Stage 397

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 6, 2011

There's always going to be something newer, something faster, something bigger; and the perfect product is a never ending chase — but only if you allow it to be. Remember that in new product development, as in writing, addition by subtraction is the Golden Rule.

Technical Review 241

Technical Review Startup Software Review Database 241

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 2, 2022

Both risks and opportunities in this area can arise from many aspects of your startup, before and after product development. First you need to assess the risks and value of investor funding and carrying debt. Then you walk the delicate balance between burn rates, revenue flows versus expenses, investment in marketing, and employees.

Burn Rate 382

Burn Rate Angel Investor Operations Demand 382

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 7, 2022

Unfortunately, the challenges of scaling a business, and making it profitable, often last longer than the product development phase. An entrepreneur who has struggled to fund and build a dream solution may think they can relax when the first wave of customers come in. Don’t give up your dream too early. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 335

Startup Social Media Metrics Viral 335

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 6, 2011

Product development is stuck at that 90% mark, a key person leaves, and customers are talking but not buying. Starting a business is a lot like starting a marriage. At first, all parties are in dreamland, with a vision of changing the world, having lots of fun, and raking in the profits. But all too soon, reality sets in.

Startup 245

Startup Software Developers Software Development Business Model 245

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2012

There's always going to be something newer, something faster, something bigger; and the perfect product is a never ending chase — but only if you allow it to be. Remember that in new product development, as in writing, addition by subtraction is the Golden Rule.

Technical Review 187

Technical Review Startup Software Review Database 187

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2015

There''s always going to be something newer, something faster, something bigger; and the perfect product is a never ending chase — but only if you allow it to be. Remember that in new product development, as in writing, addition by subtraction is the Golden Rule.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Product Software Review Database 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2021

Smart entrepreneurs know they must deliver a quality product, develop a winning business model, and attract real customers. Business people at this level recognize the magnitude of the workload and the specific tasks required for success. All that’s left is to commit and deliver. The next step is to accept ownership and responsibility.

Leadership 410

Leadership Employee Metrics Restful 410

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2013

I like it in most cases, since it is action-oriented, helps streamline and decrease product development time and costs, and focuses the product and the firm on customer needs rather than technology. Of course, if you fire without aiming, there’s always a greater chance that you will shoot yourself in the foot.

Startup 250

Startup Technical Review Cost Entrepreneur 250

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

For example, a software development startup raising $250,000 from angel investors better be able to operate on $25,000 per month. This could equate to two technical founders (with a minimal salary), funding two developers for a year.

Burn Rate 120

Burn Rate Hockey Stick Startup Salary 120