Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 19, 2020

Studies of software teams, for example, show differences as great as ten to one in productivity between working team members. Much has been written about the external influences of office environments, motivation, and personal health impacts, but I see evidence that there are personal productivity tactics that contribute just as much.

Product 433

Product Internet Management Software 433

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 8, 2016

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan.

Business Plan 120

Business Plan Product Architecture Startup 120

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2022

Here are my key mentoring recommendations for how to approach new and existing relationships to make them more productive and valuable to your own business aspirations: Allocate time to find and develop outside relationships. Ask questions to find common goals and interests.

Product 257

Product Networking Restful Community 257

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2021

I agree with her principles, and outline them here, for approaching any conversation at work, especially difficult ones, and making them positive and productive, rather than emotional and confrontational: Confidence - trusting yourself and the other party. In all cases, summon the courage to stand up for yourself.

Product 365

Product Conversion Matching Employee 365

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2015

This term refers to the penchant to add just one more feature to the product or service before first delivery, just because you can. The result is a bloated first product which finally collapses under its own weight, or is too late and too expensive for the intended customer. Define milestones for cost review and sign-off.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Product Software Review Database 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2015

I have found it to be more productive and effective to lead with the model that no meetings will take an hour, and may be done in as little as five minutes. Team members need your critique of their work to learn, but attacking the person is never productive. Provide immediate direct and constructive feedback.

Founder 120

Founder Product Elevator Pitch Startup 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2020

There are many ways to add levity to a tough challenge, and engaging the team occasionally in some fun activities will work wonders for your team’s productivity and motivation. Investors have long agreed that you invest in the team, more than the product. Don’t take yourself too seriously as well.

Product 322

Product Stock Options Salary Leadership 322

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2015

Develop written business plans as detailed as product plans. Good technologists produce written product specifications, to help them personally be confident that all the technical requirements are covered. Yet their business plans rarely get more than a page or two written.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Product Curation Technology 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2022

Relationships are key to happiness and productivity. With the financial constraints on every business today, it is easy to convince marketing and development that they are competing for resources, rather than working together to offer the best solutions for customers. Even within teams, the culture must be collaborative rather than win-lose.

Product 273

Product Social Media Channel Leadership 273

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 16, 2019

Every entrepreneur believes that their product or service is memorable, and that every customer will quickly see the advantage over competitors. Yet true product differentiation in the eye of the customer is rarely achieved. They noted that customers’ loyalty grew with their real preference for the unique product features offered.

Differentiation 310

Differentiation Product Social Media Reputation 310

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2020

Remember the concept of minimum viable product (MVP), which is designed to test viability and interest before you burn through too much of your energy and resources. Your productivity can be severely compromised by lack of balance, making you ineffective in managing key tasks and people around you.

Product 308

Product Startup Angel Investor Social Media 308

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2019

Is your marketing focus product-centric or customer-centric ? If you only sell products, it’s time to realize that times have changed. With a wealth of products now available, customers look for the most memorable experience , not just the best product. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 02/19/2019.

Customer 213

Customer Product Retention Azure 213

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2022

I have found it to be more productive and effective to lead with the model that no meetings will take an hour, and may be done in as little as five minutes. Team members need your critique of their work to learn, but attacking the person is never productive. Provide immediate direct and constructive feedback. Marty Zwilling.

Elevator Pitch 386

Elevator Pitch Technical Review Dividend Leadership 386

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2019

Investors and others look for evidence of the virtuous cycle of innovation leadership – a lofty vision attracts better talent, producing better products and memorable customer experiences, attracting key customers, building a stronger brand, which attracts the best talent. Innovation leadership: vision, inspiration, attracting talent.

Product 233

Product Reputation Leadership Social Media 233

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2023

Entrepreneurs need to be effective team leaders, since no one can transform an idea into a product and a business without some help. The only real alternative is to find a cofounder who can build and lead the team, while you focus on the product. If your team has trouble finding you, you won’t make productive connections.

Leadership 318

Leadership Technical Review Technical Cofounder Development Team Review 318

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2014

Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Serious investors, on the other hand, look for a professional business plan or summary first, and hardly ever look at the product plan.

Product 254

Product Entrepreneur Business Plan Architecture 254

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. Consider licensing your product or intellectual property, and “white labeling.”

Intellectual Property 341

Intellectual Property Technical Review Startup Incubator 341

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2012

The real solution is better productivity and less procrastination, to put you back in control of your business. Jan Yager, a recognized expert on the subject of time management, just released a new edition of her most popular book, “ Work Less, Do More: The 14-Day Productivity Makeover.” Rest makes you more productive.

Product 294

Product Entrepreneur Database Restful 294

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2022

In fact, it’s all about the “focus” required to get early stage technology products across the deadly chasm from early adopters to mainstream customers. Missions and products that are too broad confuse your team, your customers, and potential investors. Product development chasm. Marketing and sales chasm.

Technical Review 375

Technical Review Startup Dilution Early Stage 375

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

For the rest of us, we need a business plan, as well as a product plan. Some of you may be convinced that your product specification communicates the product message even better than a business plan, so why be redundant? Professional investors and even customers invest in people, rather than just a product.

Business Plan 423

Business Plan Product Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch 423

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 28, 2014

Every entrepreneur believes that their product or service is different, and that every customer will quickly see the advantage over competitors. Yet true product differentiation in the eye of the customer is rarely achieved. They noted that customers’ loyalty grew with their real preference for the unique product features offered.

Differentiation 255

Differentiation Product Social Media Reputation 255

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2018

I’m still amazed at how many technical entrepreneurs don’t have a business pitch, and offer me their product pitch or product spec instead. I’m a technologist, so I always love to learn about the product, but every investor needs to make sure you have a business, as well as a product. But it’s critical to have one.

Product 145

Product Intellectual Property Liquidity Event Exit Strategy 145

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2021

Most technical entrepreneurs focus hard on building an innovative product, but forget that an elegant solution doesn’t automatically translate into a successful business. Defining the right business model requires the same diligence as designing the right product, but the approach and skills required are different.

Technical Review 399

Technical Review Product Advisory Board Business Model 399

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Process myth: Why building a product leads to failure. This doesn’t work when attacking unknown problems with untested solutions.

Angel Investor 359

Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator Business Model 359

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2021

Look for real problems to solve, like losing weight, staying healthy, or gaps in a popular product line. Today it more often means a “trusted friend” who seems real, visible, and doesn’t “push” products. First, pick an opportunity that has a worldwide appeal, like eco-friendly products. Position yourself as an expert.

Technical Review 312

Technical Review Software Review Internet Revenue 312

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 28, 2017

These people don’t seem to realize that they are hurting themselves, as well as other people’s productivity, and jeopardize the future of the company they are working for. No business can afford that huge cost in emotional capital, as well as the productivity loss!

Product 140

Product Cofounder Salary Employee 140

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 29, 2019

I have found it to be more productive and effective to lead with the model that no meetings will take an hour, and may be done in as little as five minutes. Team members need your critique of their work to learn, but attacking the person is never productive. Provide immediate direct and constructive feedback. Marty Zwilling.

Elevator Pitch 312

Elevator Pitch Technical Review Dividend Leadership 312

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2022

High-technology product startups, without customers, don’t make a business. Survey results show that more than 80% of consumers now receive advice through social networking sites prior to a product purchase. Most consumers now research online product reviews, blogs, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, for authoritative guidance.

Customer 306

Customer Technical Review Social Media Social Network 306

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2023

Work on habits that improve your productivity, and find better tools every day. Develop productive relationships with people around you. The most productive people get things done by working in concert with others, not demanding actions and results, but by orchestrating win-win relationships. Make sure that person is not you.

Management 291

Management Leadership Demand Founder 291

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 29, 2022

If your product is highly innovative, and speed to market is critical, you won’t get it right the first time anyway, no matter how cautiously you plan. These are the environments where you really need extended planning to ensure proper positioning before launching the product. But Lonnie L.

Marketing 302

Marketing Technical Review Cost Product Development 302

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 3, 2022

Startup investors tell me they invest in a new venture with a higher caliber of people, rather than the product or service, and I agree. In my role as a business advisor, I see successful businesses most often emerging from great teams rather than great products.

Hiring 337

Hiring Technical Cofounder Cofounder Retention 337

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 4, 2023

A UVP sells a product or service because it differentiates it from other products or services that are available. With social media, you can interact more precisely and create custom products and marketing to be almost all things to all people. Build word-of-mouth into your product or service.

Global 267

Global Marketing Technical Review Mobile 267

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

In this case, the primary cash outflow would be for product development and operating expenses, with potentially enough runway to build the initial product, get a patent, attract some early adopters, and build the initial revenue stream. It’s why most investors proclaim that they invest in people, more than the idea.

Burn Rate 258

Burn Rate Hockey Stick Management Salary 258

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2013

One of the toughest decisions for a startup is how to price their product or service. Obviously, it must be grounded by the characteristics of the market and customers you choose to serve, the pricing model of existing competitors, and a strategy you believe is consistent with your future products and direction. Product line pricing.

Product 290

Product Revenue Business Model Retention 290

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2022

Yet I find, as a mentor and outside consultant, that many of you focus only on working conditions and compensation as the key factors determining team engagement , health, and productivity. Every person requires some level of positive human interaction with co-workers and others to be satisfied and productive.

Technical Review 353

Technical Review Cofounder Employee Global 353

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2011

Why is it that most of the business plans I see are really product plans? I define a product plan as a detailed description of your product or service, with a bit of business thrown in at the end. A business plan is a detailed description of your business, with a bit of product description thrown in near the front.

Business Plan 234

Business Plan Product Entrepreneur Differentiation 234

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2012

Why is it that most of the business plans I see are really product plans? I define a product plan as a detailed description of your product or service, with a bit of business thrown in at the end. A business plan is a detailed description of your business, with a bit of product description thrown in near the front.

Product 230

Product Business Plan Differentiation Business Model 230