Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 31, 2020

I know that dates me a good bit, but it also shows that I have been hanging around startups for a long time. The honest truth is that I worked directly with him in the early days of Microsoft from my “safe” perch in big IBM, during the startup of the IBM PC. That’s real viral marketing. Enlist community of support.

Entrepreneur 423

Entrepreneur Viral Software Developers Software Development 423

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 26, 2010

Every time I see a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a couple of years ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth. Develop viral content. Seed viral activity.

Viral 141

Viral Cost Marketing SEM 141

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2022

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors know that startups with too much money fail just as often as those with not enough. Recruit the best team members and provide incentives.

Forecast 304

Forecast Stock Options Technical Review Metrics 304

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 17, 2020

These things outside your control do happen, but based on my years of experience as a startup advisor and angel investor, I still see too many strategies leading to failure that are inside the entrepreneur decision realm. Viral marketing costs real money, and your support staff and hosting systems cost even more.

Intellectual Property 436

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Viral Distribution 436

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 25, 2017

Every time I challenge a business plan with little or no budget for marketing, I get the answer that they will be using “viral” marketing, which costs nothing. First of all, Seth Godin pointed out a long time ago that viral marketing does not equal word-of-mouth. Develop viral content. Seed viral activity.

Campaign 167

Campaign Cost Viral Marketing 167

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2014

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors know that startups with too much money fail just as often as those with not enough. Recruit the best team members and provide incentives.

Startup 283

Startup Forecast Stock Options Technical Review 283

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2021

Jeremy applies his culture shift tenants to political and generic social issues, but I have adapted them here more specifically to the business realm of entrepreneurs and startups: Establish a social contract. Viral marketing” and “word-of-mouth” are tools of disciples in business today. Emotion, rather than logic, drives disciples.

Marketing 317

Marketing Social Media Affiliate Viral 317

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2020

Thus I often recommend that before you kick off your own business, you join another startup or existing business to see how things really work. That first burst of customers via word-of-mouth or a viral video won’t sustain your growth. Even the best college degree is not a substitute.

Intellectual Property 432

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Technical Review Angel Investor 432

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 7, 2022

A common pain of startups after an exhilarating first surge of early adopters is a long and frustrating plateau of slow growth, where it seems like nothing you do will get your business to profitability. Others do far too little, assuming the viral effect and word-of-mouth will soon kick in, and sales will suddenly grow exponentially.

Startup 335

Startup Social Media Metrics Viral 335

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 20, 2020

Contrary to popular opinion, viral marketing has not eliminated the need for old-fashioned lead generation to bring customers to a startup. His professional background includes having held marketing-executive roles at big companies as well as startups.

Lead Generation 365

Lead Generation Customer SEM Marketing 365

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2020

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors know that startups with too much money fail just as often as those with not enough. Recruit the best team members and provide incentives.

Management 322

Management Entrepreneur Forecast Stock Options 322

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2016

In fact, investors recognize that founders usually learn more from mistakes than from success, so a well-explained startup failure can improve their odds of funding the next time around. As an active angel investor and startup advisor, I’ve seen many of the same stumbling blocks repeated all too many times.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Startup Forecast Angel Investor 120

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2023

Enjoy that first video interview at an industry conference, or the newspaper story which enhances your startup visibility and credibility. Surprisingly, word-of-mouth and viral efforts require more work and a larger budget than you would expect. Appreciate the media accolades and peer success feedback.

Sweat Equity 296

Sweat Equity Startup Salary Viral 296

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2023

Contrary to popular opinion, viral marketing has not eliminated the need for old-fashioned lead generation to bring customers to a startup. His professional background includes having held marketing-executive roles at big companies as well as startups.

Lead Generation 285

Lead Generation SEM Viral Marketing 285

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 5, 2021

Startups are the corporations of the future, so I have long believed that entrepreneurs who study existing corporate models, rather than ignoring them with disdain, will likely profit from the exercise. That means if your new startup doesn’t plan for continuous innovation, the company may never reach corporate status. Globalization.

Marketing 339

Marketing Startup Global Viral 339

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2021

I’m fully convinced that both inspiration and perspiration are always required in a startup. Word of mouth advertising and viral marketing cost big bucks these days so budget for it. Yet many people seem to be stuck on one end or other of this equation – all perspiration with no dream, or all inspiration with no reality.

Sweat Equity 400

Sweat Equity Intellectual Property Startup Viral 400

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2021

I’m convinced that this “me too” or incremental thinking is one of the key reasons that ninety percent of new startups fail, and most of the investors I know won’t sign non-disclosure forms, since they claim to hear the same startup ideas over and over again. Collaborate with experts and people with experience.

Stealth 406

Stealth Startup Metrics Viral 406

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 4, 2011

Viral marketing and word-of-mouth are not enough these days to make your product and brand visible in the relentless onslaught of new promotional media out there today. Viral is an outcome, not a strategy. Startups need to realize that products are the jumping-off point for building relationships with customers. Want control?

Viral 228

Viral Marketing Startup Demand 228

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 3, 2016

These things outside your control do happen, but based on my years of experience as a startup advisor and angel investor, I still see too many shortcuts leading to failure that are inside the entrepreneur decision realm. Viral marketing costs real money, and your support staff and hosting systems cost even more.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Investor Viral 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2016

Whether you are talking to peers, competitors or investors, you as an active entrepreneur will be judged on your familiarity with today’s startup and funding jargon. This term is currently applied to recent startups who profess a current valuation which exceeds $1 billion. Could your startup be the next one? Sweat equity.

Software Review 120

Software Review Sweat Equity Accredited Investor Angel Investor 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2021

There is also more going on in every location, so this personal need and super sensitivity to the local community has spawned a new breed of Internet startups, called “hyperlocal.” What’s more difficult than building one successful startup? Try building 50 successful startups. Expanding city-by-city is expensive.

Finder 361

Finder Startup Curation Seattle 361

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 15, 2022

As with many startup activities, you only have one chance for a great first impression. For some customers and many investors, a heavy focus on social networks and viral marketing may be a negative, rather than a positive. One of the original classics, “ How to Make Money with Social Media ” by Jamie Turner and Reshma Shah, Ph.D.,

Social Media 315

Social Media Media Startup Analytics 315

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 6, 2016

Contrary to popular opinion, viral marketing has not eliminated the need for old-fashioned lead generation to bring customers to a startup. His professional background includes having held marketing-executive roles at big companies as well as startups.

Viral 120

Viral Lead Generation Customer SEM 120

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors know that startups with too much money fail just as often as those with not enough. Recruit the best team members and provide incentives.

Forecast 120

Forecast Startup Stock Options Technical Review 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 12, 2020

As an entrepreneur mentor and startup investor, I see with sadness the 50 to 90 percent that fail. With the success of Facebook and Twitter, I still see new social media startups almost every day, with most destined to fail. The fallacy of formulas that “can’t fail,” and holding on to troubled ventures, is alive and well in startups.

Intellectual Property 310

Intellectual Property Startup Bankruptcy Viral 310

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2011

If you have heard the lingo, but most of these are not in your startup business plan, you are already in jeopardy as an entrepreneur: Blogging. Viral marketing. Viral marketing costs real money, but is often worth it. As entrepreneurs and business people, it behooves us all find and adopt changes which can improve our startup.

Internet 239

Internet SEM Wiki Viral 239

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2021

These days, if your startup does not have an Internet home base up and running, you are not ready for business or potential investors. Viral marketing needs a website. But word-of-mouth and viral marketing doesn’t work without a web site. On the other hand, don’t assume that viral marketing is the only marketing you will need.

Web 349

Web Viral Naming Internet 349

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2023

As an entrepreneur mentor and startup investor, I see with sadness the 50 to 90 percent that fail. With the success of Facebook and Twitter, I still see new social media startups almost every day, with most destined to fail. The fallacy of formulas that “can’t fail,” and holding on to troubled ventures, is alive and well in startups.

Intellectual Property 314

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Bankruptcy Viral 314

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2018

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors know that startups with too much money fail just as often as those with not enough. Recruit the best team members and provide incentives.

Forecast 161

Forecast Stock Options Technical Review Metrics 161

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2010

Viral marketing. Viral marketing costs real money, but is often worth it. As entrepreneurs and business people, it behooves us all find and adopt changes which can improve our startup. Rates per click are very low, so don’t try to live on ad revenues until visit rates are very high. Crowdsourcing. Marty Zwilling.

Internet 224

Internet SEM Wiki Entrepreneur 224

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2022

Every new entrepreneur who has not spent years in corporate life has the advantage of an unbiased look at business opportunities, but at the same time has the disadvantage of missing critical business experiences that can cost them dearly in their first startup venture. Startups don’t come with formal training courses.

Silicon Valley 292

Silicon Valley Viral Finance Leadership 292

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 2, 2022

I expect that should seem intuitive to all entrepreneurs, but every investor I know has many stories about startup funding requests with major business model elements missing. A target market is the group of customers that the startup plans to attract through marketing and sales their product or service. Who are you selling to?

Business Model 256

Business Model Distribution Viral Green 256

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2023

Every startup dreams of achieving that milestone, when they can focus more on scaling the business and enjoying their earnings, rather than fighting for another investment infusion. Startup productivity is embodied in key ratios, including low cost of customer acquisition, high retention, and high revenue per employee.

Valuation 235

Valuation Revenue Viral Retention 235

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2013

Jeremy applies his culture shift tenants to political and generic social issues, but I have adapted them here more specifically to the business realm of entrepreneurs and startups: Establish a social contract. Viral marketing” and “word-of-mouth” are tools of disciples in business today. Emotion, rather than logic, drives disciples.

Customer 210

Customer Social Media Affiliate Viral 210

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 17, 2013

It’s not uncommon for me to see a startup business plan “mission” to be the “premier brand” for their product, yet their marketing budget in the financials is trivial. When questioned, founders usually mention word-of-mouth, viral marketing, and a top quality product.

Marketing 265

Marketing Viral SEM Startup 265

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2020

Every startup dreams of achieving that milestone, when they can focus more on scaling the business and enjoying their earnings, rather than fighting for another investment infusion. Startup productivity is embodied in key ratios, including low cost of customer acquisition, high retention, and high revenue per employee.

Revenue 434

Revenue Valuation Viral Retention 434

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2010

I know that dates me a bit, but it also shows that I have been hanging around startups for a long time. At that time I couldn’t imagine a startup succeeding that was first called Traf-O-Data to process raw traffic data into reports, later changed to Microsoft to sell Basic Interpreters to microcomputer manufacturers. Marty Zwilling.

Viral 214

Viral Software Developers Software Development Partner 214