Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2010

Even if you don’t have “direct&# sales I would tell you that “everything is a sale&# including fund raising, hiring, getting press and doing business development. One of the biggest mistakes I see early-stage startups making is hiring “seasoned&# sales professionals or hiring people too senior, too early.

Hiring 346

Hiring Sales Startup Early Stage 346

View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

The first guide we are releasing is around product. Creating a successful company can hinge on whether or not you build a product that people want. This guide will help you figure out how to navigate building a product people will love prior to hiring a full time PM, and figuring out when the right time to bring someone on is.

Early Stage 308

Early Stage Product Startup Hiring 308

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 15, 2019

Once upon a time every great organization was a scrappy startup willing to take risks – new ideas, new methods, new customers, targets, and mission. If they were a commercial company, they figured out product/market fit; or if a government organization, it focused on solution/mission fit. Process Versus Product.

Government 317

Government Technical Review Acquisition Metrics 317

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 7, 2009

Finally, I’ll write about how Eric Ries and the Lean Startup concept provided the equivalent model for product development activities inside the building and neatly integrates customer and agile development. Three to six months after first customer ship, if Sales starts missing its numbers, the board gets concerned.

Customer Development 228

Customer Development Developer Customer Silicon Valley 228

YoungUpstarts

MARCH 12, 2020

Different ways of working are better suited to different industries and business sizes, so it’s crucial to consider these sorts of things before you begin hiring or go to market. Consider a Production-Ready SOM. Other advantages of production-ready SOMs include more CPU choices and a smaller footprint.

SCRUM 147

SCRUM Software Review Technical Review Differentiation 147

Transformify

MARCH 14, 2020

At the same time, the stock markets collapsed, and most businesses already report skyrocketing losses, unmet revenue targets and insufficient stock due to production slow down in China, India and the rest of the world. So, who benefits the most from work from home jobs and diversity hiring programs?

Hiring 98

Hiring Bulgaria Italy Spain 98

David Teten

JULY 9, 2012

We are thus more likely to befriend those people, we are more likely to develop strong ties to them, and even eventually to marry one of those people. [1] Often, when startup founders first assemble teams, they hire familiar people – either people they know, or people like them.

Hiring 138

Hiring Technical Review Affiliate Audience 138

David Teten

JULY 9, 2012

We are thus more likely to befriend those people, we are more likely to develop strong ties to them, and even eventually to marry one of those people. [1] Often, when startup founders first assemble teams, they hire familiar people – either people they know, or people like them.

Hiring 128

Hiring Technical Review Affiliate Audience 128

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 10, 2012

by Bill Lee, author of “ The Hidden Wealth of Customers: Realizing the Untapped Value of Your Most Important Asset “. Talented product developers. No one can truly understand your customers or genuinely share their interests unless she is a customer herself. Are you ready to grow your company? That’s right.

Customer 154

Customer Fractional CTO Canada Technical Review 154

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 17, 2018

As a new entrepreneur or business owner, the most important thing you will do is hire talent. Hiring = Sales. Robert Metcalfe, co-founder and CEO of 3Com, says you need to think about it as “recruiting, not hiring”. impactful work (we point to specific features that are being used by 100s of customers) and 3.

Cofounder 164

Cofounder Elevator Pitch Hiring Dividend 164

View from Seed

MARCH 24, 2021

At NextView Ventures we have written many pieces about venture capital — how to raise it, build your business, engage with investors, iterate your product, navigate expanding industries, etc. Rethinking the Standard Fundraising Deck “I’d make it crystal clear what your product actually does. VCs sure do love writing.

Seed Stage 177

Seed Stage Hiring IPO Analytics 177

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

Reading the NY Times article “ Jeffrey Katzenberg Raises $1 Billion for Short-Form Video Venture, ” I realized it was time for a new startup heuristic: the amount of customer discovery and product-market fit you need to find is inversely proportional to the amount and availability of risk capital. He just hired Meg Whitman.

Lean 335

Lean Burn Rate Startup IPO 335

View from Seed

JULY 5, 2022

Investors, customers, regulators, and all key stakeholders are demanding more transparent corporate sustainability disclosures. RH: Who are your customers? CC: Our customers are companies that are collecting, managing, and tracking their ESG data. . My favorite part is how many different hats I wear.

DC 156

DC Software Review Government Boston 156

ConversionXL

SEPTEMBER 6, 2013

Not because they have a conversion problem but because they never really nail the product or how to market it. The most common mistake startups make is assuming they can operate the same way big companies do, and expect success with little to no feedback from potential customers. This is a customer development problem.

Customer Development 126

Customer Development Conversion Developer Customer 126

The Equity Kicker

MARCH 26, 2018

In our experience, structured customer development work is right up there amongst the most valuable things a founder can do in the early days of their startup. Once you have an idea that feels strong, it’s imperative to speak with customers about it. But good customer development is tough to do.

Customer 75

Customer Framework Differentiation Customer Development 75

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

A $150 llama rental for a photoshoot, $250 for a bagpipe player at a customer picnic, $5,000 for an executive’s tires — these are just some of the most questionable things people have paid for or attempted to pay for, in the name of business. This can place a heavy strain on small businesses that don’t have a regular stream of customers yet.

Cost 150

Cost Technical Review Salary Social Media 150

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 19, 2017

by Steve Owens, Founder and CTO of Finish Line Product Development Services. In this article we explore the unique challenges of a lean start-up and how Outsourced Product Development (OPD) can be used to overcome them. Reducing product turn time. Extending the runway. The Lean Start-Up Environment.

Product Development 153

Product Development Lean Developer Product 153

YoungUpstarts

JULY 16, 2019

Customers enjoy online shopping; their demands create enormous opportunities for eCommerce company’s growth. Without producing physical goods, every entrepreneur now can succeed in selling other manufacturers’ products online. Have you developed any vision of a product development strategy?

eCommerce 113

eCommerce Software Developers Software Development Hosting 113

Venture Chronicles

AUGUST 2, 2013

I have covered a couple of topics in this series, the first being hiring the best people and the second organizing for success based on the attributes of the people you are hiring. 3) It all starts with the product: Companies can overcome a great many challenges with band-aids, duct tape, and bailing wire.

Product 62

Product CTO Hire Architecture Startup 62

The Startup Magazine

OCTOBER 19, 2020

Similarly, customers are more knowledgeable, aware, and conscious to choose from the variety out there, which slows down the company’s revenue and growth. Most industries have touched their peak, matured, and there is little room to improve in the world of homogenous products, similar marketing, and standardized, efficient processes.

Technical Review 153

Technical Review Forecast Analytics Social Media 153

Mucker Lab

MAY 28, 2020

Like a teenager with a million-dollar allowance and an identity crisis, a startup with too much capital and no product-market fit will become capable of making larger mistakes. These lost startups land higher valuations, have larger teams, outsource more product development and spend more money on customer acquisition than their peers.

Startup 78

Startup Cofounder Burn Rate Technical Review 78

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2016

Assume you already know what your customers need and want. Just because you love a new solution doesn’t mean your customers will love it. Before spending any money, make sure you interact directly with potential customers, industry experts and investors. Hire helpers in lieu of people who are smarter than you.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Startup Forecast Angel Investor 120

Startup Lessons Learned

NOVEMBER 8, 2008

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Saturday, November 8, 2008 What is customer development? When we build products, we use a methodology. But too often when its time to think about customers, marketing, positioning, or PR, we delegate it to "marketroids" or "suits." a roadmap for how to get to Product/Market Fit."

Customer Development 168

Customer Development Developer San Francisco Customer 168

Women Entrepreneurs Can

OCTOBER 19, 2021

While there is an element of innovation needed to be successful, you also need to keep in mind the customers that you are serving, and the experience they will endure with your software. The experience of your users is crucial, or you risk it being too complicated and not a product people want to invest in. Test, Test, Test.

Software 59

Software Software Developers Software Development Hiring 59

YoungUpstarts

MARCH 13, 2017

Clearly, other small businesses are finding productive, efficient ways to grow, and you may be wondering what steps you can take to foster growth and development in your venture. Consider the marketing and product development required to walk through each step. Seek Funding When Necessary. Invest in New Technology.

Small Business 157

Small Business Developer Social Media United States 157

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 7, 2008

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Sunday, September 7, 2008 Customer Development Engineering Yesterday, I had the opportunity to guest lecture again in Steve Blank s entrepreneurship class at the Berkeley-Columbia executive MBA program. Unfortunately, positioning our product as an "IM add-on" was a complete mistake.

Customer Development 131

Customer Development Engineer San Francisco Developer 131

Startup Lessons Learned

APRIL 14, 2009

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Tuesday, April 14, 2009 Validated learning about customers Would you rather have $30,000 or $1 million in revenues for your startup? This may sound crazy, coming as it does from an advocate of c harging customers for your product from day one. But all things are never equal. What’s going on?

Customer 167

Customer San Francisco Lean Hockey Stick 167

YoungUpstarts

MAY 6, 2019

They make money by starting a product from scratch and then selling it in thousands of dollars. In most cases, they hit the jackpot when their products are sold for millions. You don’t have a product and most of your meetings will not bring any fruit. You are looking for cofounders that can help you build a product.

Startup 113

Startup Technical Cofounder Merger Early Stage 113

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 24, 2012

by Bill Lee, author of “ The Hidden Wealth of Customers: Realizing the Untapped Value of Your Most Important Asset “. It’s hard to believe these are the methods and tools of a profession designed to attract and persuade us to become customers — especially when “we the buyers” increasingly ignore them.

Marketing 234

Marketing Software Review Technical Review Social Network 234

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 proactive solution is to hire sparingly, and spend the time and effort needed to hire existing experts in all cases.

Advisory Board 240

Advisory Board Forecast Early Stage Product Development 240

YoungUpstarts

MAY 3, 2017

From product development to market research, many startups are one-person operations in their early days. Perhaps you don’t have the budget to hire an assistant, or you’re simply reluctant to give up control of even the most mundane jobs. Whether they follow through on that knowledge, however, is a different story.

Technical Review 113

Technical Review Management Arizona Software Review 113

Startup Lessons Learned

OCTOBER 5, 2008

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Sunday, October 5, 2008 The product managers lament Life is not easy when youre working in an old-fashioned waterfall development process, no matter what role you play. The product manager was clearly struggling to get results from the rest of the team. Lets start with what the product manager does.

San Francisco 158

San Francisco Management Software Review Product 158

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2022

Early-stage entrepreneurs rightly keep their focus on creating an innovative product or service. Growth is more than simply repackaging existing products, and adding bells and whistles or slick incentives. Hire more help than helpers. Switch your attention from product development to sales.

Mezzanine 368

Mezzanine Private Equity Bandwidth Metrics 368

Startup Lessons Learned

JANUARY 19, 2009

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Monday, January 19, 2009 Lean hiring tips In preparing for the strategy series panel this week, I have been doing some thinking about costs. And all of that cost was caused by one activity: hiring. Hiring is no different from any other company process. Sounds a little abstract, though, doesnt it?

Lean 140

Lean Hiring San Francisco Continuous Deployment 140

The Startup Magazine

JUNE 20, 2020

You can hire remote developers. A data science and AI consulting company should be looked at primarily when you need to improve the products which have the appropriate functions around machine learning. Many companies and organizations are up to develop the custom analytical and platform to find the insights.

Artificial Inteligence 91

Artificial Inteligence Software Engineering Analytics Engineer 91

The Startup Magazine

JUNE 17, 2021

Studying an online business analytics masters is one way you can up your numbers game; whether this is the finance, marketing, or product development aspects of your company, the course can supply you with the tools, means, and knowledge to streamline your company operations.

Analytics 174

Analytics Technical Review Social Media Software Review 174

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 7, 2022

Some make big mistakes, such as Webvan expanding too fast with a huge infrastructure, and Pets.com , trying to grow the business with a negative margin, under the mistaken assumption that winning customers is more important than making a profit. Introduce new products and enhancements every month.

Startup 335

Startup Social Media Metrics Viral 335