Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 26, 2016

There has been a lot of public debate over the past several weeks about whether it’s a good thing to be “gross margin positive” or not and commentary always reminds me that some people at startups don’t quite understand financial metrics or even how to think about which ones are healthy. When I publicly Tweeted that all companies should be gross margin positive many people pointed out that Amazon wasn’t profitable for many years.

Metrics 236

Metrics Cost Acquisition Startup 236

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2016

Every entrepreneur and business executive knows that continuous innovation is required to survive, but most struggle with this more than any other challenge they face. They know they need to act proactively, but still are often blindsided by a new competitor coming out of the blue with a future they never imagined. Innovation driven by the next crisis is not leadership.

Leadership 138

Leadership Framework Engineer Revenue 138

Steve Blank

APRIL 25, 2016

We just held our fourth week of the Hacking for Defense class. This week the teams turned the corner on understanding beneficiaries and finding product/market fit. The 8 teams spoke to 115 beneficiaries (users, program managers, etc.); we sent each team a critique of their mission model canvas; we started streaming the class live to DOD/IC sponsors and other educators; our advanced lecture explained how to go from concept to deployment in the DOD/IC; and we watched as the students got closer to

Afghanistan 129

Afghanistan Iraq Technical Review Social Media 129

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 23, 2016

Not all mobile app designers are created equal. Some app designers are difficult to work with or fail to deliver on their promises. Even worse, some don’t know what they are doing. This is not the case with companies like Magora , who understand why high quality business app design is essential. These are the main reasons why proper mobile app design is so important: User Acceptance.

Mobile 116

Mobile Design Developer Employee 116

Speaker: Nick Noreña, Innovation Coach and Advisor, Kromatic

Every startup and innovation project exists within an ecosystem that either helps or hurts that project. As innovation managers, we need to keep a pulse of that ecosystem and make sure we're helping those innovation projects we're managing every step of the way. In this webinar, Nick Noreña will walk through an Innovation Ecosystem Model that he and his team at Kromatic have developed to help investors, heads of product, teachers, and executives understand how they can best support innovation in

Startup

VC Cafe

APRIL 23, 2016

Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has shared a circular (a regulatory document, in Vietnam speak) for improving the legal environment for venture capital investing in the Socialist state. The circular is now – since 16 th April – open for public comment. The aim of the circular is to improve the ease of setting up and running VC funds in Vietnam, and importantly for the MPI Agency for Enterprise Development (the AED) , make it easier and more attractive for angels and VCs to in

Vietnam 81

Vietnam Venture Capital Silicon Valley Early Stage 81

YFS Magazine

APRIL 25, 2016

If
 you are a small business owner, it is pertinent that you build an online presence - starting with a company website, a proven channel that is valuable for business.

Channel 61

Channel Small Business Web Development Design 61

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 28, 2016

If your eCommerce business hasn’t got off to the best of starts , then you’re probably wondering how to fix things. Fear not. We’ve compiled a list of great tips that you should try – all of which may save your bacon! So, here is everything you should be giving a shot in order to drive your eCommerce business to success. Incentives. Who doesn’t love an incentive to go and do something?

eCommerce 100

eCommerce Software Review Social Media SEO 100

The Next Web

APRIL 26, 2016

After announcing its presence in over 130 new markets early this year, Netflix has truly become a global content company. That is not to say it’s been easy for Netflix to adjust its services to meet the needs of developing markets with varying maturities, while still maintaining success in more developed areas. Balancing efforts in markets with differing needs is something that not many tech companies have been able to achieve due to three main challenges – lack of financing, straggling te

Technical Review 65

Technical Review Global Finance Startup 65

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 28, 2016

Lead — It’s hard to be a real leader. Decisions are never black or white, so most people fudge. The straddle middle grounds to keep everybody happy. They make compromises to try and hold together constituencies. On business decisions they want to hedge their bets so they do a little bit of everything but nothing extremely well. As highlighted by Brad Garlinghouse years ago in the famous “ peanut butter manifesto ”— it’s like spreading peanut butter evenly over a piece of bread.

Leadership 252

Leadership PR Programming Conversion 252

deal architect

APRIL 29, 2016

I spent a few days at Plex’s user conference in Detroit this week. For me, the backdrop was the invigorated city as I describe here. That amplified the many upbeat conversations and presentations I witnessed at the event.

Detroit 239

Detroit Conversion 239

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 26, 2016

. Making the decision to break the mold and start a business is an exciting step, but building a successful company is a challenging endeavor. This is particularly true for tech startups – whose industry evolves at a rapid pace. In no small way, the success of your venture will depend on the details of your business plan. Your strategy should be comprehensive yet concise and easy to understand for investors.

Business Plan 140

Business Plan Intellectual Property Social Media Small Business Administration 140

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 23, 2016

Today is the new age of the entrepreneur, and I see an increasing number of new startups as the economy stabilizes. For new aspiring entrepreneurs, that’s the good news and the bad news, as it increases opportunities, but also increases the startup risk. Thus I often recommend taking a job in a startup first, to build connections and learn what you can, before stepping into the lead role.

Startup 137

Startup Burn Rate Cofounder Salary 137

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2016

Why you do me like that? Over the year’s I’ve tried to offer some tangible, practical advice to help people communicate more effectively. I’ve weighed in on: Email 1 —  How to Get Busy People to Take Action Email 2 —  Etiquette to Email Introductions Email 3 —  Make it Easy for Me to Forward Your Email ! Phone Calls 1 —  Pick up the Damn Phone ! Phone Calls 2 —  How to Make Better Calls Presenting at Meetings —  Without Going Down a Rat Hole Presentations —  Where Should You Sit ??

Jordan 182

Jordan Email Hosting Networking 182

Steve Blank

APRIL 28, 2016

Entrepreneurs see opportunity where others see obstacles and why hubris is an entrepreneur’s worst enemy, were two topics of discussion on my SiriusXM radio show, Entrepreneurs are Everywhere. The show airs on SiriusXM Channel 111 (weekly Thursdays at 1 pm Pacific, 4 pm Eastern). It follows the journeys of innovators sharing what it takes to build a startup – from restaurants to rocket scientists, to online gifts to online groceries and more.

Entrepreneur 132

Entrepreneur Cofounder Seed Capital Texas 132

Brandanew

APRIL 27, 2016

In order of trust, earned media or organic mentions of your brand by influencers, your friends and family, or your consumers, rank at the very top. Nothing pushes your customers to get more influenced by you and favor your brand over competition, like genuine earned media mentions that you can’t buy. So, the million dollar question is, what are the best practices for increasing earned media?

Media 126

Media Michigan Campaign Social Media 126

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 25, 2016

If you expect an equity investment from reputable investors for your new startup, you need to know the boundaries that often limit their interest. In the jargon of investors, certain businesses may be viable but not fundable. For example, investors recognize that online gambling sites or a medical marijuana site may generate big returns but may tarnish their squeaky clean reputation.

Intellectual Property 135

Intellectual Property Accredited Investor Angel Investor Reputation 135

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 25, 2016

You may have noticed a new look at Both Sides of the Table today and that’s because I’ve migrated my blog to Medium.

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Steve Blank

APRIL 28, 2016

Entrepreneurs see opportunity where others see obstacles and why hubris is an entrepreneur’s worst enemy, were two topics of discussion on my SiriusXM radio show, Entrepreneurs are Everywhere. The show airs on SiriusXM Channel 111 (weekly Thursdays at 1 pm Pacific, 4 pm Eastern). It follows the journeys of innovators sharing what it takes to build a startup – from restaurants to rocket scientists, to online gifts to online groceries and more.

Entrepreneur 132

Entrepreneur Cofounder Seed Capital Texas 132

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 28, 2016

by Abhilash Patel , vice president of digital marketing at American Addiction Centers. No one goes into launching a business with the assumption that it will be easy, but plenty of people do it thinking they’re fully prepared. Maybe a handful of them are. But until you’ve actually been in the grind, fighting for growth while trying to squeeze the most out of every dollar, it’s unlikely that you’ll start off with all the knowledge necessary to push your business to its fullest potential.

Finance 122

Finance Global Revenue Operations 122

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2016

Every new business quickly realizes that revenue coming in every period on a committed basis is the Holy Grail to survival and growth. According to many experts , getting new customers is five to ten times harder than getting additional revenue from existing customers. Thus the subscription model (low fixed monthly payments), is rapidly becoming the norm for new products and services.

Revenue 133

Revenue Startup Cloud Curation 133

Rembrandt Communications

APRIL 28, 2016

A few tips to be a happy and successful small business owner. Being a small business owner has numerous ups-and-downs, and you work with many types of people in numerous industries. To do well, you have to be confident, maintain expert skills in a certain area and set boundaries for what you will and will […]. The post Always Do The Right Thing appeared first on Boost sales with BtoB Content Strategy and PR here.

PR 100

PR Small Business Sales Public Relations 100

Up and Running

APRIL 28, 2016

In the restaurant industry, there are a number of both tried-and-tested and creative new ways to increase your profit margins. So, if you’re interested in bringing new customers through the doors, or in getting existing customers to spend more (and attend more), this guide should give you insight into what you can do to run a highly profitable restaurant business.

Customer 96

Customer Hosting Programming Dallas 96

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 26, 2016

By Sean Blanks, Marketing Director, cartridgesave.co.uk. Phone calls, email notifications, impromptu meetings: the office can be such a hectic environment it can feel like a massive struggle to get anything done. It’s been proven that every time you’re interrupted, it takes one-to-minutes to regain focus on the original job in hand. If this is happening numerous times an hour, it’s easy to see why some days it feels impossible to meet your deadlines.

Forecast 116

Forecast Email Product Management 116

The Equity Kicker

APRIL 26, 2016

Conversion rate optimisation is a hot topic these days. Google Trends identifies it as an official “breakout” term meaning searches for that phrase are up over 5,000% over the last few years. We’re looking at an arms race here. Most of these people searching will be improving their conversion rates which will enable them to pay more for traffic and still hit their customer acquisition cost targets, and unless you match them you will find it hard to compete.

Conversion 95

Conversion Customer Clickthrough Audience 95

This is going to be BIG.

APRIL 25, 2016

I spoke to a new seed fund investor the other day and they told me they don't lead. I told them that was b t and they should, because founders need decisive investors who can be helpful, not ones that sit on the sidelines and outsource their decisions to other investors. They told me their fund wasn't big enough. B t. I led the $1.8mm seed investment in goTenna with $250k.

Term Sheet 94

Term Sheet Partner Founder Entrepreneur 94

Version One Ventures

APRIL 27, 2016

The average 25-year-old has already worked 6.3 jobs , and will have 12-15 jobs before their working career is finished. The portrait of the job-hopping millennial is a stark difference to Gen X and Boomer workers who may have stayed with the same job and employer for decades. Another study found that millennials have almost twice as many job and organizational changes as Gen Xers, and almost three times as many job changes as the Baby Boomers and Matures.

Hiring 94

Hiring Artificial Inteligence Churn Rate Matching 94

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 25, 2016

Starting a business can be hugely expensive. Costs are one of the main reasons why many businesses fail, with the price of upstart fees, management fees, buying stock, paying staff and marketing always on the rise. In order to give your business the best chance of success it is important that you stick with costs that are manageable and that will not cripple your business should things get tough in the future.

Cost 109

Cost Management Startup Salary 109

YFS Magazine

APRIL 29, 2016

Well, the truth is entrepreneurship can be a very rewarding, fulfilling, and lucrative endeavor, but it can also be a very frustrating, overwhelming, and isolating experience too.

Entrepreneur 85

Entrepreneur Developer Leadership 85

The Next Web

APRIL 29, 2016

You have a great idea for a business and are rightly excited to get going. There is so much to do that you can hardly sleep at night. You are thinking of all the plans and steps that you must complete, like securing financing, setting up a website, hiring your first employees… the list goes on and on. You feel deep pressure to finalize all the details – if not today, then first thing tomorrow.

Finance 83

Finance Security Startup Web 83

Hippoland

APRIL 24, 2016

“We’re raising $1.5m.” I cringe. There’s nothing inherently wrong with raising $1.5m…UNLESS you have not thought about your raise strategically (99.9% of entrepreneurs I meet with). Most entrepreneurs understand on some level that fundraising is all about messaging. But, most people only think about this in the context of storytelling.

Seed Money 76

Seed Money Bootstrapping B2B Acquisition 76

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 24, 2016

By Amy Zimmerman, Global Head of People, Kabbage. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to creating the right company culture. However, defining your values that will be the building blocks for your culture early on is integral to the future success of your company, particularly as it achieves new stages of growth. A strong culture is one that is evident even to newcomers and is cultivated through dedication to a clear set of values and embodied by all members of the community.

Atlanta 109

Atlanta Dilution Hiring Global 109

YFS Magazine

APRIL 29, 2016

Hiring a personal assistant to handle the details may be just the thing to take you from a state of overwhelm to a thriving and fulfilled entrepreneurship experience.

Entrepreneur 83

Entrepreneur Hiring 83

Start Up Blog

APRIL 24, 2016

If the Quiksilver bedding wasn’t enough, Quiksilver have done it again and introduced possibly the worst, most ill conceived product in surfing history. The Wetsuit Suit. Yes you read that right, a wetsuit designed in the shape of a business suit. I can only hope that this is some kinda hoax – and even if it is, it surely isn’t worth the effort and ridicule?

Product 75

Product Private Equity Bankruptcy Japan 75

Up and Running

APRIL 25, 2016

So, you’ve decided that it’s time to hire your first employee—or maybe multiple employees. But what kind of employee fits your business needs? Do you need a stable, full-time workforce, or will a few part-time employees suffice? Or, should you just hire freelancers? While it’s hard to nail down an exact statistic, it’s estimated that around 40 percent of the U.S. works on what is referred to as a “contingent” basis.

Employee 74

Employee Hiring Cost Design 74

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 28, 2016

By Kurt Bilafer, Global Vice President Sales & Success at WePay. As a sales leader, my professional life is filled with quotas, metrics and dashboards. But if I had to pick just one thing I’m optimizing for, it would be engagement. Why? Because I’ve learned that engagement is the leading indicator for success with whatever else you’re optimizing to achieve.

Sales 100

Sales Social Media Sales Cycle Japan 100

YFS Magazine

APRIL 26, 2016

Multiple passions can cloud your clarity. Not being able to just choose one thing to do with your life can be really frustrating and painful. Both for your psyche and for your bottom line.

Cloud 80

Cloud Entrepreneur Business Plan 80