Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 25, 2015

'Startups in a world of massive markets can be confusing. The law of large numbers, platforms that can make your company blow up unexpectedly and the trendy nature of tech markets can be deceiving. Success for many is ephemeral. I have written about the deceiving nature of early successes before – in particular in the SaaS or B2B world leading to a phenomenon called “shelfware.” If you didn’t read it I recommend it.

Product 256

Product B2B Warrant Technical Review 256

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 28, 2015

'New entrepreneurs tend to focus only on getting the product right, and assume that the right culture and ethics will come later simply by hiring good people. In fact, they need an early focus on developing their moral compass, as well as setting the right ethical tone. Building an ethical business is more than just compliance and meeting legal requirements, and it has big paybacks.

Founder 205

Founder Software Review Offshore Startup 205

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 28, 2015

'by Jack Narcotta, Devices Analyst at Technology Business Research. With the release of each new version of the iPhone, Apple’s grip on the most lucrative segments of the mobile device market becomes even stronger, and with the success of the iPhone 6 during Apple’s calendar 4Q14 it is clear that Apple’s dominance of the premium smartphone market is uncontested.

China 138

China Technical Review Mobile Revenue 138

Feld Thoughts

JANUARY 29, 2015

'tl;dr: As a small company, focus on two things with big companies: “1. What can we, the small company do, to make the big company successful? 2. What can I do, as a leader of a small company, do to help the people I’m working with at the big company be successful within the big company?” I was on the phone yesterday with the head of corp dev for a very large tech company.

Venture Capital 122

Venture Capital Reputation Affiliate Conversion 122

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

Up and Running

JANUARY 26, 2015

'Welcome to Day 1 of our 5 Day SWOT Analysis Challenge! Sign up for our daily updates during the challenge and complete your own SWOT Analysis. Click here to join the challenge for FREE. Invite others to take the challenge! Share this article on Facebook or Twitter and use the #SWOT hashtag. As an entrepreneur, you want to know your business inside and out so you can make informed, money-making decisions.

Intellectual Property 115

Intellectual Property Technical Review Reputation Employee 115

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2015

'Most entrepreneurs I meet are reluctant to disclose anything about their idea to investors before getting a signed confidential disclosure agreement (CDA). Professional investors and advisors, on the other hand, usually refuse to sign these agreements today due to the risk of litigation and administrative workload, and will walk away. How can you make this a win-win opportunity?

Non-disclosure Agreement 217

Non-disclosure Agreement Technical Review NDA Due Diligence 217

The Equity Kicker

JANUARY 27, 2015

'Steve Denning, one of the leading business thinkers pushing the business world to abandon the outdated idea of maximising shareholder value has published an interesting article on Forbes titled Why do managers hate agile? That immediately made me think of my first experiences with agile as a board member of software and web startups shifting away from waterfall development to agile to improve productivity.

Agile 96

Agile Management Forecast .Net 96

deal architect

JANUARY 30, 2015

'In the last couple of weeks, in very different settings I have seen the future of ERP. Invited to be part of UNIT4/FinancialForce’s sales kickoff in Madrid, Spain and that of Plex Systems in Troy, MI, I saw wildly enthusiastic.

Spain 288

Spain Cloud Software Sales 288

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 24, 2015

'I was waiting for my son’s basketball game to start this morning and with the morning’s emails all drained I turned to Twitter and saw this Tweet from Marshall Kirkpatick. Test: open your twitter stream, look at the 1st item in it, think of something to say in response, say it. Theory: it’s really that simple. — Marshall Kirkpatrick (@marshallk) January 24, 2015.

Networking 271

Networking Conversion Naming New York 271

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 30, 2015

'by Jack Narcotta, Devices Analyst at Technology Business Research. Google is focused on expanding its already broad reach into the advertising market by increasing the span and coverage of its digital and mobile platforms, and the company’s 4Q14 results highlight how the company’s efforts to buttress its core services is paying off: Google’s revenue and gross profit climbed 15.3% and 18.3% year-to-year, respectively, as the company remains the gold standard for digital and search advertising.

Advertising 133

Advertising Revenue Mobile Intellectual Property 133

Duct Tape Marketing

JANUARY 29, 2015

'What Customers Want written by Guest Post read more at Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing. It’s guest post day here at Duct Tape Marketing, and today’s guest post is from Mark Kirkpatrick – Enjoy! photo credit: shutterstock. The only consistent in the wants and needs of internet users is change. This has less to do with finicky temperaments and more to do with the change of the infrastructure of the internet itself.

Customer 52

Customer Technical Review Los Angeles Social Media 52

deal architect

JANUARY 26, 2015

'This continues a series of columns from practitioners I respect. The category "Real Deal" describes them well. This time it is Bruce Richardson who joined Salesforce in 2011 as the Chief Enterprise Strategist. He may be best known for his.

282

282

View from Seed

JANUARY 28, 2015

'In the last six months, we’ve been asked and answered several key questions about seed-stage startups and raising seed capital. When we first launched this blog, we considered it a “physical” representation of our mission at NextView: Help founders give their companies the best possible start. All we do is seed — we focus on it, we want to be the best seed partner, and we obsess over helping startups through that first, formative 18-24 month period.

Seed Stage 230

Seed Stage Seed Capital IPO Startup 230

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2015

'You can’t win as an entrepreneur working alone. You need to have business relationships with team members, investors, customers, and a myriad of other support people. That doesn’t mean you have to be a social butterfly to succeed, or introverts need not apply. It does mean that you need to look, listen, and participate in the business world around you, and network through all available channels, like business-oriented social networks online (LinkedIn), local business organizations (Chamber of C

Elevator Pitch 220

Elevator Pitch Startup Social Network Networking 220

Feld Thoughts

JANUARY 27, 2015

'Have you ever finished something and thought to yourself, “That didn’t need to take an hour?” In my world, I have an endless stream of requests to do something for an hour. I just looked at my calendar for the next two weeks and almost everything that someone else scheduled and invited me to is for an hour. In contrast, all of the things I (or my assistant) have scheduled are for 30 minutes.

Management 154

Management Email Product 154

deal architect

JANUARY 29, 2015

'Andrew Nusca at Fortune interviews Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP here. What’s striking is Bill talks incessantly about the “new SAP” : HANA, Ariba, Concur, SuccessFactors, Hybris, Fieldglass, Sybase. The stuff is not exactly new – most of the products.

Software 233

Software Product 233

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 25, 2015

'The context of global business is rapidly changing, and as Bob Bratt says, global business leaders need to be able to steer their company through uncertain and turbulent conditions. Global business leaders need to provide conscious leadership that is supported by courage and compassion for the well-being of their company and the world. Effective Internationalization of Business.

Global 153

Global Asia Leadership Social Network 153

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2015

'Founders almost always cite lack of money as the reason for failure, but if you look deeper, I believe the reason is more often about dysfunctional people and leadership. Sometimes it comes right back to the founder, in terms of a malaise often called “founder’s syndrome.” A few years ago I was intimately involved with a promising startup that taught me about this issue.

Startup 217

Startup Founder Leadership Demand 217

Feld Thoughts

JANUARY 28, 2015

'One day in 2009 David Cohen and I were talking. Here’s what I remember the conversation being. David: “I’m seeing so many seed deals from all the mentors and people I’m running into around Techstars but I’m not sure what to do with it.” Brad: “Why don’t you raise an angel fund and just invest in them as a seed investor.” David: “Do you really think I can do that?

LP 139

LP Seattle Angel Investor Partner 139

deal architect

JANUARY 30, 2015

'Maybe it is the Marshawn Lynch effect – most everyone is squirming this week as the NFL forces him to make mandatory media appearances in the run up to the Super Bowl. But I felt bad for Mark Hurd of.

Media 174

Media 174

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 27, 2015

'Deciding to start your first business venture is an exciting but somewhat daunting step. Never underestimate the difference that careful planning and thought to every aspect of the business can make. Whether you are a big company like Apple or a more modestly-sized if similarly expert one like The Print Group , you need to devote close attention to your brand, promotion, marketing and collateral, just as much as you need to have strong financial backing and a comprehensive business plan in pla

Campaign 148

Campaign Business Plan Revenue Operations 148

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 26, 2015

'In the beginning all businesses are just people playing out an idea. It’s never the other way around – there is no idea so big that it doesn’t need people to make it succeed. Investors know this, hence the saying “Bet on the jockey (founder), not the horse (idea).” A great jockey is a great role model. Like it or not, everyone looks to the entrepreneur as the jockey role model in a new business.

Founder 215

Founder Startup Leadership Entrepreneur 215

Feld Thoughts

JANUARY 25, 2015

'I hear some version of this one all the time. “We will never need another financing.” “This financing will get us to cash flow breakeven.” “This is our last financing before we become profitable.” It’s probably b t. There are so many reasons companies raise more money in the future that even making an assertion like this is generally nonsensical.

Finance 131

Finance Bootstrapping Acquisition Revenue 131

The Next Web

JANUARY 25, 2015

'Garrett Heath is a social media marketer for Rackspace. Digital design is about considering the needs of the users, delivering on their expectations and delighting them in the process. Well-designed applications are rapidly adopted in the marketplace, resulting in big business for the organizations that create them. The Chief Experience Officer (CXO)—one of the newest executives to join the C-suite—is charged with leveraging best practices in design and user experience to gain market share.

Differentiation 130

Differentiation Social Media Design Web 130

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 29, 2015

'by Ian Cowley, managing director of www.cartridgesave.co.uk. As your company grows and your workforce increases, it is vital that you have a robust internal comms strategy in place. All your employees should feel they can speak with ease to members of their team, as well as their senior managers. Miscommunication at home or in social situations can easily lead to arguments; in the workplace the repercussions can be far more severe – unmotivated employees, unsure of what the future may hold and

Employee 147

Employee Operations Email Management 147

Rembrandt Communications

JANUARY 29, 2015

'Sales slow? Bored? Want a change? Read on… If you own a business, you are probably wearing numerous hats and running around like a crazy person to meet all of your responsibilities and deadlines. This year is brand new… are you already exhausted? How are sales going? If any of this sounds familiar, you are […]. The post It’s Time To Supercharge Your Business!

Public Relations 122

Public Relations SEO Sales Small Business 122

Up and Running

JANUARY 27, 2015

'If you’re planning to use your personal savings to launch a new business, you’ll be happy to hear that many of the costs you’ll incur are tax deductible. In this article, we’ll go through what you can and can’t deduct during the startup phase of a business, to help you spend strategically and get a better return come tax time. See Also 7 Overlooked Tax Deductions for Small Business Owners.

Acquisition 122

Acquisition Cost Startup Advertising 122

The Next Web

JANUARY 25, 2015

'Having mobile presence is no longer an added bonus for businesses; it’s a necessity. When taking a mobile-first approach, it’s important to remember that mobile and desktop are vastly different. Many elements get overlooked when making this transition, which can easily have a negative impact on your bottom line. To narrow this transition gap, I asked nine entrepreneurs from the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following: What’s one overlooked thing tech startups must change as they switch t

Mobile 123

Mobile Design Web Entrepreneur 123

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 26, 2015

'If you fancy yourself as a bit of an entrepreneur, see how many of these things on our list you’ve done or plan to do during your business venture: 1. Stay focused on their vision. First and foremost, it’s important that the vision of the business is at the heart of everything you do to ensure that you’re as likely to reach it as possible. Having a vision and a clear-cut plan is so important in giving you something to work towards, too. 2.

Entrepreneur 148

Entrepreneur Social Media Finance Audience 148

The Equity Kicker

JANUARY 26, 2015

'I just read novelist Neil Gaiman’s Eight rules of writing. Numbers five and eight are priceless. 5. Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong. I love it! Generalising beyond writing, I would say trust what people have to say about feelings, but be careful with their predictions.

Operations 109

Operations Startup Entrepreneur Marketing 109

Up and Running

JANUARY 30, 2015

'Welcome to the final day of our 5 Day SWOT Analysis Challenge! Invite others to take the challenge! Share this article on Facebook or Twitter and use the #SWOT hashtag. By conducting a SWOT analysis of your business, you’re starting your year off right. Our 5 Day SWOT challenge was designed to give entrepreneurs a big-picture look at their business.

San Francisco 118

San Francisco Business Plan Conversion Employee 118

The Next Web

JANUARY 24, 2015

'Rahul Varshneya is the co-founder of Arkenea LLC, a mobile app consultancy helping healthcare and fitness tracking startups in creating experience-rich mobile apps. Subscribe to his free email series on growth hacking mobile apps for distribution. The rise of popularity in health, medical and fitness tech has everyone wanting a piece of the action.

Mobile 115

Mobile LLC Cofounder Startup 115

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 27, 2015

'Even if you have come up with a winning product or service idea, it won’t bring your startup business success unless you know how to sell it. There are several sales techniques that every startup should be aware of before they enter the market. Armed with this know-how you will have a much better chance of attracting customers to your business and selling your product or service.

Sales 146

Sales Startup Customer Product 146

The Equity Kicker

JANUARY 28, 2015

'These are two great charts! With IPOs like this European venture funds must be performing better, and that will bring more money into the market. It has taken us a long time to get over the 1999/2000 bubble and build a sustainable ecosystem. It would be nice if we could expect a recognisable moment when we all know that we have achieved critical mass and crossed over into sustainability, but unfortunately things don’t work that way.

IPO 104

IPO Marketing 104

Up and Running

JANUARY 26, 2015

'A lot of people are drawn to franchising. If it’s right for you, it can be a road map to profitable business ownership. You can get in on a great idea or successful business that has a track record of success and a strong brand, and still run the business yourself. Franchise expert Joel Libava defines a franchise as “a type of business that is owned and operated by individuals (franchisees) but that is branded and overseen by a much larger—usually national or multinational—company (the franchis

United States 116

United States Business Plan .Net Reputation 116

The Next Web

JANUARY 26, 2015

'VideoBlocks, a Netflix-style subscription platform for purchasing royalty-free stock video, today launched a new contributor marketplace platform for third-party content creators. The initiative is part of an ongoing effort to augment the service’s inventory of motion backgrounds, nature scenes, special effects, explosions, After Effects templates and HD and 4K video clips.

Stock 103

Stock Restful Video Design 103