View from Seed

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

In general, VC decision-making can feel like a black box, which can be frustrating for founders who are trying to manage their fundraising process and timeline. It usually involves many meetings over the course of weeks (if not months) with various members of the firm, and the process can look quite different from one firm to another. Regardless, your singular goal is typically to drive towards a “Partner Meeting” where you can pitch the story and vision to the entire investment team.

Partner 196

Partner Seed Stage Restful Differentiation 196

Rembrandt Communications

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Do you get results from your publicity efforts? Last week, I received a call from a small business owner who hired a firm for their publicity activities and received little to no results. And another entrepreneur e-mailed me to tell me that his press release didn’t capture any media attention… so with this in mind, what happened? How Do You Get Good Publicity?

PR 130

PR Public Relations SEO Campaign 130

deal architect

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

I have had a few days to reflect on the Zoho Analyst Summit. There were so many varied perspectives but a few things really jumped out as I looked at my notes Productivity From last year's analyst day, I had.

Product 320

Product Cloud Software 320

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2020

Most small businesses have now forgotten the last recession, and are back to “business as usual.” They don’t realize that business as usual is gone forever. With social media and smart phone apps, real product information spreads at astounding speeds. Entrepreneurs that are not listening, not engaging, and not changing are destined to be left behind even in the best of times.

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Agile Technical Review Leadership Social Media 315

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

ReadWriteStart

FEBRUARY 7, 2020

This article is the third part of my extended series on boundaryless teams, remote -first companies, and the future of work. In my two previous installments, I talked about the changing dynamics in many tech-centric cities. I explained why authorities like Sam Altman of Y-Combinator , Angel List’s Naval Ravikant, Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey, and Bill Gurley, GP at Benchmark Capital , believe boundaryless companies built by remote-distributed teams are the future of work.

Technical Review 184

Technical Review Silicon Valley Nigeria Distribution 184

YoungUpstarts

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

by Paul Mayne, founder and CEO of Day One Journal. It’s been nearly 10 years since I started my company. Like every entrepreneur, growing a company was no small feat, with sleepless nights, unexpected challenges and looming deadlines. It’s also been 10 years since I committed to keeping a daily journal. While the stress that comes with owning and running my own company will never go away, I’ve found the simple act of journaling has made me a better entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur 162

Entrepreneur Technical Review Founder Leadership 162

ConversionXL

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

When it comes to online imagery, it’s not so much about having images as making sure those images give the visitor a sense of texture, size, scale, detail, context, brand. According to MDG Advertising , 67% of online shoppers rated high-quality images as being “very important” to their purchase decision, which was slightly more than “product specific information,” “long descriptions,” and “reviews and ratings”: ( Image source ).

Stock 71

Stock Software Review Arizona Technical Review 71

deal architect

FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Cognizant is a regular at the annual WEF event in Davos, Switzerland. I requested Alan Alper, VP Corporate Marketing, keep good notes on everything he observed during this year's event. Here's an excellent ground level report - you can feel.

Switzerland 482

Switzerland Conversion Marketing Global 482

YoungUpstarts

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

There’s no shortage of examples of enterprises that have been burned by cybersecurity breaches in recent years. Since threats are getting more sophisticated, it’s the responsibility of organizations to react with better security measures. Here are five enterprise cybersecurity mistakes to avoid. Ignoring Permissions Settings. Not everyone within an organization needs access to the same information.

Security 131

Security Software Review Framework Employee 131

The Startup Magazine

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

Some companies don’t put enough thought into how they are packaging their products. If you want to help to sell your products to consumers, then thinking about the packaging is imperative. Having eye-catching custom packaging will help certain products to stand out from the competition. Take a look at the following seven important product packaging tips that you should be considering.

Product 110

Product Audience Design Reputation 110

ConversionXL

FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Optimizing the sign-up flow is a never-ending saga for SaaS companies, for whom it’s mission-critical to acquire and activate users as quickly as possible. Within the sign-up flow, the dreaded word is “friction.” Sadhana Balaji sums it up : You can optimize your value proposition or call to action buttons all you want, but if your sign-up flow contains too much friction, you’re leaving money on the table.

Acquisition 67

Acquisition Software Review Technical Review Mobile 67

Austin Startup

FEBRUARY 1, 2020

Sapient’s Sam Parks and Martin Koch have developed a smart outlet system for commercial deployment The Forrest Four-Cast: January 28, 2020 If Sam Parks , CEO and co-founder of Sapient Industries , weren’t working for his startup, he’d be working as a scientist, using his background in nanotechnology as an applied physicist. Instead, an idea for smart outlets, conceived while he was still a student at University of Pennsylvania, evolved into Sapient Industries, based in Philadelphia, Penn., and l

Philadelphia 62

Philadelphia Technical Review Artificial Inteligence Pennsylvania 62

Hearpreneur

FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Being in love is great. Being in love with your business, when you’re an entrepreneur, is even better. Waking up each morning knowing you are getting to do exactly what you love is more than most people could ever say about any “job” they have had. Although there are days when tossing in your hat seems like a viable option, remembering how much you love your “job” can quickly snap an entrepreneur out of that mentality.

Entrepreneur 124

Entrepreneur Chad Tampa Community 124

The Startup Magazine

FEBRUARY 6, 2020

Are you the owner of a new start-up? And, have you recently fallen ill and been unsuccessfully treated by a medical specialist? Consequently, do you suspect that you are a victim of medical malpractice? And, if so, what steps do you follow to file a medical malpractice suit? How do you protect your business’s viability if you are not able to work?

Technical Review 98

Technical Review Florida Miami Entrepreneur 98

ReadWriteStart

FEBRUARY 4, 2020

My first job out of college was preventing a nuclear power station from melting down. It was summer 1986, the fall-out from Chernobyl was blowing over Europe and, after graduating in engineering science, I undertook a software development project for the UK Atomic Energy Authority. Here is why a tech startup is like a nuclear power plant. My first job was writing software systems to monitor the nuclear reactor core and to predict the future failure of cooling components.

Startup 78

Startup Java Europe Finance 78

Board Effect

FEBRUARY 7, 2020

In many ways, nonprofits operate much like corporate boards, but there are some important differences. Nonprofits have unique compliance rules and other operating rules. One of the ways that they’re similar is that nonprofit board directors are under just as much scrutiny as other board directors. In addition, nonprofit board directors have important fundraising duties.

Software Review 59

Software Review Software Technical Review Due Diligence 59

Women Entrepreneurs Can

FEBRUARY 4, 2020

The benefits of using modern tech in business are well documented. In fact, it’s fair to assume that 99.9% of businesses can be improved by implementing new technologies. Despite all of the positive elements, though, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the potential obstacles. After all, the potential dangers are greater than ever. When using cloud computing, IoT technologies, and automated machinery, it’s vital to keep safety and practicality at the top of your agenda.

Technical Review 52

Technical Review Software Review Cloud Reputation 52

Austin Startup

FEBRUARY 2, 2020

Few things make me happier than being able to be productive and efficient in my role, and ensuring my team feels confident in knowing what they are accountable for. As I transitioned from general marketing into product marketing last year, one of my core challenges at Kahoot! was maintaining communications across team lines, ensuring responsibilities were clear to all, especially as many staff were transitioning into changing roles.

Product 62

Product Marketing Technical Review Design 62

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I tend to see many of the same obstacles appearing in every new startup, and since I don’t want to appear to be a downer , I’m not sure how to properly warn people ahead of time to be on the alert for these challenges. In fact, since most entrepreneurs are eternal optimists anyway, they would never believe any negative scenarios could happen to them.

Entrepreneur 328

Entrepreneur Startup Dividend Flash 328

NZ Entrepreneur

FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Failure is a part of business, but when your own startup stalls, it’s hard not to take it personally. In this article, Alan Manly talks to Mark Phillips about how entrepreneurs cope with the taste of defeat without it slowing them down. There are plenty of sobering statistics available to budding entrepreneurs that show the likelihood of a startup failing, but they are not much use to a new business owner once the probability of failure becomes reality.

Bankruptcy 61

Bankruptcy Startup Australia Technical Review 61

Women Entrepreneurs Can

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Data is becoming a bigger part of our everyday lives, especially if you’re a business owner. The more we connect ourselves to the digital world, the more we rely on the data feed of the internet. Our phones, tablets, and computers work as they should most of the time. But no one is ever completely safe, and your data could be in jeopardy if you do not prepare in advance for these possibilities.

Cloud 52

Cloud Software Review Security Technical Review 52

Duct Tape Marketing

FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Changing the Game as an Entrepreneur written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing. Marketing Podcast with Greg Meade. Podcast Transcript. Today’s guest on the podcast is Greg Meade, one of the founders of Crossnet. Greg, his brother Chris, and childhood friend Mike graduated from college and decided that a traditional career path wasn’t for them.

Cofounder 56

Cofounder Entrepreneur Technical Review Small Business 56

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Even though I’m a big proponent of becoming an entrepreneur, it is definitely not for everyone. Unfortunately the success and lavish lifestyle of some current well-known entrepreneurs, including Richard Branson and Elon Musk , lead many who are not so well prepared to jump in with both feet, only to be shocked and severely tested by the unexpected rigors and high risk.

Silicon Valley 315

Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Stock Options Flash 315

deal architect

FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Unlike the hard Y2K wall, we knew SAP's 2025 Business Suite 7 wall was a soft one. They have just pushed it back till the end of 2027 followed by optional (and more expensive) extended maintenance until the end of.

Software 262

Software 262

Women Entrepreneurs Can

FEBRUARY 6, 2020

These days the business landscape is competitive, and new companies are popping up all the time in a variety of industries. You must find ways to stand apart from the competition and grab the attention of your target audience if you want to be successful. You can’t launch a business and expect that customers will come flocking to you and will understand why you’re unique.

Community 52

Community Technical Review Employee Social Media 52

YoungUpstarts

FEBRUARY 2, 2020

by Katy Kvalvik , founder of Southwestern Empowerment. Small business owners and entrepreneurs are familiar with the saying, “Work hard, play hard.” I believe there’s something missing from that well-known adage. I encourage you to make your 2020 mantra, “Work hard, play hard — REST hard.”. People often think taking time to rest and relax equals unproductivity, when in fact the opposite is true.

Restful 169

Restful Social Media Founder Small Business 169

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 2, 2020

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Angel investors, like me, have long figured out that asking to see the prototype is a quick way to separate the ‘wannabes’ from serious players. Talk is cheap, but entrepreneurs who show you a working model of their idea know how to execute.

Angel Investor 312

Angel Investor Database Cofounder Distribution 312

deal architect

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Karl-Heinz Streibich is President of acatech, the National Academy of Science and Engineering in Germany. In that role, he is constantly interacting with business and academic leaders, and has a unique perspective on STEM trends in Germany and broadly across.

Germany 150

Germany Engineer Conversion Global 150

Women Entrepreneurs Can

FEBRUARY 6, 2020

Rocking the role of a woman leader means wearing a multitude of different hats to keep your business afloat, let alone empower it to thrive and flourish. What that means is that juggling several roles for small business owners can be tricky simply because you might not have the experience, qualifications, or the knowledge to run each and every vital segment of your company independently – just yet.

Small Business 52

Small Business Technical Review Due Diligence Finance 52

YoungUpstarts

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

Branding is one of the most important attributes of a business. After all, consumers place plenty of emphasis on brand ethics and what the company stands for. But, it’s not as simple as many people believe to establish your brand as one your audience can trust, and many entrepreneurs don’t know how to go about it. Not sure where to start?

Customer 162

Customer Social Media Audience Media 162

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Today’s customers are much more in control of their buying decision, as they have more choices and more information than ever before. Almost instantly, via the Internet or on their smartphone in the store, they can find the lowest price alternative or their favorite features, without waiting for push marketing or listening to your best sales person.

Customer 310

Customer Startup Social Media Acquisition 310

deal architect

FEBRUARY 2, 2020

Karl-Heinz Streibich is President of acatech, the National Academy of Science and Engineering in Germany. In that role, he is constantly interacting with business and academic leaders, and has a unique perspective on STEM trends in Germany and broadly across.

Germany 150

Germany Engineer Conversion Global 150

Women Entrepreneurs Can

FEBRUARY 5, 2020

We all know that if you want to get the most out of your employees, you need to make sure that you are properly motivating them. That is not necessarily something that always comes easily, but it is the kind of thing you can improve upon over time. Doing so is certainly going to mean that your business is in a better state, that you are getting more out of your employees, and that things are moving towards your business goals generally.

Software Review 52

Software Review Employee Software Management 52

YoungUpstarts

FEBRUARY 4, 2020

by Natasha Wallace, author of “ The Conscious Effect: 50 Lessons for Better Organizational Wellbeing “ The world of work is changing more rapidly than ever. As a leader, it’s important to recognize what that means for the way in which you and others work. Your organization and your workforce depend on your ability to stay healthy, maintain a high level of performance, and continue your own growth.

Startup 150

Startup Leadership Bandwidth Employee 150

VC Cafe

FEBRUARY 1, 2020

When you are product manager, your work is never really done. The initial launch is just the opportunity to collect more data. You learn about how people use the product, analyse the data and come up with experiments to increase usage. Many of those fail and never make it to the product. Those that do, become new features. In 2020 there is a treasure trove of training material, online courses and best practices on product management, some of it from the top PMs in the world.

Management 166

Management Product Social Media Media 166

Feld Thoughts

FEBRUARY 6, 2020

For the past week, I’ve been asked at least once a day (yesterday I was asked several times, with an R0 of 3) about what I think the coronavirus’ impact will be on the global supply chain. I have a perspective that it’s too early to really know but there are starting to be guidelines about how to think about it, especially as Chinese new year + a week has passed (and we are almost at +2 weeks).

China 141

China Startup Global Web 141