Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

This is a guest post by my Startup Owner’s Manual co-author Bob Dorf. ——————-. While statistics are weak on startup success rates, the worst one I’ve seen suggests that 2 in 1000 venture backed startups will ever achieve $100-million or more in valuation. Another stat puts that number at 2% rather than 0.2%. Either way, the “hurdle” for successful, scalable startups is high, and it gets higher every day as customer acquisition challenges continue to increase.

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Startup Cofounder Customer Development Viral 332

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

by Ian Smith of Captricity. This is not about running a startup badly, it’s about not doing the things that are not core to your business. The world has changed a lot lately and just about every aspect of a technology company – and especially a web-based company – can be “moved out” to a web-based application provider at a lower cost than doing it yourself.

Technology 251

Technology EC2 Mobile Startup 251

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2012

Angel investors and venture capitalists don’t invest in non-profits. The simple reason is that it’s impossible to make money for investors when the goal of the company is to not make money. Yet I still get this question on a regular basis, so I’ll try to outline the considerations in common-sense terms. A non-profit organization is generally defined as an organization that does not distribute its surplus funds to owners or shareholders, but instead uses them to help pursue its goals.

Angel Investor 218

Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy Equity 218

The Equity Kicker

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Personal discipline is one of my hallmarks. I have thought a lot about how and why I do what I do so that I can get a lot of important stuff done. Doing stuff inefficiently or spending time on unimportant stuff sends me round the twist a little. Staying disciplined is an ongoing process of self improvement and I’m always looking for new tricks and tactics, so when I saw a link to Achieving top mental performance for software developers I clicked straight through, and to my delight I found

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Software Developers Software Development Software Developer 157

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

The Next Web

SEPTEMBER 16, 2012

Though it’s incredibly valuable to be an early adopter of 2012′s tech trends, it won’t hurt your company to be right on time with everyone else who is just discovering them now. It’s not too late to set up a presence on Pinterest and Instagram, and mobile apps aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. However, as always, new tech trends are on the horizon.

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API Social Media Mobile Valuation 157

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

by Michael Houlihan, coauthor of “ The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built a Bestseller “. It seems our society has turned dodging responsibility into an art form. From celebrities who insist that a brush with the law was all a big misunderstanding to political figures who use spin and double-speak to blame everything on the other side, no one wants to admit it when they mess up.

Technical Review 164

Technical Review Software Review Due Diligence Chicago 164

Gust

SEPTEMBER 16, 2012

Steve Forbes image via Wikipedia. Presenting your startup vision as a founder to a potential investor, or presenting an idea as an employee to an executive, requires that you effectively communicate, or “translate”, the value proposition into terms that the receiver can fully understand and appreciate. If you fail, it’s your loss, not theirs, no matter what the reason.

Technology 162

Technology Agile Architecture Distribution 162

The Next Web

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Amsterdam-based Rockstart Accelerator , one of the many, many startup accelerators in Europe, is taking the first class of startups who’ve graduated from its six-month program stateside this month. The accelerator, which counts Amazon CTO Werner Vogels among its startup mentors , will be showcasing its first batch of startups (see list below) in Silicon Valley on the 20th of September, followed by a panel discussion about “The Future of the European Startup Community” Sounds ri

Silicon Valley 123

Silicon Valley CTO Hire Continuous Deployment Cofounder 123

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

Many founders believe that the most difficult part of starting up is in the initial part – meeting venture capital investors, finding the right co-founders or employees, and even building the correct culture for the company to thrive. Yet startup entrepreneurs we talk to tell us that one of the most challenging parts of the entrepreneurial journey comes somewhat later – when they are trying to scale their company.

Management 159

Management Startup Cofounder Technical Review 159

ConversionXL

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

There are three ways to grow sales – online and offline both. Only three. However, most companies focus only on one – and are missing out on revenue opportunities. So what are these 3 ways to increase online sales? increase the number of customers, increase the average order size, increase the number of repeat purchases. #1: Increase the number of customers.

Sales 125

Sales Phoenix Email Europe 125

ReadWriteStart

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

There are a number of certainties in life. There’s death. And taxes. And if you’re the founder of a successful startup and you’re not named Mark Zuckerberg, there’s the day when you’re replaced as CEO. Don’t pout - your ouster is actually the ultimate validation of your company. So says David Feinleib , author of Why Startups Fail: And How Yours Can Succeed.

Part-Time VPE 133

Part-Time VPE Founder Silicon Valley Startup 133

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

This is post #2 in a series about Entrepreneurial DNA, what makes you very different from other entrepreneurs out there – and what to do about it. If you haven’t read the first post on Up & Running , please do that now. Here’s a quick recap of what we learned last time. 1) All entrepreneurs are not the same. We come in different “breeds” (just like dogs do). 2) If you don’t take the time to understand your unique behavioral profile, you’ll be like th

Business Plan 80

Business Plan Flash Matching Cofounder 80

Jeff Hilimire

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

I’ve lived in Atlanta since I was about five years old. Like most people, I’m a transplant from the North, with family roots in Chicago and New York and none in the South. If I’m being honest, while growing up the allure of Chicago and New York always left me with the “grass is always greener” syndrome. Those cities are massive and bustling, and surrounded by water and bridges.

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Atlanta Georgia Technical Review Chicago 69

www.thedailymuse.com

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

NEW! Company Profiles. Home. About. Contact. Get Involved. Meet the Team. We’re Hiring. Career. Job Search. Entrepreneurship. Education. Style. Tech. Health. Money. Social. Travel. Break Room. What Start-ups Should Know About Hiring a Lawyer. by Rebecca Thorman — September 13, 2012 — No comments. Tweet. Hiring and working with a lawyer is often confusing and daunting, especially if you’ve never done it before.

Hiring 56

Hiring LLC Intellectual Property Private Equity 56

ReadWriteStart

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

There are a number of certainties in life. There’s death. And taxes. And if you’re the founder of a successful startup and you’re not named Mark Zuckerberg, there’s the day when you’re replaced as CEO. Don’t pout - your ouster is actually the ultimate validation of your company. So says David Feinleib , author of Why Startups Fail: And How Yours Can Succeed.

Part-Time VPE 70

Part-Time VPE Founder Silicon Valley Startup 70

deal architect

SEPTEMBER 15, 2012

My Gartner colleague Art Mesher (now CEO of Descartes) talked about postponement as a supply chain innovation in the 90s. It was interesting to hear him talk to clients about fragmenting steps in distribution and other processes at the peak.

Distribution 261

Distribution 261

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2012

I’m sure we have all seen entrepreneurs with high levels of passion and confidence touting an idea that seems to make very little sense to us. Of course, we never see ourselves in this mode, yet we need to recognize that all humans see reality differently through a built-in set of “cognitive biases,” based on their own unique background of experiences, training, and mental state.

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Entrepreneur Founder Startup Cost 272

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Although LinkedIn gets a lot of love as a professional social media site, Twitter is a force that can’t be ignored by up-and-coming young professionals. It’s a great place to get connected and informed, and an especially good resource for growing professionally. But how exactly can you use Twitter for professional development? Check out our list to find 25 different ways.

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Developer Social Media Networking Conversion 240

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

This post was co-written by Eric Ries and Sarah Milstein, co-hosts of The Lean Startup Conference. On December 4 at The Lean Startup Conference, three of New York's top UX designers will lead a workshop we're really excited about, Lean Startup in the Enterprise. We hope our Q&A here with two of them here today gives you a taste of their sensibility and what you can expect from their session.

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Lean New York City Cofounder New York 160

deal architect

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

on the innovation blog The Big Data of Union Pacific’s rolling assets The rise of “super-commuters” The future of farming Time’s wireless issue Not your grandma’s television Distracted dining Facedeals Technology for jetlag.

Technology 236

Technology 236

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

If you have had some success in a business, I’m sure you bristle just like I do when someone says “You were just lucky…” I’m a strong believer that we all make our own luck, which means that the harder we work, the luckier we get. In reality, “hard work” is just a catch-all term for a list of principles that good entrepreneurs follow, allowing them to work smarter and improve their odds of success.

Entrepreneur 254

Entrepreneur Networking Developer Design 254

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Facebook earlier this week opened the doors of its Singapore office to media for a familiarization tour, where executives took the opportunity to give us a brief rundown of the company’s attitude towards work culture. It’s not often we get invited to visit the office of a technology giant, but when we do – and are actually allowed to take photos anywhere – we naturally jumped at it.

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Singapore Non-disclosure Agreement South Korea Indonesia 234

Rembrandt Communications

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

Many new entrepreneurs often ask me what they need to do to their site so that they show up at the top of the search engines. They usually want a quick answer, but the truth is… Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is an Ongoing Process. If you want your site to be at the top [.].

SEO 140

SEO Engineer Search Entrepreneur 140

deal architect

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

Rick Smolan, former National Geographic and Time photographer, has used a crowdsourced model (of fellow media professionals) to create a series of “A Day in the Life of” books. He is now tackling the impact of Big Data/analytics on many.

Analytics 231

Analytics Media Software 231

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Fundraising is brutal. Actually, according to Paul Graham , “Raising money is the second hardest part of starting a startup. The hardest part is making something people want.” More startups may fail for that reason, but a close second is the difficulty of raising money. A while back, I outlined “ The 10 Best Sources of Cash to Start Your Business ” for startups, listing angel investors as alternative #6.

Angel Investor 245

Angel Investor Advisory Board Database Institutional Investors 245

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

We love using LinkedIn to manage our professional network. But there are many other services that help you connect, network and communicate with other professionals, all designed to help you get into the right places and climb that professional ladder. If you are a new college graduate, seasoned professional or even a top business veteran, the following five web- and/or mobile-based networking applications can help you connect your way to the top.

Networking 225

Networking Mobile Design Search 225

Mike Michalowicz

SEPTEMBER 16, 2012

If You Build It, They Will Come (And Other B t You’ve Been Told). So you finally did it. You formed a business and opened the doors. But no one showed. Not even your mom. Welcome to the life of an entrepreneur. You better learn how to advertise with $100 (or less). I don’t care how great your website is, or how fantastic your customer service is, or all the amazing features of your product – if you don’t advertise to the right people at the “right time” (loosely interpreted as “all the tim

Advertising 155

Advertising Oman Social Media Hosting 155

deal architect

SEPTEMBER 16, 2012

on the innovation blog Not your Dad’s VAR The voice of Google Now All work and all play makes Jack… The next-gen Concorde? Libraries as idea incubators Do you talk hippie? “Ninja Polymers” Maersk’s massive EEE Class container ships.

Incubator 220

Incubator Technology 220

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

It takes a great entrepreneur with a great vision to start a business, but it takes a collaboration of many people to make it a success. That’s where leadership comes in as a key ingredient, to drive the collaborative process to make the whole team better than the sum of the parts. I remember a book from a while back by Amilya Antonetti, titled “ The Recipe: A Fable for Leaders and Teams ” which illustrates the key concepts with stories and specific guidance on how to develop your natural leader

Leadership 244

Leadership Matching Developer Entrepreneur 244

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Along with the traditional resume, a well-written cover letter, and an impressive handshake , social media is an absolutely crucial component to a productive and successful job search. In today’s job market, your online presence should amount to more than an email address and a photo of you flipping burgers at a backyard barbecue, since recruiters in ever-growing numbers are using sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to source applicants for specific jobs and post employment opportunities.

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Social Media Search Media Social Network 220

Life Beyond Code

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

I am excited to announce the launch of my book on blogging titled. BLOGTASTIC ! Growing and Making a Difference Through Blogging. It’s been 2775 days since I started blogging and this is blog post number 1805. It does seem like a long journey now that I think about it. However, I can tell you that the entire journey has been a fulfilling one. Now, why did I stick with blogging for such a long time and continued to invest in it?

Social Media 150

Social Media Social Network Media Partner 150

deal architect

SEPTEMBER 16, 2012

Tech startups go through waves of branding waves and fads – in a recent one startups started adding r like FlickR to perfectly good English words. When I co-founded a start up a decade ago, our heads spun with the.

Startup 220

Startup 220

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Even though I love technology, I always cringe when an entrepreneur starts his pitch by touting his new technology. He has forgotten that new technologies are perceived by most customers as causing more pain than the problems they hope to eliminate. I chastise these startups to highlight the solution created by the technology, rather than highlight the technology itself.

Technology 239

Technology Customer Engineer Software 239

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 16, 2012

by David Mattson, CEO of Sandler Training. Climbing the corporate ladder can be challenging in any industry, and sales is no exception. Taking that next step in a sales career requires increased knowledge, experience and skills, not to mention a shift from “tactical implementer” to “big picture strategic thinker.” So how can sales people transition from a sales rep to a sales leader?

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Sales United States Europe Management 193

ReadWriteStart

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Adam and Eve. Sonny and Cher. Jobs and Wozniak. Legendary partners all. Sometimes even the most dedicated, uber-competent entrepreneur doesn’t have everything it takes to ensure startup success. That’s when you need that “perfect partner.” But how do you find the right one? Finding that ideal startup partner can be as elusive as finding a compatible mate.

Cofounder 150

Cofounder Founder St. Louis Sweat Equity 150

deal architect

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

Ray Wang tweeted this morning at the incredible brainpower at an SAP blogger session in conjunction with Salesforce’s Dreamforce event this week. I did not feel much envy for not being part of the group. SAP is one of the.

Open Source 218

Open Source Software 218