Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 20, 2022

In my experience, the most successful business leaders and entrepreneurs are the best persuaders , not necessarily the ones with the best solutions. In business, your personal brand is key. Another key to credibility is to let your actions speak louder than your words. Emotion: Create empathy with a personal story.

Angel Investor 291

Angel Investor Social Media Audience Entrepreneur 291

ConversionXL

MARCH 13, 2019

B2B ecommerce: 2 key differences of B2B buyers. B2B buyers have two key differences that impact marketing and website design choices: A more complex sales cycle; Niche targeting. Other research suggests that 60% will switch brands if a current vendor doesn’t have an easy-to-use mobile experience. So what changes?

B2B 130

B2B eCommerce B2C Sales Cycle 130

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 24, 2012

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. No, they’re much more likely to talk to neighbors, friends, colleagues at work, and others in their peer networks and ask what they’ve used.

Marketing 234

Marketing Software Review Technical Review Social Network 234

Up and Running

AUGUST 6, 2021

Others are somewhat established but struggling to gain ground with so many rivals crowding the market. In this article, we’re going to make a compelling case for making younger consumers priority targets, setting out the three key reasons why every small business should focus on them. Targeting is a core concern for small businesses.

Small Business 149

Small Business Customer Social Media Channel 149

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 21, 2014

They have trust, short-hand communications, know each other’s strengths & weaknesses, etc. My other partner, Steven Dietz, was on the board of my second company. We all trust each other and play to our respective strengths and weaknesses. I liked David so much I eventually persuaded him to join BuildOnline as our CFO.

CTO Hire 320

CTO Hire Cofounder San Francisco Silicon Valley 320

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2013

As a mentor and advisor to entrepreneurs, I find it’s easy to recognize “street smarts” when I see them, but it’s hard to explain the specifics to someone on the other end of the spectrum, even if they are willing to learn. Some people argue that street smarts are only a natural born skill, but I disagree. Kuhn and Mark K. Present everything.

Partner 247

Partner Entrepreneur Finance Revenue 247

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2016

We think we’re supposed to act smart and have insights that others don’t possess. Entrepreneurs are supposed to have insights that others don’t have and we’re supposed to be good judges about which entrepreneurs and executives have both the most clever ideas and the right skill sets to do transformational things against all odds.

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Venture Capital Fractional CTO Cofounder Early Stage 150

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

Here are some key ways that personal stories can raise your message above the standard sales pitch: Show that you are authentic and deserve their trust. In reality, sharing stories is the first step to building a real relationship with other people in business, as well as your personal life. Weave a real person throughout your message.

Elevator Pitch 363

Elevator Pitch Restful Audience Technology 363

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 30, 2019

“ Need to persuade others to your point of view? Identify key points and fortify them with supporting evidence, the strength of which can make or break your case. Identify key participants’ opinions on the topic at hand. by Carla D. Bass, Colonel, USAF (Ret) and author of “ Write to Influence!

Audience 113

Audience Stock Reputation Restful 113

Up and Running

MAY 11, 2021

While a strong reputation can be the key to success, a weak one is likely to deter potential new clients that haven’t done business with you yet. Simply type in the name of your company, brand, products, or services, and make sure to search for “[company name] reports,” “[product name] reviews,” and other appropriate keywords.

Reputation 152

Reputation Software Review Social Media SEO 152

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 7, 2021

Unfortunately, in today’s world where time is of the essence, none of us can afford to make all the mistakes personally and learn from them, so I always try to recommend some key strategies for moving more quickly into the wise category: Keep your eye on the big picture, to temper your passion. Understand and exercise political judgement.

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Mobile Engineer Operations Employee 345

Growthink Blog

DECEMBER 27, 2017

And the desire to raise capital (whether from an individual “angel” investor or a venture capital firm) is often the key motivator in the business planning process. But how exactly will your business plan persuade investors to sign a check? Will the customer consult others in their organization before making a decision?

Venture Capital 129

Venture Capital Business Plan Technical Review Private Placement 129

NZ Entrepreneur

MARCH 30, 2021

A flourishing of virtual events that showcase the best of Kiwi ingenuity and, in the process, persuaded many businesses to move online for good—pandemic or not. This broadcast throughout the week with interviews, panel discussions, and other online video content to keep users interested. Key considerations. The result?

New Zealand 68

New Zealand Technical Review Software Review Audience 68

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 7, 2012

As a mentor and advisor to entrepreneurs, I find it’s easy to recognize “street smarts” when I see them, but it’s hard to explain the specifics to someone on the other end of the spectrum, even if they are willing to learn. Some people argue that street smarts are only a natural born skill, but I disagree. Kuhn and Mark K. Present everything.

Entrepreneur 241

Entrepreneur Partner Finance Revenue 241

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

Instead of going to the office and seeing team members face-to-face, the only contact they have is via phone, email, and other technologies. . On the other hand, it can slow workflows down if you haven’t organized and mapped out the process. You’re also persuading potential investors that you know exactly what you’re doing.

Business Plan 138

Business Plan Startup Cloud Framework 138

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2022

I like the point from the classic book “ Tell to Win: Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story ,“ by Peter Guber, a thought leader on this subject and long-time business executive. Everyone has something in common with every other person, so open up and expose your fears and concerns, allowing others to do likewise.

Chad 307

Chad Audience Founder Security 307

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2015

As a mentor and advisor to entrepreneurs, I find it’s easy to recognize “street smarts” when I see them, but it’s hard to explain the specifics to someone on the other end of the spectrum, even if they are willing to learn. Some people argue that street smarts are only a natural born skill, but I disagree. Kuhn and Mark K. Skip the chatter.

Partner 120

Partner Finance Entrepreneur Revenue 120

ConversionXL

OCTOBER 16, 2022

The key is ongoing measurement and testing to understand which acquisition strategies work for your ecommerce business. Customer acquisition is the process of finding best-fit customers and persuading them to buy from your ecommerce business in a measurable and repeatable way. CAC is the key to preventing reckless spending.

Acquisition 129

Acquisition eCommerce Customer Churn Rate 129

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2018

If you stick through to the end I’m guessing I can persuade most of you. Getting follow-on meetings is very hard because if the VC wasn’t totally persuaded in the first pitch meeting they aren’t likely to want to commit more time. Kai taught me that the key metric to whether a sales process is going well is “engagement.”

Cap Table 336

Cap Table Due Diligence Forecast Churn Rate 336

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 19, 2014

The same can be said of critical decisions in a board meeting or frankly any other meeting where major decisions are ratified. There is a great YouTube video interview I did with Seth Sternberg with tons of practical advice but specifically where he went through how he did his pre-meetings with Sequoia and others on his board at Meebo.

Cofounder 325

Cofounder Conversion Email Founder 325

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2019

That’s why Elon Musk, and a few others you could name, don’t have any trouble getting investor attention – they have the reputation and networks to successfully commercialize creative ideas. A key skill everyone looks for is your ability to engage in mental time travel to envision opportunities before others do.

Product 233

Product Reputation Leadership Social Media 233

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 11, 2011

In my companies we thrive on the entrepreneurial spirit in our young employees, and consider mentoring them is key to their personal and professional growth, as well as that of our companies – so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to write this guest post. Ebay and other marketplace sites are still good for this. Do something.

Entrepreneur 221

Entrepreneur Bootstrapping Cofounder SMS 221

YoungUpstarts

MAY 2, 2018

It will give you gain an understanding of the design and manufacturing and supply processes whether you intend to manufacture your own goods or sell goods made by others. At the end of the week, the most hard working employees are rewarded and improved training and working conditions are put in place for others. TVF Pitchers.

Entrepreneur 176

Entrepreneur Silicon Valley New York City Incubator 176

Board Effect

JANUARY 14, 2020

Board directors need to have good relationships with their peers, customers, vendors, executives, staff members, and other professionals and stakeholders. To manage their relationships well, board directors need the ability to inspire and influence others. How aware are you of the effect others have on you?

Management 64

Management Government Leadership Developer 64

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 26, 2016

The key to being able to run a business that isn’t yet profitable (on operating margin) is availability of capital to finance losses and preferably at a cost that isn’t too punitive to the founders and employees. If you had no other spend in your company to acquire the customers then your CAC is $200 / customer, not $100.

Metrics 150

Metrics Cost Acquisition Startup 150

The Startup Magazine

APRIL 21, 2023

You will learn to identify key financial metrics and use them to make informed decisions that drive business growth. Other business risks can include operational issues or external risks such as changes in market conditions, economic downturns, and natural disasters. You must develop strategies to mitigate the identified risks.

CPA 158

CPA Finance Metrics Forecast 158

ReadWriteStart

NOVEMBER 2, 2022

It’s true, blogs can help increase your website’s popularity, even with more than six million blogs posted each day , blogging is a key driver of marketing success for both small and large businesses alike. Writing for your customers, or intended target audience is key to getting people engaged and turning them into paying customers.

Small Business 161

Small Business Social Media Audience Media 161

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2009

It’s mostly done by first-time entrepreneurs who want to persuade (bribe?) One of the things that should attract advisers to your company is the thought that they’ll get to spend time with other luminaries that they respect. Using this approach you may be able to get a few key advisers with no equity at all.

Advisory Board 306

Advisory Board Startup Equity Valuation 306

The Startup Magazine

DECEMBER 9, 2019

In many areas, you will be competing with other real estate agents, and if you are new to the business, why would a client choose you? Some of them are easy; others require more effort. If people think their area is up-and-coming, they may be persuaded to market their home for sale in the hope of achieving a good price for it.

Social Media 117

Social Media Database Distribution Cloud 117

YoungUpstarts

MAY 17, 2019

The diligence: Work with the current owner to identify key employees. Be your own judge of this, in case the owner is downplaying any key people. Meet with key employees in advance, if the owner permits, to discuss their ongoing role in the organization and align expectations.

Due Diligence 185

Due Diligence Forecast Deal Structure Valuation 185

Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Carmen’s two keys to successfully innovating inside a large organization: If you’re going to be an effective change agent, you can’t do it alone. Even if you have one other person who can help you and be your guide and counsel during that journey, it’s really important to have it. .

Wiki 120

Wiki Entrepreneur Cofounder Government 120

Steve Blank

MARCH 8, 2011

In fact they would be dramatically different than any other teaching method. While I had managed to persuade two great VC’s to teach the class with me ( Jon Feiber and Ann Miura-ko ), what if I was wasting their time? Two-thirds of the interested students were from the engineering school; the other third were from the business school.

Lean 303

Lean Business Model Customer Development Guinea 303

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

The art of getting others to see things as you see them -- usually called persuasion -- is a key one for entrepreneurs, and it needs to be honed from the first day that you formulate your new idea. You have to persuade the right partners to join and build the solution, the right investors to fund it and the right customers to buy it.

Social Media 120

Social Media Analytics Partner Matching 120

ConversionXL

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

The key is to identify and persuade your most valuable cohorts. Cohort analysis can be done for revenue, churn, viral word of mouth, support costs, or any other metric you care about. Increasing the AOV boosts the margin on individual orders, especially if one of the products is more profitable than others.

Retention 126

Retention Analytics Campaign eCommerce 126

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

Without a business plan, you’ll struggle to find your feet and head in the right direction – having the key points set out for you makes progressing much easier. Check if your name is trademarked, and if not, continue to design your logo – this should be simple so that it’s easy to remember and sticks in the mind of any potential customer.

Business Plan 127

Business Plan Naming Advertising Finance 127

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 29, 2013

On the natural born side, some entrepreneurs seem to have a strong vision and the ability to inspirationally lead others. Here are some of the key ones you may not have, assembled from an old interview with Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines and other executives: Ability to set priorities and focus on goals. Sound judgment.

Founder 281

Founder Startup Entrepreneur Search 281

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 18, 2019

But leadership is something entirely different and recognizing this is the key to a great team’s success. On the other hand, if you have great leaders who “maintain moral and motivation” (per Michael’s Tweet) but aren’t good managers (scope, task, quality) you also don’t produce great results. This is natural.

Leadership 264

Leadership Distribution Engineer Management 264