Steve Blank

JULY 9, 2018

There’s no handbook on how to evaluate and process “suggestions” and “advice” from a boss or a mentor. But how you choose to act on these recommendations can speed up your learning and make or break your career. Here’s what to keep in mind: I had a team of students working on an arcane customer problem. While they were quickly coming up to speed, I suggested that they talk to someone who I knew was an expert in the area and could help them learn much faster.

Technical Review 321

Technical Review Email Naming Conversion 321

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 17, 2018

One thing that comes with being a venture capitalist is you see hundreds and hundreds of businesses. You get to have interesting conversations with founders and review business plans and then see how these businesses evolve over the years. A firm like ours has almost 100 different investments across all the various partners so we get to see some businesses very intimately.

Founder 242

Founder Dilution Software Review Later Stage 242

Feld Thoughts

JULY 24, 2018

The holographic display of the future is here and you can have one on your desk for under $600. Ever since I saw Princess Leia appealing to Obi Wan that he was her only hope when I was 11, I’ve wanted a holographic display. Movies like Minority Report and Back to the Future II (do you remember the shark hologram that ate Marty ?) have consumed thousands of people’s lives over the past few decades.

Video 193

Video Technology Programming Design 193

YoungUpstarts

JULY 26, 2018

by Joanna Malaczynski, founder of DESi. If you are an innovative company entering an emerging market, you should be aware that you are sailing into a vast ocean and will need to engage in purposeful navigation. I decided to interview some of your predecessors and highlight the key lessons learned by those who have already been there before you: Watch for Critical Market Progression.

Marketing 147

Marketing North America Green Software Review 147

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

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 25, 2018

Just as national cultures influence and shape a country, so does the startup culture set by founder strategy drive the future of a new venture. In top current companies, such as Google, Apple, and Netflix, cultural strategies that include greater employee freedom and fostering creativity are the norm. I believe this new focus on culture is a key to startup success today.

Silicon Valley 143

Silicon Valley Retention Metrics Architecture 143

Up and Running

JULY 2, 2018

Entrepreneurs are actually proven to be happier and healthier than employees who work for someone else. It is uniquely rewarding to own and grow a business. That said, there are plenty of obstacles in the way. This is why failures are so common. As a business owner, it’s important to monitor the health of your growing company to spot warning signs—a fractured team, negative customer reviews, poor customer retention, and a lack of creative innovation.

Software Review 78

Software Review Technical Review Retention Startup 78

This is going to be BIG.

JULY 9, 2018

Recently, I helped one of my portfolio companies make a VP of Marketing hire. The founder asked me early in the process if I thought the candidate was good. Having not worked with her previously, I didn't know how talented she was firsthand, but what I did have confidence in was that her strategy would be well thought out, and if it wasn't working, she'd analyze why, proactively address it, and describe what steps she would take to find a solution.

Software Developers 104

Software Developers Software Development Portfolio Hiring 104

Berkonomics

JULY 12, 2018

Close. At many board meetings, I can be counted upon to ask, “Where’s the bottleneck this month?” Senior management is usually prepared with an answer, and a good discussion of resource availability and application follows. Sometimes, the bottleneck is not so visible to the CEO. In those instances, I follow with: “Do you notice people waiting at your door, telling you that they were waiting for your response or decision, even if you were unaware of this?”.

Software Developers 90

Software Developers Software Development Operations Cost 90

YoungUpstarts

JULY 19, 2018

As of May this year, Denmark ranks 6 th in the top most competitive business nations, according to the World Competitive Yearbook 2018 , and this growth really comes as no surprise, considering that the Nordic country has been a destination for young entrepreneurs for a while now. However, the latest moves on the Danish business scene also reveal another key strength: the eagerness of local startups to embrace the circular economy model.

Denmark 170

Denmark Technical Review Green Startup 170

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2018

I’m sure you know a few people at work who are always “too busy,” but never seem to get much done. For many of these, it’s an excuse to decline new work, impress others, or gain sympathy. For others, it’s a legitimate complaint, indicative of being out of control or not managing their time. If you find yourself in this category, you need to focus on techniques to improve your productivity On software teams, for example, a detailed study published years ago shows differences as great as ten to on

Software Review 140

Software Review Restful Product Management 140

ConversionXL

JULY 19, 2018

The robots are taking over. They’re going to be better than us, and then steal our jobs, and eventually turn on us and conquer the world. That’s the kind of hyperbolic language you’re probably hearing everywhere today. But some of it is true. Will the skills you’re learning today be obsolete by tomorrow? Is there a point to learning new things if artificial intelligence (AI) is going to do it better?

Artificial Inteligence 90

Artificial Inteligence Marketing Analytics Software Review 90

The Startup Magazine

JULY 13, 2018

When employees are happy, their productivity is usually high. Employees who enjoy what they do are likely going to perform well in their duties as well as stay longer in the company. Therefore, the employer should invest in ways that will enhance the joy of employees in the workplace. Gamification is considered one of the ways that employees’ work and workplace as well can be made enjoyable.

Employee 79

Employee Product Software Review Software 79

crowdSPRING Blog

JULY 2, 2018

Every day, another app or service is unleashed on the world that claims to increase your productivity, corral your to-dos, or assassinate your procrastination. Keeping track of these products can be a full-time effort on its own, never mind figuring out what they do and if they’re right for you. But rest easy, because we’ve collected 12 of the latest and greatest productivity products here for you to check out.

Product 69

Product Web Wiki Design 69

Occam's Razor

JULY 24, 2018

The universe of digital analytics is massive and can seem as complex as the cosmic universe. With such big, complicated subjects, we can get lost in the vast wilderness or become trapped in a silo. We can wander aimlessly, or feel a false sense of either accomplishment or frustration. Consequently, we lose sight of where we are, how we are doing and which direction is true north.

Analytics 93

Analytics Framework Metrics Algorithm 93

YoungUpstarts

JULY 6, 2018

There has been a lot of speculation around cryptocurrencies and this has in many ways obscured the fact the blockchain, the open-source and decentralized ledger that drives these digital currencies has the potential of radically transforming how ownership is verified. Many people certainly pay little to no attention to it, the “blockchain” is beginning to become more of a buzzword amid all the wild cryptocurrency fluctuations that we have been seeing of late.

Sierra Leone 153

Sierra Leone Technical Review IP Database 153

Duct Tape Marketing

JULY 26, 2018

Honest Startup Advice From Somebody Who’s Been Through It written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing. Marketing Podcast with Rand Fishkin. Podcast Transcript. My guest for this week’s episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is Rand Fishkin. He is the founder and former CEO of Moz and currently has a new venture called SparkToro , a software and data company focused on helping people understand how and where to reach their target audiences.

Software Review 73

Software Review Startup Technical Review SEO 73

Austin Startup

JULY 18, 2018

2017 Capital Factory Accelerator Diversity (out of 61 companies) We know that there is a systemic discrimination problem in the tech industry caused by hundreds of years of institutional racism. We know that the facts show that businesses perform better with diverse teams. We know that we want to work in a place full of diverse people that is welcoming of many different viewpoints.

Technical Review 56

Technical Review San Antonio Houston Software Review 56

The Startup Magazine

JULY 10, 2018

Arshad Madhani has become a leader in the digital marketing industry for two reasons. First, he knows how to crunch the numbers and separate a strategy performing poorly from one exceeding expectations. Second, he excels at building personal relationships. This allows him to communicate this analysis in an effective manner, a trait that helps him connect with clients and advertisers alike!

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Due Diligence Advertising Entrepreneur 94

crowdSPRING Blog

JULY 11, 2018

The digital marketplace changes more often than Kylie Jenner switches her hair color. It not easy for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and marketing strategists to keep their marketing campaigns relevant and competitive. Influencer marketing, if done right, can help your startup or small business grow your audience, improve sales, and expand brand awareness through social media.

Marketing 62

Marketing Software Review Social Media Audience 62

OnlyOnce

JULY 12, 2018

How to Get Laid Off – an Employee’s Perspective. One of my colleagues at Return Path saw my post about How to Quit Your Job about 5 years ago and was inspired to share this story with me. Don’t read anything into this post, team! There is no other meaning behind my posting it at this time, or any time, other than thinking it’s a very good way of approaching a very difficult situation, especially coming from an employee.

Silicon Valley 59

Silicon Valley Software Review Security Employee 59

YoungUpstarts

JULY 23, 2018

by Brian Signorelli, author of “ Inbound Selling: How to Change the Way You Sell to Match How People Buy “ When you work in sales, there’s no end to the advice you field. Everyone — from bosses to consultants and trainers to the industry veterans you meet at the hotel bar — has tips and techniques that (supposedly) vastly improve your likelihood of making a sale.

Sales 150

Sales Matching B2B Demand 150

Duct Tape Marketing

JULY 12, 2018

How Chat Bots Can Help You Grow Your Business written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing. Marketing Podcast with Andrew Warner. Podcast Transcript. My guest for this week’s episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is Andrew Warner, founder of Mixergy , a program that interviews experts to help you grow your business. He and I discuss his new initiative, Bot Academy , and what your business needs to know about bots today.

Angel Investor 73

Angel Investor Technical Review Internet Small Business 73

Austin Startup

JULY 29, 2018

Raising funding from Angel Investors can feel like a catch-22. It’s easy to figure out who the active angel investors are but it’s hard to find the right time to pitch them. Most of them don’t seem like they want to to be “pitched” at all! How do you convince them to invest without pitching them? You need to get them to fall in love first. Not all investors are the same.

Angel Investor 59

Angel Investor Technical Review Los Angeles Seed Stage 59

The Startup Magazine

JULY 18, 2018

France is one of the world’s leading global powers, but what is it like to conduct business there? The following are 10 things you need to know about conducting business in France. France Has A Very Large Market. The market in France is 65 million consumers. The country also has access to the European Union market, which has more than 500 million consumers.

France 79

France Europe Germany Incubator 79

crowdSPRING Blog

JULY 9, 2018

“…a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” – William Shakespeare. A strong business name identifies your business, tells your customers and prospects something meaningful about your brand , and helps to differentiate your business from your competition. But what should you do if you decide that the name you’ve been using for your business isn’t effective at accomplishing those goals?

Naming 56

Naming Differentiation Warrant Search 56

deal architect

JULY 2, 2018

This continues a new series of interviews with tech executives who have seen the industry evolve over a minimum of two decades. They have helped analyze, envision, develop and take to market some of the most influential technology the world.

Technology 284

Technology Developer Marketing 284

YoungUpstarts

JULY 30, 2018

by Abhijit Shanbag, CEO of Graymatics. The possibilities of facial recognition have placed it at the forefront as both a security measure as a means of biometric identification, as well as a reliable means of gathering data for analytical purposes. In a world with greater reliance and threats presented to our sensitive information and data, basing our security solely on a password isn’t enough.

Analytics 124

Analytics Security Southern California Video 124

Duct Tape Marketing

JULY 31, 2018

How Cloud-Based Accounting Software Can Benefit Your Business written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing. As a business owner, you are all too aware of the many moving pieces it takes for a business to run smoothly. One area that business owners know is important is accounting and bookkeeping, although it’s often the last area they want to spend time on.

Software Review 46

Software Review Cloud Software Technical Review 46

View from Seed

JULY 11, 2018

Sometimes we just need little push to take action. A little motivation to make things happen. And having a plan already put together makes things just that much easier. Yep, sometimes all you need is just little a nudge. Enter just that, The Nudge. It’s a “planner friend in your pocket,” as the team calls it. A personal digital lifestyle advisor which sends SMS-based ideas about things to do (with a link to an detailed entire plan to make it easier to follow through).

SMS 244

SMS San Francisco Viral Channel 244

The Startup Magazine

JULY 27, 2018

Not many people have heard of Hrank , and I’m starting to think it’s a shame. Hrank is a service which reviews shared hosting providers and allows you to compare the performances to see which one suits you better. Source: Pixabay. We honestly love a site that can make out life easier. We just hate looking on multiple sites to find a good hosting provider, then look on other sites and so on until we have 348 tabs open, and then to start comparing them.

Hosting 74

Hosting Technical Review Metrics Internet 74

Jeff Hilimire

JULY 23, 2018

The book I’m writing, The Five-Day Turnaround , is written as a narrative, first-person story, and throughout I share tips and tricks on how the main character, Will, manages his time as a leader and CEO. Yes, Will is basically me, so these strategies are tools that I’ve honed over the years to help me be more successful. Below is an unedited passage from the book, focusing on the process I…er, I mean Will, uses each morning to get going. ~~~.

Software Review 48

Software Review Email Restful Management 48

deal architect

JULY 16, 2018

This continues a new series of interviews with tech executives who have seen the industry evolve over a minimum of two decades. They have helped analyze, envision, develop and take to market some of the most influential technology the world.

Technology 258

Technology Developer Marketing 258

YoungUpstarts

JULY 30, 2018

Arshad Madhani knew from a young age that his future was in marketing. As a kid, he used to create things and then try to convince friends and family to buy them. He didn’t realize that marketing was an actual job until he got older, but his heart was always in the field. Today, Madhani leverages over a decade of experience as a digital marketing expert to provide valuable consulting services to a variety of entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Social Media Networking Naming 113

Duct Tape Marketing

JULY 17, 2018

Small Business Guide to the Google Universe written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing. The video above is a replay of a recent live webinar I conducted. Combined with the text below you should have a pretty good feel for how to use Google for small businesses. While Google has a lot of different products and services, to me, the following are what truly make up Google’s Small Business Universe for marketers and small business owners: Google My Business.

Small Business 53

Small Business Software Review Analytics SEO 53

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 20, 2018

As a business advisor, I have long been surprised by the large number of industry stalwarts, including Blockbuster, Kodak, and General Motors, that have been dealt major setbacks, or even total failure, by upstart young companies, with a fraction of the resources or industry experience. The stalwarts should be making the big leaps to be competitive, rather than the other way around.

Dilution 149

Dilution Global Technology Leadership 149

Version One Ventures

JULY 31, 2018

VC is an apprenticeship industry. When I joined Version One five years ago, I would have never guessed that I would be where I am today. So much of who I am today has to do with the fact that Boris spent a ton of time teaching and mentoring me, despite our different locations. From Day 1, he was dedicated to my personal and professional development.

Hiring 166

Hiring San Francisco Advisory Board Due Diligence 166