Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2014

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. As with most business and personal interactions, first impressions tend to become lasting ones. Others send investors email and business plans in all uppercase or no punctuation.

Angel Investor 268

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Early Stage 268

Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 23, 2013

Ron is a managing partner of Schaffer Consulting , and is currently serving as an Executive-in-Residence at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. His latest book is Simply Effective. Finding a viable business model is not a linear, analytical process that can be guided by a business plan.

Business Model 334

Business Model Technical Review Business Plan Search 334

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Nail the business model. Leverage your customer conversations to predict and validate your business model.

Angel Investor 359

Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator Business Model 359

YoungUpstarts

MARCH 4, 2020

You’ve come up with a brilliant business idea, and you’re ready to get started as a brand-new entrepreneur. Are you a Necessity Entrepreneur? Necessity Entrepreneurs Build Exceptional Businesses. But, just an importantly, they’re also in business to put food on the table for their families and employees.

Entrepreneur 205

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Silicon Valley Bandwidth 205

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2014

Many entrepreneurs think that adapting to the new technologies, like smart phones and Internet commerce, are the key to attracting new customers. In fact, businesses need to adapt just as completely to the changes in the buying and social behavior of consumers. High-technology product startups, without customers, don’t make a business.

Technical Review 252

Technical Review Entrepreneur Social Media Social Network 252

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 17, 2020

Every entrepreneur I know has their favorite excuse for a previous failure – an investor backed out, the economy took a downturn, or a supplier delivered bad quality. I certainly agree that starting a business is fraught with risk, and none of us get it all right the first time. A business plan is for you first, not investors.

Intellectual Property 436

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Viral Distribution 436

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

On the other hand, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur. In his classic book “ The 3rd American Dream ,” thought leader Suresh Sharma summarizes the large corporate accomplishments of the 19 th and 20 th centuries, and then lays out the potential of a new entrepreneurial business ecosystem for the 21 st century.

Engineer 219

Engineer Entrepreneur Offshore Merger 219

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

The book has been shepherded and edited by a great Japanese VC at Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital, Takashi Tsutsumi, with help from Masato Iino. Amazon did not carry it yet, and I was nervous spending money at a website known mostly for cups and t-shirts, completely irrelevant to business books.

Japan 305

Japan Customer Development Developer Customer 305

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 20, 2012

I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Nail the business model. Leverage your customer conversations to predict and validate your business model.

Startup 296

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 296

Steve Blank

MARCH 12, 2014

. — Teaching students to think like entrepreneurs not accountants. We wanted to teach our students how to think like entrepreneurs not accountants. The startups and the teaching team crafted a challenge for the kids to tackle using the Customer Development methodology, Lean Launchpad tools and the business model canvas.

Lean 335

Lean Customer Development Startup Silicon Valley 335

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 12, 2022

On the other hand, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur. In his classic book “ The 3rd American Dream ,” thought leader Suresh Sharma summarizes the large corporate accomplishments of the 19 th and 20 th centuries, and then lays out the potential of a new entrepreneurial business ecosystem for the 21 st century.

Artificial Inteligence 315

Artificial Inteligence Offshore Merger Technical Review 315

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2020

Most entrepreneurs, and members of any small team, naively assume that the key to their success is hard work, dedication, and long hours in the business. In reality, their effectiveness is usually more related to how well they develop their work relationships with peers and business leaders.

Business Model 339

Business Model Developer Entrepreneur Partner 339

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 6, 2013

” The local kennels were full as many people had pre-booked for vacations. She sprung into action and called the house I wanted to book directly (they obviously don’t provide phone numbers for you to call directly although a Twilio integration couldn’t hurt!). ” Booked it. “Oh s**t.”

San Diego 344

San Diego Technical Review Seed Capital Sacramento 344

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 11, 2016

When they found out, they questioned my decision-making and me as an entrepreneur. And not keep investors informed about changes to your business model can have serious consequences. They questioned my decision-making and me as an entrepreneur. We found the need, but no payers. If you can’t hear the clip, click here.

Columbus 249

Columbus Entrepreneur Cofounder Ohio 249

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2020

No matter what people may proclaim, everyone in business is looking to achieve the highest possible level of satisfaction and financial success in their career. For best results, my advice is to think like an entrepreneur, even if you are a corporate employee. I saw these highlighted well in a classic book, “ Get Smart! ”

Technical Review 294

Technical Review Business Model Employee Sales 294

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2020

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. As with most business and personal interactions, first impressions tend to become lasting ones. Others send investors email and business plans in all uppercase or no punctuation.

Intellectual Property 316

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Early Stage Venture Capital 316

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

As an advisor to new hardware entrepreneurs, I often hear the myth that a business plan is no longer required to find an investor, if your idea is good enough. You may have heard that venture capitalists in Silicon Valley no longer read business plans. Provide specifics on the customer business model.

Business Plan 423

Business Plan Product Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch 423

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2019

Steve Blank via Flickr by jdlasica I see more and more entrepreneurs who seem to have everything going for them – vision, motivation, passion, even a good business plan, product, and money, and yet they can’t close customers. Nail the business model. These areas include market, process, and team transitions.

Startup 245

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 245

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 28, 2013

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. Building an ethical business is more than just compliance and meeting legal requirements, and it has big paybacks. entrepreneur culture startup ethics growth business'

Software Review 250

Software Review Offshore Leadership .Net 250

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2023

Every entrepreneur I know has their favorite excuse for a previous failure – an investor backed out, the economy took a downturn, or a supplier delivered bad quality. I certainly agree that starting a business is fraught with risk, and none of us get it all right the first time. A business plan is for you first, not investors.

Intellectual Property 312

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Investor Viral 312

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2013

Entrepreneurs always work hard to create an innovative product or service, but often count on standard seller marketing for sales. Kristin Zhivago, in her book “ Roadmap to Revenue ,” makes the point that the selling system is broken, since sellers no longer sell the way customers are buying. Don’t start from how you want to sell.

Revenue 263

Revenue Startup Technical Review Business Model 263

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2022

As a startup mentor, I’m always amazed that some entrepreneurs seem to be an immediate hit with investors, while others struggle to get any attention at all. As with most business and personal interactions, first impressions tend to become lasting ones. Others send investors email and business plans in all uppercase or no punctuation.

Intellectual Property 278

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Early Stage Venture Capital 278

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2022

Today more than ever, the evidence is clear that business people need to find and communicate a purpose that goes beyond making a profit, in order to ensure customer engagement, as well as your own, and drive results in the marketplace. Driven to reduce personal hardship and suffering.

Technical Review 357

Technical Review Green Social Media Lean 357

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 23, 2012

The movie, “The Social Network” might have had more of an impact on creating future entrepreneurs than any other event of the past 5 years. The video industry will be disrupted just as books, newspapers and music before it. Our societal behavior is now to look up things we want to book or purchase at the point & time of need.

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Technical Review LP Mobile 347

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2020

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Others will work hard on a business plan, and then mail it indiscriminately to every potential investor they can find on the Internet.

Technical Review 310

Technical Review Angel Investor Business Plan Social Media 310

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

Every new business dreams of growing from a startup to a global market leader in a few years, like Amazon.com, but that goal is elusive. As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I often get asked for the magic that has made Amazon the world's most valuable brand , from a total unknown only twenty years ago.

Global 308

Global Marketing Technical Review Algorithm 308

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2022

Many entrepreneurs think that adapting to the new technologies, like smart phones and Internet commerce, are the key to attracting new customers. In fact, businesses need to adapt even more completely to the changes in the buying and social behavior of consumers.

Customer 306

Customer Technical Review Social Media Social Network 306

ReadWriteStart

JULY 7, 2021

Various business models in an on-demand courier delivery app. Business to Consumer (B2C) – It is the most common type of business model. Why is an Uber for courier app a viable business idea for entrepreneurs? Multiple pick-up points along the route ensure the timely delivery of parcels.

Technical Review 163

Technical Review Artificial Inteligence Demand Social Media 163

Hearpreneur

AUGUST 10, 2022

Here’s what entrepreneurs had to say about the companies they admire for their innovation. They have a really cool business model where they summarize non-fiction books into 15-minute read or listen. For entrepreneurs and business owners, the SEMRUSH SEO tool is a gem. Photo Credit: Hannah Dworkin.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Technical Review Non-Compete Software Review 126

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2022

Many new entrepreneurs are so excited by their latest idea that they can’t resist contacting every investor they know, assuming the investor will be equally excited and want to contribute immediately. Others will work hard on a business plan, and then mail it indiscriminately to every potential investor they can find on the Internet.

Business Plan 273

Business Plan Technical Review Angel Investor Social Media 273

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2013

How do you as an entrepreneur with a new idea get to be one of those choices? That means there are far more entrepreneurs looking for money than there are investors, and entrepreneur entitlement is not a realistic expectation. Here are the top five, as outlined by Rice in his book, which match my own experience: Management team.

Angel Investor 269

Angel Investor Cram Down Intellectual Property Venture Capital 269

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

Most entrepreneurs, and members of any small team, naively assume that the key to their success is hard work, dedication, and long hours in the business. In reality, their effectiveness is usually more related to how well they develop their work relationships with peers and business leaders.

Business Model 229

Business Model Developer Entrepreneur Partner 229

Hearpreneur

APRIL 28, 2024

Innovations like blockchain, virtual reality, and cloud computing are transforming business and communication. Entrepreneurs embrace these innovations to unlock possibilities, making them a cornerstone of modern entrepreneurship. Travelers can explore new cities from the comfort of their own homes before they book the trip.

Technical Review 128

Technical Review Technology Entrepreneur Artificial Inteligence 128

Hearpreneur

AUGUST 21, 2020

Here’s what entrepreneurs had to say about the companies they admire for their innovation. #1- There are many companies I admire for innovation, but the one that affected me most personally, enough to change my entire business model and gear it toward serving companies that actively help people, is Open Bionics. 1- Open Bionics.

Entrepreneur 149

Entrepreneur St. Louis Technical Review Mobile 149

Hearpreneur

MARCH 13, 2020

No matter the tale, the background behind each and every business is what fuels each and brand. We asked some entrepreneurs and business owners, why they started their businesses: #1- To build a community. I am the person that actually works alongside business leaders to make those great ideas happen.

Entrepreneur 141

Entrepreneur LLC Technical Review Finder 141

Steve Blank

APRIL 14, 2013

I just spent a few weeks in Japan and China on a book tour for the Japanese and Chinese versions of the Startup Owners Manual. business models. Entrepreneurs in Beijing were knowledgeable about Silicon Valley, entrepreneurship and the state of software and tools available for two reasons. All the usual caveats apply.

China 328

China Silicon Valley Non-Compete Intellectual Property 328

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 2, 2019

A refrain I often hear from technology entrepreneurs to investors is that their product or solution is so innovative that it will cause a “paradigm shift” in the industry. Clearly large-scale change efforts, whether driven by an entrepreneur or an enterprise, need strong leaders and a proven approach to beat the odds of failure.

Technical Review 226

Technical Review Leadership Portfolio Matching 226