Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 20, 2012

I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the business model. It’s time for a new startup model. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 296

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 296

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2014

I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the business model. It’s time for a new startup model. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 283

Entrepreneur Startup Angel Investor Technical Review 283

TechEmpower

JULY 31, 2023

When talking to startup founders or other innovators, we always ask questions to better understand their business as a core. What does the business do? One way to approach that last question is to use this simple model: Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) How will your business reach prospects?

Metrics 260

Metrics Startup Retention Acquisition 260

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 12, 2022

Having only a large capital base and distribution channels, with no innovation, is not a sustainable business model. Non-industrial large organizations cling to outdated business models. The new corporate model is a distributed entrepreneurial model.

Artificial Inteligence 315

Artificial Inteligence Offshore Merger Technical Review 315

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2011

I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the business model. It’s time for a new startup model. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 286

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 286

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Most technical entrepreneurs focus hard on building an innovative product, but forget that an elegant solution doesn’t automatically translate into a successful business. Businesses require an equally elegant business model, with the right price, messaging and delivery channel to the right target customers to keep the dream alive and growing.

Business Model 120

Business Model Technical Review Advisory Board Software Review 120

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 12, 2023

These things outside your control do happen, but based on my years of experience as a startup advisor and angel investor, I still see too many strategies leading to failure that are inside the entrepreneur decision realm. I certainly agree that starting a business is fraught with risk, and none of us get it all right the first time.

Intellectual Property 312

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Investor Viral 312

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 17, 2020

These things outside your control do happen, but based on my years of experience as a startup advisor and angel investor, I still see too many strategies leading to failure that are inside the entrepreneur decision realm. I certainly agree that starting a business is fraught with risk, and none of us get it all right the first time.

Intellectual Property 436

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Viral Distribution 436

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the business model. It’s time for a new startup model. Marty Zwilling.

Angel Investor 359

Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator Business Model 359

Steve Blank

JUNE 26, 2014

We’re changing the order in which we teach the business model canvas and customer development to better-fit therapeutics, diagnostics and medical devices. The Lean LaunchPad class uses the three “ Lean Startup ” principles: Alexander Osterwalders “ business model canvas ” to frame hypotheses.

Intellectual Property 290

Intellectual Property Lean IP Open Source 290

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2012

It doesn’t prove your business model of pricing, distribution, and support. Funding for pre-revenue startups used to be the domain of angel investors, but they have moved up-stage. Your objective is to build a business that marches with power and purpose past its goals and objectives. Become a visible expert.

Intellectual Property 260

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 260

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2011

It doesn’t prove your business model of pricing, distribution, and support. Funding for pre-revenue startups used to be the domain of angel investors, but they have moved up-stage. Your objective is to build a business that marches with power and purpose past its goals and objectives. Become a visible expert.

Intellectual Property 253

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 253

Up and Running

OCTOBER 11, 2017

Airbnb is a well-known example of the marketplace business model. Understanding the problem you are solving for your customers is undoubtedly the biggest challenge you’ll face when you’re starting a business. But, ensuring that your product fits the needs of the market is only one part of starting a successful business.

Business Model 137

Business Model Disintermediation Affiliate Advertising 137

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2019

I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the business model. It’s time for a new startup model. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 245

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 245

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2013

Distribute an Executive Summary and Recommendations report, as well as transcripts of your interviews, to all the key players in your company. Align your business model to how your customers want to buy. That sounds to me like the recipe for business success that every investor is looking for. Marty Zwilling.

Revenue 263

Revenue Startup Technical Review Business Model 263

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2023

Most technical entrepreneurs focus hard on building an innovative product, but forget that an elegant solution doesn’t automatically translate into a successful business. Businesses require an equally elegant business model, with the right price, messaging and delivery channel to the right target customers to keep the dream alive and growing.

Technical Review 220

Technical Review Advisory Board Software Review Business Model 220

Steve Blank

JANUARY 22, 2014

Success depends on finding startups that have identified acute customer pains in large markets where conditions are ripe for a new entrant. Few entrepreneurs find this scalable and repeatable business model because it’s not easy. Here’s Part 2 of Dino’s story…. ——-. Tech investing is risky.

Early Stage 295

Early Stage Silicon Valley Oregon Technical Review 295

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 7, 2012

Building a prototype should be an early and high priority task for every startup. I always hate it when I see startups invest millions of dollars in technology before they validate their ideas in the market, only to find that customers seem to be looking for something slightly different.

Startup 242

Startup Early Stage Database Distribution 242

Steve Blank

MARCH 31, 2014

Just look at the disruptive challenges that businesses face today– globalization, China as a manufacturer, China as a consumer, the Internet, and a steady stream of new startups. Perhaps that’s because where established companies might see risks or threats, startups see opportunity. Innovation.

Private Equity 330

Private Equity Metrics China Intellectual Property 330

VC Cafe

MARCH 1, 2024

Most startups equate the process of fundraising to dating – founders have to typically kiss a lot of frogs until the find the right fit. New space companies – If we are entering a future with access to space being as routine and inexpensive as commercial air travel, shipping or trucking… what new businesses does that unlock?

Artificial Inteligence 176

Artificial Inteligence Technical Review Software Review Generative AI 176

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 24, 2013

Having only a large capital base and distribution channels, with no innovation, is not a sustainable business model. Non-industrial large organizations cling to outdated business models. The new corporate model is a distributed entrepreneurial model. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 263

Entrepreneur Offshore Merger Technical Review 263

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

It doesn’t prove your business model of pricing, distribution, and support. Funding for pre-revenue startups used to be the domain of angel investors, but they have moved up-stage. milestones entrepreneur startup funding business' A related issue is your apparent commitment to the project. Marty Zwilling.

Intellectual Property 281

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Sweat Equity CTO Hire 281

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2019

A nonprofit 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. Yet as an active angel investor, I still get this question on a regular basis, so I’ll try to outline the considerations in common-sense terms.

Equity 235

Equity Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy 235

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 16, 2010

In the early days of Rocket Science I realized that we needed high-level advice on multiple fronts; technology, game development, video game distribution, etc. Founding CEO’s are supposed to search for a repeatable business model, not just blindly execute their original plan. Advisory Board. It would never happen again.

Advisory Board 266

Advisory Board Part-Time VPE CTO Hire Stock 266

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 12, 2017

I found their five phases of the process to be compelling, based on my own years of experience mentoring startups: Nail the pain. Great businesses begin with a customer problem that has a big and monetizable pain point. Nail the business model. It’s time for a new startup model. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 161

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 161

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2015

Image via Flickr by Side Wages Some entrepreneurs forget that they need an innovative business model along with an innovative solution to have a successful startup. Inventors alone, or business gurus alone, generally fail. That’s why I say “two heads are better than one” in a startup.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Startup Angel Investor Social Media 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2022

A nonprofit 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. Yet as an active angel investor, I still get this question on a regular basis, so I’ll try to outline the considerations in common-sense terms.

Angel Investor 327

Angel Investor Equity Technical Review Exit Strategy 327

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2012

Managing risk is good; eliminating risk is bad for startups. “We If you can’t make money, it isn’t a business. Business constraints, such as market size, customer demographics, manufacturing, distribution, and support costs need to be set, or there is no context for getting it right. Hence the pressure to deliver.

Engineer 261

Engineer Entrepreneur Distribution Restful 261

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 17, 2010

They were frustrated that despite having the (monopoly) infrastructure that brought you the Internet, the majority of innovation and profits went to Silicon Valley startups. Apple is a channel, not a business model – I see too many companies that are building iPhone App companies. It’s a channel.

Flash 326

Flash Mobile Application Development Cloud 326

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

Many startup businesses – tech or otherwise – fail. Trying outrageous new things or even trying mundane things but in new ways but with extreme quality & innovation is what fuels the tech startup industry. But today I want to give you advice on how to decrease your odds of failure in a startup.

Startup 150

Startup Seed Money DC Software Review 150

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2013

Managing risk is good; eliminating risk is bad for startups. “We If you can’t make money, it isn’t a business. Business constraints, such as market size, customer demographics, manufacturing, distribution, and support costs need to be set, or there is no context for getting it right. Hence the pressure to deliver.

Engineer 250

Engineer Distribution Technology Entrepreneur 250

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

Having only a large capital base and distribution channels, with no innovation, is not a sustainable business model. Non-industrial large organizations cling to outdated business models. The new corporate model is a distributed entrepreneurial model.

Engineer 219

Engineer Entrepreneur Offshore Merger 219

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2011

Distribute an Executive Summary and Recommendations report, as well as transcripts of your interviews, to all the key players in your company. Align your business model to how your customers want to buy. Debate and adjust your offering to better match what customers want. Their perception is your reality.

Customer 242

Customer Technical Review Business Model Revenue 242

Steve Blank

MAY 6, 2015

It’s time to update Build, Measure, Learn to what we now know is the best way to build Lean startups. Only after shipping and attempting to sell the product would a startup hear any substantive feedback from customers. Then came the Build-Measure-learn focus of the Lean Startup. Here’s how. Build-Measure-Learn.

Lean 120

Lean Agile Business Model Customer Development 120

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2012

Distribute an Executive Summary and Recommendations report, as well as transcripts of your interviews, to all the key players in your company. Align your business model to how your customers want to buy. Debate and adjust your offering to better match what customers want. Their perception is your reality.

Technical Review 234

Technical Review Business Model Revenue Social Media 234

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Having only a large capital base and distribution channels, with no innovation, is not a sustainable business model. Non-industrial large organizations cling to outdated business models. The new corporate model is a distributed entrepreneurial model. Marty Zwilling.

Offshore 120

Offshore Startup Merger Technical Review 120

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2015

But for startups with limited resources and experience, I always recommend a soft launch or toe-in-the-water approach in a local market -- and scale up later. In fact, for startups, it usually makes sense to announce your solution on social media and blogs even before you have built the first one.

Hockey Stick 120

Hockey Stick Startup Stealth Agile 120