Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2012

Starting a business is a lot like starting a marriage. Product development is stuck at that 90% mark, a key person leaves, and customers are talking but not buying. When I was a software development manager, I tried to get a “bottoms up” time estimate from the team, and then pad it by 50%.

Software Developers 229

Software Developers Software Development Business Model Product Development 229

Steve Blank

MARCH 3, 2015

Berkeley Haas Business School is a leader in entrepreneurship education. It has replaced how to write a business plan with hands-on Lean Startup methods. The final deliverable for that class was a 30-page business plan. We had multiple business plan competitions. The Business Plan is Dead.

Business Plan 120

Business Plan Silicon Valley Saudi Arabia Lean 120

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 5, 2009

It should go without saying that this post is not advice, nor is it recommendation of what you should do, it’s simply my observation of how companies using Customer Development positioned themselves to successfully raise money from venture investors. Is there a profitable business model? What are Early Stage VC’s Really Asking?

Customer Development 270

Customer Development Developer Customer Silicon Valley 270

SoCal CTO

OCTOBER 15, 2009

I have about 11 years in the technology sector including roles doing market research, sales and product development. My focus has been marketing strategy and product development. I’m currently working with several startups, helping them launch new web businesses. Most people think they can do product design.

Los Angeles 179

Los Angeles Southern California Management Product 179

Gust

APRIL 27, 2014

Develop your business plan. Write down the key elements of your business plan very early, and keep it current as things evolve. Product development process.

Startup 187

Startup Institutional Investors Angel Investor Bootstrapping 187

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2019

Most of you aspiring entrepreneurs have no idea how dramatically your own role has to evolve as you develop a solution, start a business, and expect it to scale into a successful self-managed company. Thus my job as a small business advisor really is really more about getting you developed than perfecting the business.

Leadership 248

Leadership Technical Review Cofounder Social Media 248

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 1, 2010

With an out-of-this-world business plan. When it was spun out as a a separate company, Iridium’s 1990 business plan had assumptions about potential customers, their problems and the product needed to solve that problem. A Business Plan Frozen in Time. This business plan was a static document.

Business Plan 335

Business Plan Customer Business Model Customer Development 335

Business Plan Blog

OCTOBER 4, 2013

If you have a technical background and you are focused on product development, consider a co-founder with a sales and marketing background that can focus on selling your world class product. Rather, give titles such as VP of Engineering, Product/Technology, Sales, Marketing, Finance, etc.

Part-Time VPE 79

Part-Time VPE Fractional VPE Cofounder CTO Hire 79

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2010

Starting a business is a lot like starting a marriage. Product development is stuck at that 90% mark, a key person leaves, and customers are talking but not buying. When I was a software development manager, I tried to get a “bottoms up” time estimate from the team, and then pad it by 50%.

Software Developers 122

Software Developers Software Development Business Model Design 122

Up and Running

JANUARY 3, 2019

In this article, I’ll cover: What a persona is and how a business can use one. How to create a persona for your business. Success in marketing and product development comes from a deep understanding of your target customer. But, what if your business is solving a problem that you don’t have? User personas.

Software Review 130

Software Review Product Development Portland Technical Review 130

The Startup Magazine

OCTOBER 19, 2020

Capturing and analyzing data enables companies to get insights that benefit their companies in cost-saving, relevant marketing, product development, etc. With appropriate data analytics, a business can predict and comprehend the market, competition, customer demands, etc.

Technical Review 158

Technical Review Forecast Analytics Social Media 158

Startup Lessons Learned

NOVEMBER 8, 2008

Most likely, your business plan is loaded with opinions and guesses, sprinkled with a dash of vision and hope. Customer development is a parallel process to product development, which means that you dont have to give up on your dream. Focus is on the business fundamentals that you need to get right.

Customer Development 168

Customer Development Developer San Francisco Customer 168

The Startup Magazine

AUGUST 11, 2023

It is necessary to cover the early stages of product development, thorough market research, and other processes during the initial step. Seed capital is a component of the initial investments made in young businesses. During the pre-seed fundraising stage, investors need a viable business plan to base their investments on.

Seed Stage 148

Seed Stage Technical Review Early Stage Due Diligence 148

YoungUpstarts

MAY 3, 2017

From product development to market research, many startups are one-person operations in their early days. Even as their teams grow, entrepreneurs often feel that they must tend to every aspect of the business, including low-level tasks that distract from revenue-generating activity. Wearing Your Many Hats With Style.

Technical Review 113

Technical Review Management Arizona Software Review 113

Up and Running

MARCH 24, 2021

Think of it as a baseline for what’s feasible and what your penetration rate needs to be for your business to be viable long-term. Keeping track of this measurement and noting any positive or negative changes can help inform your return on investment for any marketing or sales campaigns. Launch a new product or service.

Software Review 146

Software Review Marketing Campaign Forecast 146

YoungUpstarts

MAY 23, 2018

Many founders or startup teams gravitate toward sales or design. Sometimes, it’s the lack of a proper business plan that really hurts the startup. Often, there’s a disconnect between the decision-makers and what might be thought of as the dry, boring realities of successful management.

Due Diligence 133

Due Diligence Startup Finance Leadership 133

Steve Blank

MAY 14, 2012

These founders specify, design, and build a fully featured product using classic product development methods without ever leaving their building. Traditionally, engineering, sales, and marketing have all focused on the immovable launch date. Writing a business plan that doesn’t allow for trial and error.

Balance Sheet 335

Balance Sheet Business Model Customer Development Metrics 335

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

To create this first year in business checklist, I turned to our in-house experts here at Palo Alto Software: Sabrina Parsons, CEO; Noah Parsons, COO; Josh Cochrane, Vice President of Product Development; and Josh Fegles, Academic and Government Channel Sales Director, and founder of gluten-free cookie company Jude’s Foods.

Forecast 60

Forecast Software Review Lean Finance 60

Steve Blank

AUGUST 27, 2009

This series of posts is a brief explanation of how we’ve evolved from Product Development to Customer Development to the Lean Startup. The Product Development Diagram Emerging early in the twentieth century, this product-centric model described a process that evolved in manufacturing industries.

Silicon Valley 271

Silicon Valley Product Startup RSS 271

YoungUpstarts

MAY 6, 2019

Product development. Now that you have a refined product idea and a team that can turn this idea into reality, the product development stage will start. Initial product development usually consists of prototyping and MVP. Prototyping usually means the initial working draft of the product idea.

Startup 113

Startup Technical Cofounder Merger Early Stage 113

The Next Web

AUGUST 26, 2012

Develop a strong backbone. The backbone of your technology company revolves around a well-organized, up-to-date, specific and documented vision, brand-key, business plan, intellectual property rights, contracts, financial administration, NDAs and bylaws it can rely on.

Bankruptcy 121

Bankruptcy Technical Review Intellectual Property Due Diligence 121

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 25, 2012

Winning at New Products: Accelerating the Process from Idea to Launch, Third Edition by Robert G. First published more than ten years ago, this book is regarded as a must-read for anyone in product development. A great product is meaningless if you can’t sell it. The Myths of Innovation by Scott Berkun. Marketing.

Merger 228

Merger Leadership Design Management 228

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 3, 2009

This post describes how the traditional product development model distorts startup sales, marketing and business development. In contrast, sales and marketing activities before first customer ship are adhoc, fuzzy, and don’t have measurable, concrete objectives. Freemium models have their own scorekeeping.)

Customer Development 229

Customer Development Developer Silicon Valley Customer 229

Up and Running

APRIL 12, 2018

Your business also has fluctuating expenses. Things like product development, materials and packaging, performance-based bonuses, and more. Once you have an understanding and a thorough list of your expenses, put that aside and figure out the next steps for your business. Communication (telephone, internet).

Forecast 77

Forecast Early Stage Software Review Technical Review 77

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2022

Of course, that means a new level of risk, giving up some control, and a new business plan. Most entrepreneurs are mavericks, and their passion drove their new business. Switch your attention from product development to sales. Separate marketing from sales for further leverage. There is no free lunch.

Mezzanine 368

Mezzanine Private Equity Bandwidth Metrics 368

Up and Running

MAY 23, 2016

Step 1: Start with a lean plan. Instead of sitting down to write a 40-page business plan, start with a one-page pitch. It’s the fastest way to get your idea onto paper, and it’s the very first step in the lean planning process, which is much easier and more iterative than traditional business planning methods.

Software Review 74

Software Review Software Delaware Forecast 74

Up and Running

FEBRUARY 10, 2021

A key to making this entire process much easier is to invest a little time and write a business plan. It’s true — not all investors will ask to see your business plan. Why do investors want to see a business plan? The business plan document itself isn’t what’s important to investors.

Business Plan 138

Business Plan Forecast Balance Sheet Exit Strategy 138

Duct Tape Marketing

APRIL 29, 2024

He is a senior lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the MIT Sloan School of Management, the executive director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship and the co-founder of Today we're going to talk about his new book, disciplined Entrepreneurship Startup Tactics, 15 Tactics to Turn Your Business Plan into a Business.

Entrepreneur 78

Entrepreneur Cofounder Early Stage Artificial Inteligence 78

This is going to be BIG.

JUNE 30, 2010

While it has been time-consuming, the market research, retailer meetings and focus groups with consumers has driven us to iterate in this way and we believe we have a much more realistic, and great business proposition in front of us. While we have plenty of materials to show you (including business plan, financials, design mockups, etc.)

Technical Review 108

Technical Review Due Diligence Venture Capital Later Stage 108

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 18, 2010

Notice that the traditional product introduction model leads to a product launch and the execution of a revenue plan. The revenue numbers and revenue model came from a startups original Business Plan. that make up a business model. The half-life of the first VP of sales of a startup is ~18 months.).

Burn Rate 252

Burn Rate Management Business Model Customer Development 252

Up and Running

DECEMBER 22, 2015

I have to admit, I’ve seen some judges of graduate-level business plan competitions care about IRR, but never an actual angel investor during actual due diligence. Please, get a clue: Real businesses usually turn out net profits in single digits, and only rarely up as high as 20%. You’re out of school now.

Angel Investor 60

Angel Investor IRR Software Review Startup 60

Steve Blank

MARCH 4, 2014

Product management tools like Stage-Gate ® emerged to systematically manage Waterfall product development. The product management process assumes that product/market fit is known, and the products can get spec’d and then implemented in a linear fashion. StageGate Process. What Does this Mean?

IRR 335

IRR Startup Business Model Agile 335

Up and Running

JUNE 14, 2017

Some believe in the all-in approach to product development: build an advanced app. Although Recycler Spotter was perceived as a great model for increasing awareness and sales, most partners decided to wait for the product launch. Demand Validation: How to Find Out If Customers Want to Buy Your Product.

Technical Review 96

Technical Review Distribution Redemption Demand 96

Austin Startup

NOVEMBER 16, 2010

Calxeda is on track with its business and ARM-based product development plans, moving toward providing first samples of its industry-changing technologies in 2011. Bob Baughman, previously with Polycom and Marvell, as Vice President of Business Development and Sales.

Naming 59

Naming Hiring Technical Review Virginia 59

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2014

Develop your business plan. Write down the key elements of your business plan very early, and keep it current as things evolve. Product development process.

Startup 268

Startup Institutional Investors Angel Investor Bootstrapping 268

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2019

Of course, that means a new level of risk, giving up some control, and a new business plan. Most entrepreneurs are mavericks, and their passion drove their new business. Switch your attention from product development to sales. Separate marketing from sales for further leverage. There is no free lunch.

Mezzanine 244

Mezzanine Private Equity Startup Bandwidth 244

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

Develop your business plan. Write down the key elements of your business plan very early, and keep it current as things evolve. Product development process.

Startup 255

Startup Institutional Investors Angel Investor Bootstrapping 255