Steve Blank

APRIL 10, 2019

VC’s have just changed the ~50-year old social contract with startup employees. In doing so they may have removed one of the key incentives that made startups different from working in a large company. For most startup employee’s startup stock options are now a bad deal. Here’s why. And the bet worked.

Stock Options 335

Stock Options Stock Vesting Common Stock 335

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2019

These days, it is almost impossible to find a small business where everything is done at the home location, by full-time employees. These approaches allow your startup to grow more rapidly, save costs, but costly mistakes can lead to business failure. Let’s cut costs by outsourcing all from this point forward.”

Entrepreneur 303

Entrepreneur Philippines Bandwidth Cofounder 303

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2023

The most valuable assets of a new startup are the people on the team, and the most challenging task of the entrepreneur and team leaders is to spend their leadership time and energy productively. Most new startup founders start out by assuming they need to spread their leadership efforts evenly across all team members. Squeaky wheels.

Employee 267

Employee Leadership Cofounder Matching 267

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2022

Perhaps sparked by the recent pandemic, I’m seeing a new era of the entrepreneur, with startups springing up all around. Problems will occur in every startup, simply because you are stepping into uncharted territory. Every approach is a compromise between cost, time, and return, so forget your perfectionist tendencies.

Startup 338

Startup Technical Review Restful Partner 338

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

Reading the NY Times article “ Jeffrey Katzenberg Raises $1 Billion for Short-Form Video Venture, ” I realized it was time for a new startup heuristic: the amount of customer discovery and product-market fit you need to find is inversely proportional to the amount and availability of risk capital. It’s the antithesis of the Lean Startup.

Lean 335

Lean Burn Rate Startup IPO 335

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

Startup businesses often struggle with limited resources. Here are examples of services that startups can outsource. Due to the low volume of financial transactions, most startups may not require a full-time bookkeeping expert. Startups often face cash flow challenges owing to their small customer base. Final thoughts.

Startup 238

Startup Technical Review Salary Hiring 238

ReadWriteStart

NOVEMBER 12, 2022

As the global economic situation deteriorates amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine and soaring energy costs, many aspiring entrepreneurs might be tempted to give up and wait for better days. It is true that founding a startup in times of crisis may look more challenging. Look for new ways to drive growth for your startup.

Startup 198

Startup Technical Review Ghana Guerilla 198

The Startup Magazine

JANUARY 5, 2025

Invest in Employee Development Your team is one of your most valuable assets. Investing in employee development is not only going to boost their morale but also enhance their skills and productivity at the same time. Be sure to identify areas where you can cut costs without compromising quality too much.

Software Review 147

Software Review Technical Review Retention Campaign 147

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2021

In this view the product features, cost, and support are the key to success. The Technician’s Perspective sees the business as a place in which people work to produce inside results for the Technician, producing employee income. The Manager craves order, and often ends up cleaning up after the other two.

Technical Review 341

Technical Review Social Media Startup Internet 341

The Startup Magazine

JANUARY 5, 2025

The Small Business Administration (SBA) also offers a variety of loan programs, including ones specifically designed for startups. If your budgets tight, look into free or low-cost tax assistance programs. They simplify employee payments and benefits management, and many integrate seamlessly with accounting software.

Phoenix 148

Phoenix Small Business Small Business Administration Software Review 148

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2021

For example, my dictate that entrepreneurs need to find a “ painful ” problem to solve (such as high cost, low productivity) to attract customers, doesn’t really account for many successful startup businesses today, including top social media platforms, dating sites, and new fashions. All of these tend to override cost and usability.

Customer 432

Customer Social Media Dividend Technical Review 432

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2019

In the interests of helping you work smarter and last longer, I would like to offer my top ten list of key resource drains to avoid in early businesses and startups, based on my years of advising entrepreneurs and my own business experience: Expanding your product line too quickly for scaling. Make employee management a proactive process.

Technical Review 306

Technical Review Metrics Social Media Channel 306

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 3, 2022

Startup investors tell me they invest in a new venture with a higher caliber of people, rather than the product or service, and I agree. Some of the companies with the best team cultures, including Zappos , even go so far as to offer new employees $2,000 to quit after the first week on the job if they don’t feel a fit with the team assigned.

Hiring 337

Hiring Technical Cofounder Cofounder Retention 337

The Startup Magazine

JUNE 14, 2023

Studies have found that employee turnover results in businesses losing over $1 trillion annually. This staggering number can affect your company’s bottom line, but by providing the right incentives, you can decrease the cost of poor employee retention. Human nature is to improve and feel valued.

Employee 158

Employee Retention Salary Programming 158

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2021

In my experience as an employee, up to an executive, in large companies as well as small, I’ve found that people who are consistently negative and complain are a big constraint on productivity, as well as the most difficult management problem that most business leaders face. They may really want to change.

Employee 371

Employee Salary Hiring Stock 371

ReadWriteStart

DECEMBER 15, 2022

Startup studios continue to grow in popularity as incubators for new businesses. Rather than simply launching one startup, the startup studio model creates an organization whose business is launching startups. These can then be repeated and improved on with each successive startup.

Incubator 188

Incubator Startup Software Developers Software Development 188

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 4, 2020

It’s no wonder that 45 percent of startups fail in the first five years, and an even smaller percentage ever see a return for their years of effort. Trying to save costs by seeking resumes on the Internet will result in poor quality candidates, more time required for screening and interviews, and high turnover.

Hiring 339

Hiring Matching Cost Internet 339

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2020

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Yet it always amazes me that I can find two different startups, seemingly working on the same problem, with one having a burn rate several times higher than the other. Things will cost more than you expect. They understand startup realities. You will make mistakes.

Burn Rate 310

Burn Rate Hockey Stick Salary Angel Investor 310

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2022

Employees are still too often thought of as a commodity, to be acquired “just in time” for the lowest cost, and managed as a disposable asset. Almost any startup can start with Excel, and move to open-source data analysis tools, including Python or RStudio. Subjectively measuring employee engagement.

Analytics 303

Analytics Hiring Open Source Employee 303

Steve Blank

APRIL 1, 2020

So here’s a five-day playbook to help CEOs of cash-flow negative startups, or ones about to go negative, assess the new normal and respond with speed and urgency. Any place with a fixed cost that relies on foot traffic will come under pressure. For companies burning cash, such as startups, how much cash do you have?

South Korea 334

South Korea Salary Business Model China 334

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2023

But for founders who do their homework, the cost of entry is lower and the opportunity is higher than ever. Who would not want to join the unicorns (recent startups with a current valuation of over $1 billion)? He nails the current key startup parameters, including the following: Crafting a lean business plan as your road map.

Intellectual Property 261

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Angel Groups Social Media 261

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2023

Among other things, he presents convincing reasons why employee empowerment is now a force that is here to stay in today’s workplace: A new generation of workers are flexing muscles. There are obviously pros and cons to working remotely , including productivity, costs, as well as balancing work and personal lives. Census Bureau.

Non-Compete 282

Non-Compete France Japan Technical Review 282

The Startup Magazine

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

In the bustling world of startups, every detail counts, from the way you pitch to potential investors to the attire your team dons daily. Dive into the world of branded workwear and discover why it’s an indispensable asset for startups aiming to make a mark.

Technical Review 166

Technical Review Startup Vesting Employee 166

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2020

For best results, my advice is to think like an entrepreneur, even if you are a corporate employee. He lays out seven thinking strategies for both entrepreneurs and employees that will make them business winners: Focus on the customers at all times. They don’t realize that customers are the source of all business payback.

Technical Review 294

Technical Review Business Model Employee Sales 294

YoungUpstarts

DECEMBER 29, 2020

In the past, working remotely was considered “normal” for entrepreneurs or independent contractors in the gig economy only, but organizations wanted employees, and consultants, to be onsite and working in the office. Employees clearly want and enjoy the flexibility. Cost Savings. This greatly narrowed the talent pool.

Technical Review 275

Technical Review Cofounder Leadership Employee 275

VC Cafe

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

The past year was a wild ride for startups and founders, giving a whole new meaning to the ”rollercoaster” aspect of being an entrepreneur. A combination of competition for top talent and an effort to bring employees back to the office drove startups in Israel to throw extravagant parties and all-inclusive retreats abroad.

Founder 187

Founder Startup Valuation Pre-Money Valuation 187

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Yet it always amazes me that I can find two different startups, seemingly working on the same problem, with one having a burn rate several times higher than the other. Things will cost more than you expect. They understand startup realities. You will make mistakes.

Burn Rate 258

Burn Rate Hockey Stick Management Salary 258

The Startup Magazine

AUGUST 26, 2024

LLCs and corporations provide limited liability protection but may require more paperwork and higher startup costs. According to This Old House, metal roofing can save up to 40% in energy costs annually, making it an attractive option for eco-conscious homeowners.

Limited Liability Company 157

Limited Liability Company Technical Review Software Review Angel Investor 157

VC Cafe

MARCH 31, 2025

So I thought it’s a good time to share the video where lists are the key learnings from YC on how to start a technical startup: Start with a strong technical co-founding team: You need two to four co-founders with at least 50% engineering background. A few weeks ago Siebel announced that he is stepping down from Y combinator.

Cofounder 88

Cofounder Silicon Valley Technical Review PR 88

The Startup Magazine

FEBRUARY 11, 2024

With startups and many smaller businesses often having tighter budgets than more established companies, it becomes vital to implement measures to limit potential liability. So how exactly can startups limit their liability in such incidents? One area where liability can be substantial is company car accidents.

Technical Review 147

Technical Review Houston Dividend Startup 147

The Startup Magazine

JUNE 20, 2024

When it comes to B2B startups, effective marketing can make or break a company’s early growth trajectory. With limited resources and high stakes, startups must be strategic about every decision, particularly when it comes to marketing. One increasingly popular strategy is to hire a fractional chief marketing officer (CMO).

B2B 148

B2B Hiring Salary Early Stage 148

The Startup Magazine

SEPTEMBER 17, 2023

Aside from the environmental advantages, car sharing is a cost-effective option for company employees to use vehicles. Thanks to this, there is no need for employees to pay for taxis or save up for their own cars; instead, they can access cars from the company’s fleet when necessary for business trips or assignments.

Software Review 158

Software Review Software Mobile Technical Review 158

The Startup Magazine

DECEMBER 27, 2023

Startup founders have a seemingly never-ending list of things to do, whether it’s growing sales, hiring new team members, or marketing your latest product. But before purchasing a solution, it’s a good idea to review GPS tracking costs to make sure you are getting the most for your money.

Startup 144

Startup Technical Review Reputation Hiring 144

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

As a long-time business advisor, and an investor in startups along the way, I’m always on the lookout for an entrepreneur who is responding first to a problem in the marketplace , rather than bringing a new technology to the market, assuming it will find a problem to solve. A recurring expense was turned into a recurring revenue.

Social Media 330

Social Media Entrepreneur Revenue Internet 330

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

Employees must learn to develop relationships with real customers, and engage these customers to understand what each customer expects, and how to get customers to engage other customers. Many business leaders still believe that exceptional experiences cost too much, and reduce profit margins and growth.

Customer 395

Customer Social Media Media Employee 395

The Startup Magazine

MAY 1, 2023

In today’s fast-paced world, businesses with vehicle fleets are constantly seeking ways to improve efficiency and productivity while reducing costs. Properly managing a fleet can not only help businesses reduce costs but also improve customer satisfaction, increase employee safety, and promote environmental sustainability.

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Artificial Inteligence Management Software Review 157

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

It wasn’t so many years ago that starting a new e-commerce business on the Internet was a complex custom development project, usually costing a million dollars or more. Almost anyone can start a company today on a shoestring budget, following these cost-cutting recommendations: Establish a solid legal structure for your business.

Cost 405

Cost Entrepreneur Burn Rate Social Media 405