SoCal CTO

JULY 23, 2012

for a Lead Developer: How much will it cost to build what we need to build? How can I control costs but effectively get stuff developed? How can we phase development to balance cost, features, risk, etc? What are the biggest areas of technical risk? What technology research is required? What options do we have?

CTO Hire 231

CTO Hire Technical Review Developer Software Review 231

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

If you are the hot-shot technical innovator that invented your solution, make sure you have an equally adept business and marketing expert to complement your skills. “If Bill Gates was the technical genius, but Steve Ballmer, from Procter & Gamble, ran the business side of the equation.

Technical Review 329

Technical Review Merger Software Review Acquisition 329

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

OCTOBER 7, 2013

This is the fifth article in a series on novel ideas for SaaS metrics, which started with The unprofitable SaaS business model trap , COC: a new metric for cancellations , The mistake of 1/c in LTV , and SSEBITDA: Steady-state profit metric. Metrics summarize tons of processes, causes, and effects into a single number.

Metrics 244

Metrics Technical Review Revenue Cost 244

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2012

A closer analysis often indicates the cause to be a lack of diligence in handling common business finances. I’m sure all you accountants will agree that fixing the mistakes listed here does not require rocket science, but I’ve seen them so often that to be forewarned is to be forearmed: Failing to factor in fixed costs when pricing.

Technical Review 273

Technical Review Startup Finance Cost 273

Steve Blank

DECEMBER 11, 2020

We just held our seventeenth session of our new national security class Technology, Innovation and Modern War. Joe Felter , Raj Shah and I designed a class to examine the new military systems, operational concepts and doctrines that will emerge from 21st century technologies – Space, Cyber, AI & Machine Learning and Autonomy.

Technical Review 369

Technical Review Taiwan Technology Design 369

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2019

The problem is that more SKUs dramatically increases complexity and cost, when you can least afford it. Buy too much inventory too soon to get unit costs down. Unit costs are important, but don’t forget about the cash flow hit, extra storage costs, and the probability of obsolete inventory due to necessary updates or pivots.

Technical Review 306

Technical Review Metrics Social Media Channel 306

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2021

Most of the entrepreneurs I meet as an investor and advisor have no shortage of right-brain thinking, showing vision and creativity, but often don’t realize that their potential is being limited by a balancing focus on results, metrics, and customer specifics. Every balanced leader does marketing early.

Technical Review 332

Technical Review Metrics Leadership Technology 332

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

And then in the late 90’s money crept in, swept in to town by public markets, instant wealth and an absurd sky-rocketing of valuations based on no reasonable metrics. We had nascent revenues, ridiculous cost structures and unrealistic valuations. Until we weren’t. 2001–2007: THE BUILDING YEARS The dot com bubble had burst.

Valuation 466

Valuation San Francisco Ratchet Liquidation Preference 466

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2013

A closer analysis often indicates the cause to be a lack of diligence in handling common business finances. I’m sure all you accountants will agree that fixing the mistakes listed here does not require rocket science, but I’ve seen them so often that to be forewarned is to be forearmed: Failing to factor in fixed costs when pricing.

Technical Review 251

Technical Review Entrepreneur Salary Finance 251

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 23, 2012

I have been close to the tech & startup sectors for more than 20 years and I can’t think of a period in which I felt more optimistic about the innovation and value creation I see in front of us. Cloud computing and the open source movements have brought down the costs of starting a company by more than 90%.

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Technical Review LP Mobile 347

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

If you hire 6 sales reps in January at $120,000 / year salary then you’ve taken on an extra $60,000 per month in costs yet these sales people might not close new business for 4-6 months. Exec Summary: Most companies (98+%) in the world (even tech startups) should be very profit focused. Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) =.

Startup 418

Startup Revenue Technical Review Flash 418

Steve Blank

AUGUST 21, 2013

In the real world a big pivot in life sciences far down the road of development is a very bad sign due to huge sunk costs. Other pivots involved moving from a platform technology to become a product supplier, moving from a therapeutic drug to a diagnostic or moving from a device that required a PMA to one that required a 510(k).

SBIR 321

SBIR Technical Review Lean Startup 321

The Startup Magazine

JULY 24, 2024

Understanding the cost of order fulfillment is important for any Amazon seller aiming to maximize profits. Several key factors influence these costs, with product type, size, and weight being the primary determinants. By focusing on these factors, you can better control your fulfillment costs and boost your business growth.

Cost 167

Cost Technical Review Software Review Stock 167

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2023

Even here, Elon Musk faced this issue with Tesla, needing a support ecosystem as well as new technology. With a singular focus on building unicorns, very rapid growth has been a key metric. The distributed model draws on a diverse pool, helps manage costs, and captures regional insights and focus necessary to win local customers.

Global 345

Global Silicon Valley Marketing Indonesia 345

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 21, 2013

Through rapid experimentation, short product development cycles, and rigorous measurements of the right metrics, they can ascertain what customers really want. Through learning milestones approximated to stages of a company’s development, one could achieve positive improvements in a it’s core metrics.

Lean 193

Lean Technical Review North America Startup 193

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2022

On the other hand, if you are into solar technologies, there is probably an advantage to being in Arizona or a similar location. Maxwell Wessel, in a classic article in the Harvard Business Review on this subject, points out the exception successes of Zappos in Las Vegas, Sendgrid’s massive growth in Colorado, and RightNow’s $1.5

Las Vegas 309

Las Vegas Silicon Valley Arizona Montana 309

The Startup Magazine

FEBRUARY 7, 2025

Acting as the bridge between shippers and carriers, freight brokers ensure that goods are moved efficiently and cost-effectively. Thus, brokers should regularly review resources provided by authoritative bodies like the FMCSA to ensure they meet all necessary legal standards.

Developer 129

Developer Technical Review Software Review Reputation 129

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Nearly every successful tech startup I’ve observed over the past 20 years has gone through a similar growth pattern: Innovate, systematize then scale operations. MakeSpace (as he named it) would help you get your excess goods into low-cost warehouses. How long does it take me to pay back my original customer acquisition costs?

Operations 286

Operations New York City Technical Review Startup 286

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 24, 2020

For example, if your idea is so new and different that it implies real social or technological change is necessary before widespread acceptance, investors will define your market as nascent or unproven, and be very reluctant to fund you, no matter how convincing your projections may be.

Artificial Inteligence 436

Artificial Inteligence Marketing Valuation Startup 436

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2022

As a potential investor, I always think of the high rate of failure of disruptive technologies, due to the longer learning curve of customers, infrastructure change consistently required, and higher marketing costs. Define realistic metrics to keep track of progress. If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.

Technical Review 252

Technical Review Silicon Valley Software Review Metrics 252

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2021

Words alone, like “improved efficiency”, “paradigm shift,” and “breakthrough technology” won’t convince people to follow you. For example, early adopters may be easily sold, but new technology product success really hinges on adoption by certain demographics, perhaps more influenced by celebrities or mommy bloggers.

Metrics 387

Metrics Technical Review Leadership Framework 387

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2020

Even here, Elon Musk faced this issue with Tesla, needing a support ecosystem as well as new technology. With a singular focus on building unicorns, very rapid growth has been a key metric. The distributed model draws on a diverse pool, helps manage costs, and captures regional insights and focus necessary to win local customers.

Silicon Valley 312

Silicon Valley Indonesia Venture Capital Global 312

Occam's Razor

SEPTEMBER 24, 2012

FBe's recommendation was (paraphrasing a 35 min talk): Don't invent new metrics, use online versions of Reach and GRPs to measure success. Compute ROI: (cost of Facebook campaigns + salary of people running campaigns + agency creative costs) vs. profit from incremental product sales. Metrics are a problem.

Metrics 165

Metrics Advertising Marketing Social Media 165

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 25, 2009

They’re easily impressed when you’re selected for TechCrunch50 but not easily engaged in a detailed discussion about your conversion metrics. He also had experience in setting up tech development centers in India. I personally ruled out Pakistan due to the perception that our staff would feel less safe there.

Pakistan 297

Pakistan India Technical Review Software Review 297

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 24, 2017

A version of this article is in the Harvard Business Review. Technology cycles have become a treadmill, and for startups to survive they need to be on a continuous innovation cycle. 20th Century Tech Liquidity = Initial Public Offering. Technology Cycles Measured in Years. This seems to be occurring more and more.

Founder 281

Founder Technical Review CTO Hire IPO 281

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2020

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.

Management 322

Management Entrepreneur Forecast Stock Options 322

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 7, 2013

On the other hand, if you are into solar technologies, there is probably an advantage to being in Phoenix or a similar location. Maxwell Wessel, in a recent article in the Harvard Business Review on this subject, points out the exception successes of Zappos in Las Vegas, Sendgrid’s massive growth in Colorado, and RightNow’s $1.5

Silicon Valley 256

Silicon Valley Las Vegas Phoenix Montana 256

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

According to a recent Harvard Business Review article , only 60% of companies today use social media for marketing, and only 12% of those feel that they are using it effectively. Successful people don’t wait for their kids to teach them about new technologies, or wait to be the last one on the block to try new things.

Social Media 289

Social Media Small Business Media Technical Review 289

Occam's Razor

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

They use different technologies of course, and different distribution mechanisms. They will need two different implementations, it is quite likely that you will end up with two sets of metrics (more people focused for mobile apps, more visit focused for sites). Mobile content consumption, behavior along key metrics (time, bounces etc.)

Analytics 143

Analytics Metrics Mobile DC 143

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2022

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.

Forecast 304

Forecast Stock Options Technical Review Metrics 304

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 9, 2019

On the other hand, if you are into solar technologies, there is probably an advantage to being in Arizona or a similar location. Maxwell Wessel, in a classic article in the Harvard Business Review on this subject, points out the exception successes of Zappos in Las Vegas, Sendgrid’s massive growth in Colorado, and RightNow’s $1.5

Las Vegas 243

Las Vegas Silicon Valley Arizona Montana 243

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 4, 2023

Otherwise, they will (sooner or later) experience the resource drain, high overhead costs & low employee productivity. It’s an important metric for employers & managers because high turnover is often expensive and disruptive for the organization. The whole recruitment process is not only expensive but also time-consuming.

Employee 194

Employee Management Software Review Technical Review 194

The Startup Magazine

OCTOBER 29, 2023

Metrics play a significant role in customer journey analysis, providing quantifiable data that can be analyzed to glean valuable insights. In this blog post, we will delve into the rationale behind monitoring the customer journey, essential metrics for comprehensive analysis, and how segmenting data can provide deeper insights.

Metrics 158

Metrics Customer Harvest Acquisition 158

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 19, 2022

In my experience, the good news is that everyone is becoming more and more comfortable with relationships via the new media and technology. Maximize online referrals and positive service reviews. I still find too many service organizations that ignore or discount online reviews and satisfaction surveys.

Technical Review 303

Technical Review Social Media Metrics Media 303

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

My simple answer is that they keep their focus on customers, rather than technology. They present a convincing story that every entrepreneur has the same potential, but most get sidetracked and bogged down by their technology, competitors, and internal organization. Incorporate AI-powered data and metrics systems.

Global 308

Global Marketing Technical Review Algorithm 308

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2014

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.

Startup 283

Startup Forecast Stock Options Technical Review 283

YoungUpstarts

JULY 14, 2020

The following review will offer insights into one of those leading platforms, CPLOne.com , to give newbie online marketers and advertisers an idea of whether this platform will be right for them. In other words, users will get paid a commission for each qualified lead generated by their cost-per-lead (CPL) advertising campaigns.

Technical Review 147

Technical Review Advertising Affiliate Vertical 147