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. Why Startups Offer Stock Options.

Stock Options 335

Stock Options Stock Vesting Common Stock 335

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 13, 2010

Most of the Internet startup consulting firms went bankrupt. Since that date the S&P 500 is up 2.45% while Accenture stock is up 206% with revenue of $23 billion and a market cap of $32 billion. The things that always differentiated Accenture? In a strong wind, even turkeys can fly.

Turkey 302

Turkey Differentiation IP Technical Review 302

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2010

Every early-stage startup should explore this new funding alternative. Venture capital dispensed quarterly to startups continues to decline, down to about $3 billion in the first quarter, which is the lowest level since 1997. Tags: entrepreneur startup investor super angels founder. That model doesn’t seem to work any more.

Technical Review 215

Technical Review Early Stage Venture Capital Startup 215

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. Climate tech – We have a fair chance of avoiding catastrophic climate change if startups offer commercial solutions to decarbonize society or remove carbon from the atmosphere.

Artificial Inteligence 176

Artificial Inteligence Technical Review Software Review Generative AI 176

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

I think that mindset is useful to remind entrepreneurs that it is a shared journey and capital (whether active or passive) is a part of your success and your ability to access it when you need to and for the amounts you need is a very critical differentiator between successful companies and unsuccessful one. As You Start to Mature.

Technical Review 325

Technical Review Early Stage Software Review Los Angeles 325

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2013

Every early-stage startup should explore this new funding alternative. Venture capital dispensed quarterly to startups actually declined again in the first quarter of 2013 to $6.3 VCs are finding that they don’t need the “large” funds of $100M to $500M to support a portfolio, if they focus on early-stage startups.

Angel Investor 231

Angel Investor Entrepreneur Early Stage Silicon Valley 231

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 20, 2020

It was only about 10–15% of their actual total revenue per month so for many it wasn’t a battle worth fighting?—?they At Upfront we always took the approach that we wanted to back startups that enabled merchants to own the customer relationship and to increase profits by becoming excellent at marketing and serving ones most loyal customers.

Technical Review 242

Technical Review Software Review Aggregator Australia 242

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 12, 2018

Many people will write the history on why Ring became an enormously successful company and why it became a real-world unicorn in a world when many startups are anointed that merely on paper. We first met Jamie when had had a startup called Simulscribe, which transcribed voicemail so you could read your messages rather than listen to them.

Security 247

Security Los Angeles Silicon Valley Video 247

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 2, 2020

One client said it helped them because they hadn’t made long-term commitments to advertising buys, and it was easy to cut back spending when their revenues declined. A marketing agency I spoke with was a brand-new startup, just months old, when the pandemic hit.

Agile 264

Agile Marketing Campaign Sales 264

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 7, 2011

As an example, Joel says that there is a chief revenue officer who is solely responsible for bringing in revenue to StackExchange. He is responsible for bringing in revenue from advertising and their careers offering. Within a small startup with 3 engineers, everyone will work on all aspects of the site. 29:45 minutes.

Software Review 285

Software Review Software St. Louis API 285

The Startup Magazine

FEBRUARY 21, 2022

The usage of CRM – systems in real estate is beneficial: a 29 per cent boost in revenue. One of the most compelling arguments in favor of custom software development is that it allows business owners to differentiate their products from the competition. appeared first on The Startup Magazine.

Software Development 217

Software Development Software Developers Software Developer 217

The Startup Magazine

APRIL 22, 2024

When it comes to startups, the focus often gravitates toward acquiring new customers, expanding market reach, and chasing growth metrics. However, amidst the frenzy of attracting fresh clientele, many startups overlook a critical aspect of sustainable success – client retention.

Retention 148

Retention Reputation Startup Social Network 148

ReadWriteStart

JUNE 16, 2011

During today's roundtable, we had four Microsoft BizSpark Startup India Challenge grant finalists present. 10Screens is currently also a finalist in the Microsoft BizSpark India Startup Challenge. In fact, they generated $100k in revenues over the last year, since they first pitched at one of our roundtables.

India 123

India Bootstrapping Non-Compete Entrepreneur 123

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 6, 2024

Catering to a diversified niche at every level is tough, mainly because each product and service shall require some type of differentiation in the typical operations management within the manufacturing plants. Revenue generation can be increased and sped up using efficient strategic moves and policies.

Operations 158

Operations Management Software Review Technical Review 158

YoungUpstarts

JULY 17, 2013

I grew the business that I currently lead as CEO from a start-up to more than 60 million dollars in revenue in less than six years. My simple process has worked to spur growth and revenue for every business I have headed. By Wain Kellum, CEO of Vocalocity. Wain Kellum is CEO of Atlanta, Georgia-based VoIP service provider Vocalocity.

Georgia 238

Georgia Atlanta Sales Cycle Business Model 238

View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

Instead of a laundry list of everything you want to build over the next 3-5 years, you should highlight the critical building blocks that would allow you to 1) dominate in the market you’re operating, and 2) differentiate yourself from competitors.

Part-Time VPE 195

Part-Time VPE Seed Stage CTO Hire Forecast 195

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 17, 2018

As a startup co-founder with a growing team, here are the recruiting tips I’ve learnt over the last couple of years. You need to sell them on why your startup is the best. As with sales, these core reasons need to be compelling to candidates, while being as unique to you (competitive differentiation) as possible.

Cofounder 164

Cofounder Elevator Pitch Hiring Dividend 164

The Startup Magazine

OCTOBER 27, 2019

Unfortunately, such a high number does not translate to an equal level of revenues. An even more surprising statistic is that over 60% of all business-related revenues are collected by large corporations, the likes of which include Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Google, and similar. Small business failure is a high risk for any startup.

Technical Review 87

Technical Review Revenue Software Review Campaign 87

Steve Blank

MAY 28, 2009

I’ve heard investors ask about sustainable technical differentiation for companies that you put on the customer/market risk end of the scale. are much more differentiating than technology. What is your perspective on ‘sustainable technical differentiation’ for customer/market risk companies?

Vertical 167

Vertical Silicon Valley Marketing Customer 167

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2015

In the United States alone the self storage market is worth $24 billion in annual revenue and is totally fragmented with the largest player having around 10% of the total market. I have no doubt that multi-billion startups will disrupt this business with both a higher-quality product and lower costs. And here’s the thing.

Technical Review 150

Technical Review San Diego Dallas Startup 150

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2014

One of the toughest decisions for a startup is how to price their product or service. The revenue model you select is basically the implementation of your business strategy, and the key to attaining your financial objectives. So what are some of the most common revenue models being used by startups today? Freemium model.

Revenue 287

Revenue Startup Business Model Retention 287

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 18, 2012

People say the important part of a Startup is its Team. There are three market categories that startups from Singapore are likely to address: 1. Startups in this category start off in their home markets (i.e. As a startup in Asia, the top 2 markets to start from are China , and India. This is by no means easy.

Singapore 178

Singapore Technical Cofounder Product Marketing 178

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 28, 2014

Yet true product differentiation in the eye of the customer is rarely achieved. According to a survey by Bain & Company a while back, 80% of businesses believe they have differentiated offerings, but only 8% of customers agree. Of course, working on perception can backfire if the differentiation reality isn’t there.

Differentiation 255

Differentiation Product Social Media Reputation 255

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 2, 2023

I’ll start by taking you to the world of Startup X, a passionate team of entrepreneurs who believed they had the next big thing in the world of software as a service (SaaS). It’s disheartening, but sadly, this is one experience that many startup founders face. Do you find yourself and your project in a similar position?

Design 105

Design Product Churn Rate Architecture 105

crowdSPRING Blog

APRIL 18, 2013

These posts and videos are about logo design , web design , startups, entrepreneurship, small business, leadership, social media, marketing, and more! Small Business and Startups: Cultivate Trust and Nurture Loyalty – [link]. Small Business and Startups: Cultivate Trust and Nurture Loyalty – [link].

Social Media 91

Social Media Small Business Design Media 91

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2017

Many are reluctant to really “market” themselves, and have trouble differentiating their offerings to clients, except by price. In addition to relationships, today’s clients want to see you and your expertise on videos online, industry conferences, and social media to feel the trust for differentiation.

Differentiation 141

Differentiation SBA Social Media Dividend 141

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

MARCH 27, 2012

He’s worked with multiple startups and is also the founder of Folyo , a service that helps companies find vetted freelance designers. So you need to find a differentiator; in my case, I decided the Deluxe edition of the eBook would also include the original Photoshop sources. So it looks like my pricing scheme was a success.

Sales 279

Sales Software Review RSS Web 279

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 1, 2011

Mike Yavonditte is the founder of the “super hot&# Hashable , a startup out of NYC that has been described as a “ Mint.com for Social Capital ” Mike sold his previous company, Quigo , to Aol for $340 Million. He is also an active angel investor in companies like Klout and Meetup. Thank you, John. We can do better.

Semantic 302

Semantic Acquisition Valuation Angel Investor 302

The Startup Magazine

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

By knowing what your customers want, you can create consistent and measurable improvements that result in increased revenue and customer happiness. For others, loyalty programs and prizes might be the differentiating factor that encourages them to return more frequently. Rely on data. The key to improving customer experience is data.

Sales 158

Sales Customer eCommerce Social Media 158

Feld Thoughts

JULY 8, 2013

On this journey, we benchmarked 1,500 IT organization to understand what differentiated the highest performing organizations and allowed them to do what the others only dreamed of. Act I begins with IT Operations, where we’re supporting a large, complex revenue generating application. Our revenue pipeline stopped for two hours.”

Phoenix 178

Phoenix Software Review Technical Review Cofounder 178

The Startup Magazine

OCTOBER 19, 2020

Similarly, customers are more knowledgeable, aware, and conscious to choose from the variety out there, which slows down the company’s revenue and growth. In a conventional business perspective, there are significantly lesser areas to differentiate yourself from the competition.

Technical Review 158

Technical Review Forecast Analytics Social Media 158

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 20, 2019

In the startup world, opportunities are fleeting, and obstacles are ubiquitous. Competition from other startups and established incumbents, constraints on time and capital, and limited access to talent and technology resources are just a few of the hurdles nearly every first-time founder faces while trying to build a business.

Technical Review 140

Technical Review Due Diligence Early Stage Differentiation 140

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2016

We then help surround founders with other talent who want to join important causes but don’t have the startup idea themselves. It’s rare to find extraordinarily talented individuals who are natural leaders and who are driven to succeed and who have a passion for startups so when you do you work hard to find opportunities for them.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Fractional CTO Cofounder Early Stage 150

The Startup Magazine

JULY 11, 2024

For businessmen and entrepreneurs, leveraging your skills and experience in the for-profit world can significantly benefit your nonprofit startup venture. Define Your Mission and Vision Mission Statement: Your mission statement should clearly articulate the purpose of your nonprofit startup.

Social Media 148

Social Media Public Relations Programming Business Plan 148

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 5, 2010

billion in annual subscription revenues not including advertising or eCommerce). might have been a lot less differentiated. It did not have the same success as Google’s acquisition and MySpace sold Photobucket 2 years later to a relatively unknown Seattle-based startup called Ontela for a reportedly $60 million.

Social Network 318

Social Network Networking Internet Technical Review 318

ReadWriteStart

JULY 15, 2022

Businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups all join in the hope that they can keep their millennial workforce engaged and happy. For you as a startup owner, this insight holds far greater significance. With their prowess and charm, millennials can change the fortunes of your startup for the better.

Startup 140

Startup Employee Technical Review Retention 140

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

Too many entrepreneurs look for that one magic bullet -- an exciting new technology, perhaps, or their own determination to make the world a better place -- to override any shortcomings in their startup model. Such failures ignore the essential business elements investors look for before committing to a startup.

Exit Strategy 120

Exit Strategy Technical Review Distribution Viral 120