Remove Early Stage Remove Forecast Remove Operations Remove Sales
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Further Thoughts on Startup Operations

Both Sides of the Table

I recently wrote a post about why I didn’t think early-stage startups should have COOs. “I need somebody to run operations.&# I never said you shouldn’t have a VP of Operations. This person can do budgeting, forecasting, strategic planning, legal, HR, office moves, etc.

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Scaling Sales: Arming & Aiming – A’s, B’s & C’s

Both Sides of the Table

This is part of my ongoing Sales & Marketing Series. In the first part of this post I talked about how sales in a startup is often evangelical , requires as consultative sale and needs constant adjustments based on customer feedback. We had 4 or 5 sales reps that had been around since the early days.

Sales 286
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How Boards Need to Evolve Over Time

Both Sides of the Table

The functions of an early-stage board are pretty obvious and well understood: Providing introductions to customers, biz dev partners, recruits, the press, other investors, etc. Reviewing financial & operational performance. how much energy to put into channel partners vs. direct sales. Mentorship.

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4 Key Components Of Every New Business Financial Plan

Startup Professionals Musings

Most aspiring entrepreneurs understand that you can’t build a business if you won’t commit to delivering a product or service, but many are hesitant or refuse to commit to any financial forecasts. External investors will demand a financial forecast, but it’s equally valuable to you, even if bootstrapping. Quantify overhead costs.

Forecast 290
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How to Know When to Sell vs. When to Market to Customers

Both Sides of the Table

This is final part of a series that describes a sales methodology for technology companies or frankly many other types of companies, too. Well think of it this way – you have your sales process. And with scarce resources it’s your job to decide which door this lead must go through – sales or marketing.

Customer 324
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People Management: Startup Teams Should Dip but not Skip

Both Sides of the Table

A good early-stage CEO needs to be accessible, to be accountable for producing results and should be establishing the cultural norms of the company through direct leadership at all levels. You’ll get sales information from your VP of Sales, marketing information from your VP Marketing, tech information from your CTO and so on.

CTO Hire 308
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The Virus Survival Strategy For Your Startup

Steve Blank

Here are a few thoughts about operating in uncertainty in a pandemic. Next, take a look at your actual revenue each month – not forecast, but real revenue coming in each month. If you’re an early stage company, that number may be zero. If you are selling to businesses (a B-to-B market) have your customers’ sales dropped?

Burn Rate 436