Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 23, 2021

As a consumer, I rarely pay attention to your marketing pitch, but I certainly always remember a exceptionally positive total experience with your team, based on a memorable set of interactions from first contact to discussions with friends. Incent and reward employees who delight customers. That approach still is meaningful today.

Customer 369

Customer Technical Review Metrics Employee 369

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 23, 2022

Every startup lucky enough to get some traction gets to the point where they decide to hire some “regular employees” for sales, marketing, and administrative tasks. This commitment to hire people who think like entrepreneurs, or instill an “owner’s mindset” in every employee, should be a high priority in every business.

Startup 337

Startup Technical Review Employee Hiring 337

The Startup Magazine

DECEMBER 4, 2024

Use Contracts to Your Advantage Whether you’re hiring employees, working with vendors, or entering into agreements with partners, contracts are essential. Additionally, employment contracts ensure that you and your employees have mutual understanding regarding their roles and the company’s policies.

Intellectual Property 119

Intellectual Property Non-disclosure Agreement Entrepreneur Limited Liability Company 119

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2022

Thus I was pleased to see a much more complete and broader perspective of employee support recommendations in a new book, “ Employees First! ” by Donna Cutting, who is a globally-recognized guru on employee culture and optimizing customer service. Emotional stability. Environmental safety.

Technical Review 353

Technical Review Cofounder Employee Global 353

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2022

If both of you are experts at software development, even though one loves design and the other loves coding, that still won’t get the marketing done. Look at the big picture first of development, finance, and marketing/sales. Feels a real passion and love for their role. Believe in the same ethical and diversity boundaries.

Partner 385

Partner Software Review CTO Hire Cofounder 385

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2021

Remember that leadership is both upward, as well as downward to direct reports and employees. The CEO is the check and balance on the constant parallel pushes for more development, more marketing, and more growth. They need an operational CEO who knows the market and the marketing game. Provide effective leadership.

Exit Strategy 407

Exit Strategy Leadership Founder Networking 407

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2021

Make sure the Business Plan and all related documents are current, synchronized, and in the hands of every key employee. This is a good time for the CEO to present the final investor charts, and answer any questions from employees. Size of the market. Sales and marketing strategy. Personnel situation is stable.

Technical Review 380

Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Angel Investor 380

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2022

The key elements of leadership in a company, both individual and organizational, are less tangible, but very critical in setting a market value for investment, acquisition, or going public. Every business and brand has unique requirements to fit into their market environment. Leadership brand development.

Technical Review 323

Technical Review Due Diligence Valuation Leadership 323

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 3, 2022

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. Is your business able to grow and adapt as fast as the market changes these days? It’s a small cost to prevent a long-term loss.

Hiring 337

Hiring Technical Cofounder Cofounder Retention 337

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2022

They couldn’t possibly understand the new social media culture, new technologies, or have the determination to beat their younger counterparts in the market. Pew says the Boomer demographic is the largest mainstream pool of experienced talent in the market today, and will be for the foreseeable future.

Advisory Board 368

Advisory Board Dividend Angel Investor Cofounder 368

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 3, 2021

As a starting point, I like the Wikipedia simple definition of innovation as “the application of better solutions to meet new requirements or market needs.” In reality, the best business process innovations usually come from regular employees on the front line of your business, just trying to do a better job and better serve customers.

Technical Review 431

Technical Review Leadership Operations Networking 431

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2020

Minimum viable products (MVPs) are recommended for validating the market, with iterative enhancement to quickly meet market feedback. Rounding out the team with employees and freelancers. Successful startup teams today have a mix of remote employees, freelancers, and contractors.

Intellectual Property 404

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Groups Social Media 404

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2020

Thus he donates a pair for every pair sold, and keeps his employees engaged by sending them internationally to work directly with constituents who can most benefit from the donations. The best way to start is to enable employee decision making on customer satisfaction issues. Incent and reward new ideas with action, not more study.

Entrepreneur 329

Entrepreneur Intellectual Property Stealth Angel Investor 329

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 26, 2021

Idea people must surround themselves with people who build momentum and get things done, including production, marketing, finance, and sales. Gates was a software developer genius, but Ballmer upheld the marketing and business side. Employees are engaged, committed, and accountable. Paul Allen was the idea visionary.

Entrepreneur 341

Entrepreneur Angel Investor Partner Software Developers 341

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. Millions have bowed out of the labor market. Many of these retired from the labor market. Like it or not, social mores have changed.

Non-Compete 282

Non-Compete France Japan Technical Review 282

Duct Tape Marketing

SEPTEMBER 14, 2024

How ‘Company Culture’ Became Overused written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast with Brian Gottlieb In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, I interviewed Brian Gottlieb , founder of Tundraland Home Improvements and author of ‘Beyond the Hammer.’

Wisconsin 90

Wisconsin Cofounder Leadership Employee 90

Duct Tape Marketing

JULY 31, 2024

We probably won’t go as far as to call it a “safe space” as, according to them, only your employees can determine that. Understanding and integrating trauma-informed leadership practices improves individual well-being and drives organizational success by enhancing employee engagement, innovation, and retention.

Leadership 87

Leadership Employee Retention New York City 87

The Startup Magazine

SEPTEMBER 4, 2024

Marketing is one of those things that is not necessarily considered to be an essential practice for generating business, but this is why a variety of different healthcare provider marketing methods can invariably make a big impact in creating the right customer base.

Marketing 158

Marketing Technical Review SEO Social Media 158

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2021

By focusing your marketing activities on key individuals known to wield influence in your target customer market, you can deliver a more "authentic" message. At every Ritz-Carlton , employees are authorized to spend up to $2,000 per guest to solve a guest issue or improve a guest's stay, no matter what the cause.

Customer 432

Customer Social Media Dividend Technical Review 432

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

Even businesses with highly specialized market segments will find it more effective and simpler to focus on who customers are as people, rather than the “what” of their demographic attributes. Customer value statements must come from customer feedback to other customers, rather than from your marketing.

Customer 395

Customer Social Media Media Employee 395

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

First of all, I will admit that there is some risk involved with talking to any potential investors, even with an agreement, just as there is risk in all the elements of your plan, product and market opportunity. Some entrepreneurs avoid the patent process, since patent details become public once a patent is issued.

Non-disclosure Agreement 399

Non-disclosure Agreement Technical Review Due Diligence Angel Investor 399

TechEmpower

MARCH 4, 2024

AI empowers businesses to craft more impactful marketing campaigns by utilizing data analytics for content personalization and market trend forecasting, thereby significantly enhancing campaign relevance and effectiveness. It also facilitates rapid prototyping, allowing for quicker iterations and thus shorter development cycles.

Generative AI 297

Generative AI CTO Hire Fractional CTO Software Review 297

View from Seed

APRIL 14, 2020

For the last several years, the early stage investing market was driven largely by the F ear O f M issing O ut, AKA FOMO. VCs are always founder focused no matter the market environment. Also, companies that do find PMF and can attract capital will experience less competition for customers and employees.

Early Stage 374

Early Stage Software Review Technical Review Due Diligence 374

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 19, 2025

based digital marketing agency serving over 70,000 customers, offers relief through its integrated approach to online marketing. It combines website development, search engine optimization, social media marketing, and online reputation management into one cohesive solution. Hibu, a U.S.-based

Rhode Island 88

Rhode Island Ohio Web Development Social Media 88

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2022

That’s a tall order, especially when your business culture has to fit into the myriad of international and local cultures that are part of every market these days. This is where the culture of the startup has to adapt to the cultures of the markets served. In the classic book, “ Fish Can’t See Water ,” Kai Hammerich and Richard D.

Dilution 355

Dilution Startup Merger Flash 355

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. The result is missed opportunities, emotional in-fighting, and blame.

Social Media 330

Social Media Entrepreneur Revenue Internet 330

Duct Tape Marketing

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024

Gain Client’s Trust by ensuring Cybersecurity written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast with Zach Kromkowski In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast , I interviewed Zach Kromkowski, co-founder of Sention, about the importance of cybersecurity for small businesses and marketing firms.

Software Review 79

Software Review Security Distribution IP 79

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2023

To be successful, and leave a positive legacy, you need a team of motivated employees and loyal customers. Developing the ideal product the first time around is unlikely, high risk, and very expensive in today’s chaotic market. Open sharing also increases market acceptance of new products and expedites support infrastructures.

Artificial Inteligence 286

Artificial Inteligence Technology Leadership Business Model 286

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2022

They don’t realize that these are still rare, require a large risk, and may not be the best way to keep up with change in the market. As an alternative, I usually recommend more incremental innovation , derived from recognized market changes, done on a regular basis, without the big-bang expectation.

Technical Review 252

Technical Review Silicon Valley Software Review Metrics 252

VC Cafe

MARCH 31, 2025

Conduct brief initial market research: Spend about an hour researching to determine if there’s a substantial market with billions of dollars being made. Focus on increasing average talent with each hire and hire slowly: Your early employees should ideally be smarter and slightly more risk-averse than the founders.

Cofounder 88

Cofounder Silicon Valley Technical Review PR 88

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2023

Even businesses with highly specialized market segments will find it more effective and simpler to focus on who customers are as people, rather than the “what” of their demographic attributes. Customer value statements must come from customer feedback to other customers, rather than from your marketing.

Social Media 328

Social Media Customer Media Employee 328

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

Of course, their answer is that the second intends to get to market faster, but every engine has limits regardless the fuel applied. Deferred payments start with stretching the payables period but, more importantly, include giving employee equity in lieu of a higher salaries and negotiating vendor deferred payments out of future revenues.

Burn Rate 258

Burn Rate Hockey Stick Management Salary 258

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 4, 2023

In the wake of recent struggles , the people you need and want are looking for a new human focus from their leaders and managers in today’s chaotic and competitive labor market. You really hearing employees also augments engagement levels and business results. If possible, let the project be based on the employee's own ideas.

Leadership 279

Leadership Employee Community Cost 279

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2022

Positive team collaboration is a culture that you must foster to increase productivity and the ability to change with the market. Top employees are leaving for better opportunities. In my experience, employees usually leave if they are not satisfied with you, rather than a salary level or role definition.

Leadership 301

Leadership Founder Salary Demand 301

The Startup Magazine

JANUARY 30, 2025

Utilizing entity management software helps streamline operations by automating tasks, lowering the chances of mistakes, and giving employees time to dedicate to important strategic projects. By examining patterns and pinpointing areas that need enhancement, companies can consistently improve their processes to stay competitive in a market.

Software Review 113

Software Review Software Management Government 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 25, 2022

In my experience, most technical entrepreneurs have little interest or expertise in the financials, or marketing. In today’s economy, with more and more employees working remotely , assessing trust may seem especially difficult. We all understand that partners, employees, and customers are people with emotions, rather than machines.

Technical Review 313

Technical Review Due Diligence Partner Cofounder 313

Rembrandt Communications

FEBRUARY 1, 2022

After all, the way you communicate establishes how members of your target market decide whether or not they want to do business with you. If you haven’t reviewed your sales processes, marketing campaigns, public relations’ strategies, and all of the other ways you communicate with your audiences recently, take a detailed look at the results.

Software Review 264

Software Review Database Public Relations Audience 264