Shared trust and integrity form the basis for the key resource in a bootstrapping startup: morale. Founders must foster actions and behaviors that build trust in the early days if they hope to create a startup with a culture that will enable it to prosper.
Ten Principles for Trust and Integrity from Adventures in Missions Read More »
In “Our ‘For Impact’ Culture Code,” Possible Health outlined a number of operating principles and cultural values that are also very appropriate for bootstrappers.
Bootstrappers Turn Time Into Resources and Possibilities For Customers Read More »
D. H. Lawrence’s “Escape” Offers a Vision of the Entrepreneur’s Journey
D. H. Lawrence’s “Escape” Offers a Vision of the Entrepreneur’s Journey Read More »
Some advice from a couple of founders that ran successful crowdfunding campaigns: Matt Oscamou, CEO of Frontier Bites, Mark Palaima, Distinguished Engineer at Avagent, and Noah Dentzel, CEO of Nomad Goods.
Advice on Crowdfunding from Matt Oscamou, Mark Palaima, and Noah Dentzel Read More »
Instead of looking left and right for potential competition, I would walk around the table and look at the situation from your prospect’s perspective.
Q: How Much Attention Should I Pay To Potential Competition? Read More »
Don’t do a big launch before you have completed customer discovery or you are running a very expensive test of your key customer and market hypotheses.
Q: Can We Launch First and Ask Customer Discovery Questions Later? Read More »
One of the hallmarks for success in a business-to-business market is the ability to form personal relationships as well as professional business relationships. Both require building trust. I am always dismayed when I read advice that advocates bait and switch or other forms of con games that erode trust and make it difficult for any
Building a Business Requires Building Trust Read More »
Without a revenue hypothesis your business model is just a list of activities users are engaging in. You need to map customer actions to revenue and costs.
Without A Revenue Hypothesis Your Business Model Is a List of User Activities Read More »
One question entrepreneurs ask themselves is whether to persevere or get a job. What follows is an email exchange that has been edited into a Q&A.
Q: Should I Persevere With My Product Or Get A Job? Read More »
Some startups just “go for it” and pursue their vision without any real strategy. In the same way that the losers are never interviewed after the lottery numbers are announced, press and pundits draw startup lessons by restricting their focus to the winners. It’s bullshit.
Feeling Lucky Is Not a Strategy Read More »
Lean innovation models provide a scientific approach for creating and testing a product and developing a new business around it.
Video from Lean Innovation 101 Talk at SF Bay ACM Nov-20-2013 Read More »
IEEE-CNSV Panel Explores Engineering in Japan vs Silicon Valley Mon-Mar-3 I am helping to moderate a panel 7pm Mon-Mar-3 at IEEE-CNSV on “Innovation: Work and Life of the Engineer in Japan and Silicon Valley” The event takes place at Agilent Technologies, Inc. in the Aristotle Room, Bldg. 5 located at 5301 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa
IEEE-CNSV Panel Explores Engineering in Japan vs Silicon Valley Mon-Mar-3 Read More »
Five financial mistakes bootstrappers can avoid include financing with credit cards or high interest loans and taking on long term financial commitments like a lease or an employee too early.
Five Serious Financial Mistakes Bootstrappers Can Avoid Read More »
Q: We have started selling and are looking for resources for a lean approach to sales, in particular for new product introduction. Lean Approach To Sales at Lean Startup Conference 2012 Scott Sambucci and I presented a workshop at Lean Startup 2012 on “Engineering Your Sales Process.” The deck is posted at http://www.slideshare.net/SalesQualia/engineering-your-sales-process About 70%
Q: Resources For A Lean Approach to Sales, In Particular New Product Introduction Read More »
My best business advice for managing a negotiation: start with a plain English agreement that covers the key deal points.
Legal Advice: Start With a Plain English Agreement That Covers Key Deal Points Read More »
Let’s face it, finding customers can be quite a challenge. In this interactive workshop, we will cover a variety of proven marketing techniques for growing your business: attendees will select one or two that fit their style and develop a plan to implement them in their business in the next 90 days. Speaking – small
Getting More Customers Workshop on March 25, 2014 Read More »
Progress is discovering real prospects, understanding the simplest functionality they will pay for, and finding team members who can help.
A friend I had not seen in a while felt “stuck” in a startup. It’s a feeling I am familiar with: I made 3 suggestions for getting unstuck.
Getting Unstuck Revisited Read More »
The difference between a hypothesis and an assumption is that the first is typically explicit and the second implicit. A hypothesis is what you are testing explicitly in an experiment. An assumption is tested implicitly. By making your assumptions and hypotheses explicit, you increase the clarity of your approach and the chance for learning.
Difference Between a Hypothesis and an Assumption Read More »
It can be difficult to put a price on a new product service, much less to develop a pricing model you can use to offer pricing to many different prospects. Here are some tips.
Q: How To Pull The Trigger On A Pricing Model Read More »
