I mentioned in “3 Equations 3 Unknowns: Customers, Features, and Message” that we spend a lot of time on the early customer stage. It requires very different sales style than you’ll see later on. It’s a conversational sales style. It’s much more about understanding the problem. You’re trying to solve three equations, three unknowns: Are […]
3 Equations & 3 Unkowns: Target Customer is Key Initial Value Read More »
Gabriel Weinberg is a serial entrepreneur (latest startup: DuckDuckGo), a Hacker Angel, insightful blogger, and frequent contributor to Hacker News. He is writing a book on how startups get traction and interviewing folks like Patrick McKenzie, Jimmy Wales, and Paul English to collect lessons learned from a variety of perspectives. I was delighted when he
Gabriel Weinberg Interviews Me For His Traction Book Read More »
When a prospect criticizes your product, or your suggestion for a solution, don’t react as if they said, “Your baby is ugly.” Appreciate their candor, make sure you understand their need, and probe for what’s wrong or needs improvement in your offering.
Appreciate Why Prospects Say “Your Baby Is Ugly” Read More »
A Chalk Talk on “Managing Risk In Technology Adoption” that covers some of key challenges technology providers have with getting companies to use their products.
Chalk Talk on Technology Adoption Read More »
We posted the interview I did with Floyd Tucker of DreamSimplicity about a month ago but in the last two days I have had two people comment to me directly and one tweet about my “three equations and three unknowns” answer: customers, features, message.
3 Equations & 3 Unknowns: Customers, Features, Message Read More »
Ed Weissman is a prolific contributor to Hacker News, this post collects some insights he has offered on B2B.
Ed Weissman on B2B Opportunities for Startups Part 2 Read More »
Ed Weissman offers three reason why business prefers to pay for software: employee focus, a commitment to service, co-evolution with their needs.
Ed Weissman on B2B Opportunities for Startups Read More »
Here are four movies that I watch when I need to refill my gumption or recover my sisu: The Verdict, Apollo 13, The Dish, and The World’s Fastest Indian.
Four Movies To Renew Your Gumption Read More »
I was recently interviewed by Floyd Tucker of DreamSimplicity Marketplace and the interview can be seen below and on DreamSimplicity.com. We talk about how even though each startup team is unique, they have a common set of milestones they have to achieve to move from idea to revenue. We also chat briefly about the Bootstrapper
DreamSimplicity Interviews Sean Murphy Read More »
In the course of my networking I meet a lot of people and get a lot of business cards – every once in a while I will get a card that really stands out. Here are three cards that lead to deeper discussion about their company and products. Not only is this business card unique,
Cool Business Cards Read More »
Ken Imboden offers lessons learned on developing software products from managing at large firms, and successful and unsuccessful startups.
Ken Imboden on Lessons From MMC, Candlestick, and NuSym Read More »
Here are five tips for moving cash into and out of your bootstrapped startup.
Moving Cash Into & Out of Your Bootstrapped Startup Read More »
This post builds on my earlier “Finding a Co-Founder” and “Compromise & Get Started” posts on the challenges with finding a co-founder for your software startup. It assumes you are working at least part time with a potential co-founder exploring if you can collaborate successfully and generate revenue from a new jointly developed product or
Finding a Co-Founder: 3 Months Is a Long Time Read More »
Building on yesterday’s “Finding A Co-Founder” I want to identify a couple of common challenges to getting started with people you have had prior shared success with and offer some suggestions for how to compromise and get started working with them. Reconnect with Folks You Have Successfully Collaborated With I suggested the following approach: Make
Finding A Co-Founder: Compromise & Get Started Read More »
This is based on both my direct experience and stories folks have shared at the Bootstrappers Breakfast® over the last few years about finding a co-founder.
Finding A Co-Founder Read More »
In 1995 I did some work for one of the early web startups in Palo Alto. They had delivered a number of database driven websites using a proprietary software technology that they had developed, and had sold the technology to several firms. But they had a problem collecting unpaid bills: they had not been paid
Collecting Unpaid Bills Read More »
I check out a few new products every month that I think may be of use in our practice. The following is a true story of a recent experience I had experimenting with a new B2B oriented one that I will call Hotel California. I have changed the name because I signed a license agreement
A Recent Experience As A Beta User Read More »
Successful innovation results when entrepreneurs manage their own shortcomings, find a problem they care about, and approach it from different angles with small safe-to-fail experiments. Dave Snowden on Culture and Innovation Dave Snowden has a thought provoking post on Culture and Innovation where he identified three necessary, but not sufficient conditions for innovation to take
Innovation Needs Starvation, Pressure, and a New Perspective Read More »
Disruption is caused by the new business models an innovation enables. A disruptive innovation can be hard to spot because competitors can offer a different value proposition, not necessarily a better one.
Distant Early Warning Signs of Market Disruption Read More »
Steve Sammartino had a thought provoking post on “Niche Marketing & Startups” that opened with this: The niche market is great for well resourced companies doing innovative stuff. Not so for startups. Gaining traction with any new product or company is inherently difficult. We ought sell to anyone who’ll buy our stuff. Get the message
Focus On a Niche Increases Your Chances For Success Read More »
