Dave Stubenvoll joins the panel for our Book Club for Business Impact to discuss “Origin & Evolution of New Business” by Amar Bhide
Dave Stubenvoll Guest for “Origin & Evolution of New Business” Oct-26-2011 Read More »
This interview with Ghislain Kaiser originally ran Nov-4-2010 as “Docea Power Successfully Bootstraps As a New EDA Player
Founder Story: Ghislain Kaiser, Docea Power Read More »
An interview with Paul van Besouw, the founder and CEO of Oasys Design System, explores lessons learned from his entrepreneurial efforts at Ambit and Oasys.
Founder Story: Paul van Besouw, Oasys Design Systems Read More »
Business Model Representations In a blog post last October entitled “Entrepreneurship as a Science – The Business Model/Customer Development Stack” Steve Blank suggested Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur defined a business model as how an organization creates, delivers, and captures value. More importantly they showed how any company’s business model could be defined in 9
Business Model Representations Read More »
A bootstrapped startup is a “come as you are” party. The Founders rely on passion and their savings to build product and find customers.
What Happens When The “Come As You Are Party” is Over Read More »
Bootstrappers need to make commitments and meet deadlines to achieve their cash flow objectives. Deadlines and commitments are inextricably linked. Be explicit up front about how long offer is good or how long a customer needs to wait for delivery. Get them to be explicit on payment terms.
Expiration Dates: Deadlines and Commitments Read More »
This post on customer development interviews is one of my most popular. If you would like help preparing for customer development interviews or reviewing results from recent interviews please sign up for a no cost no obligation office hours session and I will be happy to help you rehearse or de-brief. Here are my lessons learned from taking
Tips for B2B Customer Development Interviews Read More »
A bootstrapper needs four attributes to succeed: purpose, patience, politeness, and prudent risk taking. These are markers for strength not weakness.
Purpose, Patience, Politeness, and Prudent Risk Taking Read More »
Malcom Gladwell suggests appreciative inquiry into inner-city schools. We can apply lessons from effective sports programs to the classroom.
Malcolm Gladwell Suggests Appreciative Inquiry Into Inner-City Schools Read More »
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a mindset that is essential in customer discovery. It encourages you to look for what’s working in an potential customer’s organization and “work with the grain of the wood.” It enables you to build on demonstrated strengths and accomplishments in framing your solution to a critical business problem.
Appreciative Inquiry Mindset Essential to Customer Discovery Read More »
Always assume you are targeting busy prospects for you customer development conversations.
Customer Development Conversations With Busy Prospects Read More »
Lenny Greenberg, Founder and CTO of Assistyx, e-mailed me a long and thoughtful response to my “Learning from Netflix” post.
Learning From Netflix: Lenny Greenberg’s Response Read More »
It’s the Picture on the Box that Sells the LEGO Set: provide specific examples of how your product can be used to solve problems.
It’s the Picture on the Box that Sells the LEGO Set Read More »
Selling to a businesses requires conversations that build trust. Trust is built over time from predictability and meeting commitments.
Selling to a Business Requires Conversations that Build Trust Read More »
Netflix made several pricing strategy mistakes in 2011: an arbitrary price increase of 60%, poor communication from the top, and a demonstrated lack of concern for customer experience.
Learning From Netflix’s 2011 Pricing Strategy Mistakes Read More »
If you are an entrepreneur then sales is always a part of your responsibility. Here are some tips for cutting your teeth in sales.
Cutting Your Teeth in Sales Read More »
There are many useful ways to measure customer commitment to your product. Here is a rubric to help you assess each of your customers.
Gauging Customer Commitment Read More »
Here are the slides from today’s “Working for Equity” panel at Silicon Valley Code Camp. It was a standing room only crowd of over 70 that made for a very interactive session with the panel.
Slides from “Working For Equity” Panel at SVCC 2011 Read More »
Marshal Field’s “Twelve Things to Remember” is a good list of qualities bootstrappers should cultivate within themselves.
Twelve Things to Remember by Marshall Field Read More »
If you are considering joining a startup or are in the process of building out your initial team I am moderating a panel at Silicon Valley Code Camp with three startup CEO’s offering lessons learned on their entrepreneurial experiences. The Working For Equity panel is Sunday October 9 at 10:45 am in Room 4306 and
Working For Equity Panel at SVCC 10:45am Sun-Oct-9 Read More »
