Many entrepreneurs assume that everyone will love their solution as much as they do, so they tune their marketing focus based on their own needs and wants. That is the right place to start, but real growth and scale requires attracting customers who are not like you. Expanding your market into these areas requires thinking […]
growth
The Hockey Stick Principles of Growth
I recently got introduced to Bobby Martin, serial entrepreneur of First Research and Vertical IQ fame, and author of the new book, “The Hockey Stick Principles–The 4 Key Stages of Entrepreneurial Success.” I thought he presented some really interesting views of the four stages of a startup’s typical growth curve, and he was nice enough […]
The Top 3 Things Young Entrepreneurs Worry About (and How to Silence Them)
Entrepreneurs, especially new entrepreneurs, are constantly pushed to succeed. While success can be defined in many ways, entrepreneurs with young businesses don’t have time or money to waste. Because of this, the feeling of needing to succeed at any cost can be a huge weight to carry. Although I founded my business more than a […]
The War Between Driving Growth and Profitability
I have previously written about WHEN it is better to drive growth vs. profitability. But, what wasn’t clear in that post, which I want to better explain now, is that it’s mathematically impossible to try to maximize growth and profitability simultaneously. The math just doesn’t work. I have come across many companies I that are trying to do both, […]
Sales Tactics Differ by Growth Stage
Since starting the Enterprise Sales Meetup, I have spent quite a bit of time reviewing advice about sales. My particular interest is in the advice that is directed to startups. The challenge with this advice, however, is that it is either too high-level or does not really apply to anyone. Even if the advice comes with caveats, it is […]
10 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Take Their Business to the Next Level
A big part of being a successful founder means knowing when to back down and knowing when to step up. As an entrepreneur, your ultimate goal is to take a business from zero to hero. For most of us, this doesn’t happen overnight. Typically, there will be trial and error as you wade through what […]
4 Lessons in Scaling Your Startup
My startup experience began in college and ended up becoming a very successful company. After graduating, I moved on to a corporate role at IBM. As I learned the ropes at an established company, I continued investing and advising startups on the side. Finally, two years ago, I founded my latest company, SimpleRelevance. Through each […]