skmurphy

Steve Hodas’ Lean Startup 2013 Talk Offers Recipe for Re-Invigorating Intrapreneurs

Lean Startup, skmurphy / By /

Steve Hodas packs a lot of insight packed into this 15 minute talk from the Lean Startup 2013 conference. A recent conversation reminded me how much I enjoyed this talk and the savvy approach Hodas outlines for enterprise or large organizations who want to encourage innovation by partnering with startups and re-invigorating intrapreneurs and internal […]

Steve Hodas’ Lean Startup 2013 Talk Offers Recipe for Re-Invigorating Intrapreneurs Read More »

teamwork image

Circle the Chairs

Community of Practice, skmurphy / By /

Brian Fuller had an interesting blog post on why you should circle the chairs in a meeting to increase audience participation at “Industry events need to get more social.” Panels and speeches at events are the live equivalent of newspaper publishing: We talk, you listen. Newspapers and magazines have been pounded for the better part

Circle the Chairs Read More »

Recap of “How To Give a Great Demo” at CoFounders Club Wed-Apr-16-2014

Demos, Events, skmurphy / By /

I had a nice time at last night’s Cofounder Club. Dea Wilson, founder of Lifograph, invited me to talk about “Giving a Killer Demo.”  We had  a lively discussion upstairs at Procopio: starting with some introductions and then short demos by the attendees, then I gave a formal recap of the Great Demo methodology and how to apply

Recap of “How To Give a Great Demo” at CoFounders Club Wed-Apr-16-2014 Read More »

Building a Business Requires Building Trust

3 Early Customer Stage, 4 Finding your Niche, 5 Scaling Up Stage, Sales, skmurphy / By /

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 »

Cohan Great Demo

Great Demo Workshop Attendee: “Holy Crap! My Demos Have Too Much Detail”

Demos, Sales, skmurphy, Testimonial, Workshop / By /

Great Demo Workshop Attendee: “Holy Crap! My Demos Have Too Much Detail” After every Great Demo! workshop we contact the attendees with a short E-Mail that reads in part: I want to check-in to see how you have been doing using the ideas and skills we covered in our Great Demo! Workshop three months ago. 

Great Demo Workshop Attendee: “Holy Crap! My Demos Have Too Much Detail” Read More »

Learn How to Market Your Expertise March 25 in Sunnyvale

Events, skmurphy / By /

Whether you are a software startup or a consultant you have to convince prospects that you have the expertise to solve their problems by what you say, what you write, and what others say about you. This three hour workshop will outline a mix of proven marketing techniques for generating leads for your business. Attendees will

Learn How to Market Your Expertise March 25 in Sunnyvale Read More »

Office Hours: Schedule Time To Walk Around Your MVP

Lead Generation, Sales, skmurphy / By /

Looking for advice on lead generation or closing deals?  Consider scheduling “office hours” to walk around your current sales process or a particular opportunity you are trying to close. SKMurphy functions as a startup advisor to help you understand the process of building a business. We understand the challenges of selecting an advisor–and advising entrepreneurs–and have blogged

Office Hours: Schedule Time To Walk Around Your MVP Read More »

Video from Lean Innovation 101 Talk at SF Bay ACM Nov-20-2013

1 Idea Stage, 2 Open for Business Stage, 3 Early Customer Stage, 4 Finding your Niche, Events, Lean Culture Videos, Lean Startup, skmurphy, Video / By /

The video from my “What is Lean–Lean Innovation 101” talk is up: Here is the description for the talk “Lean” provides a scientific approach for creating a product and developing new businesses. Teams can iteratively building products or services to meet the needs of early customers by adopting a combination of customer development, business-hypothesis-driven experimentation

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

1 Idea Stage, Events, Silicon Valley, skmurphy / By /

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 »

Make the Transition to Sales: Two Workshops For Entrepreneurs in March

skmurphy, Workshop / By /

I think the most difficult challenge in sales is maintaining an appropriate perspective and emotional distance from deals: balancing fear, greed, and frustration to maintain empathy and a clear understanding of business objectives. Some of the technologies employed in the sales process are changing rapidly but they impact the tactics, not the substance. Selling for

Make the Transition to Sales: Two Workshops For Entrepreneurs in March Read More »

Q: Resources For A Lean Approach to Sales, In Particular New Product Introduction

3 Early Customer Stage, 4 Finding your Niche, Sales, skmurphy, Startup Advice Column, Workshop / By /

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 »

Getting More Customers Workshop on March 25, 2014

1 Idea Stage, 2 Open for Business Stage, 3 Early Customer Stage, 4 Finding your Niche, 5 Scaling Up Stage, Events, skmurphy, Workshop / By /

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 »

Scroll to Top