Q: I have an idea for a software product, how do I get started? Our answer is a series of twenty questions that will help you develop and refine your software product idea. See below for the first seven. We also cover these in our workshop Idea to Revenue, that gives you the time and […]
I Have an Idea for a Software Product, How Do I Get Started? Read More »
e-News for Small Businesses is a free electronic mail service designed to provide tax information for small business owners and self-employed individuals. Subscribers receive information about important upcoming tax dates for SB/SE customers, what’s new for small businesses on the IRS Web site, reminders and tips to assist small businesses and self-employed taxpayers with tax
Free Small Business eNewsletter From IRS Read More »
Here are the social networks I participate in. I find them a good source for practical advice for running my business. LinkedIn www.linkedin.com Intuit’s Jumpup www.jumpup.com Bank of America Small Business http://smallbusinessonlinecommunity.bankofamerica.com Bootstrappers Breakfast www.bootstrappersbreakfast.com Check me out, my screen name is tshafer.
Social Networks for Running your Business Read More »
Today, while at the Software 2007 conference at the Santa Clara Convention Center, I attended a great Breakout Session on Office 2.0: Opportunities and Challenges. The session was comprised of four CEO’s, one moderator and three panelist. Below is my summary of the presentation. Question to the panel: What is Office 2.0? Ken Rudin, CEO
Office 2.0 Opportunities and Challenges Read More »
I enjoyed the latest WIC (Women In Consulting) South Bay lunch today. Denise Brosseau from Brosseau & Associates talked about tools that she or clients use to run their business. Her talk, “Play Like the Big Guys: How To Use New Web Tools To Easily Build Your Company” was full of ideas and useful tools.
3 Things I Learned at WIC Tech Talk Read More »
I had promised to check out and report back on “Questions That Sell: The Powerful Process For Discovering What Your Customers Really Want” by Paul Cherry, which was recommended by Jennifer Vessels at Next Step’s workshop “How to Sell the Real Value of Your Solution” on Thursday, November 7, 2006. This is a good book,
Questions That Sell By Paul Cherry Read More »
We have added Google’s Search Co-op to our Resources page. As an entrepreneur, you need to dabble in so many fields. Some areas of expertise an startup needs are legal, accounting, funding, marketing, sales, public relations, recruiting, hiring, partners, and advisers. We work with some great experts and partners and you can take advantage of
Building Communities using Search Co-op Read More »
I found an interesting little tool Website Grader which evaluates your website. It produces a score and a list of things you can do to improve it. Some of the things I don’t agree with, but most are pretty good. Last night I played with it and the best sites I looked at were 80-70/100
What is Your Website Grade? Read More »
Always carry 3×5 cards with you wherever you go. I keep a handful in my shirt pocket and jot down those sudden inspirations or solutions to small problems that I would otherwise quickly forget.
Mark Duncan gave an excellent guided tour at the October 9 SDForum Marketing SIG of several web based applications that marketing teams should consider taking advantage of in addition to (or even instead of) Microsoft Office. He opened with the observation that The applications bundled into Microsoft Office—word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, calendar, and mail–are the
Mark Duncan on “New Tools for Increasing Marketing Productivity” Read More »
Attending Office 2.0[1] in San Francisco, we discovered some useful tools for consultants and small teams. What is Office 2.0? Office 2.0 tools are collaboration tools that you can connect to from anywhere. They are perfect for virtual businesses or small teams. Most are sold as software as a service (SaaS) and for a low
Office 2.0 Tools for Consultants Read More »
Where in Silicon Valley can I meet with clients? How do I setup payroll? Can you recommend a lawyer? Where can I get insurance? What are the basic marketing concepts for a startup? See “Crucial Marketing Concepts for Startups” by Sean Murphy and Mark Duncan, April 2007 Long Version (includes Book Reviews) Short Version (just
Learning the Business of Startups Read More »
