Getting feedback after engaging with a client or even after an introductory meeting with a prospect is important. A couple of survey tools that we use are iContact and Survey Monkey. They are easy to use and low cost. Survey Monkey has some nice templates. The survey tools are useful when you want to ask […]
Getting Feedback on your Work 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 »
While at the ANZA Technology Network – 2007 Gateway to the US Summit, I attended the Marketing Business Forum panel discussion. This was a question and answer session on how emerging technology companies can gain traction using innovative marketing tools and tactics. The moderator: Chris Shipley, Co-Founder & Editorial Director, Guidewire Group The panel speakers:
ANZA Tech’s Gateway to the US Summit: Marketing Business Forum Read More »
Here is one question I get asked all the time: Is Blogging worthwhile way to promote your business or just a big, newfangled time suck? Our short answer is that you need a website for your business: one of the easiest ways to manage it and keep it up to date is to use a
Is Blogging Worthwhile? Read More »
My father died suddenly of a heart attack at home in St. Louis last night with my mother and brother present. He had been to see his internist that morning and gotten a clean bill of health. He would have been 82 in a week.
Joseph A. Murphy (1925-2007) Read More »
I really liked “Pithy Thoughts For Startup Founders” by Dharmesh Shah. This post uses six as a point of departure for exploring the challenges of getting a startup off the ground.
Dharmesh Shah’s Pithy Thoughts For Startup Co-Founders Read More »
Today is the kick off to the 2007 Gateway to the US Summit, hosted by the ANZA Technology Network at Plug and Play. The three day conference is the beginning of a three month program designed for Australian and New Zealand companies who are considering the possibility of doing business in the US market. I
Viki Forrest talks about ANZA Technology Network’s Gateway to US Summit Read More »
Please Come Back Soon accompanied by a promise of more information shortly. If you do, don’t put a date next to it because when that date is three months old prospects get a “lost dial tone” sensation, they are not sure your firm is still active. Variations that are equally annoying: Please check back soon
Three Phrases Prospects Should Not Find On Your Website Read More »
Three rules of thumb on deal making I took away from a conversation with an electrical engineer and serial entrepreneur.
Don’s Three Rules of Deal Making 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 »
The key challenge in advising entrepreneurs is to help them walk around the options and explore the consequences of each decision.
The Challenge of Advising Entrepreneurs Read More »
I will be speaking on “Now What? Your Post Launch Growth Plan” at the KASE / KIN Entrepreneur Academy tomorrow night. Location: KIICA Silicon Valley at 3003 N. First Street San Jose, CA 95134 Agenda 5:50PM – 6:00PM Registration and Networking 6:00PM – 6:30PM Successful Entrepreneur – Paul Tien 6:30PM – 6:45PM Break 6:45PM –
You’ve Launched, Now What? at KASE/KIN Oct 16 Read More »
SaaS business models are proven and and gaining wide adoption. However they come with new issues: shorter release cycles, blurring of development team roles, and the need for new internal reporting and management controls now that you are responsible for the customers application infrastructure. Your development, support, sales, and product marketing folks must change how
SaaS Blurs Traditional Software Startup Roles Read More »
I collect quotes for entrepreneurs, here are a set quotes on operational excellence. You can follow @skmurphy to get quotes for entrepreneurs hot off the mojo wire or wait until they are collected in a blog post at the end of each month. Enter your E-mail address if you would like have new blog posts
Quotes on Operational Excellence Read More »
I first met Rick Munden more than a decade ago when we were both managers attending an Electronic Design Process workshop. I ran into him last December at an SDForum Emerging Technologies SIG meeting and we renewed our acquaintance. I invited him to our Bootstrapper’s Breakfast since he was mulling his new company Epiphyte. This
Founder’s Story: Rick Munden of FMF & Epiphyte Read More »
This is the first in a series of blog posts on where a start-up team might look for their first office. One of the first types of office space to consider would be space in a business incubator. A business incubator is comprised of multiple businesses operating independently within one location or under a membership
First Office: Silicon Valley Business Incubators Read More »
I had mentioned that I was going to be on a panel at a GABA event on “Communications Today: Blogs, Email Etiquette and More” that was held tonight at SAP on Hillview Avenue in Palo Alto. It addressed a broad theme with four speakers (Jennifer Lankheim was a no show) from fairly different backgrounds in
GABA Panel on Communication Wrap Up Read More »
I will be a panelist for a GABA event on “Communications Today: Blogs, Email Etiquette and More” that will be held tomorrow night at SAP, Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto CA 94304; the event starts at 6:30 with networking–complimentary appetizers, beer, wine and soft drinks will be served–and the formal program at 7:30. Moderator: E.J.Dieterle, CEO,
GABA Panel on Communication Read More »
Inspired by Dorai Thodla’s “Triples and Congruence.” Budget, Quality, Time (project parameters aka “Iron triangle” pick any two, solve for third) Expert/Technician, Manager, Entrepreneur (E-Myth roles in a business) Beginning, Middle, End (elements of a story) Early Adopters, Mainstream, Laggards (measures of risk aversion in a population) Team, Technology, Traction (VC tests for quality of
Triples, Inspired by Dorai Thodla Read More »
I had a chance to hear two VCs outline the benefits of a SaaS business model at the CINACon 2007 conference a on September 22.
Benefits of SaaS Business Model Read More »
