CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT Customer Development - SKMurphy, Inc. SKMurphy, Inc. offers customer development services for startup entrepreneurs. We are a small team that provides sound strategy and a workable plan to grow your business. Our focus is on early customers and early revenue for FRANK ROBINSON'S MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT Frank Robinson’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) concept as first articulated in 2001. An MVP is the result of product development and customer development proceeding in parallel, which Frank Robinson called “synchronous development.”. Frank Robinson’s Minimum 3D SCANNERS -- CURRENT LIMITATIONS 3D scanners are going to play a huge part in the future of 3D printing and other industries. 3D scanners allow for pre-existing objects to be digitized for remodeling, repairing, and customizing and can be capture process are usually under one of the three main 3D scanning processes: laser scanning, probing, and photogrammetry. CONSTRUCTIVE PESSIMISM WHY I LIKE WORKING WITH ENTREPRENEURS Why I like working with entrepreneurs. My off the cuff answer was that I prefer to work for a set of customers than a single boss: that I prefer collaborating DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HYPOTHESIS AND AN ASSUMPTION The difference between a hypothesis and an assumption is that the first is normally explicit and the second implicit. A hypothesis is what is being tested explicitly by an experiment. An assumption is tested implicitly. By making your assumptions as well 13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original A BETA CUSTOMER IS AN EARLY CUSTOMER NOT A TESTER This post is an explanation of why we call the third of our five stages of startup growth the “ early customer stage ” and not “beta.” The term “beta customer” conflates three categories of people who are using your product in a way that’s not healthy for your long term business prospects if you are selling to business users, in particular early adopter or pragmatic enterprise users. KIERKEGAARD ON THE ART OF HELPING OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND Kierkegaard on the Art of Helping Others to Understand. Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a prolific and seminal Danish religious author who wrote using pseudonyms across a range of subjects. After his death “ The Point of View for My Work as an Author ” was published. Chapter A2 opens with a very useful prescription for

effective sales.

SIX TIPS FOR WRITING AN E-MAIL TO A PROSPECT OR POTENTIAL Sometimes its easier to live in anticipation of a potential sale or business relationship than to initiate a conversation and risk getting rejected. If you are finding it hard to get started on an e-mail to a prospect or a potential partner here are a couple of things you can

try.

CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT Customer Development - SKMurphy, Inc. SKMurphy, Inc. offers customer development services for startup entrepreneurs. We are a small team that provides sound strategy and a workable plan to grow your business. Our focus is on early customers and early revenue for FRANK ROBINSON'S MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT Frank Robinson’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) concept as first articulated in 2001. An MVP is the result of product development and customer development proceeding in parallel, which Frank Robinson called “synchronous development.”. Frank Robinson’s Minimum 3D SCANNERS -- CURRENT LIMITATIONS 3D scanners are going to play a huge part in the future of 3D printing and other industries. 3D scanners allow for pre-existing objects to be digitized for remodeling, repairing, and customizing and can be capture process are usually under one of the three main 3D scanning processes: laser scanning, probing, and photogrammetry. CONSTRUCTIVE PESSIMISM WHY I LIKE WORKING WITH ENTREPRENEURS Why I like working with entrepreneurs. My off the cuff answer was that I prefer to work for a set of customers than a single boss: that I prefer collaborating DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HYPOTHESIS AND AN ASSUMPTION The difference between a hypothesis and an assumption is that the first is normally explicit and the second implicit. A hypothesis is what is being tested explicitly by an experiment. An assumption is tested implicitly. By making your assumptions as well 13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original A BETA CUSTOMER IS AN EARLY CUSTOMER NOT A TESTER This post is an explanation of why we call the third of our five stages of startup growth the “ early customer stage ” and not “beta.” The term “beta customer” conflates three categories of people who are using your product in a way that’s not healthy for your long term business prospects if you are selling to business users, in particular early adopter or pragmatic enterprise users. KIERKEGAARD ON THE ART OF HELPING OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND Kierkegaard on the Art of Helping Others to Understand. Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a prolific and seminal Danish religious author who wrote using pseudonyms across a range of subjects. After his death “ The Point of View for My Work as an Author ” was published. Chapter A2 opens with a very useful prescription for

effective sales.

SIX TIPS FOR WRITING AN E-MAIL TO A PROSPECT OR POTENTIAL Sometimes its easier to live in anticipation of a potential sale or business relationship than to initiate a conversation and risk getting rejected. If you are finding it hard to get started on an e-mail to a prospect or a potential partner here are a couple of things you can

try.

CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT Customer Development - SKMurphy, Inc. SKMurphy, Inc. offers customer development services for startup entrepreneurs. We are a small team that provides sound strategy and a workable plan to grow your business. Our focus is on early customers and early revenue for JOE ROGAN: BE THE HERO OF YOUR OWN MOVIE The hero steps up and solves the problems that lie between a need expressed and a need fulfilled. The hero goes beyond the borders of the known world and returns with new knowledge or wealth. The hero takes the initiative to solve an ambiguous problem. TWELVE THINGS TO REMEMBER BY MARSHALL FIELD Twelve Things to Remember by Marshall Field. The value of time. The success of perseverance. The pleasure of working. The dignity of simplicity. The worth of character. The power of kindness. The influence of example. The obligations of duty. 13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original DRUCKER ON PROFIT AND BUSINESS PURPOSE Drucker on Profit and Business Purpose. All of these quotes are from Chapter 6 “What is a Business” in “ Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, and Practices ” a book written in 1974 that anticipates many of the tenets of lean innovation. There is only one definition of business purpose: to create a customer. THREE GREAT BOOKS ON GENERATING INNOVATIVE BUSINESS IDEAS These three books contain a wealth of useful suggestions for generating innovative business ideas from observing, questioning, and networking with customers and others: “ The Innovator’s DN A” by Christensen, Dyer, and Gregerson outlines a set of five skills that innovator’s use to develop entrepreneurial ideas: questioning,

observing

ERIC BERNE: A LITTLE BOY SEES AND HEARS BIRDS WITH DELIGHT A little boy sees and hears birds with delight. Then his “good father” comes along and feels he should “share” the experience and help his son “develop.”. He says: “That’s a jay, and this is a sparrow.”. The moment the little boy is concerned with which is a jay and which is a sparrow, he can no longer see the birds or hear CUSTOMER DISCOVERY VS. USER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH Our focus is customer discovery and validation--closing a deal to prove a value proposition. Our clients want revenue--paying customers--not user research. ZERO SUM VS. QUID PRO QUO The essence of entrepreneurship is a free exchange of value or what the Romans called quid pro quo (literally this for that). An exchange of value with a customer or a partner can leave both of you better off: both winners, neither a loser. SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS FOR STARTUPS Serious Problems With Business Model Canvas For Startups. I see serious problems with business model canvas for startups. Founders get stuck trying to fill in every box in the BMC before doing any customer interviews. It triggers the analysis paralysis that you now find yourself in. THE BMC is a template designed initially for large

European

WHY I LIKE WORKING WITH ENTREPRENEURS Why I like working with entrepreneurs. My off the cuff answer was that I prefer to work for a set of customers than a single boss: that I prefer collaborating 21 GREAT QUESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS Taken from “Breakthrough Thinking From Inside the Box” by Kevin Coyne, Patricia Gorman Clifford, and Renee Dye in the December 2007 Harvard Business Review.You can actually skip the article if you are looking for additional insights or elaborations on these very useful questions, it’s an attack on the brainstorming process as practiced by large corporations and not relevant for startups. 3D SCANNERS -- CURRENT LIMITATIONS 3D scanners are going to play a huge part in the future of 3D printing and other industries. 3D scanners allow for pre-existing objects to be digitized for remodeling, repairing, and customizing and can be capture process are usually under one of the three main 3D scanning processes: laser scanning, probing, and photogrammetry. FRANK ROBINSON'S MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT Frank Robinson’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) concept as first articulated in 2001. An MVP is the result of product development and customer development proceeding in parallel, which Frank Robinson called “synchronous development.”. Frank Robinson’s Minimum SIX TIPS FOR ENTREPRENEURS FROM "BECOMING A WRITER" BY Contemplation and Meditation Improve Your Thinking. “Genius is to mind as mind is to body: to think clearly still your body, to unlock genius still your thoughts.”. Dorothea Brande in “ Becoming a Writer “. I think meditation is an under-appreciated habit that really does strengthen your concentration, patience, and capacity for CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT: SCOUTING A NEW MARKET Scouting a New Market. “We’re riding out tonight to case the Promised Land.”. Look for the simplest product or service possible to get started. There are many reasons for starting with a minimum viable product but some key ones that it’s easier to develop, it’s easier to debug, and it’s easier to explain. It forces you to focus

on a

13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original WHAT WAS HEROIC MUST BECOME ROUTINE THREE GREAT BOOKS ON GENERATING INNOVATIVE BUSINESS IDEAS These three books contain a wealth of useful suggestions for generating innovative business ideas from observing, questioning, and networking with customers and others: “ The Innovator’s DN A” by Christensen, Dyer, and Gregerson outlines a set of five skills that innovator’s use to develop entrepreneurial ideas: questioning,

observing

SIX TIPS FOR WRITING AN E-MAIL TO A PROSPECT OR POTENTIAL Sometimes its easier to live in anticipation of a potential sale or business relationship than to initiate a conversation and risk getting rejected. If you are finding it hard to get started on an e-mail to a prospect or a potential partner here are a couple of things you can

try.

WHY I LIKE WORKING WITH ENTREPRENEURS Why I like working with entrepreneurs. My off the cuff answer was that I prefer to work for a set of customers than a single boss: that I prefer collaborating 21 GREAT QUESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS Taken from “Breakthrough Thinking From Inside the Box” by Kevin Coyne, Patricia Gorman Clifford, and Renee Dye in the December 2007 Harvard Business Review.You can actually skip the article if you are looking for additional insights or elaborations on these very useful questions, it’s an attack on the brainstorming process as practiced by large corporations and not relevant for startups. 3D SCANNERS -- CURRENT LIMITATIONS 3D scanners are going to play a huge part in the future of 3D printing and other industries. 3D scanners allow for pre-existing objects to be digitized for remodeling, repairing, and customizing and can be capture process are usually under one of the three main 3D scanning processes: laser scanning, probing, and photogrammetry. FRANK ROBINSON'S MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT Frank Robinson’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) concept as first articulated in 2001. An MVP is the result of product development and customer development proceeding in parallel, which Frank Robinson called “synchronous development.”. Frank Robinson’s Minimum SIX TIPS FOR ENTREPRENEURS FROM "BECOMING A WRITER" BY Contemplation and Meditation Improve Your Thinking. “Genius is to mind as mind is to body: to think clearly still your body, to unlock genius still your thoughts.”. Dorothea Brande in “ Becoming a Writer “. I think meditation is an under-appreciated habit that really does strengthen your concentration, patience, and capacity for CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT: SCOUTING A NEW MARKET Scouting a New Market. “We’re riding out tonight to case the Promised Land.”. Look for the simplest product or service possible to get started. There are many reasons for starting with a minimum viable product but some key ones that it’s easier to develop, it’s easier to debug, and it’s easier to explain. It forces you to focus

on a

13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original WHAT WAS HEROIC MUST BECOME ROUTINE THREE GREAT BOOKS ON GENERATING INNOVATIVE BUSINESS IDEAS These three books contain a wealth of useful suggestions for generating innovative business ideas from observing, questioning, and networking with customers and others: “ The Innovator’s DN A” by Christensen, Dyer, and Gregerson outlines a set of five skills that innovator’s use to develop entrepreneurial ideas: questioning,

observing

SIX TIPS FOR WRITING AN E-MAIL TO A PROSPECT OR POTENTIAL Sometimes its easier to live in anticipation of a potential sale or business relationship than to initiate a conversation and risk getting rejected. If you are finding it hard to get started on an e-mail to a prospect or a potential partner here are a couple of things you can

try.

SKMURPHY BLOG

Sean Murphy Joins Kinetic River Advisory Board. Sean Murphy and SKMurphy, Inc. have enjoyed a decade-long association with Dr. Giacomo Vacca, founder of Kinetic River, who announced today that Sean has joined the KRC Advisory Board. By Sean Murphy |. IDEA / FORMATION STAGE Idea / Formation Stage Theresa Shafer 2018-06-01T11:11:05-08:00. This stage starts with one or more ideas and may end with a team formed around a working consensus on how to evaluate the technical and market feasibility of the idea (s). Technology oriented teams tend to focus on technology feasibility issues, but the real challenge is how many WHAT WAS HEROIC MUST BECOME ROUTINE I gave a talk on October 16 of last year at the KASE/KIN Entrepreneur Academy on “After Launch, Now What. ” My answer was “What was once heroic must become routine” (podcast is here, it’s about 16 minutes if you would like to listen).I was reminded of it when I came across the famous “This is Still a Start-Up” E-mail from June 2000 by Brendan Barnicle at MyLackey.com. 13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original MIKE SILVERMAN 1964-2014 Michael A. Silverman Aug. 29, 1964 – Sept. 13, 2014. Saratoga, CA. Mike, age 50, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on September 13th after a valiant 14 month battle with cancer. His positive outlook on life was an inspiration to the end. Mike owned and operated Ops A La Carte LLC, providing training, testing and

reliability

KIERKEGAARD ON THE ART OF HELPING OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND Kierkegaard on the Art of Helping Others to Understand. Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a prolific and seminal Danish religious author who wrote using pseudonyms across a range of subjects. After his death “ The Point of View for My Work as an Author ” was published. Chapter A2 opens with a very useful prescription for

effective sales.

JOHN FOSTER MCKENNA 1990-2014 John Foster McKenna: December 4, 1990 – August 8, 2014 “Man that is born of a woman has but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He comes up, and is cut down, like a flower; he flees as it were a shadow, and never continues in one stay. A BETA CUSTOMER IS AN EARLY CUSTOMER NOT A TESTER This post is an explanation of why we call the third of our five stages of startup growth the “ early customer stage ” and not “beta.” The term “beta customer” conflates three categories of people who are using your product in a way that’s not healthy for your long term business prospects if you are selling to business users, in particular early adopter or pragmatic enterprise users. JEFF BEZOS ON STRATEGIC PLANNING Jeff Bezos was interviewed in the Harvard Business Review in an October of 2007 article “ The Institutional YES .”. The focus was on Amazon’s strategic planning process. I had a chance to hear Bezos speak in 2004 at a Stanford Entrepreneur Conference and was impressed at how relentlessly inventive and experimental the culture he had NEAL STEPHENSON ON CHRISTIANITY, GRACE, AND SINCERITY Neal Stephenson on Christianity, Grace, Sincerity, and Seeing Things as They Are. I have started to reserve Sundays to write on spirituality, charity, and a higher moral purpose to our life as entrepreneurs. I was struck by the quote that Stephenson puts in Juanita’s mouth in Snow Crash and have concluded that he is performing a similar WHY I LIKE WORKING WITH ENTREPRENEURS Why I like working with entrepreneurs. My off the cuff answer was that I prefer to work for a set of customers than a single boss: that I prefer collaborating 21 GREAT QUESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS Taken from “Breakthrough Thinking From Inside the Box” by Kevin Coyne, Patricia Gorman Clifford, and Renee Dye in the December 2007 Harvard Business Review.You can actually skip the article if you are looking for additional insights or elaborations on these very useful questions, it’s an attack on the brainstorming process as practiced by large corporations and not relevant for startups. 3D SCANNERS -- CURRENT LIMITATIONS 3D scanners are going to play a huge part in the future of 3D printing and other industries. 3D scanners allow for pre-existing objects to be digitized for remodeling, repairing, and customizing and can be capture process are usually under one of the three main 3D scanning processes: laser scanning, probing, and photogrammetry. FRANK ROBINSON'S MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT Frank Robinson’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) concept as first articulated in 2001. An MVP is the result of product development and customer development proceeding in parallel, which Frank Robinson called “synchronous development.”. Frank Robinson’s Minimum SIX TIPS FOR ENTREPRENEURS FROM "BECOMING A WRITER" BY Contemplation and Meditation Improve Your Thinking. “Genius is to mind as mind is to body: to think clearly still your body, to unlock genius still your thoughts.”. Dorothea Brande in “ Becoming a Writer “. I think meditation is an under-appreciated habit that really does strengthen your concentration, patience, and capacity for CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT: SCOUTING A NEW MARKET Scouting a New Market. “We’re riding out tonight to case the Promised Land.”. Look for the simplest product or service possible to get started. There are many reasons for starting with a minimum viable product but some key ones that it’s easier to develop, it’s easier to debug, and it’s easier to explain. It forces you to focus

on a

13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original WHAT WAS HEROIC MUST BECOME ROUTINE THREE GREAT BOOKS ON GENERATING INNOVATIVE BUSINESS IDEAS These three books contain a wealth of useful suggestions for generating innovative business ideas from observing, questioning, and networking with customers and others: “ The Innovator’s DN A” by Christensen, Dyer, and Gregerson outlines a set of five skills that innovator’s use to develop entrepreneurial ideas: questioning,

observing

SIX TIPS FOR WRITING AN E-MAIL TO A PROSPECT OR POTENTIAL Sometimes its easier to live in anticipation of a potential sale or business relationship than to initiate a conversation and risk getting rejected. If you are finding it hard to get started on an e-mail to a prospect or a potential partner here are a couple of things you can

try.

WHY I LIKE WORKING WITH ENTREPRENEURS Why I like working with entrepreneurs. My off the cuff answer was that I prefer to work for a set of customers than a single boss: that I prefer collaborating 21 GREAT QUESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS Taken from “Breakthrough Thinking From Inside the Box” by Kevin Coyne, Patricia Gorman Clifford, and Renee Dye in the December 2007 Harvard Business Review.You can actually skip the article if you are looking for additional insights or elaborations on these very useful questions, it’s an attack on the brainstorming process as practiced by large corporations and not relevant for startups. 3D SCANNERS -- CURRENT LIMITATIONS 3D scanners are going to play a huge part in the future of 3D printing and other industries. 3D scanners allow for pre-existing objects to be digitized for remodeling, repairing, and customizing and can be capture process are usually under one of the three main 3D scanning processes: laser scanning, probing, and photogrammetry. FRANK ROBINSON'S MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT Frank Robinson’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) concept as first articulated in 2001. An MVP is the result of product development and customer development proceeding in parallel, which Frank Robinson called “synchronous development.”. Frank Robinson’s Minimum SIX TIPS FOR ENTREPRENEURS FROM "BECOMING A WRITER" BY Contemplation and Meditation Improve Your Thinking. “Genius is to mind as mind is to body: to think clearly still your body, to unlock genius still your thoughts.”. Dorothea Brande in “ Becoming a Writer “. I think meditation is an under-appreciated habit that really does strengthen your concentration, patience, and capacity for CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT: SCOUTING A NEW MARKET Scouting a New Market. “We’re riding out tonight to case the Promised Land.”. Look for the simplest product or service possible to get started. There are many reasons for starting with a minimum viable product but some key ones that it’s easier to develop, it’s easier to debug, and it’s easier to explain. It forces you to focus

on a

13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original WHAT WAS HEROIC MUST BECOME ROUTINE THREE GREAT BOOKS ON GENERATING INNOVATIVE BUSINESS IDEAS These three books contain a wealth of useful suggestions for generating innovative business ideas from observing, questioning, and networking with customers and others: “ The Innovator’s DN A” by Christensen, Dyer, and Gregerson outlines a set of five skills that innovator’s use to develop entrepreneurial ideas: questioning,

observing

SIX TIPS FOR WRITING AN E-MAIL TO A PROSPECT OR POTENTIAL Sometimes its easier to live in anticipation of a potential sale or business relationship than to initiate a conversation and risk getting rejected. If you are finding it hard to get started on an e-mail to a prospect or a potential partner here are a couple of things you can

try.

SKMURPHY BLOG

Sean Murphy Joins Kinetic River Advisory Board. Sean Murphy and SKMurphy, Inc. have enjoyed a decade-long association with Dr. Giacomo Vacca, founder of Kinetic River, who announced today that Sean has joined the KRC Advisory Board. By Sean Murphy |. IDEA / FORMATION STAGE Idea / Formation Stage Theresa Shafer 2018-06-01T11:11:05-08:00. This stage starts with one or more ideas and may end with a team formed around a working consensus on how to evaluate the technical and market feasibility of the idea (s). Technology oriented teams tend to focus on technology feasibility issues, but the real challenge is how many WHAT WAS HEROIC MUST BECOME ROUTINE I gave a talk on October 16 of last year at the KASE/KIN Entrepreneur Academy on “After Launch, Now What. ” My answer was “What was once heroic must become routine” (podcast is here, it’s about 16 minutes if you would like to listen).I was reminded of it when I came across the famous “This is Still a Start-Up” E-mail from June 2000 by Brendan Barnicle at MyLackey.com. 13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original MIKE SILVERMAN 1964-2014 Michael A. Silverman Aug. 29, 1964 – Sept. 13, 2014. Saratoga, CA. Mike, age 50, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on September 13th after a valiant 14 month battle with cancer. His positive outlook on life was an inspiration to the end. Mike owned and operated Ops A La Carte LLC, providing training, testing and

reliability

KIERKEGAARD ON THE ART OF HELPING OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND Kierkegaard on the Art of Helping Others to Understand. Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a prolific and seminal Danish religious author who wrote using pseudonyms across a range of subjects. After his death “ The Point of View for My Work as an Author ” was published. Chapter A2 opens with a very useful prescription for

effective sales.

JOHN FOSTER MCKENNA 1990-2014 John Foster McKenna: December 4, 1990 – August 8, 2014 “Man that is born of a woman has but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He comes up, and is cut down, like a flower; he flees as it were a shadow, and never continues in one stay. A BETA CUSTOMER IS AN EARLY CUSTOMER NOT A TESTER This post is an explanation of why we call the third of our five stages of startup growth the “ early customer stage ” and not “beta.” The term “beta customer” conflates three categories of people who are using your product in a way that’s not healthy for your long term business prospects if you are selling to business users, in particular early adopter or pragmatic enterprise users. JEFF BEZOS ON STRATEGIC PLANNING Jeff Bezos was interviewed in the Harvard Business Review in an October of 2007 article “ The Institutional YES .”. The focus was on Amazon’s strategic planning process. I had a chance to hear Bezos speak in 2004 at a Stanford Entrepreneur Conference and was impressed at how relentlessly inventive and experimental the culture he had NEAL STEPHENSON ON CHRISTIANITY, GRACE, AND SINCERITY Neal Stephenson on Christianity, Grace, Sincerity, and Seeing Things as They Are. I have started to reserve Sundays to write on spirituality, charity, and a higher moral purpose to our life as entrepreneurs. I was struck by the quote that Stephenson puts in Juanita’s mouth in Snow Crash and have concluded that he is performing a similar WHY I LIKE WORKING WITH ENTREPRENEURS Why I like working with entrepreneurs. My off the cuff answer was that I prefer to work for a set of customers than a single boss: that I prefer collaborating 21 GREAT QUESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS Taken from “Breakthrough Thinking From Inside the Box” by Kevin Coyne, Patricia Gorman Clifford, and Renee Dye in the December 2007 Harvard Business Review.You can actually skip the article if you are looking for additional insights or elaborations on these very useful questions, it’s an attack on the brainstorming process as practiced by large corporations and not relevant for startups. 3D SCANNERS -- CURRENT LIMITATIONS 3D scanners are going to play a huge part in the future of 3D printing and other industries. 3D scanners allow for pre-existing objects to be digitized for remodeling, repairing, and customizing and can be capture process are usually under one of the three main 3D scanning processes: laser scanning, probing, and photogrammetry. FRANK ROBINSON'S MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT Frank Robinson’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) concept as first articulated in 2001. An MVP is the result of product development and customer development proceeding in parallel, which Frank Robinson called “synchronous development.”. Frank Robinson’s Minimum SIX TIPS FOR ENTREPRENEURS FROM "BECOMING A WRITER" BY Contemplation and Meditation Improve Your Thinking. “Genius is to mind as mind is to body: to think clearly still your body, to unlock genius still your thoughts.”. Dorothea Brande in “ Becoming a Writer “. I think meditation is an under-appreciated habit that really does strengthen your concentration, patience, and capacity for CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT: SCOUTING A NEW MARKET Scouting a New Market. “We’re riding out tonight to case the Promised Land.”. Look for the simplest product or service possible to get started. There are many reasons for starting with a minimum viable product but some key ones that it’s easier to develop, it’s easier to debug, and it’s easier to explain. It forces you to focus

on a

13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original WHAT WAS HEROIC MUST BECOME ROUTINE THREE GREAT BOOKS ON GENERATING INNOVATIVE BUSINESS IDEAS These three books contain a wealth of useful suggestions for generating innovative business ideas from observing, questioning, and networking with customers and others: “ The Innovator’s DN A” by Christensen, Dyer, and Gregerson outlines a set of five skills that innovator’s use to develop entrepreneurial ideas: questioning,

observing

SIX TIPS FOR WRITING AN E-MAIL TO A PROSPECT OR POTENTIAL Sometimes its easier to live in anticipation of a potential sale or business relationship than to initiate a conversation and risk getting rejected. If you are finding it hard to get started on an e-mail to a prospect or a potential partner here are a couple of things you can

try.

WHY I LIKE WORKING WITH ENTREPRENEURS Why I like working with entrepreneurs. My off the cuff answer was that I prefer to work for a set of customers than a single boss: that I prefer collaborating 21 GREAT QUESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS Taken from “Breakthrough Thinking From Inside the Box” by Kevin Coyne, Patricia Gorman Clifford, and Renee Dye in the December 2007 Harvard Business Review.You can actually skip the article if you are looking for additional insights or elaborations on these very useful questions, it’s an attack on the brainstorming process as practiced by large corporations and not relevant for startups. 3D SCANNERS -- CURRENT LIMITATIONS 3D scanners are going to play a huge part in the future of 3D printing and other industries. 3D scanners allow for pre-existing objects to be digitized for remodeling, repairing, and customizing and can be capture process are usually under one of the three main 3D scanning processes: laser scanning, probing, and photogrammetry. FRANK ROBINSON'S MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT Frank Robinson’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) concept as first articulated in 2001. An MVP is the result of product development and customer development proceeding in parallel, which Frank Robinson called “synchronous development.”. Frank Robinson’s Minimum SIX TIPS FOR ENTREPRENEURS FROM "BECOMING A WRITER" BY Contemplation and Meditation Improve Your Thinking. “Genius is to mind as mind is to body: to think clearly still your body, to unlock genius still your thoughts.”. Dorothea Brande in “ Becoming a Writer “. I think meditation is an under-appreciated habit that really does strengthen your concentration, patience, and capacity for CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT: SCOUTING A NEW MARKET Scouting a New Market. “We’re riding out tonight to case the Promised Land.”. Look for the simplest product or service possible to get started. There are many reasons for starting with a minimum viable product but some key ones that it’s easier to develop, it’s easier to debug, and it’s easier to explain. It forces you to focus

on a

13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original WHAT WAS HEROIC MUST BECOME ROUTINE THREE GREAT BOOKS ON GENERATING INNOVATIVE BUSINESS IDEAS These three books contain a wealth of useful suggestions for generating innovative business ideas from observing, questioning, and networking with customers and others: “ The Innovator’s DN A” by Christensen, Dyer, and Gregerson outlines a set of five skills that innovator’s use to develop entrepreneurial ideas: questioning,

observing

SIX TIPS FOR WRITING AN E-MAIL TO A PROSPECT OR POTENTIAL Sometimes its easier to live in anticipation of a potential sale or business relationship than to initiate a conversation and risk getting rejected. If you are finding it hard to get started on an e-mail to a prospect or a potential partner here are a couple of things you can

try.

SKMURPHY BLOG

Sean Murphy Joins Kinetic River Advisory Board. Sean Murphy and SKMurphy, Inc. have enjoyed a decade-long association with Dr. Giacomo Vacca, founder of Kinetic River, who announced today that Sean has joined the KRC Advisory Board. By Sean Murphy |. IDEA / FORMATION STAGE Idea / Formation Stage Theresa Shafer 2018-06-01T11:11:05-08:00. This stage starts with one or more ideas and may end with a team formed around a working consensus on how to evaluate the technical and market feasibility of the idea (s). Technology oriented teams tend to focus on technology feasibility issues, but the real challenge is how many WHAT WAS HEROIC MUST BECOME ROUTINE I gave a talk on October 16 of last year at the KASE/KIN Entrepreneur Academy on “After Launch, Now What. ” My answer was “What was once heroic must become routine” (podcast is here, it’s about 16 minutes if you would like to listen).I was reminded of it when I came across the famous “This is Still a Start-Up” E-mail from June 2000 by Brendan Barnicle at MyLackey.com. 13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original MIKE SILVERMAN 1964-2014 Michael A. Silverman Aug. 29, 1964 – Sept. 13, 2014. Saratoga, CA. Mike, age 50, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on September 13th after a valiant 14 month battle with cancer. His positive outlook on life was an inspiration to the end. Mike owned and operated Ops A La Carte LLC, providing training, testing and

reliability

KIERKEGAARD ON THE ART OF HELPING OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND Kierkegaard on the Art of Helping Others to Understand. Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a prolific and seminal Danish religious author who wrote using pseudonyms across a range of subjects. After his death “ The Point of View for My Work as an Author ” was published. Chapter A2 opens with a very useful prescription for

effective sales.

JOHN FOSTER MCKENNA 1990-2014 John Foster McKenna: December 4, 1990 – August 8, 2014 “Man that is born of a woman has but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He comes up, and is cut down, like a flower; he flees as it were a shadow, and never continues in one stay. A BETA CUSTOMER IS AN EARLY CUSTOMER NOT A TESTER This post is an explanation of why we call the third of our five stages of startup growth the “ early customer stage ” and not “beta.” The term “beta customer” conflates three categories of people who are using your product in a way that’s not healthy for your long term business prospects if you are selling to business users, in particular early adopter or pragmatic enterprise users. JEFF BEZOS ON STRATEGIC PLANNING Jeff Bezos was interviewed in the Harvard Business Review in an October of 2007 article “ The Institutional YES .”. The focus was on Amazon’s strategic planning process. I had a chance to hear Bezos speak in 2004 at a Stanford Entrepreneur Conference and was impressed at how relentlessly inventive and experimental the culture he had NEAL STEPHENSON ON CHRISTIANITY, GRACE, AND SINCERITY Neal Stephenson on Christianity, Grace, Sincerity, and Seeing Things as They Are. I have started to reserve Sundays to write on spirituality, charity, and a higher moral purpose to our life as entrepreneurs. I was struck by the quote that Stephenson puts in Juanita’s mouth in Snow Crash and have concluded that he is performing a similar CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT Customer Development - SKMurphy, Inc. SKMurphy, Inc. offers customer development services for startup entrepreneurs. We are a small team that provides sound strategy and a workable plan to grow your business. Our focus is on early customers and early revenue for WHY I LIKE WORKING WITH ENTREPRENEURS Why I like working with entrepreneurs. My off the cuff answer was that I prefer to work for a set of customers than a single boss: that I prefer collaborating IDEA / FORMATION STAGE Idea / Formation Stage Theresa Shafer 2018-06-01T11:11:05-08:00. This stage starts with one or more ideas and may end with a team formed around a working consensus on how to evaluate the technical and market feasibility of the idea (s). Technology oriented teams tend to focus on technology feasibility issues, but the real challenge is how many FRANK ROBINSON'S MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT Frank Robinson’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) concept as first articulated in 2001. An MVP is the result of product development and customer development proceeding in parallel, which Frank Robinson called “synchronous development.”. Frank Robinson’s Minimum 21 GREAT QUESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS Taken from “Breakthrough Thinking From Inside the Box” by Kevin Coyne, Patricia Gorman Clifford, and Renee Dye in the December 2007 Harvard Business Review.You can actually skip the article if you are looking for additional insights or elaborations on these very useful questions, it’s an attack on the brainstorming process as practiced by large corporations and not relevant for startups. 3D SCANNERS -- CURRENT LIMITATIONS 3D scanners are going to play a huge part in the future of 3D printing and other industries. 3D scanners allow for pre-existing objects to be digitized for remodeling, repairing, and customizing and can be capture process are usually under one of the three main 3D scanning processes: laser scanning, probing, and photogrammetry. MIKE SILVERMAN 1964-2014 Michael A. Silverman Aug. 29, 1964 – Sept. 13, 2014. Saratoga, CA. Mike, age 50, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on September 13th after a valiant 14 month battle with cancer. His positive outlook on life was an inspiration to the end. Mike owned and operated Ops A La Carte LLC, providing training, testing and

reliability

13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original NO MAN IS A FAILURE WHO HAS FRIENDS No man is a failure who has friends. Clarence’s parting observation to George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life” is good advice for all of us on Christmas Eve. Watching “It’s A Wonderful Life” has become a Christmas tradition in our family in recent years: it’s one

of

A BETA CUSTOMER IS AN EARLY CUSTOMER NOT A TESTERBETA CLIENT DEFINITIONSHADOW BETA CLIENTSTEAM BETA CLIENT DOWNLOADSTEAM BETA

CLIENT UPDATE

This post is an explanation of why we call the third of our five stages of startup growth the “ early customer stage ” and not “beta.” The term “beta customer” conflates three categories of people who are using your product in a way that’s not healthy for your long term business prospects if you are selling to business users, in particular early adopter or pragmatic enterprise users. CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT Customer Development - SKMurphy, Inc. SKMurphy, Inc. offers customer development services for startup entrepreneurs. We are a small team that provides sound strategy and a workable plan to grow your business. Our focus is on early customers and early revenue for WHY I LIKE WORKING WITH ENTREPRENEURS Why I like working with entrepreneurs. My off the cuff answer was that I prefer to work for a set of customers than a single boss: that I prefer collaborating IDEA / FORMATION STAGE Idea / Formation Stage Theresa Shafer 2018-06-01T11:11:05-08:00. This stage starts with one or more ideas and may end with a team formed around a working consensus on how to evaluate the technical and market feasibility of the idea (s). Technology oriented teams tend to focus on technology feasibility issues, but the real challenge is how many FRANK ROBINSON'S MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT Frank Robinson’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) concept as first articulated in 2001. An MVP is the result of product development and customer development proceeding in parallel, which Frank Robinson called “synchronous development.”. Frank Robinson’s Minimum 21 GREAT QUESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS Taken from “Breakthrough Thinking From Inside the Box” by Kevin Coyne, Patricia Gorman Clifford, and Renee Dye in the December 2007 Harvard Business Review.You can actually skip the article if you are looking for additional insights or elaborations on these very useful questions, it’s an attack on the brainstorming process as practiced by large corporations and not relevant for startups. 3D SCANNERS -- CURRENT LIMITATIONS 3D scanners are going to play a huge part in the future of 3D printing and other industries. 3D scanners allow for pre-existing objects to be digitized for remodeling, repairing, and customizing and can be capture process are usually under one of the three main 3D scanning processes: laser scanning, probing, and photogrammetry. MIKE SILVERMAN 1964-2014 Michael A. Silverman Aug. 29, 1964 – Sept. 13, 2014. Saratoga, CA. Mike, age 50, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on September 13th after a valiant 14 month battle with cancer. His positive outlook on life was an inspiration to the end. Mike owned and operated Ops A La Carte LLC, providing training, testing and

reliability

13 FROM ZELDIN'S 36 TOPICS FOR A SERIOUS CONVERSATION The last chapter in Theodore Zeldin‘s “Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives” lists 36 topics for conversation. I have selected thirteen I think would lead to a serious conversation between entrepreneurs and listed them below (retaining their original NO MAN IS A FAILURE WHO HAS FRIENDS No man is a failure who has friends. Clarence’s parting observation to George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life” is good advice for all of us on Christmas Eve. Watching “It’s A Wonderful Life” has become a Christmas tradition in our family in recent years: it’s one

of

A BETA CUSTOMER IS AN EARLY CUSTOMER NOT A TESTERBETA CLIENT DEFINITIONSHADOW BETA CLIENTSTEAM BETA CLIENT DOWNLOADSTEAM BETA

CLIENT UPDATE

This post is an explanation of why we call the third of our five stages of startup growth the “ early customer stage ” and not “beta.” The term “beta customer” conflates three categories of people who are using your product in a way that’s not healthy for your long term business prospects if you are selling to business users, in particular early adopter or pragmatic enterprise users.

ABOUT SKMURPHY

About SKMurphy. SKMurphy, Inc. offers customer development services for technology startups. We help generate leads and close deals. Our focus is on early customers and early revenue for technology and expertise products. Our experienced team members have an extensive partner network of experts who can help early stage technology firms

and

SERVICES - SKMURPHY, INC. Services - SKMurphy, Inc. Services Sean Murphy 2018-05-18T09:45:26-08:00. We provide strategic advice on company development, product planning, and new product introduction. Our focus is on early customers and early revenue for technology startups.

OFFICE HOURS.

STARTUP ADVISOR

In SKMurphy’s Mastermind groups, entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs have the opportunity to present their businesses issues, share referrals, and advise one another in a confidential, supportive environment during two meetings a month.Our groups have a unique high-tech focus and are limited to eight qualified members. Additional off cycle one-on-one meetings are available.

SKMURPHY NEWSLETTER

SKMurphy Newsletter Archive. 2021 March: Building, Borrowing and Keeping Trust 2020 December: Withdrawal & Return 2020 August: Sustained Growth 2019 November: Getting Work Done: Leveraging Calendars, Task Lists, and Project Plans 2018 October: Lessons Learned from 12 years of Blogging 2018 August: Making Adjustments at the Half While Navigating 2018 2018 February: The Shape of Firms to JOE ROGAN: BE THE HERO OF YOUR OWN MOVIE The hero steps up and solves the problems that lie between a need expressed and a need fulfilled. The hero goes beyond the borders of the known world and returns with new knowledge or wealth. The hero takes the initiative to solve an ambiguous problem. IDEA / FORMATION STAGE Idea / Formation Stage Theresa Shafer 2018-06-01T11:11:05-08:00. This stage starts with one or more ideas and may end with a team formed around a working consensus on how to evaluate the technical and market feasibility of the idea (s). Technology oriented teams tend to focus on technology feasibility issues, but the real challenge is how many 21 GREAT QUESTIONS FOR DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS Taken from “Breakthrough Thinking From Inside the Box” by Kevin Coyne, Patricia Gorman Clifford, and Renee Dye in the December 2007 Harvard Business Review.You can actually skip the article if you are looking for additional insights or elaborations on these very useful questions, it’s an attack on the brainstorming process as practiced by large corporations and not relevant for startups. 3D SCANNERS -- CURRENT LIMITATIONS 3D scanners are going to play a huge part in the future of 3D printing and other industries. 3D scanners allow for pre-existing objects to be digitized for remodeling, repairing, and customizing and can be capture process are usually under one of the three main 3D scanning processes: laser scanning, probing, and photogrammetry. TEAM BUILDING: RAPID RAMP Team Building. These stages describe the process teams go through to work together effectively. Forming. Norming. Storming. Performing. In forming stage, most members are positive and polite but the team is really is a set of individuals. The next stage is storming, now the team starts getting real about issues and challenges. LEAN APPROACH TO SALES I had an epiphany recently about the congruence between Peter Cohan‘s Great Demo! methodology and a lean approach to sales and presentation practices. I use the following simple definition for lean practices from Wikipedia: considers the expenditure of resources for any goal other than the creation of value for the end customer to be wasteful, and thus a target for elimination.

Skip to content

Search for:

* Home

* About

* Team

* Partners

* Services

* Mastermind: A Peer Advisory Board

* Startup Advisor

* Working Capital Book

* Workshops

* First Seven Questions

* Startup Stages

* Idea / Formation Stage * Open for Business Stage * Early Customer Stage * Finding Your Niche Stage

* Scaling Up Stage

* Talks

* Newsletters

* Blog

* Contact

*

* Home

* About

* Team

* Partners

* Services

* Mastermind: A Peer Advisory Board

* Startup Advisor

* Working Capital Book

* Workshops

* First Seven Questions

* Startup Stages

* Idea / Formation Stage * Open for Business Stage * Early Customer Stage * Finding Your Niche Stage

* Scaling Up Stage

* Talks

* Newsletters

* Blog

* Contact

Customer DevelopmentSean Murphy 2021-01-04T12:12:49-08:00

SUBSCRIBE

RECENT POSTS

* Quotes for Entrepreneurs Curated in May 2021 * Hugh Jackman on the Benefits of Meditation * Lean Culture: Seed Funding Without Loans – An Introduction to

SBIR Grants

* Vicky Hora on Awesome Coaching and Mentoring * Quotes for Entrepreneurs Curated in April 2021 SKMurphy, Inc. offers customer development services for startup entrepreneurs. We are a small team that provides sound strategy and a workable plan to grow your business. Our focus is on early customers and early revenue for technology and expertise products.

REQUEST NOW

OFFICE HOURS

TYPICAL CLIENTS AND HOW WE HELP THEM We have a process for generating early customers and early revenue. The outcomes our clients receive from our engagements include: * methods for reaching high quality leads, cost efficiently * ways to nurture leads that are not in pain or in a buying state so that we stay top of mind when they are ready * sales and negotiation for closing deals or establishing strategic

partnerships

* customer success to turn happy customers into references for future opportunities All of this formulates the foundation for a repeatable/scalable

revenue process.

Leads are the fuel for your sale machine. Request a briefing to discover the best way for you to generate leads. Not making your revenue target? We can help you build a repeatable/scalable sales machine. SCHEDULE A LEAD GEN BRIEFING SCHEDULE SALES PITCH REVIEW � Copyright 2003-2021 SKMurphy, Inc. – All Rights Reserved |

Privacy Policy

Go to Top