Comments for Jeff D'Urso's Blog http://www.jeffdurso.com Observations and Insights from the Front Lines of Web Innovation Sat, 09 May 2026 06:05:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 Comment on Marketing Tip: Manage Leads Well, or Don’t Bother Marketing… by Dan VK http://www.jeffdurso.com/2009/06/06/marketing-tip-manage-leads-well-or-dont-bother-marketing/comment-page-1/#comment-84 Dan VK Sat, 05 Mar 2011 05:33:53 +0000 http://www.jeffdurso.com/?p=116#comment-84 Great article. I hadn't thought about it that way. The half-life of web leads is incredibly fast. Amazing. Thanks! Great article. I hadn’t thought about it that way. The half-life of web leads is incredibly fast. Amazing. Thanks!

]]> Comment on The #1 Strategy for Raising Money for Your Startup by Small Business Marketing http://www.jeffdurso.com/2010/02/20/the-1-strategy-for-raising-money-for-your-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-82 Small Business Marketing Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:14:47 +0000 http://www.jeffdurso.com/?p=252#comment-82 Excellent post! (Just found it via your linkedin profile.) there are two times a banker will give you time of day: when you have a million dollars plus on deposit... or when you owe him a million dollars. Not needing the money is the best way to get it. never wait until you need the money to get a bank loan- that is when it is hardest! Issamar Excellent post! (Just found it via your linkedin profile.)

there are two times a banker will give you time of day: when you have a million dollars plus on deposit… or when you owe him a million dollars.

Not needing the money is the best way to get it. never wait until you need the money to get a bank loan- that is when it is hardest!

Issamar

]]> Comment on The #1 Strategy for Raising Money for Your Startup by Jeff D'Urso http://www.jeffdurso.com/2010/02/20/the-1-strategy-for-raising-money-for-your-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-70 Jeff D'Urso Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:09:45 +0000 http://www.jeffdurso.com/?p=252#comment-70 The good news is that these days (compared to 30 years ago) there are so many business opportunities that can be built without major amounts of capital - so even though this strategy has always held truth, it's easier to execute now. The good news is that these days (compared to 30 years ago) there are so many business opportunities that can be built without major amounts of capital - so even though this strategy has always held truth, it’s easier to execute now.

]]> Comment on The #1 Strategy for Raising Money for Your Startup by Bulgarian business directory http://www.jeffdurso.com/2010/02/20/the-1-strategy-for-raising-money-for-your-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-68 Bulgarian business directory Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:09:53 +0000 http://www.jeffdurso.com/?p=252#comment-68 Can not be more true! Although some ideas just can not take of the ground without money, this would in some way hold true again! But nevertheless finding a way for lean startup is a way better than becoming a prisoner of any investor. When you have the startup going even at a slowly-marginal pace, only then you get the grounds to bargain with investors! In any other case, they shall eat you alive, what is a frustration I do not recommend to any entrepreneur. Can not be more true! Although some ideas just can not take of the ground without money, this would in some way hold true again! But nevertheless finding a way for lean startup is a way better than becoming a prisoner of any investor. When you have the startup going even at a slowly-marginal pace, only then you get the grounds to bargain with investors! In any other case, they shall eat you alive, what is a frustration I do not recommend to any entrepreneur.

]]> Comment on How Business Plans Destroy Startups by Bulgarian business directory http://www.jeffdurso.com/2010/01/31/how-business-plans-destroy-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-67 Bulgarian business directory Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:59:24 +0000 http://www.jeffdurso.com/?p=225#comment-67 I am a "young" entrepreneur, but I had always that feeling that business plans are too time consuming to create and most importantly to be constantly updated to be relevant instead on focusing to optimize resources to make startup going. I have met few investors that have asked what is the potential and where is the business plan? The questions are commons sense and other people ask them as well! With gaining more experience I have simplified my answer to following metaphor: How could you say what potential can an athlete has, if you don't know what he could invest in his preparation. In other words, for any given investment there is completely different business plan! So, I personally spend more time on strategic research and testing than on operational planning, what has proved to be the only way not to loose business goals out of site! I am a “young” entrepreneur, but I had always that feeling that business plans are too time consuming to create and most importantly to be constantly updated to be relevant instead on focusing to optimize resources to make startup going. I have met few investors that have asked what is the potential and where is the business plan? The questions are commons sense and other people ask them as well! With gaining more experience I have simplified my answer to following metaphor: How could you say what potential can an athlete has, if you don’t know what he could invest in his preparation. In other words, for any given investment there is completely different business plan! So, I personally spend more time on strategic research and testing than on operational planning, what has proved to be the only way not to loose business goals out of site!

]]> Comment on Why ABC’s “Shark Tank” is a Great Show for Entrepreneurs by Jeff D'Urso http://www.jeffdurso.com/2009/09/01/why-abcs-shark-tank-is-a-great-show-for-entrepreneurs/comment-page-1/#comment-64 Jeff D'Urso Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:02:19 +0000 http://www.jeffdurso.com/?p=192#comment-64 Dave - thanks for giving a great counterbalanced opinion on this. Truth be told - I can definitely see both sides of the issue. After watching many more episodes, I still love Shark Tank, but I also hate it sometimes :-) I think the harsh reality they give is really important for entrepreneurs to see (i.e., it is a fact of life as an entrepreneur), but I also agree that often the sharks do go a bit too far in their personal attacks (and definitely have sharp bites when they are in negotiation mode!) Dave - thanks for giving a great counterbalanced opinion on this. Truth be told - I can definitely see both sides of the issue. After watching many more episodes, I still love Shark Tank, but I also hate it sometimes :-) I think the harsh reality they give is really important for entrepreneurs to see (i.e., it is a fact of life as an entrepreneur), but I also agree that often the sharks do go a bit too far in their personal attacks (and definitely have sharp bites when they are in negotiation mode!)

]]> Comment on Why ABC’s “Shark Tank” is a Great Show for Entrepreneurs by Dave Phillipson http://www.jeffdurso.com/2009/09/01/why-abcs-shark-tank-is-a-great-show-for-entrepreneurs/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Dave Phillipson Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:59:17 +0000 http://www.jeffdurso.com/?p=192#comment-61 If you believe in balance, here's a far differing opinion and based on fact, not emotion. http://bit.ly/aumxhQ It's getting national attention. We seemed to have a differing opinion back in August, which caused you to pen the above entry. I enjoyed our Spirited debate. If you believe in balance, here’s a far differing opinion and based on fact, not emotion.
http://bit.ly/aumxhQ

It’s getting national attention.

We seemed to have a differing opinion back in August, which caused you to pen the above entry. I enjoyed our Spirited debate.

]]> Comment on How Business Plans Destroy Startups by J. Paul Duplantis http://www.jeffdurso.com/2010/01/31/how-business-plans-destroy-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-59 J. Paul Duplantis Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:42:31 +0000 http://www.jeffdurso.com/?p=225#comment-59 As a business owner in perpetual development for the last 4 years, your article strikes a chord. I have made 5 attempts at a business plan over the years, when something in the market inspired concentration on other areas thereby leading us in a new direction. I truly feel if I would have written a comprehensive plan when I started the business I would have never attempted it. Now 4 years later, we are starting to see movement as we move out of development and into application. Our model has been to build - listen - change - build - listen - adapt. It has been incredibly difficult yet here we stand. Our theory is if we build something that works, we will create enough revenue to take it to the next step. With a whole lot of work, ambition, risk and luck, we may find someone who believes in our pursuits who may wish to participate. But we are not betting the farm on it nor are we dependent on it. Great article Jeff. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. As a business owner in perpetual development for the last 4 years, your article strikes a chord. I have made 5 attempts at a business plan over the years, when something in the market inspired concentration on other areas thereby leading us in a new direction. I truly feel if I would have written a comprehensive plan when I started the business I would have never attempted it.

Now 4 years later, we are starting to see movement as we move out of development and into application. Our model has been to build - listen - change - build - listen - adapt. It has been incredibly difficult yet here we stand. Our theory is if we build something that works, we will create enough revenue to take it to the next step. With a whole lot of work, ambition, risk and luck, we may find someone who believes in our pursuits who may wish to participate. But we are not betting the farm on it nor are we dependent on it.

Great article Jeff. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts.

]]> Comment on How Business Plans Destroy Startups by Bruce Bastian http://www.jeffdurso.com/2010/01/31/how-business-plans-destroy-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-58 Bruce Bastian Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:04:23 +0000 http://www.jeffdurso.com/?p=225#comment-58 excellent article and thank you! excellent article and thank you!

]]> Comment on How Business Plans Destroy Startups by Carl Wirth http://www.jeffdurso.com/2010/01/31/how-business-plans-destroy-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-56 Carl Wirth Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:12:17 +0000 http://www.jeffdurso.com/?p=225#comment-56 Jeff: Glad to see this as I start this company of mine and am again seeing the fulility of business plans. Thanks for sharing. Carl Jeff:

Glad to see this as I start this company of mine and am again seeing the fulility of business plans.

Thanks for sharing.

Carl

]]>