Comments on: Downturn Survival Tips from Rajesh Jain

By: Economic Downturn, Honesty in Communications and Steve Jobs’ Health | Rocket Watcher by April Dunford

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 03:10:03 +0000

[...] be doing in a down economy. A lot of articles focus on the obvious – cutting costs and increasing revenue. Jason Calacanis says startups need to focus on execution, talent and customers (plus some other [...]

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:14:53 +0000

Great tips Rajesh. If any benefit, I hope the downturn will help companies focus ever more on revenue growth, similar to what happened after the bubble.

By: Sumeet

Sumeet — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:37:10 +0000

Last OCC meet we had the same topic of discussion, some key highlights from the same:
- All startups are anyway bootstrapped, margin to cut cost is hardly there
- Problem is not cutting cost but to grow, for which you need investment, which is drying up or becoming difficult to get. Check link below to a relevant BOK item on Kreeo
http://www.kreeo.com/bok/Venture_Capital/Venture_firms_brace_for_cash_crunch-wi1
- focus on getting customers, this will only help in getting the investment also, strengthen/evolve the biz model, get traction
- Be prepared to self fund for at least 12 months

I think we should look at the downturn as an opportunity (depends on which market you address).
- A lot of competition may disappear also (especially if it is global in nature)
- funded competition will face problems of exit and the flab developed post funding will become difficult to cut
- Resources will be available for cheap
- As rajesh said, more customers will be open to explore new products which give better value for money and low TCO
- Angels may look at the downturn as a good opportunity to invest in futuristic models and having gestation period of 18 months or so
- Those who survive the downturn will enjoy when market starts looking up (it eventually will, we all know)

By: Vivek Parti

Vivek Parti — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:55:20 +0000

I agree with Beeba. Very superficial article. As though written in a haste. In today’s trying times every enterprise is looking to increase revenues. But all businesses have different perspective based on geographies and end user target. Like consumer companies are less affected than enterprises that deal with government spending.

By: Beeba

Beeba — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:50:59 +0000

C2R2? Is there really a need to add more jargon?

Revenue growth I thought was every business’s goal regardless of whats going on.

Its blue ocean? Blue Sky?

And yes innovation that all important thing. Again whats different?

So its pretty much business as usual – with some new jargon.