Startups: Early Strategies for Success

Join us for Startups: Early Strategies for Success, an event on Tue, Feb. 11, 2025 at 7pm at SEMI, 567 Yosemite Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035. (Also available via Zoom - see https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0Ffr8QvNSDST4S-GbrngzQ)

We'll have free quality pizza and drinks starting at 6:30pm. Come early and network with our members, other engineers, interested parties, and possible consulting clients. A Zoom option for this hybrid event is at www.CaliforniaConsultants.org

For many startups, the focus is often on rapid development—building fast and launching products quickly. However, the harsh reality is that countless startups fail not because of poor technology but due to a lack of clear market positioning, audience targeting, and product differentiation.

This presentation will explore why developing a marketing and product strategy early is critical for a startup’s survival and growth. From narrowing down a market niche to defining a unique selling proposition, we’ll break down essential components that shape a startup’s long-term success.

Elena Gostrer will draw from her real-world startup experiences by highlighting common pitfalls such as misaligned product-market fit and wasted resources on solutions no one needs. Attendees will gain insights into how strategic planning saves time and money, accelerates scaling, and reduces the risk of costly pivots down the line.

Whether you’re a developer, product manager, or startup founder, this presentation will offer practical takeaways to rethink your approach to ensure your startup is guided by more than just code.

Elena Gostrer is a hands-on product and marketing strategist with 14+ years of experience turning startup ideas into real, market-ready products. With 25 years in software engineering and leadership roles at Enjoy Technology, WhiteHat Security, and Verifone, she has built and launched solutions that drive measurable growth and operational efficiency.

As the founder of Homut LLC, Elena works directly with startups to develop practical, no-fluff strategies in market positioning, audience targeting, and product development—helping companies avoid expensive mistakes and focus on what actually works. She holds a Master’s in Information Systems and Economics from Voronezh University.

Host or Publisher IEEE - Consultants' Network of Silicon Valley (CNSV)