How Not To Manage Early Adopters Sometimes a bad example can be useful. I got the following E-Mail from a startup whose tool I had tried to use about a year ago but gave up because it embodied too idiosyncratic view of a particular productivity problem. I had probably spent an hour trying to work […]
How Not To Manage Early Adopters Read More »
Humiliation “My own view is,” I began, but no one listened. At the next pause, “I always say,” I remarked, but again the loud talk went on. Someone told a story. When the laughter had ended, “I often think—”; but looking round the table I could catch no friendly or attentive eye. It was humiliating,
Find A Peer Group Who is Interested In What You Have To Say Read More »
Stonehenge They sit there forever on the dim horizon of my mind, that Stonehenge circle of elderly disapproving Faces—Faces of the Uncles and Schoolmasters and Tutors who frowned on my youth. In the bright center and sunlight I leap, I caper, I dance my dance; but when I look up, I see they are not
When I was a boy the 4th of July was sparklers and fireworks in Kirkwood Park. While I don’t find fireworks as exciting today as when I was younger, I do have a better understanding of these words from the Declaration of Independence and I find them very energizing.
July 4, Independence Day, 2011 Read More »
Steve Blank: “Sean Murphy adds tremendous value for startups in setting them up “getting out of the building” and how to make sense of the data they’ve gathered. He’s one consultant I personally know (I’m sure there are others) who doesn’t confuse his role with the founders. I think of his consulting firm as a
SKMurphy, Inc. 8 Years In: What We Are Working On Now Read More »
Learning to explore is a key skill for entrepreneurs. Ask questions you don’t know the answer to–where the answer would have an impact on your ability to assess the risk in your venture or would help you to define a key aspect of your business.
Buying a Map vs. Learning to Explore Read More »
You can follow @skmurphy to get them hot off the mojo wire or wait until the end of the month when these quotes for entrepreneurs are collected on the blog. Enter your E-mail if you would like new blog posts to your inbox.
Quotes For Entrepreneurs–June 2011 Read More »
This is a recap of the presentations from the 2011 Startup Lessons Learned Conference. My intent is to provide links to the presentations, videos, and relevant blog post for each session. Update Aug-5-2014: none of the Justin.TV links resolve at this point because of their exit from the video hosting business. As I find other
Startup Lessons Learned 2011 Roundup Read More »
People ask me where to get started. Lately I have been telling them: start where you are and sell what you have. Meet people, help them connect, and explore possibilities. Knit your network now before you need it.
Start Where You Are Read More »
Taking a scientific approach to startups by formulating and testing critical hypotheses is a great idea, but it won’t create a “Science of Startups.”
A Scientific Approach to Startups Won’t Create “A Science of Startups” Read More »
Successful entrepreneurs answer “Why your startup matters?” by pointing to problems solved for customers and jobs created. Profit is a means to creating future value and funding is a means to creating profit.
Why Your Startup Matters Has Little to Do With Funding Read More »
We Recommend LectureMaker Studios In Silicon Valley I met Ron Fredericks of LectureMaker when I was co-chair of the SDForum Marketing SIG in 2006. Ron was clearly a very bright engineer with a passion for both embedded systems and video. We kept in touch and last year he e-mailed me that he had opened a
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Steve Mock Joins 3D Negotiation Panel June 22, 2011 I have been fortunate to add Steve Mock as a panelist for our next Business Impact Book Club on “3D Negotiation” a 2003 Harvard Business Review Article by David Lax and James Sebenius. Steve Mock (@steve_mock) Founder or management team of 5 venture-backed start ups. Proven
Steve Mock Joins 3D Negotiation Panel June 22 Read More »
“When my father died it was like a whole library burned down. ” Laurie Anderson “World Without End” Father’s Day has me reflecting on my father’s passing almost four years ago now: there isn’t a week that goes by that I don’t wish I could still give him a phone call. I moved away from St. Louis
Summary of a very insightful talk on leadership lessons learned by Mr. B.V. Jagadeesh entitled “Lessons Learned Starting, Leading, and Succeeding at Multiple Startups.”
B.V. Jagadeesh on “Startup Leadership Lessons Learned” Read More »
A talk on “Crucial Customer Development Concepts” that covers the basis for conventional wisdom on customer development in Silicon Valley.
Crucial Customer Development Concepts At GITPRO Sat-Jun-18 Read More »
Technology changes fast: you need continually renew your technical skills and those of your team. Soft skills–people skills–have a much longer lifetime.
Technology Changes Fast, People, Not So Much Read More »
What situation is your team training for: the key to effective and rapid execution is appropriate shared rehearsal and training.
What Situation Is Your Team Training For? Read More »
This is my first day off in about three weeks. A client has been preparing a proposal and presentation for a significant opportunity that they have been invited to compete for and between that and existing obligations it’s been hectic. It’s more clear than ever that focus needs buffers: letting administrative tasks pile up too
Focus Needs Buffers and Free Time Read More »
SKMurphy’s Book Club For Business Impact covers Barry Moltz’s “You Need To Be a Little Crazy” in a webinar Wednesday June-8-2011 Noon PDT.
Book Club June 8 Noon PDT Moltz’s You Need To Be A Little Crazy Read More »
