EDA Business Climate: A Retrospective
A look back over the last seven years to provide a context for an assessment of the EDA business climate and prospects for the future.
EDA Business Climate: A Retrospective Read More »
How I Avoid Sending Email I Regret
I have several rules of thumb I follow to avoid sending and email I regret. I don’t hit send after 8pm, or when I am angry, or when the other person is angry, or when a phone call is called for.
How I Avoid Sending Email I Regret Read More »
History of Silicon Valley: It’s 100 Years Old
The history of Silicon Valley is properly anchored by the founding of Federal Telegraph in 1909 by Cyril Elwell, marked by California Historical Marker 836.
History of Silicon Valley: It’s 100 Years Old Read More »
Scott Sambucci on “An Entrepreneur’s Lessons Learned”
I met Scott Sambucci when I spoke at TVC in July of 2007 in Menlo Park as a part of their “Entering the Entrepreneurial World” seminar. He was kind enough to blog about his takeaway from the talk in “Definition: Entrepreneurship” where he concluded that even though it was a noun it should be defined
Scott Sambucci on “An Entrepreneur’s Lessons Learned” Read More »
Using the Downturn to Launch Your Consulting Career
The last six weeks or so I have encountered a number of folks who have decided to use the downturn to launch their consulting career. Typically they have been encouraged in this by their former employer who has given them a large check a lot of free time. But some have chafed at cubicle life
Using the Downturn to Launch Your Consulting Career Read More »
How To Measure Your Lead Generation Effectiveness
Many start-up founders believe that the sales process should be this straightforward: Get the phone to ring (or e-mail inbox or skype or web contact form) Tell your prospect about your offering Take the order Alas it is normally not this simple, especially if you are selling to businesses. We do encounter some startups that
How To Measure Your Lead Generation Effectiveness Read More »
Getting Your Startup Through the Downturn is a Marathon Not a Sprint
Surviving a downturn in a marathon not a sprint, some tips for persevering in the face of uncertainty and a difficult business environment
Getting Your Startup Through the Downturn is a Marathon Not a Sprint Read More »
Quotes For Entrepreneurs – October 2008
In April of this year I started to post quotes for entrepreneurs on @skmurphy. Enter your E-mail if you would like new blog posts to your inbox.
Quotes For Entrepreneurs – October 2008 Read More »
Why NDA Is Not On the Startup Maturity Checklist
Some startups ask for an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) before sharing any details about their product. This is a recipe for disaster.
Why NDA Is Not On the Startup Maturity Checklist Read More »
Entrepreneurial Focus: Right Layer, Right Problem, Right Time
Entrepreneurial focus means answering three related questions: what are we good at, how can we tell and how do we measure it, who wants it and how do they value it?
Entrepreneurial Focus: Right Layer, Right Problem, Right Time Read More »
Customer Development for a Consulting Practice in a Downturn
What follows are some real questions I have answered either face to face or in e-mail over the last 90 days in response to the current downturn in Silicon Valley. Customer Development for a Consultants in a Downturn Q: I just completed my first two years of consulting–which were spectacular–after 20+ years of full time
Customer Development for a Consulting Practice in a Downturn Read More »
Norm Brodsky’s Guidelines For Entrepreneurs
The October 2008 issue of Inc. magazine made it to the top of my reading pile today and I was delighted to read another great “Street Smarts” column by Norm Brodsky “Secrets of the $110 Million Dollar Man” which offers ten guidelines for starting a successful business.
Norm Brodsky’s Guidelines For Entrepreneurs Read More »
Comments From Today’s “Idea to Revenue” Class at CINA
Some comments from our “Idea to Revenue” class at CINA included praise for class discussion and the need for more detail in certain sections.
Comments From Today’s “Idea to Revenue” Class at CINA Read More »
Non-Customers Are Where Important Changes Often Start
There is a risk of complacency for start-ups (and even larger firms) who have achieved a level of security in their first niche. Markets change, consumer needs change, and you need to continue to explore opportunities to sell your offering to new customers–non-customers–even though it’s a much harder sales process than a renewal, upgrade, or
Non-Customers Are Where Important Changes Often Start Read More »
Signed Up For Convergence08
Signed Up For Convergence08 John Smart, the prime mover behind the old Accelerating Change conferences, sent an e-mail reminder about Convergence08 unconference November 15-16 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View. It has a broad focus on some emerging technology areas that I hope will make for an eclectic and thought-provoking mix: synthetic biology
Signed Up For Convergence08 Read More »
EDA Bloggers’ BoF at ICCAD 2008
Ed Lee and I have been pulling together another EDA Bloggers’ Birds of a Feather, this one at the 2008 ICCAD Conference. It will be on Wednesday November 12, 4-6pm in the Fir Ballroom. It’s listed in the ICCAD program as an additional meeting: EDA Bloggers’ Birds-of-a-Feather sponsored by IEEE CEDA and organized by Juan-Antonio
EDA Bloggers’ BoF at ICCAD 2008 Read More »
Please Be Healthy
I sent the following E-Mail after a series of conversations and E-Mail exchanges with a founder struggling with entrepreneurial burnout. I encourage him to “please be healthy.” I thought it was apropos the current angst in Silicon Valley.
User Communities Are Critical For Complex Products
User communities are not just a low cost way to market and support your product, they are essential to complex technology products.
User Communities Are Critical For Complex Products Read More »
Steve Blank on Customer Development at TiE Wed-Sep-17-2008
I had the pleasure of attending a talk by Steve Blank on “Customer Development for Startups” on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at TiE and I wanted to offer some pointers both to content he referenced and some related information on Customer Development.
Steve Blank on Customer Development at TiE Wed-Sep-17-2008 Read More »
Sam Schillace at Tomorrow’s Bootstrapper Breakfast
I first met Sam Schillace at an Under The Radar event on “The Business of Web Apps: Where the Web Goes to Work” in March of this year. Sam co-founded Upstartle, the firm that developed Writely, with Steve Newman and Claudia Carpenter. I had been a user of Writely before it morphed into Google Docs
Sam Schillace at Tomorrow’s Bootstrapper Breakfast Read More »