Always Be Collecting Data
Always be collecting data and perspectives; always be connecting the dots you ave gleaned from these data points and perspectives.
Always Be Collecting Data Read More »
Rules of Thumb
Drifting
It’s useful to think very deeply about a situation but beyond a certain level of effort or length of time you need to do some drifting and recharge. I think you need a mental circuit breaker for detecting an impasse and triggering activities that can lead to a change in perspective.
Virtual and On-Line Are As Superfluous As Horseless and Electric
Virtual and On-Line Are As Superfluous As Horseless and Electric I think “virtual team” is rapidly becoming redundant: just as “horseless carriage” became car I think “virtual team” will become just team. Most project teams will have a virtual component (e.g. on-line workspace, chat histories) and geographically remote members, if only to involve suppliers, partners,
Virtual and On-Line Are As Superfluous As Horseless and Electric Read More »
Customer Development Requires a Willingness to Be Surprised
Customer Development Requires a Willingness to Be Surprised And by “surprised” I mean: able to admit that your assumptions are wrong open to new insights from prospects willing to change your plans for your product or your startup willing begin again with a better frame of reference Inspired by Bob Lewis’ “Holiday Card to the
Customer Development Requires a Willingness to Be Surprised Read More »
Quick Thoughts on Selling For Software Engineers
Some quick thoughts on selling for software engineers. Sell results, not method. Land and Expand. Get clarity on the customer’s view of the problem. Listen.
Quick Thoughts on Selling For Software Engineers Read More »
Deformation Professionelle Of The Software Entrepreneur
Deformation professionelle is a French phrase that encapsulates the perspective that your view of reality is shaped by your profession.
Deformation Professionelle Of The Software Entrepreneur Read More »
Orienting, Observing, Doing Homework, and Paying Dues
Paying dues–putting the time in not only to understand but master a problem or situation–is a critical element of success in many circumstances.
Orienting, Observing, Doing Homework, and Paying Dues Read More »
Building and Managing a Learning Process
If you accept the premise that we are living in an age of accelerating change, then you have to build and manage a learning process for your startup.
Building and Managing a Learning Process Read More »
What Are You Doing to Obsolete Your Product?
A story from my interview process at Cisco. I asked “what are you doing to obsolete your product?”
What Are You Doing to Obsolete Your Product? Read More »
Keeping Your Customers’ Trust
Earning and keeping your customers’ trust is essential to your success as a startup. Gerald Weinberg’s “Secrets of Consulting” offers “11 Laws of Trust” as a guideline for establishing and maintaining successful business relationships.
Keeping Your Customers’ Trust Read More »
Advising Entrepreneurs
I spend a fair amount of time advising entrepreneurs, both informally when solicited and formally when I have been retained–and sometimes even when I have not been asked for advice. Here are some key principles I follow.
Advising Entrepreneurs Read More »
Three Tips for Small Talk and Casual Conversation
“A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he knows something.” Wilson Mizner One of the more challenging aspects of entrepreneurship for engineers is the need to be able to engage in “small talk” and casual conversation with strangers. I have three suggestions that go to state of mind more than
Three Tips for Small Talk and Casual Conversation Read More »
Some Things Change, Others Remain Constant
Some things change, others remain constant. It’s hard to see the patterns when you are enmeshed in them. You have to pause and reflect.
Some Things Change, Others Remain Constant Read More »
Entrepreneurs Sign The Front Of A Paycheck
Entrepreneurs sign the front of a paycheck. They take prudent risks and create functional businesses that provide value to customers, employees, suppliers, investors, and partners.
Entrepreneurs Sign The Front Of A Paycheck Read More »
Knowledge That Is Not Written Down, Yet
There are categories of knowledge that are not written down, yet. They include observations that have not been curated but drive intuition-based decisions, first hand stories of events–successes and failures–that have not been filtered and sanitized but still offer insight and explanatory power. They are important because they are sources of competitive advantage. Knowledge That
Knowledge That Is Not Written Down, Yet Read More »
E-Mail Is Not a Conversation
E-mail is not a conversation. I have to remind myself of that from time to time. When I am deadlocked with someone and tempted to send one more e-mail to clarify or I find myself getting angrier I have to remember to take a five minute walk around the building and pick up the phone.
E-Mail Is Not a Conversation Read More »
Scope and Scale of Plans and Activities
Inspired by Eames’ “Powers of Ten” I explore the scope and scale of plans and activities based on duration. I take a one hour duration as the starting point and look at a factor or 10,000 in each direction: from 1/300 of a second to 10,000 hours.
Scope and Scale of Plans and Activities Read More »
Entrepreneurs Still Welcome: 700 Blog Posts In Four Years
A recap of the inaugural blog post for SKMurphy blog 4 years ago and a roundup of lessons learned writing 700 posts since.
Entrepreneurs Still Welcome: 700 Blog Posts In Four Years Read More »
Mavericks, Iconoclasts, Dropouts and Misfits
“The truth is, start-up-land is littered with mavericks, iconoclasts, dropouts, and misfits.” Sramana Mitra in “The Real VCs of Silicon Valley” Entrepreneurship is Involuntary I have come to the conclusion that most entrepreneurship is involuntary. Either someone is an entrepreneur from the time they are young, which was my personal experience, or they are thrust
Mavericks, Iconoclasts, Dropouts and Misfits Read More »
The Future, Arriving Yesterday, Remains In Constant Motion
A review of Michael Malone’s “The Future Arrived Yesterday: the Protean Corporation.” Malone believes that successful companies of the future must find a way to continuously and rapidly change almost every one of their attributes but retain a core of values.
The Future, Arriving Yesterday, Remains In Constant Motion Read More »