The Lucky And The Wise
Advice from a lucky entrepreneur tends to be very specific and suggest a “copy exactly” model. Better advice will offer principles and several perspectives.
The Lucky And The Wise Read More »
Rules of Thumb
Eric Berne: A Little Boy Sees And Hears Birds With Delight
When a little boy sees or hears a bird he appreciates it without having to label or identify it. It’s useful for entrepreneurs to engage in direct observation and thoughtful reflection without having to classify or characterize.
Eric Berne: A Little Boy Sees And Hears Birds With Delight Read More »
Prepare Your “Getting Started” Plan Before A Prospect Asks For It
Always prepare a slide detailing a getting started plan or next steps for when a prospect says “This sounds great, how do we get started?”
Prepare Your “Getting Started” Plan Before A Prospect Asks For It Read More »
Your Startup Is Only One of Many Obligations
Your startup is only one of many obligations: don’t wait to reconnect with folks who have made a difference in your life. Your Startup Is Only One of Many Obligations “Fifty years of experience have taught me that admission to an academic hospital is not restful. I have stopped counting the patients who want to
Your Startup Is Only One of Many Obligations Read More »
Subsidizing Startups Does Not Produce Entrepreneurs
While subsidizing entrepreneurs may produce startups, subsidizing startups will not produce entrepreneurs.
Subsidizing Startups Does Not Produce Entrepreneurs Read More »
The Benefits of Collaborative Writing, Interviewing, and Improvisation
Our collaborative writing approach has no backstage: clients see our ugly early first drafts, but this “wiki style” collaboration allows rapid iteration.
The Benefits of Collaborative Writing, Interviewing, and Improvisation Read More »
Joel Mokyr on Creative Forces and Cardwell’s Law
Cardwell’s Law (named for British historian Donald Cardwell): every society, when left on its own, will be technologically creative for only short periods. I explore the implications for Silicon Valley and for entrepreneurs.
Joel Mokyr on Creative Forces and Cardwell’s Law Read More »
Howard Tullman on Distinguishing Mistakes From Failure
Howard Tullman outlines the important distinction between mistakes and failure: mistakes are intrinsic to risk-taking and learning, failure is when you give up.
Howard Tullman on Distinguishing Mistakes From Failure Read More »
“Sharing My Practice” Discussion with CPSquare: Intro
In May of this year I was invited to take part in a month long group discussion on CPSquare where my consulting practice was the focus. This is the introductory statement I posted to explain a little bit about my background and what I do. Intro I worked in Electronic Design Automation on board, chip,
“Sharing My Practice” Discussion with CPSquare: Intro Read More »
Slides and Audio From “Leading A Team of Experts” at PMI-SV Sep-17-12
Slides and Audio From “Forming Leading A Team of Experts” at Project Management Institute of Silicon Valley on Sep-17-2012. Audio includes a lively discussion.
Slides and Audio From “Leading A Team of Experts” at PMI-SV Sep-17-12 Read More »
De Tocqueville on Concept of “Self-Interest Rightly Understood”
Insights from De Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America” chapter on “How Americans Combat Individualism by the Principle of Self-Interest Rightly Understood”
De Tocqueville on Concept of “Self-Interest Rightly Understood” Read More »
Ben Kaufman on “What Raising Money Means”
Raising money is never the goal. The goal is building a successful and meaningful business. Raising money is one path to building a viable business
Ben Kaufman on “What Raising Money Means” Read More »
Scott Sambucci: Seven Tips For Selling as a Startup Founder
Scott Sambucci wrote a great book on selling entitled “Startup Selling: How to Sell If You Really, Really Have to and Don’t Know How.”
Scott Sambucci: Seven Tips For Selling as a Startup Founder Read More »
Neal Stephenson on Distinguishing Different Motives for Hypocrisy
You can fail to live up to your espoused beliefs due to hypocrisy or because the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. The difference is an important distinction and one with implications for the example you set in establishing the culture in a startup. Is there one set of rules that everyone strives
Neal Stephenson on Distinguishing Different Motives for Hypocrisy Read More »
Neal Stephenson on the Importance of Culture
Two excerpts from Neal Stephenson‘s “The Diamond Age” on the importance of culture of a startup or an economic region. These are from pages 24 and 25 and outlines two real life events as a part of the back story of one of the characters in the novel, hyperlinks have been added to provide context.
Neal Stephenson on the Importance of Culture Read More »
Working Day and Night
It’s less about working day and night than working on the right things. I used to determine when I needed a break by when I was too sick to work. It’s an effective stopping rule but not particularly well thought out.
Working Day and Night Read More »
Debugging Your Startup Requires Peace of Mind
Debugging your startup requires peace of mind because debugging any problem, including debugging yourself, requires peace of mind. It’s what enables you to stay in flow.
Debugging Your Startup Requires Peace of Mind Read More »
Marcelo Rinesi: The Expertise Light Speed Barrier
Marcelo Rinesi writes on the implications of the “expertise light speed barrier” of ten years of focused practice to become an expert. He observes that if “we manage to defeat the ‘expertise light speed barrier’ and find ways to teach and learn much more effective than anything before, it would have an astounding impact on
Marcelo Rinesi: The Expertise Light Speed Barrier Read More »
Verify Your Market Insights Against A Variety of Information Sources
While we stress the value of serious conversations with prospects and customers there are other sources of market insights on emerging opportunities for your current product or next offering. I have placed them on a spectrum that runs from a macroscopic view based on objective measurements and numbers to a microscopic view that is more
Verify Your Market Insights Against A Variety of Information Sources Read More »
Enterprise Change Agents Need to Add Process Mining to Their Bag of Tricks
Today many change initiatives (and new software sales almost always involve the key elements of a change initiative) rely on interviews and replicating the results from an existing “manual system.” Process mining tools and techniques will play an important role here.
Enterprise Change Agents Need to Add Process Mining to Their Bag of Tricks Read More »