Tony Schwartz offers “Ten Principles For Living in Fiercely Complex Times” that you can “rely on to make choices that reflect openness, integrity and authenticity.” Here are the top three for me: “Emotions are contagious, so it pays to know what you’re feeling.” Tony Schwartz One of the balancing acts of entrepreneurship is control vs. […]
Tony Schwartz’s Principles For Fiercely Complex Times Read More »
Pay attention to self-description: the story you tell yourself and about yourself. Cultivate productive habits that don’t require conscious decisions. “It is a profoundly erroneous truism, repeated by all copy books and by eminent people when they are making speeches, that we should cultivate the habit of thinking of what we are doing. The precise
Narrative Rationality: Be Mindful Of Your Self-Description Read More »
A simple sales schema offers a conceptual model that offers an organizing principle for how business buyers evaluate and purchase.
A Simple Sales Schema Read More »
Reminder: Book Club July 13, 2011 Community of Practice The Book Club for Business Impact looks at “Communities of Practice” Wed-Jul-13 from Noon to 1pm PDT. I think the key difference between social networks, communities of interest, and communities of practice is that a community of practice has a focus on shared learning. Entrepreneurs of
Reminder: Book Club July 13 Community of Practice Read More »
Silicon Valley is a nicely furnished room in a house that’s burning down, the state of California.
A Nicely Furnished Room In A House That’s Burning Down Read More »
When I started out at Cisco in 1990 it was a part of the culture that a request for help or question that was too vague or poorly specified would be answered with “How long is a piece of string?”
How Long is a Piece of String Read More »
When Do I Need a Model? I am Bootstrapping I have condensed this from a recent series of conversation with bootstrapping entrepreneur. I thought it captured many of the key questions that you need to be consider once you are “open for business.” Bootstrapping Entrepreneur: I am just getting started on a new project. I
When Do I Need a Model? I am Bootstrapping Read More »
Here is a real example of how not to manage early adopters. I have anonymized the sender and a few details but the message is real, as is the attitude.
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 »
I meet too many early stage entrepreneurs who are still trying to win an argument with a former team or company (“those fools at the Institute”) that they used to work for. An argument that is only taking place in their own mind.
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 energizing on Independence Day 2011.
July 4, Independence Day, 2011 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 »
“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
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 »
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 »
