Of the many decisions a start-up company founder has to make, “to sell or not to sell” ranks right at the top of the list. With the underlying assumption that the founder has arrived at this point because the company is doing great (or on the verge thereof), not only is this is a good problem to have, but it can mark a critical point in not on the entrepreneur’s life but also in the company’s legacy. Selling at the right time to the right partner could bring tremendous value to both the start-up, acquiring company, employees, and shareholders. Continue reading “Yes, No, Maybe So?”
Tag: Biz
One of my life’s greatest lessons…
While it’s nice to be important, it’s more important to be nice…
What Are Your Rules?
I’ve always found it interesting when a successful executive takes the time to write down what they believe have been their core success principles. Given the vast majority of topics available, it’s not that easy to narrow down to a select few. More importantly, those that have been identified as consistent and repeatable – this ability is, in many cases, equally if not more important, than the principle itself.
I came across an article yesterday where Pepsi’s CMO, Salman Amin, defined what his six principles of success have been and I’ve shared them below.
10 Entrepreneurship Rules You Must Know!
If there is one person out there who knows the rules of engagement for a new start up, it’s Reid Hoffman. He’s the co-founder of LinkedIn – the original business social media site that has become a part of our daily digital lives; which, incidentally, has also recently filed to go public. In addition, Reid is a partner at Greylock so he’s intimately familiar with both the entrepreneurial and venture rules of success. Recently, I was able to hear Reid speak to his rules for building companies and thought it would be great information to share: Continue reading “10 Entrepreneurship Rules You Must Know!”
Silicon Valley – Respect!
The hype around “Silicon Valley – no longer the place to be!” seems to be everywhere in some form or another nowadays. Whether it’s in the news or some high profile former valley exec (who, by the way, probably loved the valley at some point because it helped them get mega-rich!), they are all touting the challenges associated with doing business not only in the valley but California too – and, in some cases, doing business in the USA in general! Fair argument… let’s see if we can break this down… Continue reading “Silicon Valley – Respect!”
I was here FIRST!
In business, never underestimate the value of true first mover advantage. True first mover advantage reflects not the first actual mover, but the first mover to garner significant market share. In fact, the gains can be tremendous – become recognized as the leader in the space (whereas everyone else becomes the “me too”), get customers (and revenue) before any competitor can arrive on the scene, and reap great profits and possibly gain monopoly-like status. An entrepreneur’s (and the VC who backed the company) dream come true! Continue reading “I was here FIRST!”
Gone in 60 Seconds!
No, we’re not talking about that awesome movie with Nicholas Cage… we’re talking about someone bailing on you when you ramble on about your idea!
It’s all about the ‘art of the pitch’. When you have an idea that you want to share, it’s important to understand that your ability to sell the idea, in the beginning, is potentially more valuable, than the idea itself. Continue reading “Gone in 60 Seconds!”
Conjunction Junction – What’s your function?
I received a call from a friend the other day seeking some guidance. He’s newly unemployed and we were discussing his options. He said, “I’ve never really been in this position before… not sure if I should start something on my own or if I should go back and take up a new job?” In the midst of the conversation, my mind froze! There it was! The infamous grammatical conjunction that stops us in our proverbial tracks almost every time we use it. Can you guess which word I’m referring to? It’s the word, “OR”. Don’t get me wrong… the word ‘or’ can be critical at times when faced with the difficult decision of choosing between the lesser of two evils. For example, would you like to be audited by the IRS or spend a week with your mother-in-law? Depending on your circumstances… the IRS may not seem so bad! Continue reading “Conjunction Junction – What’s your function?”
Communication – 101
After having worked in both the entrepreneurial and corporate worlds, I’ve realized the value of communication and its direct relationship to being successful. Below, are some tips that I’ve collected over the years that could prove beneficial to you too. Continue reading “Communication – 101”
So you want to be a VC, eh? (Part 2)
So, you still want to be a VC, eh? I don’t blame you… besides the challenges getting started, venture capital is exciting and provides a level of exposure, both technologically and business-wise, that is hard to match. And look at some the new friends you get to make… Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Marc Pincus (Zynga), Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn), Biz/Ev (Twitter)… you get the point. Continue reading “So you want to be a VC, eh? (Part 2)”
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