Is having access to too much upfront capital bad for entrepreneurs?
Every entrepreneur who’s ever been through the experience of raising money knows it is not easy. Not only is it not easy, at times it can be very humbling. Especially when you believe wholeheartedly in your idea and you have to beg and plead with other people to believe in your idea as well. While raising money can be fun and rewarding, it is still … Continue reading Is having access to too much upfront capital bad for entrepreneurs?
The Power of Focus
One of the hardest things for people to do is “focus.” In today’s fast-moving world it seems even harder because there are so many things that distract us from focusing on the things that really matter. Distractions are inevitable. But I think people who are able to limit (or completely eliminate) the number of distractions in their lives seem to be the most successful. My … Continue reading The Power of Focus
My Recent Trip to Silicon Valley…..I mean Austin, Texas.
I had the opportunity to travel to Austin recently to check out the city and get a feel for the entrepreneurial landscape there. I had never been to Austin before and it just so happened that the weekend I was there was during South by Southwest (SXSW). I always knew SXSW was a big event, but I had no idea it had grown so large … Continue reading My Recent Trip to Silicon Valley…..I mean Austin, Texas.
Key Takeaways From the Week – V2
As I reflect on the week, there were a number of things that happened (both good and not so good) that I think could make for some great blog posts. I have managed to narrow it down to three key takeaways that I think are universally applicable to almost anyone. Here goes nothing: Key Takeaway #1: Using Constraint Analysis to Identify Areas for Improvement in your … Continue reading Key Takeaways From the Week – V2
People Skills vs Technical Skills – Which is Better?
I meet with many different kinds of people every day of the work week. I specify the “work week” because it’s usually only in business meetings that I closely analyze people the way that I do. When I have in-person meetings, I subliminally but deliberately watch the way people sit, the way they clasp or hold their holds, their eye movements, the way the sit … Continue reading People Skills vs Technical Skills – Which is Better?
Key Takeaways From The Week
At the end of every week I like to take a few moments to sit back, pause, and reflect on two or three things I learned that I’d like to implement in my life going forward. Sometimes it is hard to synthesize meaningful takeaways, but I’ve attempted to do so below: Key Takeaway #1: Go For Progress, Not Perfection A friend of mine, Derick Thompson, founder … Continue reading Key Takeaways From The Week
Internet of Everything
The global reach of the internet is grossly unrealized. Although it’s hard to find a reliable source of information for this, most reputable sources state that nearly 60% of the world still does not have access to the internet. There are a number of companies who are developing and creating technology that might cost effectively bring the internet to the most distant and remote regions … Continue reading Internet of Everything
Entrepreneur’s Guide to Problem Solving
This week I had the opportunity to speak with several early-stage, technology companies throughout the country. No matter where a company is based, I am usually most focused on learning the following things in the first meeting: What problem is being solved Is there enough evidence to justify the problem is big enough (can it scale) Can I clearly understand who benefits most from using … Continue reading Entrepreneur’s Guide to Problem Solving
Key Takeaways from one of the Most Successful VC Firms in the World
Last week I had the opportunity to speak with Pete Sonsini, General Partner at New Enterprise Associates (NEA). NEA is based in Silicon Valley along Sand Hill Road and has more than $3B in assets under management in their latest fund. For more than 30 years the firm has invested in over 350 companies and has had 208 companies IPO – quite an achievement by … Continue reading Key Takeaways from one of the Most Successful VC Firms in the World
Let Your Guard Down
One of the most important things I learned this week is to be more open with people and let my guard down more often. I’ve been told that I might seem “guarded” at times, and there’s probably some truth to that. However, it is by no means intentional. There are a myriad of reasons for “why” I think I often struggle with maintaining a consistently … Continue reading Let Your Guard Down
TheJCurve 