The Dip

I listened to a podcast this week called What You Will Learn where the hosts were discussing Seth Godin’s book, The Dip. The Dip is a figurative location that describes a low point in your personal or professional life where you either give up or keep going.  For any worthwhile endeavor, arriving at the dip is inevitable. The typical cycle begins with a strong start … Continue reading The Dip

What Happens to VC in an Economic Downturn?

I was recently talking with a close friend of mine about the U.S. economy and he asked me how an economic recession would affect the venture capital industry. He works in the heavy equipment leasing industry and he was telling me that he’s beginning to see some companies postpone capital spending on construction projects because of concerns about the economy. I always enjoy hearing his … Continue reading What Happens to VC in an Economic Downturn?

Income-Generating vs Non-Income Generating Activities

One of the lessons I learned early on in my career was the importance of distinguishing between “income-generating” activities and “non-income-generating” activities. Income-generating activities are activities that have the potential to generate revenue and non-income generating activities are activities that do not. No matter who you are or what field you work in, every business activity can be clearly delineated as one or the other.   … Continue reading Income-Generating vs Non-Income Generating Activities

My Thoughts on VC and Entrepreneurship- Podcast Edition

I had the opportunity to be interviewed in a podcast with Erika Lucas, co-founder of StitchCrew, an accelerator in Oklahoma City that works with early stage technology companies. The purpose of the interview was to share insights on how investors think and how entrepreneurs should prepare themselves when raising capital from investors. I want to give a shout out to Erika for the opportunity to … Continue reading My Thoughts on VC and Entrepreneurship- Podcast Edition

Economic Outlook

I was reading Byron Wien’s September 2019 market commentary and I thought I’d share a few takeaways. But before I do, I’d like to suggest signing up for Byron’s monthly commentary. I read several market commentary newsletters each month, but I find Byron’s is the easiest to read because his writing style is very conversational and the content is straightforward. I’ve never met Byron or … Continue reading Economic Outlook

Gaining The Marginal Advantage in Today’s Competitive Environment

When Usain Bolt won the gold medal in the 2016 Olympics for the 100-meter sprint he did so at a time of 9.81 seconds. Justin Gatlin came in second at 9.89 seconds and the eighth-place finisher came in at 10.06 seconds. Usain Bolt is widely considered the best sprinter in the world, and justifiably so. He’s the first athlete to win gold in the 100-meter … Continue reading Gaining The Marginal Advantage in Today’s Competitive Environment

Current Environment in VC (brief)

Overall, the VC market is experiencing significant growth. In the last two years, deal value has reached a combined $160 billion value. This number will likely increase as the results for the fourth quarter are not yet included. While valuations have increased across the board, pricing for companies in Series A rounds remains relatively tame compared to later stage funding rounds where median valuations have … Continue reading Current Environment in VC (brief)