Red Bull Basement – Ideation Bootcamp
Thanks to Red Bull Basement and Emily Thompson for the invitation to talk with founders at The Collective in Seattle on October 22, 2021.
Read MoreTrajectory: Startup—Ideation to Product/Market Fit book launches 4/13
My new book launches today, 4/13/2021. It’s been quite a journey. Five of my own startups, some success and failures. Working across different programs including Founder Institute, Techstars, and 500 Startups. A season as the SVP of Programs with UP Global (Startup Weekend + Startup America) that included 1200+ events in 120 countries with 74,000
Read MoreCrisis Framework – Applied
I attended a Board Meeting last week for Guidant Financial, a company I’ve been working with for 14+ years. As one would expect, we reviewed the company’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and its interim plan. This was not Guidant’s first crisis. The company successfully (although not perfectly) navigated the collapse of the US economy
Read MoreSurviving and Thriving – 2020 Edition
I launched my first startup in 1998. Two years later we were facing the tech bubble followed by 9/11. My fifth startup was launched in early 2008 and was growing monthly until October of that year. The first one weathered the storm and sold, though it was a very rough sale. The fifth one we
Read MoreProduct Market Fit and your Exit
How you value your company will be greatly impacted by your current momentum – especially in sales and revenue growth. Is product-market fit a mystical thing? Not really, though it can be defined that way at times (mostly as something you don’t yet have). For some B2C companies, it’s a radical point of customer adoption.
Read MoreWell, that was unexpected! #LebanonProtest
I have been fortunate to travel to some amazing places in my life. I never take it for granted. I grew up in a small town and didn’t get on a plane until I was 20. (Edited to correct the hashtag) What I love about working with founders is that the defy amazing odds and
Read MoreInterviewing a Co-Founder
The success of a startup is highly dependent on the team of people involved. In fact, most investors, both Angels and VCs, place a higher priority on the team then they do on the idea. Why? Well it’s likely that you’re going to pivot your idea away from what you initially expected and into a
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