Questions to Ask Before Joining a Startup
If you really want to impress a startup founder as a potential employee, or you want to be a smart investor, you need to know the right questions to ask…
Business Basics Posts
Great Ideas are Worthless Without Leadership and Execution
A popular approach for aspiring entrepreneurs these days seems to be to corner anyone who will listen and pitch them on their current “million dollar idea.” The initial monologue usually…
Being Busy Doesn’t Mean You’re Being Productive
Too many entrepreneurs confuse motion with momentum and results. We all know someone who repeatedly tells us how “busy” they are, when it’s hard to see what they get done…
10 Ways Startups Grow Great Teams
Getting things done effectively in a startup requires total individual and team accountability. You can’t afford excuses and multiple people doing the same job. In my view, “taking responsibility” is…
Execution Requires Planning and Systems
Many startups begin with a great idea but soon falter because of inability to execute. Ideas have to be implemented well to get the desired results. Good implementation requires a…
Global Considerations for Startups
Startups need to think ahead about key global issues from day one, even if the initial focus is local. This approach, popularly known as “glocalization,” means you have to design…
Entrepreneurship Can Make You More Employable
If you've been downsized and are having trouble finding employment, consider starting your own business in parallel with looking for that ideal replacement job. Let me explain why this is…
Should Startups Prioritize Growth or Profit?
Entrepreneurs often wonder whether their startup should focus initially on growth or profits. First of all, the glory days of “dot.coms” are gone, when investors “didn’t care” about profitability, and…
How to Cash In on your Inventions
It takes much more than a good idea, a rich uncle, and luck to succeed in the perilous world of startups. In fact, the idea is often the least important…
Coping With the Death of Your Startup
Your startup is dead, it’s never coming back, and you are in mourning. An entrepreneur whose business fails grieves similarly to anyone who has lost a loved one. The pain…