Focus on Core Competencies and Outsource the Rest
When you’re running a small business, it’s tempting to want to do everything yourself. If funds are tight, the last thing you want to incur is additional expenses. Learning to…
Write Better with Lists
Lists are a great way to convey information in business plans and other business documents. Unfortunately, many writers misuse lists, rendering their documents difficult to read. Here are a few…
Entrepreneurs Need People Who Get Things Done
Go-to people get things done. As an entrepreneur, you need these people, and you need to be one, if you expect your startup to be successful. That may be easier…
Tips for Effective Business Writing
In the world of business, you only get one chance for a great first impression. The stakes are high – you are asking an investor for money, a customer for…
Do You Have the Personality Traits to be an Entrepreneur?
A while back, when a startup founder mentioned to me that he wasn’t sure he had the personality to be an entrepreneur, I realized how important that insight was. My…
Yes, Entrepreneurship CAN be Learned!
Many people believe that good entrepreneurs are born; that it is not a trainable skill. I believe there is an innate component, but I also often agree with the great…
Be a Rock Star on Your Startup Team
Everyone knows that that startups are risky, but they also expect that the job will be exciting and potentially very lucrative (think early employees at Microsoft and Google). Yet we…
12 Ways to Put the Customer First
I deal often with early-stage startups, and many of these don’t have any customers yet (but wish they did), so it’s not surprising they still don’t think of customers as…
Pass These Ten Tests Before Starting a Company
Making the decision to become an entrepreneur is a major commitment, with huge implications for skills and lifestyle. Yet there is no standardized testing or certification required or available anywhere…
Think Young and Thrive
To be an entrepreneur, you have to navigate lots of unknowns, and the path is fraught with risk. Once you are past a certain mental age, you know too many…