Funding Scams are Everywhere
Some aspiring entrepreneurs are so desperate for funding, or naïve, that they ignore the obvious signs of scams and rip-offs on the Internet, praying for a windfall. One would think…
Startup Risks Worth Taking
Most entrepreneurs think that risk is just an “occupational hazard” that can be minimized or eliminated by a smart businessman. That way of thinking is simplistic and wrong. In reality,…
Lessons from Google’s Larry and Sergey
I tell entrepreneurs that Google was an “exception” to all the investment and startup rules, but I’ve always wondered what it takes to be an exception. Since every business is…
Remove Negative Energy From Your Startup
Throughout my career in small companies and large, I’ve always been appalled by the number of people who seem to complain all of the time. These people don’t seem to…
Indecision – The Silent Startup Killer
Every so often a promising entrepreneur seems to freeze in the oncoming headlights and gets run over by his competition. Why is it that his idea which seemed so fundable…
Startup Marketing in the Age of Content
Your marketing launch is the most important element of startup success these days, to get customer attention in this world of information overload. Yet it is the one element that…
How Much Does Equity Compensation Matter?
Wouldn’t you like to be one of the lucky people who joined Google or Facebook when they were startups, and now be a multi-millionaire? So people ask me “How many…
How to Find the Elusive Angel Investor
Fundraising is brutal. Actually, according to Paul Graham, “Raising money is the second hardest part of starting a startup. The hardest part is making something people want.” More startups may…
Strategies for Conquering Chaos in Your Startup
Every startup founder I know talks about the chaos of their business, which they usually attribute to that burst of growth that is required to get to positive cash flow…
Five Traits of All Successful Startups
Every startup wants to be a predictable success, yet so few ever achieve this enviable position. In reality, getting there is not a random walk, and requires an understanding of…