What Are The Keys To Successful Minimum Viable Products?
There’s a lot of misinformation out there about Minimum Viable Products (MVPs). There’s a belief that it’s the right way to go if you develop an MVP because people are naturally going to buy your product. I want to debunk this idea right now. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help.…
What Are The Challenges Of Having More Than 2 Cofounders?
I think people that have never started a company have this perception that being a founder gives you some hidden decision making rights. “Ah, you’re a founder, you must be involved in every key decision? Right?” Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. Wrong! Being a founder does not…
What Are The Six Rules For Building Loyal Teams
“It was my fault. I screwed up,” I told Maxim Integrated Products CEO, Jack Gifford. “You should be screaming at me, not him!” Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. I didn’t want Steve (my boss) to take the beating for my screw-up. I wanted Gifford to tear into…
Why Is Paranoia Part Of A Successful CEO’s Mindset?
“You’re the most paranoid person at Maxim!” Jack Gifford, Maxim Integrated Products CEO, told me one day. Then he paused for what seemed like an eternity. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. Gifford looked at me and said, “And that’s good!” Gifford built Maxim from $0 to $1…
What Are The Warning Signs Of A Bad Co-Founder?
Do you think it’s a good idea to propose marriage after your second date? Good, I didn’t think so. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. The best analogy for deciding on cofounders is dating. In fact, a cofounder relationship is more intense than a marriage: You’re working in…
What Are The Secrets To Building A 10X Engineering Team?
The first presentation I did about my company for the venture capital fund where I was an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) was titled, “Where are the engineers?.” The point I was trying to drive home to the partnership was simple: The success or failure of my company would rest on our ability to recruit elite…
How Do You Keep Your Company On The Right Track?
I think of all the questions you have when you’re starting out, the biggest question (and worry) you have is are you on the right track? Unless you get instant success, and instant traction and instant growth, your faith is shaken more by are you on the right track than anything else. Do you want…
When Do You Know It’s Time To Fire Your Co-Founder?
I was driving back from lunch with “Ken”, my co-founder and VP Sales. We had just had our third heart to heart about Ken’s poor performance. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] Ken and I had known each other for over twenty years. We were friends. Our wives were…
What Are The Biggest Enemies Of Success?
“WHERE DID I GO WRONG?” Micrel’s CEO, “Bob”, asked the question to the assembled team of minions, but he was really asking the question to himself. I was one of those minions. In fact, Bob was asking the question in response to a presentation I gave about how to fix the division I was running.…
Why You Shouldn’t Hire Engineers That Are Jerks
No matter how good you think they might be, don’t do it! “Why are we interviewing this guy?” I asked Jeroen, our VP Engineering. “Look at his resume, he’s bounced from one company to the next.” [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] “‘Terry’s’ a really talented engineer,” Jeroen…