The first startup I ever invested in had great technology. In fact, it was clear to me the technology was great, but I wasn’t sure how good the CEO was. I decided to invest anyways, and the company failed about two years later. All I had left to show for my investment was a tax…
Investors love asking startup CEOs what the barriers to entry are in your business. It’s a trick question because investors know very well what the barriers to entry are in your business. So, why do investors ask this question if they already know the answer to it? I’ll explain that to you in this video.…
“I have an early investor that wants to liquidate their investment,” “Steve” said to me. “That’s interesting,” I said. “Tell me more.” “They were an incubator we hooked up with. They just contacted me a couple of days ago. I don’t think they really care about the valuation. They just want to sell their share.”…
Growing your startup means you have to grow your team. But that’s just the start of scaling your startup. There’s a second important step that you have to master to effectively scale. If you don’t implement your startup, your startup will not scale. That’s what today’s video is all about. I hope you like it.…
“I told “Ray” not to screw it up,” I said to my friend, “Aric”, at dinner. My family and I were in town, visiting colleges for Avery, so we took the opportunity to have dinner with Aric. Aric laughed. Four years earlier, Aric introduced me to Ray because he felt I could help Ray build…
Of all the things that will influence the success of your startup, your company culture is at the top of the list. And, a successful company culture starts at the top with you, the CEO. In this video, I’ll describe the steps you can take to improve your startup company culture. Yes, it start with…
“I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!” I screamed to myself as I walked to my car. I had just gotten the snot beaten out of me by the partners at one of my investors, “Donald Ventures.” I had been asked to present and update to the partnership by “Raul,” the partner leading…
If you want to be a great startup CEO, then you’re going to have to learn how to be a great leader. So, what are the keys to being a great leader? In this video, I go deep, as I walk you through the four keys to being a great leader. There’s lots of detail…
I fell into a trap early in my career. I was wildly successful, well respected, promoted every year, and I was getting more and more responsibility. You’re wondering, “What is the problem? That’s what everyone wants, right?” Yes, you want to be successful, but you don’t want to be a jerk. I was a jerk.…
In order for your startup to scale, you’re going to need improve your startup management skills. That’s what I’ll address in today’s video. We cover a lot of ground in this video including having the right environment to be an effective manager, the unintended effects of your decisions, demotions, and how to effectively manage your…