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What Are The Early Signs Your Startup Is In Trouble?
“There is no negotiation on this term sheet,” “Raul”, the Venture Capitalist, said to me. I was stunned. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. There’s always negotiation, isn’t there? Everyone negotiates, right? Not this VC. The terms we were given were horrible. I tried everything I could to…
Read MoreWhy Working Long Hours Is Not What You Want From Your Team
Years ago, I worked for this fellow I nicknamed, “The Michelin Man.” He earned his nickname because the Michelin Man had this annoying habit of sitting with his arms folded when you talked to him, and that made him look like the Michelin Man. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help.…
Read MoreWhen Do You Earn The Right To Call Yourself The CEO?
You know that scene in The Social Network. The one where Sean Parker tells Mark Zuckerberg to have business cards printed up saying, “I’m CEO, bitch.” Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. Well, that should be your attitude. You’re the CEO, bitch. There are no rules that…
Read MoreHow Do You Dethrone A Competitor With A Monopoly?
“Why in the hell are you selling your part for $20,” The VP at Vitesse angrily said to me. “You’re screwing it up for the rest of us. We’re selling our part for $100!” I smiled and said, “$100 is way too high a price. $20 seemed like a fair price for customers.” [Do you…
Read MoreHow Can You Stand Out To Potential Investors?
“Did you notice the depth of his answer?” My friend and mentor Dave said to me. “The good CEOs stand out, don’t they.” [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] I’d been an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) at the venture capital fund that Dave was a partner at for…
Read MoreWhat Do You Need Besides Talent To Start A Company?
One of the most technically talented people I ever worked with was “Doogie.” Doogie was, and probably still is, a brilliant engineer. He was creative, and he was always coming up with novel ideas for how things should get done. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. And energy?…
Read MoreWhat’s The Most Likely Mistake You’ll Make As A Founder?
I’ve worked with a lot of startups over the past few years, and, by a wide margin, the most common mistake founders make is not having a vesting schedule for their equity. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. It’s not a mistake to have everyone 100% vested if…
Read MoreWho Should Approve Your Expenses As CEO?
One of the things that always made me laugh was my bimonthly check signing ritual with Tina, our Controller. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. We would review the financials, and she would tell me the story behind the various checks I was signing. Once a month, I…
Read MoreHow Do You Determine Your Salary As A Startup CEO?
“Here’s what we can afford to pay you,” I said to Greg, one of the best Analog IC design engineers in our industry. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] Greg was making $400,000 per year working part time at Maxim Integrated Products. I had known and worked with…
Read MoreWhat Is The Real Truth About Creating Killer Products?
“You just go visit customers. They’ll tell you what to do,” the job candidate said to me. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. Read any trade publication, listen to an earnings call, or listen to any podcast. You’ll hear the same advice: “Listen to your customers. They’ll tell…
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