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When Is The Wrong Time To Scale Your Company?
“We’re in the first stage of a three stage fab expansion,” The CEO proudly told me. It was December 2000, and I was being recruited to run the Communication’s Division of the company. The economic bubble was bursting already, yet here was this CEO boldly proclaiming his company was expanding. “Do you really think this…
Read MoreHow Do You Keep Stress From Crushing You As A CEO?
“I think we should sell the company,” One of our investors said to me. I was meeting with the investor at his office on Sand Hill Road. We were in the process of closing our Series B funding. We had a term sheet from an outside investor that he (and our other investor) had agreed…
Read MoreWhen Is The Second Best Time To Get Help?
By Brett Fox “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you,” I said to Jim. “I think the best thing for you to do is sell the company. I wish you the best of luck.” Jim’s company was past the brink of disaster and well into its death spiral. There was nothing realistic anyone could do,…
Read MoreAre You Playing The Long Game With Your Customers?
“Hi Mr. Fox. It’s Jean at AAA Pool Company. I’m calling you back regarding the quote we gave you to fix your pool pump.” The pump on our pool needed to be replaced, and I was, to say the least, a little surprised at the $2,000 estimate AAA Pool (not its real name) had just…
Read MoreDo You Really Know The Right Way To Say No?
By Brett Fox “Thanks for taking the time to meet with me today. I really appreciate it, but I don’t see a fit for you in our organization,” the CEO said to me. The CEO’s tone was firm and even pleasant. He certainly wasn’t being blunt to hurt me. In fact, I think he was…
Read MoreHow To Crush Your Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals
I walked up to the white board and in huge capital letters I wrote: IGNORE PHYSICS! We were starting the first step of defining our next generation process technology, and I wanted to set the proper tone to the engineers in the room. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.]…
Read MoreCan Your Startup Survive A One-Customer Market?
By Brett Fox at brettjfox.com I’ve loved the Chicago Cubs since I was a little boy growing up in the northern suburbs of Chicago. The problem is they have broken my heart many, many times. I watched my Grandfather pass away without the Cubs winning a World Series. I watched my Dad pass away without…
Read MoreThe Second Way Complaining Customers Help Businesses Stay Ahead
By Brett Fox at www.brettjfox.com Shit! The check engine light just came on my car. And that means I’m going to have to drop a thousand bucks to get it fixed. “Well, at least it isn’t blinking red,” I thought. A blinking red light is the kiss of death: A serious engine problem. I’ve been…
Read MoreWhat’s The One Marketing Mistake You Can’t Afford To Make?
By Brett Fox at www.brettjfox.com You are starting a company, and you have a great idea. You build a great engineering team to execute the idea. All you need to do now is sell the product. “It’ll be easy,” you say to yourself. It won’t be, and it never is. Everyone underestimates just how difficult…
Read MoreWhat Are The Six Traits Of Great Co-Founders?
I had known and worked with one of my co-founders for over twenty years. Two of my co-founders came through recommendations of other co-founders. Another co-founder and I worked together and had known each other for about nine years. The one thing all my co-founders had in common was they all came through trusted…
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