Hiring and Firing

What’s The Wrong Way To Think About Equity?

Years ago, I was introduced to the two co-founders of a fledgling semiconductor company. I have an affinity for companies in the space, so I agreed to talk with them. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. The two co-founders told me they had no funding, and they were…

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When Should You Let An Inexperienced Person Join?

Years ago, I was interviewing VP Sales candidates. One of the first candidates I interviewed was someone that I quickly realized was completely wrong for the job. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. I finished the interview, and I thanked him for his time. Then, as I usually…

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What Should Your Salary Be When You’re Just Starting?

“I need to make $60,000,” “Mary”, the CEO, said to me. “Is that too much for me to make?” Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. “Maybe. Maybe not,” I replied. “I can’t just give you a yes or no answer. You have to walk through some steps. “There’s…

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The Top Ten Mistakes First Time Entrepreneurs Make

“You’re a first time CEO.  You’re going to make mistakes.”  That’s what investors say about first time CEOs.  And, you know what, investors are right, you’re going to make mistakes.   However, why make business mistakes when you can avoid them.  In today’s video, I’ll walk you through the top ten mistakes entrepreneurs make.  Plus, I’ll…

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How Can You Renegotiate Founder Equity?

“I want to cut the equity of my co-founder from 45 percent to twenty percent,” “Oren” said to me. “He’s not performing very well. What do you think?” Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. “I don’t think that’s going to go over very well,” I said. “You certainly…

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How Do You Buy Out Your Co-Founder?

I had four co-founders. I had to fire one of my co-founders within six months of us being operational. This was six months before we had any revenue. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. The negotiation of “Randy’s” exit was simple. It took less than one hour to complete.…

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How Do You Recruit Your Startup Team?

Years ago, I was in a meeting with Jack Gifford, the founding CEO of Maxim Integrated Products. Maxim’s revenue was around $1 billion per year at the time. Also in the meeting was “Peter”, one of the best engineering managers in the company. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click…

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How Do You Fire Your Co-Founder?

I was on edge. I couldn’t sleep. I hated going to the office. That’s how I felt before I took the necessary step of firing my co-founder. Unfortunately, over 50% of co-founder conflicts can not be resolved. I’ve built several businesses to greater than $100 million/year in revenue. And, I’ve helped many startup CEOs successfully…

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How Should You Manage Your Stock Option Plan?

“I was expecting an offer of three percent,” Joe said to me. I’d been recruiting Joe since before we got our funding, and, now, two years after we closed our funding, we had offered Joe 0.75% stock options to become a Senior Scientist. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click…

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What Should You Look For In A Mentor?

“I want you to meet with Dave,” Mike, the managing partner of the VC fund I was interviewing at to be an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) said. “He does most of our semiconductor investments, so it’s important for the two of you to meet.” [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click…

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