Leadership and Management
How Do You Make The Most Out Of A Weak Team?
“Where did they find these people?” I asked my friend and employee, Steve. “We would have never hired them at Maxim (Integrated Products).” [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] I was talking to Steve after I’d been at Micrel for a month as General Manager of one of…
Read MoreCan An Employee Manual Really Improve Your Culture?
“I have an optional one for everyone,” I said to the team at our latest all hands meeting, “There have been some requests for an employee culture manual. [Do youwant to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] “And, I don’t know about you, but I hate employee manuals. No one ever uses…
Read MoreHow A CFO Can Help You Run Your Company
“I’m really impressed with your new CFO,” I said to “Kevin”, the CEO of a startup I’m working with. “I love his attitude, and I love what he had to say about joining your company.” [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] “You don’t know the half of it,”…
Read MoreHandling The Bad Days Is Key To Your Success
“As you know, Brett presented to my partnership at ‘Donald Ventures’,” “Raul” said to myself and the other board members at our board meeting. “And the meeting went horribly. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] “None of my partners believes we should continue supporting the company,” Raul said,…
Read MoreDo You Have The Right Team To Scale Your Startup?
“You’re at $5 million in revenue. Since we’re in the last quarter of the year, this is the perfect time to do some long term planning,” I said to “Kevin”, a CEO I’m working with. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] “What did you have in mind?” Kevin…
Read MoreWhat Should Your Startup’s Sick Policy Be?
“When you’re sick stay home. When you’re healthy come to work.” That was the sick policy I had at my company. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] I didn’t ask my employees to fill out any paperwork. I didn’t have a maximum amount of sick days. And, for the…
Read MoreHow Do You Fix Your Revenue Forecast?
Of all the many things I got wrong when I started my company, my original revenue forecast was right at the top of my mistakes. Not only was my forecast off, it was off by a lot. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] Instead of the $1 million…
Read MoreWhy You Should Be Generous With Your Team
A few years ago, I was in the first board meeting for a startup that just closed its initial venture funding. The company’s founder, “Ray”, had been working with me since the company’s inception, and he asked me to be on the board. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click…
Read MoreWhat 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…
Read MoreWhy Saying “No” Might Be The Key To Growing Your Business
We were in a meeting with an outside business consultant. I was bored stiff and I just want the meeting to end. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. Then, the consultant asked a question to our sales managers. The question was, “Who are your customers?” Ken, one of…
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