Doing sales isn’t typically one of the favorite things of most startup CEOs (and by extension, startup founding teams). Certainly they want sales (because sales = $$), but they don’t want to actually do the sales. This is a huge problem for startups. Startup CEOs need to be very close to their prospects and customers […]
Startup CEOs Make Millions of Decisions
The job of startup CEO is all about making decisions. Lots and lots of decisions. We tend to focus on and remember big decisions — over-emphasizing their importance in the grand scheme of things. But the trick to being a successful startup CEO is mastering the art of micro-decision making. Micro-decisions are small decisions — […]
Indecision Kills Startups
Startups die for lots of reasons. Of course the end game usually involves running out of money – until that point in time, you can still fight on (although it might not be worth it.) But at the root of many startup deaths is indecision, especially for first-time entrepreneurs and CEOs. First-time entrepreneurs don’t have […]
Startups Aren’t Small Companies
Everyone says that startups are fast-paced, innovative and able to take bigger risks more quickly than large companies. But the reality is that too many startups are not prepared for the risk-taking and innovation that has to take place. Just because a startup is small doesn’t guarantee that it’s agile or decisive. The agility and […]
You Won’t Believe What Running a Startup is Really Like
…until you’ve actually done it. If you’re running a startup, or thinking about it, or have an inclination that some day you want to, or you work at one, go read Paul Graham’s latest essay, What Startups Are Really Like. For me it reads like my “startup autobiography”. He’s publishing a list of “surprises” that […]
The Definition of Us
Startups change. It’s the nature of the beast. Ideas change. Plans change. Teams change. The one constant for startups is change. But how can a startup handle and excel through so much change? Some companies have a very strong system of corporate values in place. They use it as a definitive guide for everything they […]
Is the Venture Capital Model Broken?
Lots of people are asking this question: Is the VC model broken? It’s an important question, regardless of what you believe, because it creates debate and change. Few things ever stay the same, and the VC model is no different. And without a doubt, I believe the VC model and startup investment in general will […]
Startup Reality: Survive or Die Quickly
The simple and painful reality for startups in this economy goes like this: Survive until things pick up, or die quickly and start over. Mark Peter Davis at DFJ Gotham makes this point in his recent post, The State of Venture: The Ugly, The Bad And The Good. In this new economic environment, access to […]
What Do SaaS Companies Have to Prepare for 2009?
A whackload of trouble. (See, I answered my own question!) As 2008 comes to an end you should be well on your way to planning 2009. And what a year it will be! The economy is in shambles, it’s getting harder to raise capital (and it was already hard!) and customers are freezing budgets. 2009 […]
Startup Valuations, Business Models and Social Leverage
Howard Lindzon recently spoke at the Startup Empire event about why it’s not a good time to start a company. Thankfully and importantly, his presentation was very practical in nature, answering specific questions that many startup entrepreneurs should be asking right now. Howard touched on three things that are critical: startup valuations business models social […]
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