How Do You Deal With Feeling Like A Fraud?
I felt like the biggest fraud in the world. My co-founders, “Jim” and John”, had just quit three months after we started the company. John said, in his parting comment to me, “I know better how to build a analog IC company than you do.” In other words, John was saying, “We don’t need you.”…
Are You More Powerful Than The Board Of Directors?
Do you know about the theory of rational thought? The theory of rational thought has at its core the basic assumption that people will act in a logical manner. Now, if that was true, then a great startup CEO would have much more power than a board of directors because a great startup CEO is…
What’s The Best Way To Start Your Pitch?
You have, maybe, 7 seconds to make an emotional connection with investors. If you fail this critical step, your window of opportunity is gone, and it gets infinitely more difficult for you to raise your funding. Most startup CEOs start their pitches slowly, and lose their investors attention, and their chance to raise funding. Worse…
What Books Do You Recommend For CEOs?
Since I’m biased, and you asked, you could start by reading my book, “Learn How to Take a Punch: Building Your Startup Isn’t a Marathon, It’s a Prizefight.” Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. While every startup’s journey is unique, I noticed similar patterns in the startups I’ve been…
Why Learning To Delegate Is Critical
“That’s insane!” I said to Bob. “You’re spending twenty hours a week on accounting? That can’t be right.” Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. “That’s right,” Bob said. “And this week I’m going to spend thirty hours.” Revenue in Bob’s company was at $8 million, and Bob and…
What’s Your EQ And Why It Matters
“You have an EQ of zero!” “Ken” yelled at me. “What the hell is an EQ?” I asked. “Perfect!” Ken screamed back. Then he hung up the phone. Those were the last words Ken ever said to me. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] Just like that a…
Protecting Employee Stock Options From Dilution
Your employees are going to be really worried about their stock options being diluted after a round of funding. This is especially true in bad economic times when you might take a down round with heavy dilution. However, there is a secret weapon you can employ to reduce the dilution you and your employees will…
How To Hire Elite Talent When You’re Broke
“He wants a salary of $200,000, but I can’t afford to pay him that,” “Stefan” said to me. “Then he doesn’t fit your company culture right now,” I said. “That’s okay…” Do you want to grow your business? I can help. Click here. “Why is it okay?” Stefan asked me. “And what does it have…
How To Raise Money In A Tough Environment
Raising money is never easy for an early stage startup.. However, raising money in a tough environment is really hard. However it is doable. I should know. I raised my company’s initial funding of $12 million during the toughest startup fundraising environment of the last 50 years; The Great Recession. And I’ve helped several entrepreneurs…
How Do You Determine Your Co-Founder’s Salary?
“I think our salaries should be different,” “Jim”, my co-founder, said to me and “John”, my other co-founder, “You should be paid the most, but, I think we should all have the amount of equity.” That was not the response from Jim I was expecting at all. My head was spinning. What Jim was proposing…