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How Can You Improve Your Marketing Spending?
Years ago, I was fortunate enough to work with one of the smartest people I know, Ziya Boyacigiller. Ziya hired me when I joined Maxim Integrated Products. He was a true intellectual, almost professorial in his approach to business. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. I’ll never forget…
Read MoreHow Can You Fix Your Big Sales Mistakes
“Ken” was a great director of Asian sales for Maxim when I worked there. Ken and his team knew their accounts inside and out. In fact, Ken was so good that he became the cofounder of my company years later. The market share we enjoyed in Ken’s region was around 80%. [Do you want to…
Read MoreHow Being Too Frugal Can Hurt Your Company
“We’re not spending money on voicemail!” Jack Gifford, the CEO of Maxim Integrated Products said. “We don’t need it!” Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. Several other senior executives and I were meeting with Gifford and the subject of voicemail came up. Gifford’s negative response wasn’t a surprise…
Read MoreDoes Experience Help You Or Hurt You As A Startup CEO?
I used to love watching Roger Federer play tennis. He looked like he was gliding across the court. And, no matter how hot it is, the guy never sweats. Never. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] Then, there’s his polar opposite, Blossom’s favorite player, Rafael Nadal. Before he…
Read MoreDo You Need to Think Big to Win?
I was recently in a new product idea meeting, and Greg was proposing his latest idea. Greg and I have worked together, on and off, for over 20 years. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. Greg has always thought big ever since we met. Today was no…
Read MoreDo Introverts Make Better Startup CEOs Than Extroverts?
“Who do you know that might be interested in what we’re doing?” I said to Chuck. Chuck was engineer I was introduced to by a friend of mine. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] “Oh, you should definitely talk to Richard. He’s one of the best engineers I…
Read MoreDo All Driven Entrepreneurs Become Successful?
Let me tell you a story about “John”. Do you want to know your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. John is someone I’ve known for years. About ten years ago, John decided he was going to take all the knowledge he’d learned as an engineer and start a company. John was considered one…
Read MoreCan You Avoid No Man’s Land? Your Startup Depends On It.
Have you ever found yourself in No Man’s Land? You know. It’s kind of like you’re driving along on the highway, and a sign comes along: “Next gas, 50 miles.” Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. Your tank is close to empty. And you’re wondering, “Can I make…
Read MoreBuilding Trust Is Your Most Important Trait
“Whatever you do, never, ever lie,” I said to the large group of startup CEOs I was talking to. Then, I continued and said, “It’s much better to say, ‘I don’t know the answer. I’ll get back to you,’ then to lie.” [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.]…
Read MoreAre You Better Off With An Older Team or A Younger Team?
“So, you’re thinking of going the young route,” Bruce Wooley, who was the dean of the electrical engineering department at Stanford, said to me. One of Bruce’s past students had introduced us, and we were having coffee. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] I told Bruce I was…
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