Founders and Fundraising
Why You’re The Most Important Person In Your Company
“The engine that makes an Analog IC company go is a great VP Engineering or CTO,” I said to Dave, the VC partner I was working with when I was incubating my startup as an EIR (Entrepreneur in Residence) at a VC fund in San Francisco. Then I continued, “Without a great VP Engineering we…
Read MoreWhat Do You Do When A Founder Isn’t Working Out?
Did you know that over 50% of founder relationships end badly? It’s true. That’s why you need to have a strategy just in case your cofounder relationship(s) don’t work out. I’ll walk you through the steps you need to take if you end up in this situation in this short video. Do You Want…
Read MoreWhat Your Life As A Startup CEO Is All About
I recently read a post on Quora that angered me more than any post I’ve read (and that’s saying something). The author’s message was exactly the reverse what you need to do to succeed as a startup CEO. What made me so angry, and what lesson should you take? I’ll give you my take in…
Read MoreWhat Is The Most Likely Regret You’ll Have If You Sell Your Company?
Selling your company is like a dream come true. Finally, after all your years of hard work, you get to reap the rewards. However, you need to think things though before you pull the trigger on selling your company. I’ll go over the biggest regret your likely to have if you sell your company in…
Read MoreHow Can You Start A Company Without A Network
Years ago after I had worked at one company for over ten years, I decided it was time for me to move on. The money was great, but I wasn’t growing anymore. I had hit the ceiling of what I could accomplish. I decided that my next move should to become an executive or CEO…
Read MoreWhat Critical Thing Do You Not Realize As A Founder?
I was at a lunch meeting with the head of the venture capital fund that was sponsoring me as Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR). I said to Mike, “I know if we get funded, we will succeed.” Mike looked at me and said, “I can think of 100 things that will kill your company.” Mike’s tone…
Read MoreWhy Aren’t VCs Interested In Investing In Your Business?
One of the worst pieces of advice I ever got was from an investor who told me, “Visit ten VCs. If none of them are interested in investing, then you should quit.” I am so glad I ignored his advice because I would have never gotten funded if I just gave up after meeting ten…
Read MoreWhat Is The Coolest Thing About Starting Your Company?
There are many cool things about starting a company. But there’s one thing that tops them all by a huge amount. What is this one thing and why is this one thing so much better than anything else? Watch this short video to hear my take. View The Video Above Or Read The Transcript…
Read MoreWhat Are The Pros And Cons Of Working With Your Friends?
One of my closest friends was a cofounder of my company. Another friend was a cofounder of the company too. And he recommended we bring on another friend as a founder. The only person who wasn’t a friend before we started was our VP Engineering. You have to be prepared to lose your friendship…
Read MoreHow To Get Your Message Across Before You Lose Your Audience
It doesn’t matter whether you are raising money, recruiting a new employee, or talking to customers, getting your message across fast is critical. I’ll explain exactly how you can master this important skill in this short video. Read the video transcript below: Okay you know since I started coaching entrepreneurs, one of the…
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