Leadership and Management
Is Giving Schwag To Your Employees A Bad Idea?
Years ago, I was watching Shark Tank, and there was a recap about an investment Barbara Corcoran did in a bathing suit company (The Mix Bikini). Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. The founder of the company spoke about the blow out party he threw after receiving Corcoran’s…
Read MoreCan Sandbagging Your Goals Be The Key To Your Success?
Somewhere in the universe there’s an older version of me rolling his eyes. Have I gone mad? Sandbag your goals? Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. Let me explain what I mean and what I don’t mean. No. I’ll let the older version of me and the newer…
Read MoreThe Five Must Read Books For Entrepreneurs
There’s a great scene in the show Billions where Bobby Axelrod, played by Damien Lewis, explains his investing strategy. Axelrod talks about the obvious stocks to invest in like Google or the not so obvious stocks that give his firm, Axe Capital, an outsized return. Well, that’s like what I’m going to share with you…
Read MoreHow Do You Keep Your Team Highly Motivated?
Do you want a highly motivated team? Well, then you need to walk the walk, and talk the talk every single day. It’s easy to motivated and enthusiastic when things are going well. The true test of a CEO is how the CEO reacts when things aren’t going well. [Do you want to grow your…
Read MoreWhat Not To Focus On When You’re Starting Your Startup
I thought I was so smart when we were starting our startup. However, for someone who was allegedly smart and experienced, I certainly had a knack of focusing on the wrong things. Sometimes, as I look back, it’s amazing we were able to get the company off the ground. I don’t want you to…
Read MoreThe 5 Signs You’re An Entrepreneur
There’s a great story about how Earl Woods, Tiger Woods father, taught Tiger about how to be cool under pressure. In golf, the audience is supposed to be quiet while a player prepares to hit the golf ball. Earl turned everything upside to teach his young son. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe…
Read MoreHow Do You Get Execs To Join Your Startup Without Equity?
“I want missionaries, not mercenaries,” The CEO of a startup I am working with, “Jeff,” said to me the other day. He was frustrated because his VP Sales just asked to increase his base salary, that was at the market rate, by over $100,000 per year. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I…
Read MoreShould Co-Founders Have Company Credit Cards?
“I think each of the founders should have a company credit card,” “Randy,” one of my co-founders said during an early staff meeting. “it will ease some of the burden on you.” [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] I could tell from the tone in Randy’s voice that…
Read MoreWhat Are You Likely To Get Wrong When You Start Your Business?
I had been building semiconductor businesses for almost twenty years when I started my company. I KNEW the playbook inside out about what to expect. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. Yet, I still got not one thing, but a lot of things really wrong when I was…
Read MoreWhat Should Be In A Startup Board Meeting Package?
I’ve never understood why investors don’t tell startup CEOs exactly what they want to see their portfolio companies present in a board meeting. Instead, startup CEOs are left to figure it out for themselves which leads to lots of problems including the board losing faith in the CEO. None of these problems are necessary. I’ve…
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