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Kara Nortman Was Just Promoted to Co-Managing Partner at Upfront Ventures. Here’s What it All Means

Both Sides of the Table

leadership, mentorship, competitiveness, communications, relationship-building?—?and The core of the investing job of course is investing dollars into startup companies and helping as a mentor, advisor and board member on the companies in which you’ve invested. She had all of the skills and traits we sought?—?leadership,

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5 Unfair Advantages To Help You Succeed In Business

Startup Professionals Musings

One of the things I’ve learned over my years as a business mentor and investor is that life isn’t fair when it comes to succeeding in business. Use friends and mentors with extensive experience to gauge both. The key is to keep learning, from mentors, books, and online. Fortunately, you can develop this skill.

Help 130
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10 Ways To Prepare Your Team For Business Leadership

Startup Professionals Musings

In my role as a business mentor and advisor, I now always look for a culture and recommend team roles that nurture collaboration rather than contention, communities rather than silos , and transparent communication at all levels. Discourage internal team competition and silos. Look for opportunities to highlight individual strengths.

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Local Universities Get $360K From DOE For Cleantech Entrepreneurship

socalTECH

Department of Energy to help foster student entrepreneurs via a business plan competition run by the group called First Look West. The new effort, led by Caltech's Resnick Institute, is hoping to tap into OnGreen's network to find mentors to guide student groups and clean energy projects.

CalTech 165
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7 Ways To Raise Your Visibility As A Business Leader

Startup Professionals Musings

The most effective leaders marshal existing resources and incent people to create innovative yet competitive solutions. True leaders don’t let their ego or competitive nature create a façade. That means accepting coaching and seeking mentoring, as well as giving it. Create innovative change from existing resources.

Coach 162
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6 Benefits of Outsourcing and Freelancing In Startups

Startup Professionals Musings

Many entrepreneurs I have mentored make big mistakes in this area, by hiring low-cost friends and family, with minimal skills or training, and expecting them to have the same work ethic , passion, and business knowledge as the founder. In addition, you can reduce to soft costs of mentoring, relationship building, and socializing.

Outsource 123
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7 Risks Of Not Leveraging Team Member Data Analytics

Startup Professionals Musings

Even after many years mentoring entrepreneurs and advising businesses, I continue to be surprised by the primary focus on products and processes, and the often incidental attention to hiring and nurturing the right people. Almost any startup can start with Excel, and move to open-source data analysis tools, including Python or RStudio.

Tool 121