INDUSTRY INSIGHTS YOUR PEERS ARE READING
A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. Startups are an emotional rollercoaster; moments of sheer terror interlaced with bone-crushing, mind-numbing and highly addictive exhilaration. However, if unmodulated, the highs can become too high and the lows way too low. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Avoid a simple pricing mistake which could sink your startup. The “D” word - Discounts. I buy my cars in December. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Marketing automation company HubSpot recently surveyed its users, asking them a variety of startup questions. Some […]. The post Which Of These 7 Fears Are Keeping You From Being An Entrepreneur? appeared first on John Greathouse MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. There are two schools of thought regarding how to make anything go viral. In The Tipping Point , Malcolm Gladwell emphasizes the importance of the messenger. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in the Wall Street Journal. During my 15-years as a startup executive, I relished being proven wrong. Knowing that I was had made a mistake empowered me to make the correct decision. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. As a Professor of Practice in Entrepreneurship at UC Santa Barbara , students ask me dozens of times each quarter, “What do you think of my idea?” My response is typically, “What I think of your idea is irrelevant. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared on Entrepreneur.com. Did I passed on Uber’s seed round? It’s worse than that. I never even bothered to listen to Travis’ pitch, even though I was repeatedly offered the opportunity. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. “As much as possible, avoid hiring MBA’s. MBA programs don’t teach people how to create companies … our position is that we hire someone in spite of an MBA, not because of one.” MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. In 1987, a representative of Michael Jackson approached the modest Sycamore Valley ranch house and knocked on the door. The owner of the ranch was shocked by the visitor’s message. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Accomplished entrepreneurs appreciate the importance of crafting a succinct, well rehearsed description of their venture. This concise summary can be comfortably told during the duration of a reasonably brief elevator ride. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. It sounds crazy to offer unlimited vacation time to your startup employees. Something to the left of socialism. Yet that is exactly what Richard Branson announced this past Fall. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. Balance is one of the most important aspects of skiing. A solid foundation formed by two strong legs is key, especially at a competative level. Balance is also an extremely important factor among a founding startup team. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. I have a confession: I used to quickly become frustrated whenever I tried something new and I didn''t quickly excel. Rather than attempting to master the new activity, I would moved on to another task, seeking a gentler learning curve. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. It happens during nearly every fundraising pitch meeting. The entrepreneur cannot wait to show me their product via a demo. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. Steve Benson, Founder and CEO of Bay Area Badger Maps , intends to hire so many interns this summer that he will effectively double the size of his startup. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in the Wall Street Journal. You have been planning to ask your long-time partner to marry you for months and the big day has finally arrived. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. One of my former students, Sieva Kozinsky, Co-Founder & CEO of StudySoup recently shared his startup insights with my UC Santa Barbara students. He offered my students a litany of compelling suggestions. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Freemium business models are popular because they allow startups to quickly drive user adoption. Unfortunately, many of these companies fail to properly monetize such non-paying users. Let''s face it. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. When joining a startup, there are seven important questions you should ask in order to answer the question: “What the heck are my stock options worth?”. You just received a job offer from a startup which includes 50,000 stock options. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. I was invited to lead a Techstars LA workshop, focused on honing their elevator pitches. In my UCSB classes , my students practice their Personal Pitch in front of their peers, who give them constructive feedback. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Even entrepreneurs that already sold on SaaS should stake note of new research from the SalientGroup : SaaS gets funded - Nearly 50% of SaaS-based startups are getting successfully funded—a rate of funding success no other sector can match. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared Forbes. Entrepreneurs have to be wily in all of their transactions, especially long-term commitments, such as property leases. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared on the Wall Street Journal. As crazy as it sounds, surfing has made me a better investor. The sport involves a surprising amount of downtime between sets. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. In the Fall of 1990, H. Jackson Brown sat at his kitchen table, pulled out a pad of paper and began writing advice to his son, who had just entered college. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Want to be an entrepreneur? Don''t go to Wharton or Harvard. Instead, grab your surfboard and head to UC Santa Barbara. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. What would you do if you opened a UPS envelope and there was nothing inside? A scrappy startup inadvertently answered this question when they accidentally mailed several hundred empty UPS envelopes. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Trade show veterans know that the louder you scream at an industry event, the less your voice is heard. Instead, you have to push the envelope of propriety to cut through the noise. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. The Beatles’ Manager, Brian Epstein, was a 30-yr old, former furniture salesman when Beatlemania hit America in 1964. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared Forbes. Marcia Brown’s 1947 retelling of the classic French folktale Stone Soup is a de facto playbook for how to start a venture. In Ms. Brown’s version of this oft-told tale, three soldiers enter a small town during a time of war. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. In 1862, Charles Darwin predicted that an insect with an extraordinary tongue must exist by observing an orchid which stores its nectar at bottom of long stem. MORE
Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ Manager, was tenacious and ambitious, but he was musically inept. Brian was instrumental in establishing the Beatles’ career, but he had no input on the band’s production of music. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Young Al Kooper did not miss his Bob Dylan moment. When Al was invited by Producer Tom Wilson to sit in on Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited, Mr. Wilson made it clear to Al that he was a backup guitarist. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. How much will social media fame cost you in 2014? At $6,800, it is probably cheaper than you thought. This money will buy you a million Twitter followers, get you a million YouTube views and 20,000 Likes on your Facebook page. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. Have you ever had a couple of drinks, started to feel a mild buzz and wondered if you’re over the legal limit? If you’ve had drinks in a public setting, the answer is likely “Heck yes.”. MORE
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. On a micro level, you can do your part to fix tech's gender problem by recruiting people with diverse backgrounds and place them in a company culture that rewards those who challenge the status quo. MORE
InfoChachkie
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. “As much as possible, avoid hiring MBA’s. MBA programs don’t teach people how to create companies … our position is that we hire someone in spite of an MBA, not because of one.”
InfoChachkie
FEBRUARY 15, 2018
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. Have you ever had a couple of drinks, started to feel a mild buzz and wondered if you’re over the legal limit? If you’ve had drinks in a public setting, the answer is likely “Heck yes.”.
InfoChachkie
SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. What would you do if you opened a UPS envelope and there was nothing inside? A scrappy startup inadvertently answered this question when they accidentally mailed several hundred empty UPS envelopes.
InfoChachkie
JUNE 4, 2018
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. I was invited to lead a Techstars LA workshop, focused on honing their elevator pitches. In my UCSB classes , my students practice their Personal Pitch in front of their peers, who give them constructive feedback.
InfoChachkie
JANUARY 25, 2018
A version of this article previously appeared Forbes. Marcia Brown’s 1947 retelling of the classic French folktale Stone Soup is a de facto playbook for how to start a venture. In Ms. Brown’s version of this oft-told tale, three soldiers enter a small town during a time of war.
InfoChachkie
MAY 18, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. When joining a startup, there are seven important questions you should ask in order to answer the question: “What the heck are my stock options worth?”. You just received a job offer from a startup which includes 50,000 stock options.
InfoChachkie
OCTOBER 12, 2017
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Marketing automation company HubSpot recently surveyed its users, asking them a variety of startup questions. Some […]. The post Which Of These 7 Fears Are Keeping You From Being An Entrepreneur? appeared first on John Greathouse
InfoChachkie
NOVEMBER 16, 2015
Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ Manager, was tenacious and ambitious, but he was musically inept. Brian was instrumental in establishing the Beatles’ career, but he had no input on the band’s production of music.
InfoChachkie
OCTOBER 12, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. On a micro level, you can do your part to fix tech's gender problem by recruiting people with diverse backgrounds and place them in a company culture that rewards those who challenge the status quo.
InfoChachkie
JUNE 15, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in the Wall Street Journal. During my 15-years as a startup executive, I relished being proven wrong. Knowing that I was had made a mistake empowered me to make the correct decision.
InfoChachkie
MARCH 6, 2018
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. One of my former students, Sieva Kozinsky, Co-Founder & CEO of StudySoup recently shared his startup insights with my UC Santa Barbara students. He offered my students a litany of compelling suggestions.
InfoChachkie
OCTOBER 5, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. As a Professor of Practice in Entrepreneurship at UC Santa Barbara , students ask me dozens of times each quarter, “What do you think of my idea?” My response is typically, “What I think of your idea is irrelevant.
InfoChachkie
FEBRUARY 23, 2018
A version of this article previously appeared Forbes. Entrepreneurs have to be wily in all of their transactions, especially long-term commitments, such as property leases.
InfoChachkie
SEPTEMBER 21, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Even entrepreneurs that already sold on SaaS should stake note of new research from the SalientGroup : SaaS gets funded - Nearly 50% of SaaS-based startups are getting successfully funded—a rate of funding success no other sector can match.
InfoChachkie
APRIL 13, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Avoid a simple pricing mistake which could sink your startup. The “D” word - Discounts. I buy my cars in December.
InfoChachkie
NOVEMBER 9, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared on the Wall Street Journal. As crazy as it sounds, surfing has made me a better investor. The sport involves a surprising amount of downtime between sets.
InfoChachkie
JUNE 1, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. It sounds crazy to offer unlimited vacation time to your startup employees. Something to the left of socialism. Yet that is exactly what Richard Branson announced this past Fall.
InfoChachkie
OCTOBER 20, 2014
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Want to be an entrepreneur? Don''t go to Wharton or Harvard. Instead, grab your surfboard and head to UC Santa Barbara.
InfoChachkie
APRIL 21, 2014
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. I have a confession: I used to quickly become frustrated whenever I tried something new and I didn''t quickly excel. Rather than attempting to master the new activity, I would moved on to another task, seeking a gentler learning curve.
InfoChachkie
JULY 28, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. In 1987, a representative of Michael Jackson approached the modest Sycamore Valley ranch house and knocked on the door. The owner of the ranch was shocked by the visitor’s message.
InfoChachkie
AUGUST 10, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. There are two schools of thought regarding how to make anything go viral. In The Tipping Point , Malcolm Gladwell emphasizes the importance of the messenger.
InfoChachkie
MARCH 10, 2014
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. In the Fall of 1990, H. Jackson Brown sat at his kitchen table, pulled out a pad of paper and began writing advice to his son, who had just entered college.
InfoChachkie
FEBRUARY 29, 2016
A version of this article previously appeared on Entrepreneur.com. Did I passed on Uber’s seed round? It’s worse than that. I never even bothered to listen to Travis’ pitch, even though I was repeatedly offered the opportunity.
InfoChachkie
JULY 7, 2016
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. It happens during nearly every fundraising pitch meeting. The entrepreneur cannot wait to show me their product via a demo.
InfoChachkie
AUGUST 11, 2014
A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. Balance is one of the most important aspects of skiing. A solid foundation formed by two strong legs is key, especially at a competative level. Balance is also an extremely important factor among a founding startup team.
InfoChachkie
MAY 4, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Young Al Kooper did not miss his Bob Dylan moment. When Al was invited by Producer Tom Wilson to sit in on Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited, Mr. Wilson made it clear to Al that he was a backup guitarist.
InfoChachkie
MARCH 9, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Freemium business models are popular because they allow startups to quickly drive user adoption. Unfortunately, many of these companies fail to properly monetize such non-paying users. Let''s face it.
InfoChachkie
FEBRUARY 9, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. In 1862, Charles Darwin predicted that an insect with an extraordinary tongue must exist by observing an orchid which stores its nectar at bottom of long stem.
InfoChachkie
JULY 7, 2014
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. Steve Benson, Founder and CEO of Bay Area Badger Maps , intends to hire so many interns this summer that he will effectively double the size of his startup.
InfoChachkie
JANUARY 20, 2014
A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. How much will social media fame cost you in 2014? At $6,800, it is probably cheaper than you thought. This money will buy you a million Twitter followers, get you a million YouTube views and 20,000 Likes on your Facebook page.
InfoChachkie
OCTOBER 13, 2014
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Accomplished entrepreneurs appreciate the importance of crafting a succinct, well rehearsed description of their venture. This concise summary can be comfortably told during the duration of a reasonably brief elevator ride.
InfoChachkie
APRIL 20, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in the Wall Street Journal. You have been planning to ask your long-time partner to marry you for months and the big day has finally arrived.
InfoChachkie
APRIL 7, 2014
A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. Startups are an emotional rollercoaster; moments of sheer terror interlaced with bone-crushing, mind-numbing and highly addictive exhilaration. However, if unmodulated, the highs can become too high and the lows way too low.
InfoChachkie
AUGUST 3, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. The Beatles’ Manager, Brian Epstein, was a 30-yr old, former furniture salesman when Beatlemania hit America in 1964.
InfoChachkie
MARCH 16, 2015
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Trade show veterans know that the louder you scream at an industry event, the less your voice is heard. Instead, you have to push the envelope of propriety to cut through the noise.
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