Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2017

In my experience working with startups, the best approach these days is to find and use a good mentor (been there, done that). Of course, mentoring is not new – it’s been the favored way to learn arts and crafts since way back in the middle ages. But I assert that mentoring in business is making a comeback.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2012

Every entrepreneur can learn from a mentor, no matter how confident or successful they have been to date. Even one of the richest, Bill Gates , still values his friend Warren Buffett as his mentor. Mentoring is not as simple as one person giving the other all the right answers. Agree on specific objectives and time frames.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2023

Based on my experience as an investor and mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and elsewhere, one of the quickest ways to kill your credibility and your startup is to offer a poorly written business plan, or none at all. A great business plan doesn’t have to be a book in length, with extensive financial statements.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2018

As a partially-retired baby-boomer in business, I’ve spent much of the last few years mentoring aspiring millennial entrepreneurs, and I’m always looking for more insights into how to help them. Business leaders and mentors must highlight their own focus on positive leadership actions, instead of defensive reactions.

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InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 4, 2019

Impressed with her wit and insights during her talk, I was excited to read her latest book, Thinking In Bets. Annie has previously written several well-received poker strategy books. As she notes in the books Introduction, “…a bet really is: a decision about an unknown future.” For me, the book fulfilled this promise.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2019

When I started mentoring entrepreneurs and startups a few years ago, I anticipated that I would get mostly tough technical questions, but instead I more often hear things like “Where do I start?” Jumping into a business area you don’t know, because you see a chance for big money, is a surefire path to disaster.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 28, 2021

I’ve often wondered if anyone has quantified the implied assumption that leadership character is indeed a critical element of the success equation for startups, so I was pleased to see the classic book “ Return On Character ,” by Fred Kiel, a renowned leadership consultant. Find and enjoy the company of one or more mentors.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 10, 2022

In my experience, some of the best businesses have multiple partners, with complementary strengths. Thus, in my mentoring of potential technical entrepreneurs who have a real passion for their technology, I often recommend that they find a co-founder who can manage the marketing and execution elements of the new venture.

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InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 8, 2011

I recently reviewed Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson’s book Venture Deals , in THIS ENTRY. I have subsequently recommended the book to number of students as well as emerging entrepreneurs, all of whom expressed positive feedback. . Writing a book is very different from writing a blog. There were a couple motivations.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

In her classic book on this subject, “ Who’s That Sitting at My Desk? ” Here are the key ones I have experienced, as paraphrased from her book: Acquaintanceship. Workship - Mentor. Unlike the mentor, who is a coach and teacher, the advocate inspires you to be the best that you can be. Workship - Advocate.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 6, 2022

In my experience as a mentor to entrepreneurs, I find that self-doubt and lack of confidence are the primary constraints people have to overcome to move ahead. I found the key ones to be outlined well in a new book, “ Hunting Discomfort ,” by Sterling Hawkins. The challenge is to recognize your problem and fix it.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2021

Based on my experience as an investor and mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and elsewhere, one of the quickest ways to kill your credibility and your startup is to offer a poorly written business plan, or none at all. A great business plan doesn’t have to be a book in length, with extensive financial statements.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 12, 2021

Everyone and every company needs to continually learn from their experience and adapt to a changing world to thrive. “If In his classic book “ Invent, Reinvent, Thrive ,” Lloyd E. Here are the key recommendations from both of us, based on my own business mentoring insights: Re-launch using your enhanced core competency.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2022

As a partially-retired baby-boomer in business, I’ve spent much of the last few years mentoring aspiring millennial entrepreneurs, and I’m always looking for more insights into how to help them. Business leaders and mentors must highlight their own focus on positive leadership actions, instead of defensive reactions. Marty Zwilling.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2023

In addition, in my experience as a consultant, I have found that it is important to have the processes and discipline in place to integrate and manage the innovation you need. Thus I was happy to see both addressed very well in a new book, “ Decision Sprint ,” by Atif Rafiq. Coach: force for stability and mentoring.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2022

Boomers are coming back to work, but because of their experience, they may be insulted by constant feedback. Mentoring is the number one request by Millennials in the workplace. Thus mentoring inspires loyalty all around. It’s a whole new world out there in the workplace. Create a culture of specific and timely feedback.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2020

In her classic book on this subject, “ Who’s That Sitting at My Desk? ” Here are the key ones I have experienced, as paraphrased from her book: Acquaintanceship. Workship - Mentor. Unlike the mentor, who is a coach and teacher, the advocate inspires you to be the best that you can be. Workship - Advocate.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 20, 2021

I see the commonalities detailed well in the classic book, “ Extreme Teams ,” by Robert Bruce Shaw. Shaw is a consultant specializing in team performance, and he brings real experience building and working with extreme teams in companies like the ones mentioned above. When selecting members, value fit over experience.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2022

Based on many years of experience in business as an executive and consultant, I have long been convinced that emotional intelligence (EQ or EI) in leadership wins over logical intelligence (IQ) every time. Thus, I was pleased to see the steps detailed in a new book, “ The Emotionally Strong Leader ,” by Carolyn Stern.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2022

I found real insights into this strategy, along with specific sources of purpose inspiration in a new book, “ Leading With Heart ,” by John Baird and Edward Sullivan. These authors reference real cases and real business leaders, based on their decades of experience in building companies and executive coaching.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022

In fact, I have found from personal experience and mentoring that both of these are necessary, but not sufficient, for building a business. Most entrepreneurs assume that success is dependent on their product expertise, coupled with some knowledge of how to run a business.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2019

As a partially-retired baby-boomer in business, I’ve spent much of the last few years mentoring aspiring millennial entrepreneurs, and I’m always looking for more insights into how to help them. Business leaders and mentors must highlight their own focus on positive leadership actions, instead of defensive reactions. Marty Zwilling.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2022

As a mentor for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, I talk to a fair number who may have a great vision and a strong engineering background, but have a negative interest in the role of public speaking in business. In her book, Jan devotes a whole chapter to speaking to the media, as a key aspect of public speaking.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

Based on my years of experience mentoring and advising entrepreneurs, you need to attack problems and challenges with a mindset of success, or it is unlikely that you or your business will survive. I found that view confirmed for a wide range of leadership situations in a classic book, “ The Mindset of Success ,” by Jo Owen.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 16, 2022

Yet I find, as a mentor and outside consultant, that many of you focus only on working conditions and compensation as the key factors determining team engagement , health, and productivity. Thus I was pleased to see a much more complete and broader perspective of employee support recommendations in a new book, “ Employees First! ”

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2023

I found many non-disruption recommendations in the new book, “ Beyond Disruption ,” by W. Both authors are recipients of numerous academic and management awards for leadership thinking, and I will summarize here their key strategy insights, combined with my own experiences: Lead with a focus on finding customer value.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 25, 2022

I recently found a wealth of practical guidance on how to build a perseverance mindset and use it to overcome adversity, break through barriers, and keep moving forward to success, in a new book, “ Win When They Say You Won’t ,” by Daphne Jones. In my experience, you unintentionally tend to think and act like the people you spend time with.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 15, 2023

But in my experience as a startup mentor, I find that the happiest and most successful entrepreneurs in the long-term are those that continually stretch themselves to get comfortable in the leadership role. Every entrepreneur already knows that building a startup is all about experimentation, new experiences, and problem solving.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2019

Based on my own mentoring and investing experience, the best entrepreneurs are pragmatic problem solvers. For example, I remember a classic book by Penina Rybak, “ The NICE Reboot ,” that does a great job of outlining problem solving steps, honed from working with special needs youngsters.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 15, 2021

Top performers want to know how to stand out, and business leaders need to know how to better recognize and mentor aspiring superstars before they burn out, or move on to new opportunities. Top performers are not always the ones with flashy degrees, or the most knowledge and experience.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2022

Based on my years of experience as a new business advisor, I always find leadership to be more important to business success than any new technology or innovative solution. I found some great specifics in a classic book, “ The Leadership Challenge ,” by James M. Experiment to generate small wins and learning. Kouzes and Barry Z.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2022

In my experience, there are only a few basics to remember and practice. I saw these summarized clearly in a new book, “ BUILD ,” by a well-known entrepreneur and technologist from Silicon Valley, Tony Fadell. Don’t try to solve the problem or build a plan alone, especially if you have no relevant experience.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2023

In this context, I was impressed with the insights provided in a new book, “ Stay Sane In An Insane World ,” by peak performance coach Greg Harden. Listen to your team, mentors, and customers to recognize real successes and failures, and surround yourself with people who can fill in the gaps. We all have strengths and weaknesses.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

They rarely highlight their marketing and relationship skills , even though, in my experience, these are more often the key to success in business than product skills. They mentor each other, and seek out experts in domains outside their current expertise and experience. Assembling a winning team and delivering results.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2022

As a mentor to many aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m often asked what it takes to get satisfaction from this lifestyle. I found some great help in outlining the elements of this process in the book, “ Disruptors ,” by Kunal Mehta. Yet I know from experience that being an entrepreneur in any fashion is not for everyone.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 21, 2022

I can relate to this and other insights in his new book, “ Simple Truths of Leadership ,” with co-author Randy Conley. The next step is to provide mentoring and training, as well as your support and confidence to take on more challenging assignments and responsibilities. Marty Zwilling First published on Inc.com on 2/3/2022.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 6, 2023

Most of the experience so far has been cash versus the equity feature defined by the JOBS Act – Equity Crowdfunding (Title III) , introduced back in 2016 with 685 pages of rules. Board seats can’t be negotiated, and even informal mentoring in decision and governance processes is unlikely. Risk is increased. Marty Zwilling

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