Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 3, 2015

Every entrepreneur can learn from a mentor, no matter how confident or successful they have been to date. Yet most entrepreneurs simply don’t know how to work with a mentor. Some of the best mentoring relationships don’t involve monetary compensation, but none are free. Agree on specific objectives and time frames.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 3, 2017

As a long-time mentor and advisor to new business owners, I can attest to both the need for mentoring, and the satisfaction that comes from watching an aspiring but tentative entrepreneur grow into someone capable of changing the world. Building relationships, and finding ways for a win-win, is what mentoring is about.

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Mentor Entrepreneur Satisfaction Summary 73

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2022

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 20, 2017

Every entrepreneur can learn from a mentor, no matter how confident or successful they have been to date. Yet most entrepreneurs simply don’t know how to work with a mentor. Some of the best mentoring relationships don’t involve monetary compensation, but none are free. Agree on specific objectives and time frames.

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Mentor Startup Summary Satisfaction 60

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 10, 2013

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 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

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

JUNE 29, 2022

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. I see a good discussion of the relevant strengths and issues in a new book, “ The Unfair Advantage ,” by Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba. Intelligence and insight: book and street smarts.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2012

Every first-time entrepreneur, or even an experienced founder stepping into a new business area, needs a mentor. Nothing you have ever done raises so many questions, or has the potential to be so fulfilling, or so risky, as starting a new business for the first time. Mentors are not like lovers.

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Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

I should note that my friend Brad Feld has written a new book on the subject that I would recommend if you want the bible on the topic. I admit that I haven’t yet read it but I’ve had numerous discussions with Brad over the years about board structure & conduct and consider him a mentor on the topic. In the Early Days.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2012

I’m a big fan of mentoring in business, and have been at different times on both the contributing and receiving end of the process. These days, I seem to often hear from entrepreneurs who are struggling to find a mentor, or complaining about their lack of effectiveness. Don’t ask for too much time or make a nuisance of yourself.

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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

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

MAY 25, 2011

Every first-time entrepreneur, or even an experienced founder stepping into a new business area, needs a mentor. Nothing you have ever done raises so many questions, or has the potential to be so fulfilling, or so risky, as starting a new business for the first time. Mentors are not like lovers.

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Mentor Entrepreneur Guide Research 94

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2016

Some will argue that people leadership is a skill you have to be born with, but I’m convinced that it can be learned from experience, mentoring, and failures. They reach to find mentors who have been there, read books on the subject, and participate in leadership development programs.

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Jason Nazar

JANUARY 1, 2016

I never bought books, rarely went to class, and hardly studied for exams. But I did spent those four years starting businesses and courting many mentors to help me along the way. Ignorance is Blasphemy: Why You Need a Mentor in the First Place. Machiavelli vs. Mother Teresa: Choosing a Mentor.

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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. . At one level it’s a terrible return on time investment, but on another level, it’s a really positive one.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 12, 2021

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. Changing times call for a new skill set. Find mentors who have the skills you lack.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2017

Most business mentors tell me that the single biggest problem they have to deal with in small companies is the lack of open, honest, and effective communication, both from the top down and from the bottom up. Pick the right time and place for each message type, to maximize attention and retention. Information withheld.

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TechCrunch LA

JANUARY 26, 2020

“He not only played at the peak of his sport but everything he did was quality from film, to books to philanthropy. As a mentor we drew on his wisdom, passion and drive everyday… In the short term our thoughts and hearts are with him, Gianna and his surviving family.” An all-time legend, and our friend and supporter.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 21, 2018

One of the most important skills for every entrepreneur is timely and effective decision making. I found the book, “ Master Your Time, Master Your Life ,” by noted speaker and productivity expert Brian Tracy, who highlights decision making and problem solving as one of the most critical determinants of your success in everything you do.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2023

Billionaire entrepreneur and "Shark Tank" co-host Mark Cuban is an outspoken proponent of the all-in early approach in a video interview, and made it clear that he gives no credibility and low odds to founders seeking funding who have not fully committed their time and efforts to their cause. Odds are you are going to fail before you succeed.

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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

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

DECEMBER 3, 2022

It’s been happening for some time, but business changes, accelerated by the recent pandemic, have highlighted the need for all of us to review our positions, image, and satisfaction at work. I was pleased to see these personal branding messages highlighted and confirmed in a new book, “ The New Brand You ,” by branding guru Catherine Kaputa.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2022

These challenges, with recommendations for addressing them, were detailed nicely for me in the classic book, “ The Boomerang Principle ,” by Lee Caraher, who has built several companies, and has helped many others manage Millennials, reduce turnover, and improve satisfaction and the return hire rate.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 21, 2022

This means you are missing the positive impact of catching people doing things right and reinforcing that performance with timely praise and support. I can relate to this and other insights in his new book, “ Simple Truths of Leadership ,” with co-author Randy Conley. Time is of the essence here.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2021

I’ve always wondered if there was some way that I could quickly deduce a new entrepreneur’s “sweet spot,” and optimize my mentoring to those strengths and weaknesses, maybe similar to the Myers-Briggs type indicator for business professionals. Ultimately, most get the best help from business advisors and mentors. Opportunist.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 4, 2023

Most entrepreneur that fail are quick to offer a litany of constraints that caused their demise – not enough money, time, customers, or support from the right players. How many times have you actually made up work to keep an idle person busy? It allows them turn resource constraints into stunning new businesses.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 4, 2021

Every entrepreneur I know is short on resources, including time, money, and skills. The last thing they can afford is to waste any of these, but in my mentoring and coaching activities, I see it happening all too often. Time utilization inefficiency is wasted time. Gray, titled “ Business Techniques for Growth.”

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2022

A few years ago I read a classic book “ The Rudolph Factor ,” by Cyndi Laurin and Craig Morningstar, which is all about finding the bright lights that can drive innovation in your business. They generally promote unconventional ways to solve problems and have an easier time than most at identifying the root cause of a problem.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

In her classic book on this subject, “ Who’s That Sitting at My Desk? ” More importantly, we all need to develop the right relationships, and actively avoid those types that are not right for the business, or not right for our career at a particular point in time. Workship - Mentor. Workship - Advocate.

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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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Mentor Entrepreneur Technical Review Summary 85

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2023

I’ve heard it many times from technical entrepreneurs who should know better than to believe the old “ Field of Dreams ” sports fantasy movie theme in today’s Internet information overload environment. Team members need time, and your support, to attend conferences and professional organizations to stay in touch with colleagues and peers.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2020

Billionaire entrepreneur and "Shark Tank" co-host Mark Cuban is an outspoken proponent of the all-in early approach in a video interview, and made it clear that he gives no credibility and low odds to founders seeking funding who have not fully committed their time and efforts to their cause. Odds are you are going to fail before you succeed.

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Startup Entrepreneur Satisfaction News 128

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 15, 2016

Billionaire entrepreneur and "Shark Tank" co-host Mark Cuban is an outspoken proponent of the all-in early approach, and has made it clear that he gives no credibility and low odds to founders seeking funding who have not fully committed their time and efforts to their cause. That’s another variation of a part-time entrepreneur.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2023

The cost of entry to the entrepreneur lifestyle is at an all-time low, but the challenge of winning and success is at an all-time high. That’s why the classic book, “ The Leader’s Mindset: How to Win In The Age Of Disruption ,” resonated strongly with me. People who shape the future, like Steve Jobs, did this. Marty Zwilling

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