Mentor Metrics Product Technical Review 
Startup Professionals Musings
APRIL 28, 2021
Almost every entrepreneur and new business owner I mentor is certain that his/her idea has a very high probability of success, and all find it hard to believe that ninety percent of startups ultimately fail. Bill Gates was the technical genius, but Steve Ballmer, from Procter & Gamble, ran the business side of the equation.
Both Sides of the Table
DECEMBER 11, 2022
And then in the late 90’s money crept in, swept in to town by public markets, instant wealth and an absurd sky-rocketing of valuations based on no reasonable metrics. In those years I learned to properly build product, price products, sell products and serve customers.
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Startup Professionals Musings
NOVEMBER 2, 2022
As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Customers like leaders, not followers.
Startup Professionals Musings
AUGUST 7, 2020
In my experience, even in startups, longer-term strategy often gets pushed off the agenda due to current challenges. By being proactive, and empowering and rewarding your frontline employees for improving processes, you will enhance your business productivity and growth in both the short term as well as the long term.
SoCal CTO
JANUARY 26, 2010
I’ve been having discussions with several people recently about the role of the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) in very early stage companies. Most often at the earliest point in the life of a startup, the dominant need is certainly to produce product to get something in the market, get funding, etc. What technologies will we use?
Startup Professionals Musings
NOVEMBER 30, 2022
As an investor in startups, I most often see entrepreneurs who are technologists, or at least have a real passion for a specific product. 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.
Startup Professionals Musings
JUNE 1, 2022
In my role as a mentor, I challenge every business leader to be more open-minded as they face the challenges of change and new competitors entering their space. Technology, competitors, and customers are changing every day, so the “ tried and trusted ” ways you do things need to be reviewed and updated regularly.
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