Service or Product?

For an interesting discussion on the relative merits of a product vs. service business, check out Mark Suster's post here.  Try to get past the demeaning and inappropriate headline, and the typos, and look for the reality.

Words of Wisdom from Warren

I am not good at tech matters but I have got a lot of people who are. I don’t have to be smart about everything; I didn’t deliver my wife’s baby! So, I believe in using people who are smarter than I am and it is not very hard to find the number that are and certainly in the tech field. I just don’t have that ability but I am reasonably good at spotting the people who do have that ability. We get the best people, and when you get the best people and you let them go, you get the best result.

Warren Buffet

(source)

How VCs evaluate your management team

If you're going to do a startup, and it's going to need angel or VC money, then YOU (as the CEO) are going to be evaluated as one of the primary elements of success for the business.  Here's a short article on how your team will be evaluated:  click here.

Mentors, Teachers, Coaches...

Do you need a mentor, or a teacher, or a coach?
What is the difference?


Steve Blank sets us straight with his insightful post: read it here.


According to his definitions, I serve as a mentor, primarily, but I feel that being a mentor includes elements of coaching and teaching...

Founders as Artists

Legendary entrepreneur Steve Blank is featured in this brief video clip, discussing how he sees founders as artists.  I couldn't agree more...  Needless to say, the concept of success in business being both Art and Science has been the topic of this blog for the last 5 years.  Maybe Steve finally found my blog!

A Poet's Pithy Perception

"The heights by great men reached and kept, 

were not attained by sudden flight, 

but they, while their companions slept, 

were toiling upward in the night." 

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I'm There For You, Baby; The Entrepreneur's Guide to the Galaxy

Unfortunately, few real entrepreneurs will read this excellent book!


Real entrepreneurs will be too busy starting, building and selling their businesses, then doing it all over again. They don't have time to read books; they're fighting for survival, riches, and Global Domination.

It's unfortunate for them because they could earn the equivalent of a Doctorate degree from the School of Hard Knocks in just a few hours of reading this extraordinarily well written and entertaining story of the adventures of a highly successful serial entrepreneur.

I couldn't put it down. Loved it. Highly recommend it for all future Masters of The Universe. 


http://www.amazon.com/There-Baby-Entrepreneur-Guide-Galaxy/dp/0983170428