Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2022

In my experience as an advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs in business, one of the biggest failures I see is a lack of self-leadership. I define self-leadership as the capacity to set direction and make decisions, to positively drive your own performance. Leadership in business starts with making good personal choices.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2023

As a business consultant and mentor to many young entrepreneurs, I often get questions about leadership challenges , and what you can do to solidify your leadership position and impact. It seems that today’s worker generation is more demanding, and less willing to accept guidance and direction from anyone with a leadership title.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 13, 2023

With today’s rapidly changing environment, I see many business leaders reverting to the “ command and control ” leadership model, in an effort to be more responsive, rather than leading with their heads and heart. I believe that a fully engaged team is the key to both productivity and agility in the face of change.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 2, 2022

Most of the entrepreneurs and business owners I work with recognize that they must occupy and practice a primary leadership position , but many will admit that they are not thriving in this role. Accept the fact that authenticity is necessary for leadership effectiveness. This is a tough challenge for every coach and mentor.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2020

Entrepreneurs inherently understand that they have to be the initial leader of their startup, but often they don’t have the experience or the training to know where their leadership competencies lie, or how to build a leadership team. That’s intelligent leadership. Marty Zwilling.

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deal architect

APRIL 15, 2020

I had enjoyed his book, Done Right (my review here) because he had so many examples. Alex Shootman, CEO of Workfront is one of my favorite tech execs because he is always positive - and that in an authentic way.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 15, 2020

The key elements of leadership in a company, both individual and organizational, are less tangible, but very critical in setting a market value for investment, acquisition, or going public. In the investment community, these leadership elements are often called “goodwill.” Execution leadership. Leadership brand development.

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Valuation Technical Review Due Diligence Leadership 311

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2022

The key elements of leadership in a company, both individual and organizational, are less tangible, but very critical in setting a market value for investment, acquisition, or going public. In the investment community, these leadership elements are often called “goodwill.” Execution leadership. Leadership brand development.

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Technical Review Due Diligence Valuation Leadership 323

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2020

I found some good insights and details on this approach in the classic book, “ How To Be A Great Boss ,” by Gino Wickman and René Boer, who speak from years of experience working with leadership teams of both small and large companies. Understand both leadership and management. Train yourself to follow leadership best practices.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2022

One 11-year study of over 200 companies over a decade ago, detailed in the book “ Corporate Culture and Performance ,” found that those working on their culture improved revenue by 516%, and increased net income by 755%. I saw a good summary of these in the classic book, “ Ethical Leadership ,” by Andrew Leigh, an expert in this area.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2021

Provide effective leadership. Remember that leadership is both upward, as well as downward to direct reports and employees. A good CEO provides leadership to the Board of Directors, company investors, and stockholders. There are several books written on this subject. Create and sell a financial model.

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Duct Tape Marketing

JULY 11, 2024

Beginning with the Metronome effect, In our conversation, Shannon Susko defines the Metronomics framework and explains how it can revolutionize the way CEOs and leadership teams approach growth, strategy, and execution. Visit DTM world slash scale to book your free advisory call and learn more. It's time to transform your approach.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 3, 2021

I also enjoyed the classic book, “ 63 Innovation Nuggets for Aspiring Innovators ,” by George E. Research published by Harvard many years ago in a book, “ The Innovator’s DNA ,” concludes that innovation is about 30 percent individual genes and 70 percent learnable and driven by motivation. Innovations come from people, not culture.

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Technical Review Leadership Operations Networking 431

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2021

A while back, I spotted a book for change management leaders in large organization, and I realized that many of the issues they face are the same as ones faced in every growing startup. Phil Buckley, in his book “ Change With Confidence ,” provides practical answers to fifty of the biggest questions that keep change leaders up at night.

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Metrics Technical Review Leadership Framework 387

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 11, 2020

YouTube did it with videos, Instagram did it with photos, and Amazon did it with books. Of course, once you have a brand and more resources, it can pay to expand your book selling to a full e-commerce site. Ongoing market leadership requires continuous innovation. The first-to-market advantage doesn’t last long.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2022

In the classic book, “ Fish Can’t See Water ,” Kai Hammerich and Richard D. Incidentally, I love that book title, which seems to me applicable to most aspects of business (and even people), as well as business culture. A particularly critical moment is when the founders hand over the leadership to a more managerial regime.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2023

I found some good insights and details on this approach in the classic book, “ How To Be A Great Boss ,” by Gino Wickman and René Boer, who speak from years of experience working with leadership teams of both small and large companies. Understand both leadership and management. Train yourself to follow leadership best practices.

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Management Leadership Demand Founder 291

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 25, 2020

As an angel investor, I quickly learned that luck has very little to do with it, and I now look for some personal characteristics and leadership styles that separate the potential winners from the losers. As I was reminded again by the classic book from Dennis Perkins, “ Leading at the Edge ,” this isn’t a new concept.

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Technical Review Kentucky Due Diligence Japan 308

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

APRIL 8, 2023

The most valuable assets of a new startup are the people on the team, and the most challenging task of the entrepreneur and team leaders is to spend their leadership time and energy productively. Most new startup founders start out by assuming they need to spread their leadership efforts evenly across all team members. Rising stars.

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Employee Leadership Cofounder Matching 267

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 22, 2022

They don’t realize that it takes more to succeed in business or a career – it takes leadership skills to get people to follow you, including peers, a team, business partners, and customers. Luckily, you can learn needed leadership skills. Celebrate small successes in your leadership efforts.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

In my business of mentoring new entrepreneurs and advising small company owners, I recognize that most don’t start as experienced leaders, and most don’t realize that people leadership is a primary key to their future success. I just completed a new book, “ The Self-Evolved Leader ,” by Dave McKeown.

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Developer Leadership Demand Entrepreneur 311

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

Providing business leadership is a challenge under the best of circumstances, but it is especially difficult in times of market and customer crises. By being proactive in response rather than defensive, your leadership is confirmed rather than questioned. Every case is a new one where prior experience won’t help you.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

Innovation driven by the next crisis is not leadership. I remember the classic book, “ The Three-Box Solution: A Strategy for Leading Innovation ,” by Vijay Govindarajan, one of the world’s leading experts on strategy and innovation.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2020

I just finished a new book, “ Unfiltered Marketing ,” by Stephen Denny and Paul Leinberger, which helped me put this digital communication transformation into perspective for all business owners. It’s also about you, and your ability to take bold and innovative steps to provide the leadership we all desperately seek.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2023

As an angel investor, I quickly learned that luck has very little to do with it, and I now look for some personal characteristics and leadership styles that separate the potential winners from the losers. As I was reminded again by the classic book from Dennis Perkins, “ Leading at the Edge ,” this isn’t a new concept.

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Technical Review Kentucky Due Diligence Japan 269

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2023

I like the specifics on how to do this in the classic book, “ The Agenda Mover: When Your Good Idea Is Not Enough ,” by leadership expert Samuel B. Bacharach, Cornell Professor and cofounder of the Bacharach Leadership Group.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2023

For example, only a few people today still think of Amazon as an online provider of books and related goods, now that they have exploded their business world-wide into every product arena, added web services (AWS), television and film production (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer), a bricks-and-mortar grocery chain (Whole Foods), and more.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2020

These were outlined well, with some good recommendations for overcoming them, in the classic book, “ Rocket Fuel ,” by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Again, the solution is a partner who is the voice of reason, who filters all of the visionary’s ideas, and helps eliminate hurdles, stumbling blocks, and barriers for the whole leadership team.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2020

I like the specifics on how to do this in the classic book, “ The Agenda Mover: When Your Good Idea Is Not Enough ,” by leadership expert Samuel B. Bacharach, Cornell Professor and cofounder of the Bacharach Leadership Group.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 23, 2022

Most people will tell you this is impossible, but I found a classic book, “ Army of Entrepreneurs ,” by Jennifer Prosek, where she seems to have actually accomplished this. The entrepreneurial mindset is a function of motivation, priorities, and risk versus reward, all of which you set or enable by your leadership and example.

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Startup Technical Review Employee Hiring 337

Duct Tape Marketing

SEPTEMBER 14, 2024

Gottlieb, an inspirational business leader, and Harvard Business School executive education alumnus, champions a leadership philosophy centered on strategy, empowerment, and consistent execution while founding charitable initiatives like “Windows for a Cause” and “Baths for the Brave.” Yeah, you'd call it a leadership book, I suppose.

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Wisconsin Cofounder Leadership Employee 91

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

During my time in Silicon Valley, I was struck by the fact that most successful entrepreneurs seemed to personally know and regularly hear from all the “movers and shakers” who had the investment capital and leadership they needed. The best marketing requires storytelling skills , with emotions and values.

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Silicon Valley Technical Review Leadership Metrics 284

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2022

In businesses, this requires a new internal culture and leadership. Yet I believe the role and requirements continue to evolve, as detailed in the book, “ Innovation by Design ,” by Thomas Lockwood and Edgar Papke, based on their studies. None of these are a birthright or require advanced degrees – they can be learned by anyone.

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Design Dividend Leadership Framework 267

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

I recently found the classic sales training book “ Bootstrap Selling The Sandler Way ,” by Bill Morrison, who has 20 years in sales leadership roles, and I was amazed at how many of his sales lessons are great lessons for new entrepreneurs as well.

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Sales Startup Bootstrapping Technical Review 348

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 4, 2023

I’m sure you feel this change, and if you are, or want to be, in a leadership role, you need to focus on how to be more human and lead humans. I found some practical guidance to supplement my own recommendations in a new book, “ Be Human, Lead Human ,” by Jennifer Nash, PhD. Like everyone, you have emotional strengths and weaknesses.

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Leadership Employee Community Cost 279

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2023

YouTube did it with videos, Instagram did it with photos, and Amazon did it with books. Of course, once you have a brand and more resources, it can pay to expand your book selling to a full e-commerce site. Ongoing market leadership requires continuous innovation. The first-to-market advantage doesn’t last long.

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