Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2022

Fortunately, it’s a skill you can start to develop at any stage in your career, which will pay off now, as well as in future leadership roles. Let your engagement be a role model for other members of your team and management. In my consulting work with small businesses and startups, I find that real teamwork is still a rare commodity.

Leadership 297

Leadership Technical Review Startup Social Media 297

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.

Leadership 433

Leadership Startup Restful Developer 433

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.

Valuation 311

Valuation Technical Review Due Diligence Leadership 311

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 5, 2023

Only one component of running a business is managing technology, but it is a critical component, so no entrepreneur can afford to ignore it or totally delegate it. That means every entrepreneur needs to learn how to attract, hire, and manage technical people for their team. For non-core technical strength, look for outside partners.

Technical Cofounder 260

Technical Cofounder Technology Management Entrepreneur 260

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2020

One of the things I’ve learned in working with aspiring entrepreneurs is that managing and leading a team is a scary venture into the unknown for many people, even if they have worked as a business professional for years. Understand both leadership and management. You don’t have to be a boss to be a leader or a manager.

Leadership 380

Leadership Demand Management Founder 380

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.

Technical Review 323

Technical Review Due Diligence Valuation Leadership 323

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2022

If they or you find it hard to trust others, love to work alone, always have to be in control, or insist on micro-managing, it may be time for change or looking elsewhere. Neither partner needs to be managed. All partners have compatible work styles.

Partner 385

Partner Software Review CTO Hire Cofounder 385

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2021

The CEO must focus on key management team hires and assume a few mistakes which need to get fixed. As one company Chairman says, "The common elements I see in first time CEO's: a) they don't hire fast enough, b) they don't fire fast enough, and c) they don't manage their board and investors well." Provide effective leadership.

Exit Strategy 407

Exit Strategy Leadership Founder Networking 407

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2022

I saw a good summary of these in the classic book, “ Ethical Leadership ,” by Andrew Leigh, an expert in this area. Business ethics are more about religion than management or leadership. Ethics can’t be managed. Any given individual may not recognize the moral scope of the issues involved. The reality is different.

Software Review 291

Software Review Offshore Entrepreneur Leadership 291

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

AgileFall is an ironic term for program management where you try to be agile and lean, but you keep using waterfall development techniques. I just sat through my a project management meeting where I saw AgileFall happen first-hand. This product line has 15 project managers overseeing 60 projects. All good Lean basics.

Agile 65

Agile Lean Leadership Conversion 65

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 26, 2022

Every organization must constantly review its hiring practices, training, and leadership to make sure the focus is on people who are motivated, open-minded, and empowered. Innovation doesn’t happen without active leadership, a mindset of commitment from the team, and a defined process. It all starts with agile leadership.

Agile 379

Agile Technical Review Leadership Social Media 379

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2021

In both cases, it’s easy for them to become frustrated and give up, since most have never been trained in change management, and don’t even know what questions to ask. Define hard (data) and soft (anecdotal) metrics on the change, as well as on the quality of your leadership. It takes a strong team and strong leadership to manage it.

Metrics 387

Metrics Technical Review Leadership Framework 387

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2021

Every one of you business owners I know has worked hard to build your brand, and recognizes the critical value of instant brand recognition and leadership. As you expand the business into new geographies and market segments, focus on culture inclusivity rather than trying to manage multiple subcultures.

Leadership 426

Leadership Management Brazil Differentiation 426

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2022

If you are always hard to find, too busy or unavailable behind closed doors, no leadership or mentoring relationship can work effectively. The old principle of managing by walking around will give the background, and people always having to wait makes them talk longer when they get your precious attention.

Elevator Pitch 386

Elevator Pitch Technical Review Dividend Leadership 386

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. Under the stresses of a startup, visible leadership cues can make the difference between success and failure.

Technical Review 308

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. It is especially important for you to recognize your life’s purpose , and understand how it is driving your leadership.

Leadership 352

Leadership Partner Developer Management 352

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2020

Every organization must constantly review its hiring practices, training, and leadership to make sure the focus is on people who are motivated, open-minded, and empowered. Innovation doesn’t happen without active leadership, a mindset of commitment from the team, and a defined process. It all starts with agile leadership.

Agile 315

Agile Technical Review Leadership Social Media 315

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2021

Most people need manageable product, time, and price specifics related to them, to appreciate the value of the big picture that you paint. Peer relationships and good advisor relationships are key to any balanced leadership, especially for right-brained people. Every balanced leader does marketing early.

Technical Review 332

Technical Review Metrics Leadership Technology 332

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 15, 2019

What had previously been a strength – their great management processes – now holds back their ability to respond to new challenges. HR processes, legal processes, financial processes, acquisition and contracting processes, security processes, product development and management processes, and types of organizational forms etc.

Government 322

Government Technical Review Acquisition Metrics 322

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. Both authors have managed their own companies through multiple crises, and are graduates of the Harvard Business School. Every case is a new one where prior experience won’t help you.

Leadership 305

Leadership Business Model Customer Small Business 305

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 3, 2021

Current research indicates that innovation is a discipline, it can be maximized, measured, and managed through formal processes. When people change, due to new leadership, new motivation, or business changes, innovations occur, which can lead to culture change, rather than the other way around.

Technical Review 431

Technical Review Leadership Operations Networking 431

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 29, 2019

If you are always hard to find, too busy or unavailable behind closed doors, no leadership or mentoring relationship can work effectively. The old principle of managing by walking around will give the background, and people always having to wait makes them talk longer when they get your precious attention.

Elevator Pitch 312

Elevator Pitch Technical Review Dividend Leadership 312

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2020

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. Don’t manage details and hold people accountable. Cause organizational whiplash.

Founder 329

Founder Cofounder Bandwidth Matching 329

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. Managing people and results require the ability to track progress and reward the right people.

Silicon Valley 284

Silicon Valley Technical Review Leadership Metrics 284

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. Under the stresses of a startup, visible leadership cues can make the difference between success and failure.

Technical Review 269

Technical Review Kentucky Due Diligence Japan 269

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

Innovation driven by the next crisis is not leadership. These three boxes include managing the present, escaping the traps of the past, and generating breakthrough ideas. They know they need to act proactively, but still are often blindsided by a new competitor coming out of the blue with a future they never imagined.

Framework 402

Framework Engineer Leadership Revenue 402

TechEmpower

AUGUST 21, 2023

The explanation from software leadership is often unsatisfying or unclear. To head these off, we start by reviewing your team’s overall methodologies, and then drill down to details like source control workflow, ticket management, and code review processes. What does a business leader do in this situation?

Technical Review 260

Technical Review Development Team Review Software Review Architecture 260

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 23, 2022

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. This is really an issue of the quality of the people you hire rather than the management or compensation system. Employees will care only about work they create.”

Startup 337

Startup Technical Review Employee Hiring 337

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 22, 2019

That’s really a form of risk management, as well as a learning opportunity. Risk management in the face of unknowns is the primary job of a leader. Often an outside perspective, especially if rooted in a different industry, will give you the insight you need to make a smart leadership decision.

Technical Review 317

Technical Review Due Diligence Leadership Search 317

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2021

Stay cool and calm, and manage by objective facts. Enhance your self-confidence to provide leadership. Look at every challenge as an opportunity to learn and provide leadership to your team. Don’t let emotions and feelings override your logical decision process as you look at alternatives.

Advisory Board 317

Advisory Board Leadership Customer Developer 317

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2022

In businesses, this requires a new internal culture and leadership. This focus also allows your team to better manage disagreement and conflict by reminding everyone of the shared intent. Use curious confrontation to manage disagreement and conflict. Listen with mutual respect and fearless exploration.

Design 267

Design Dividend Leadership Framework 267

Steve Blank

DECEMBER 11, 2020

It’s not leadership. The military has three of the four pieces of the puzzle you need: strategy, access to technology, leadership. Leadership was not the problem. Strategy, technology, leadership – those were fine. If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it. It’s not technology. Organization Design.

Technical Review 369

Technical Review Taiwan Technology Design 369

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2022

Employees are still too often thought of as a commodity, to be acquired “just in time” for the lowest cost, and managed as a disposable asset. Based on many years of HR leadership at SAP and elsewhere, these authors start by highlighting the risks of not leveraging data analytics. These should not be seen as two separate efforts.

Analytics 303

Analytics Hiring Open Source Employee 303

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 31, 2023

It’s amazing how quickly these activities lead to leadership or management opportunities. Hone your project management skills above all others. Project management is essential to getting things done on time, with a minimum number of problems and crises. Stretch here also increases job satisfaction.

Flash 303

Flash Angel Investor Technical Review Social Media 303

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 24, 2022

Mr. Everhart distills his leadership insights from many decades in one of the largest business-to-business marketing agencies, working with companies across the country. We want to make sure you can break down the silos and manage to results. The current term for all these activities and results online is “ content marketing.”

Acquisition 250

Acquisition Cost Customer Sales Cycle 250

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 5, 2020

No matter how talented you are, it doesn’t matter unless managers can see those talents and think of you as an invaluable employee, or a game-changing manager, or the person whose name is synonymous with success. Manage your whole image, rather than ignore it. You are going to need a lot of skills you don’t have right now.

Startup 331

Startup Technical Review Social Network Reputation 331

Steve Blank

DECEMBER 9, 2020

Risk Management Tools. The department launched a pilot program with commercial risk management tools. What do you consider your most important reforms initiated under your leadership today? With their senior leadership team, my senior leadership team, again, service acquisition representatives, and we talk about the issues.

Acquisition 333

Acquisition Technical Review Technology Government 333