Category Archives: General

Here are tricks to find yourself on social media.

Posted on April 28, 2022 by Dave Berkus

Finding your needle in the haystack There is so much information being shot at us daily via social media streams that we should monitor and control that which pertains to our business – and do so with some level of … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Positioning | 1 Comment

Question: Do you know three types of advertising?

Posted on April 14, 2022 by Dave Berkus

If we never advertised, we’d never sell anything.  Right? Perhaps right, but there are three major types of advertising, some requiring large outlays of cash, some not. The types of advertising First, you can advertise your brand so that people … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding your ideal niche, General, Positioning | Leave a comment

A tale of two CEO’s and the management of pain.

Posted on September 23, 2021 by Dave Berkus

This is the tale of two CEOs, one of them unfortunately….me.   It’s a story of how people handle unusual situations when selling to the top – an executive of a prospective customer.  And the stories couldn’t be more different. … Continue reading →

Posted in Depending upon others, General, Protecting the business | 1 Comment

Why would you ever “fire yourself?”

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Dave Berkus

To start: “new source of energy” and “new ideas.” When a new CEO or manager is hired into a company, for a while lots of energy flows from the top and new ideas seem to be generated daily.  It is … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 2 Comments

Can you negotiate without emotion?

Posted on September 2, 2021 by Dave Berkus

Here’s the problem. Negotiating an agreement, especially one that involves personal gain, is tough for the person personally involved.  There is too much to lose to be objective, to be willing to walk when terms go upside down. What if … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Protecting the business, Surrounding yourself with talent | Leave a comment

Are you willing to hire slowly but fire fast?

Posted on July 22, 2021 by Dave Berkus

Here’s a test of your patience and your willingness to suppress your tendency to avoid conflict or confrontation – all in the same insight. First a reminder about why we hire: New hires can shore up the weak areas of … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 1 Comment

Entrepreneurism is all about personal risk.

Posted on March 18, 2021 by Dave Berkus

Well, of course it is.  So, let’s dig a bit deeper. Sometimes, you can reduce your personal risk by taking in other people’s money in various ways, perhaps starting with a consulting contract with a customer, purchasing a going business … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 3 Comments

Four ways to create marketing excellence

Posted on February 18, 2021 by Dave Berkus

First, let’s recall the four “P’s” of marketing Marketing is a science devised to help drive customers to your door.  There are lots of ways to define how to market well, including the four P’s of marketing (1): product, price, … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Positioning | 6 Comments

Can you defend your plan without being defensive?

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Dave Berkus

When meeting with investors or even your board, during the period devoted to feedback after your presentation, you will hear comments and recommendations that don’t resonate with you. Some will be from a misunderstanding of your explanation. Some listeners will … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Growth!, Raising money, Surrounding yourself with talent | Leave a comment

Don’t get hung up on early stage valuation.

Posted on January 28, 2021 by Dave Berkus

Here’s the “what.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked away from deals where the entrepreneur insists on a start-up pre-money valuation that is so high, no angel could expect to make a return upon the investment, even … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Ignition! Starting up, Raising money | 1 Comment