Category Archives: General

Entrepreneurs do not easily retire.

So, you’ve successfully sold your business and have received enough money from the sale to become financially independent, no longer having to work for a living.   That is a comfortable place to be, and it is one experienced by more … Continue reading

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Shareholders and founders: The muted thrill of the deal closing.

Now you have worked for months to get this deal to the closing, anticipating the wire transfers to the shareholders that will come any minute.   This could change your lifestyle and give you that much needed pause in your life … Continue reading

Posted in General, The liquidity event and beyond | 4 Comments

What’s your personal-business end game?

Remembering our original vision When we start a business, we are optimistic that we will succeed and dream of riches to follow when the company is sold or even getting all the way to an IPO.   Some of us build … Continue reading

Posted in General, The liquidity event and beyond | 1 Comment

How to make the most useful dashboard

The need for real time information From sports car to aircraft to super tanker, successful operation depends upon the pilot’s understanding and urgent timely use of a dashboard.  Real time information is critical to real time decision-making, and increasingly in … Continue reading

Posted in General, Growth!, The fight for quality | Leave a comment

Crowdsourcing, collaboration, support groups. Oh my.

At the MIT Center of Collective Intelligence, professors and graduate students are wrestling with an important opportunity – and gaining ground.  With new collaborative tools available for use in the cloud, people are no longer isolated in their creative endeavors. … Continue reading

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Economics 101: If water flows downhill, then why fight it?

You’ll get the importance of this in a moment. Hang in there. Substitute the word “money” for “water” and we have an explanation for most all the reasons why successful products move from concept through early adopters through mass market. … Continue reading

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How much is that one additional unit worth?

Most college econ courses teach marginal economics.  So, not to scare those who didn’t take econ, here is a simple explanation. Let’s use breakeven as our test Let’s say that your company is exactly at breakeven. Here’s the importance of … Continue reading

Posted in General, Growth! | 1 Comment

Have you lost (some) enthusiasm for the job?

So, you’ve been at this for years through thick and thin, great days and days in which you’ve had better times.  Much of your job has become routine.  But it feels good to see your “baby” grow and others buy … Continue reading

Posted in General, Protecting the business, Surrounding yourself with talent | 4 Comments

Three questions to answer about your COVID response

Most of us are affected by this current crisis. Many businesses threatened with closure forever.  Small businesses are the most vulnerable, even though most have furloughed employees. Rent and other fixed costs continue, even when revenues have dried up – … Continue reading

Posted in General, Protecting the business | 5 Comments

Have you fallen into the buggy whip trap?

Surely, you’ve heard the buggy whip analogy.  A business making those necessary items ignored the signs of progress and found itself without a market.  Perhaps that happened to sword smiths upon the invention of the rifle, and certainly to the … Continue reading

Posted in General, Protecting the business | 1 Comment