Someone asked the following question on LinkedIn: “Everyone has a fear of something. Being an entrepreneur there are so many unknowns and big risks that have to be taken in order to grow. How have you been able to take the leap of faith?” My response: “Many of the answers so far are quite rational,Continue reading “How Do Entrepreneurs Face Their Fears?”
Category Archives: Leadership & Entrepreneurship
Sales Forecasting For a Mobile Startup
I recently answered a LinkedIn question about sales forecasting for a mobile startup. The question: “Mobile Start-ups are not as easy to forecast, at least in my opinion, as some other types of businesses. Obviously VCs and investors understand your projections are essentially fabricated and pure guesses, but how would you go about forecasting salesContinue reading “Sales Forecasting For a Mobile Startup”
Entrepreneurship: Full-time or Part-time?
Someone asked the following question on LinkedIn: “Is it possible to successfully start-up a company while working on a full-time job?” Here’s what I said – what do you think? “Although we have this mythology built up about “all in” startups that raise venture capital and work 20+ hour days, most “successful” startups (that is,Continue reading “Entrepreneurship: Full-time or Part-time?”
Recommended Entrepreneurship Books
I made the following entrepreneurship book recommendations on Quora, so thought I’d share them here as well: I use the following two books as course texts in my entrepreneurship course: Effectual Entrepreneurship – Real data and evidence-based research on successful entrepreneurs The Startup Owner’s Manual – Steve Blank’s step-by-step guide to launching a venture (annoyinglyContinue reading “Recommended Entrepreneurship Books”
Entrepreneurship Advice: Growing a Consumer Web Business
A friend of mine who recently took the entrepreneurial plunge and launched a consumer web business recently asked me for some advice. Aiming to serve more people than just him with what is hopefully useful advice, I am posting my response here. This was my friend’s request: “I believe the greatest challenge my company willContinue reading “Entrepreneurship Advice: Growing a Consumer Web Business”
Keys for US Job Creation
Last week I was honored to be asked to advise the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness about what we are doing here in Houston that has led to so much job creation while the rest of the country has been so economically stagnant. The meeting was held at Rice and was an informal roundtableContinue reading “Keys for US Job Creation”
Selling Your Entrepreneurial Venture
In response to the news of Microsoft’s acquisition of Yammer, I was asked for my opinion on whether this kind of “selling out” is good thing. The asker of the question cited concerns that the “big, grey corporation” might stifle the product, slow innovation, or in other ways ruin a good thing. Following is myContinue reading “Selling Your Entrepreneurial Venture”
CleanTech Open Finals
Last week I traveled to San Jose, CA, for the finals of the CleanTech Open, for which Smart Office Energy Solutions had been selected as a finalist from the South Central region. I and 20 other finalists from the seven regions arrived in San Jose on Monday to begin two exhausting days of competition. EachContinue reading “CleanTech Open Finals”
School Pride Continued
No sooner had we returned to the US than we traveled to San Antonio for more IMD action – but this time closer to “home” turf! The Academy Of Management‘s annual meeting was being held there in several venues along the River Walk. The AOM is the preeminent academic organization for scholars in the fieldsContinue reading “School Pride Continued”
CleanTech Open National Academy
I’ve just returned from the National Academy of the Cleantech Open, for which Smart Office Energy Solutions was selected as a Regional Semifinalist, in San Jose, CA. The Academy was a four-day affair of workshops and networking for Cleantech entrepreneurs who had made it into the semi-finals. The jury is still out on whether competingContinue reading “CleanTech Open National Academy”