Attacking New Customers
Many companies declare war on their customers, sometimes without realizing it. Customers are sometimes wrong, but too often businesses miss information about new markets, new…
Category: Operating a Startup
Attacking New Markets
My board wants me to expand my highly successful business into a number of somewhat related, but mostly peripheral areas. I am worried I will…
Building a Media Strategy
Our company is creating a new category to sell to large enterprises and we need to build a PR strategy to help our business. Do…
Running from Regulation
I am afraid that my industry is going to be regulated soon, as Congress is starting to hold hearings. How can I fight against this?…
Fraudulent Founder Claims
A former friend is claiming to be a co-founder of my company who had nothing to do with my business or idea. I just told…
Surviving Board Dysfunction
My Board of Directors is dysfunctional. We are always in conflict with each other and cannot agree on decisions. Is there anything I can do?…
Competition from Ex-Employees
One of my ex-employees just started a new company to compete with my startup. My lawyer said I could not insert a noncompete in his…
Giving Back
I am an undergraduate computer science student and was inspired by the recent webinar with Tim Connors when he said we should give some of…
Bonus Plans for Startups
We are setting up a bonus plan for my startup and making it cash only, as my employees do not want stock. Do you have…
Founder Deadlock
My co-founder and I each own 50% and we are deadlocked on everything. We have no investors or anyone else involved. What should we do?…
Don’t Panic
Instead of answering a specific question this week, I wanted to summarize a common discussion I am having lately with many companies: remaining steady in…
Actionable Investor Reporting
One of my primary responsibilities is to gather monthly reports on our portfolio companies…. The founding partners are a close group of six serial entrepreneurs…
Second Tier Talent
I finally fired my head of engineering, who was dragging us down. Now, the company is aligned, energetic, flying through development, and, well fun… as…
Helping Each Other in Crisis
We live in a world where selfishness often reigns, so it is worth reflecting one critical factor that makes entrepreneurship work: the everyday willingness of…
Protecting Oneself in Chinese Deals
My company is negotiating a deal with a Chinese company. I hear that it is difficult to enforce contracts in China against Chinese companies. How…