Recently, tens of thousands of people flocked to Omaha, Nebraska for “Woodstock for Capitalists,” also known as the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder’s meeting. At this year’s event, Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger fielded questions about everything from Valeant Pharmaceuticals to activist investors to Coca-Cola. If this sounds routine for the annual meeting, it is—except for […]
networking
The Strategic Power of Networking
When I got involved in the NYC startup scene some years back, I had zero network. In order to be seen as a valuable member of the community, I drew up a plan to actively network and target events and places where entrepreneurs would hang out. A year after I put the plan […]
Understanding Network Effects
I am a big fan of A16Z podcasts, and they just released a terrific episode on Network Effect. Network effect is an important, and somewhat confusing topic. The reason network effect is important is that the businesses with a true network effect are highly defensible, have strong retention and engagement, exhibit characteristics of a monopoly […]
3 Ways to Incorporate Mobile and Social Analytics in Your Ad Campaigns
In today’s competitive business environment, most advertising agencies are using data analytics to hone their clients’ campaign strategies and to improve targeting, tracking and customer engagement. With mobile commerce growing at an annual rate of 42%, and with 1/3 of online shoppers making at least 1 purchase via smartphone over the last 12 months (and […]
Networking Tactics That Will Change the Way You Do Business
Networking practices are all about quality connections, not quantity. When you think about traditional networking tactics, conferences, steak dinners and mind-numbing small talk probably come to mind. That’s because all business leaders resort to these tired tactics to get noticed. But if your goal is to impress a contact, how can you expect to stand […]
How to Reach Anyone
I get a lot of requests to meet. Everyday my inbox is filled with pitches and intros and requests to grab a quick coffee (which is never all that quick, mind you). These messages also come fast and furious from LinkedIn and Twitter and anywhere else I may happen to have an online presence. I […]
5 Truths Startup Founders Must Understand about Entrepreneurship
Although it looks glamorous, real entrepreneurship takes hard work and frequent failure. Fifteen years ago, people would have assumed you were crazy for expressing a desire to become an entrepreneur. But the tables have turned. Today, it has become one of the most respected and intelligent paths to take. I’d go as far as saying it’s saved […]
10 Business Development Rules to Live By in NYC
Be a successful entrepreneur in NYC and learn how to stand out from the crowd instead of sticking out like a sore thumb. Click here to be in the loop from someone who knows the city.
Great Entrepreneurs Move From Developers To Leaders
Almost every entrepreneur starts their journey by developing a solution, based on their knowledge of a new technology or required service. Developer skills are necessary, but not sufficient, to build a business. A real business requires leadership – thought leadership to attract customers and mind share, as well as people leadership around a team, partners, […]
8 Ways to Rock a Tech Conference
Conferences are great for keynote speakers, panel discussions, and hearing from the horse’s mouth about the latest developments in your field of techspertise. But what they are really awesome for is making new connections. Networking. Yep, I said it. But I like ‘making new friends’ a bit better. So here’s Skillcrush’s list on how to […]
12-Step Plan for Surviving/Getting the Most Out of Social Media Week
It’s that time again! Social Media Week is here. Over 500 events in ten cities around the world – and 224 of them (including parties) in NYC alone, all in five days. The real question is: how do you keep up with it all and tweet at the same time, when event planning, pacing and […]