In honor of my lunch this afternoon, I wanted to share a snapshot of the sushi chef (see video below). While these parlor trick robots do make tasty rice patties, they remind us of how early we are in the cycle of robotics. Windows 95 was the moment when personal computing became ubiquitous; in my opinion, it will […]
Venture
7 Ways That Startup Competitors Can Win By Partnering
Entrepreneurs seem to have blinders on when looking at competitors. Generally they are so focused on killing competitors that they fail to see the positive potential of a strategic partnership or some other type of collaborative relationship. Sometimes you have to put aside the emotion and the passion, and just look at what is best […]
The Best Time to Start Acquiring Customers for Your Business
I started my first (real) company when I was 17 years old in 2001. It was a digital marketing platform that connected mortgage lenders with mortgage borrowers. I had no clue what a mortgage was, but I had connections who would pay me a significant amount to generate leads. I did not know that brokers […]
Why Entrepreneurs Do Not Need a Track Record to Succeed
As an entrepreneur, I see the world a bit differently. Since I have never had a full-time job or received much training at my part-time work, I have always gone with my gut on how certain tasks should be approached. While experience has its benefits, in my experience, inexperience can lead to innovation and out-of-the-box thinking. […]
The 4 Stages From a Startup to a Sustainable Business
According to most definitions, an entrepreneur is one who envisions a new and different business, meaning one that is not a copy of an existing business model. Many entrepreneurs have a passion and an idea, or even invent a new product, but are never able to execute to the point of creating a startup. Even […]
8 Ways to Get Off the Ground With Angel Investors
Angel investors are still the lifeblood of early-stage startups, despite the surge of activity in crowdfunding and an increasing early interest from venture capitalists. According to the Angel Capital Association, at least 300,000 people have made angel investments in the last 2 years, totaling $24 billion in the US alone. These are all accredited investors who […]
How Well Versed are You in Startup Investor Jargon?
Whether you are talking to peers, competitors or investors, you as an active entrepreneur will be judged on your familiarity with today’s startup and funding jargon. I am not recommending that you saturate your discussions with lingo, but responding with a blank stare once-too-often will not convince anyone that you can build the next world-changing […]
Investing in VR: An Entrepreneur’s Perspective
As the co-founder of a virtual reality (VR) startup that has gone through two accelerators and is starting to raise a seed round, I thought it would be helpful to share some of what I have learned since starting Virt. It is still early Despite all of the media attention and blockbuster investments, we are still in the […]
How Startups Like Thinx and Glossier are Disrupting Out-of-Home Advertising
The math on New York City subway advertising has always been pretty straightforward. Down there, commuters are not wealthy, otherwise they would take cabs. The ride is not elegant, so do not get your brand too close. The ad space is far too small and far from commerce to spur results. For years, subway ads […]
When Did Profit Become A Bad Word For Entrepreneurs?
As a startup advisor and investor, I find that more and more entrepreneurs avoid using the term “profit” in pitching their new venture. They seem to feel it conveys a message of personal enrichment at the expense of others. My view is that the purpose of every business is to make a profit, as fuel […]
Communication Lessons from a Con Artist
It is a miracle that I have ventured into entrepreneurship. My 9-year-old self would have never seen it coming. You have to understand, I was the kid who was never able to sell any of that “World’s Best Chocolate.” I was the only Cub Scout who did not get the badge for sales of the […]