This is a first pass at development dependency “pinwheel” model for intrapreneurs fostering new capability development and executives adjusting a product roadmap for development risk.
Mapping Capability Development to New Product Design and Delivery Read More »
This blog post is an overview of a series of blog posts on “The Shape of Firms to Come.” It’s an attempt to outline what I believe are key values that businesses will embrace to endure over the next 25 years.
The Shape of Firms to Come: Key Values and Architectural Philosophy Read More »
Exploration and discovery constitute significant activities for entrepreneurs. There are various metaphors–for example entrepreneur as researcher, entrepreneur as scientist, entrepreneur as journalist–this post uses entrepreneur as detective as a metaphor.
Entrepreneur as Detective Read More »
Three keys to making the transition from a one project startup to scaling up with many projects: keep a list of all projects, finished, active, unstarted and contemplated; maintain a status page that is the single source of truth for where the project it; conduct, document, and act on post-project assessment findings.
Q: We Have Grown From One Project To Many Projects, How To Manage? Read More »
Three tips for selling in an early market, with a particular focus on selling IoT devices in 2017: find early adopters, start with a pilot, and identify partners who understand how to foster change.
Selling IoT Devices and Networks Read More »
Applications that improve knowledge worker productivity have to satisfy “prepared users” not “casual users” and are especially challenge to do customer discovery and development for. With his permission, I have included William Pietri (LinkedIn williampietri) answer to a real question from an early stage entrepreneur because I found it incredibly insightful. I have known William
Q: How to Explore an MVP For Knowledge Worker Productivity Read More »
Whether you are interviewing potential employees or potential customers, don’t explore Thoughtland with a focus on predictions and beliefs. Instead, explore actual behavior and prior experience.
Don’t Explore Thoughtland In Interviews Read More »
Pete Tormey’s ebook “Startup Guide to Intellectual Property: Early Stage Protection of IP” is a great resource for founders on startup intellectual property. This blog post includes excerpts from the “Protecting IP Early” chapter that focus on protecting startup secrets early in its existence.
In the Beginning was the Doodle: Protecting Startup Secrets Read More »
Pete Tormey’s ebook “Startup Guide to Intellectual Property: Early Stage Protection of IP” is a great resource for founders on startup intellectual property. This blog post includes excerpts from the “Protecting IP Early” Chapter of Pete’s book. They cover some of the basic concepts of intellectual property and how to protect it early in your
In the Beginning Was the Doodle: Defining Startup Intellectual Property Read More »
When someone on your team says, “Google Thinks Our Name Is a Typo” you are at a disadvantage. Even worse if it suggests a competitor as the correct spelling it makes it look like you are typosquatting. Unless you have a strong reason for doing so it’s probably not a good idea.
Q: Google Thinks Our Name Is a Typo and Suggests a Competitor Read More »
There are few–if any–real secrets to entrepreneurial success. Most entrepreneurial secrets are hiding in plain sight, available to anyone who keeps their eyes and ears open and is willing to ask questions.
Newsletter August 2017: Entrepreneurial Secrets Read More »
It’s not uncommon for a startup’s offering to evolve from service to system integration to product. Here is an explanation for the reasons and benefits.
A Common MVP Evolution: Service to System Integration to Product Read More »
The difference between scouting a new market and scouting a promising market is that the former may not exist–or come into existence–while the latter clearly exists because it’s already occupied.
Scouting a Promising Market: Sending Spies Into Canaan Read More »
Howard Marks wrote “Dare to be Great” in 2006 as a summary of challenges for successful investment: you have to be unconventional but correct. This advice applies to startups as well.
Howard Marks: “Dare To Be Great” Read More »
Mark Hanzo, CTO of Hanzo Archives, was interviewed by SimpleWeb as part of a series on validating startup ideas. I found his remarks on very practical and insightful and have added some observations of my own.
Mark Williamson, CTO of Hanzo Archives, on Validating Startup Ideas Read More »
Key product management lessons learned extracted from two blog posts by John P. Cutler: “50 Things I’ve Learned About Product Management” and “Feedback Loops and Done.“
John Cutler on Product Management Lessons Learned Read More »
Chip Conley shares how he was able to look at AirBNB’s operation with newcomer’s eye when he chose to reconceive bewilderment as curiosity.
Chip Conley: Reconceive Bewilderment As Curiosity Read More »
A focus on inefficiencies is a good method to find a underserved market where you can bootstrap you way to viability. Here is a list of several others.
Q: Is a Focus on Inefficiencies a Good Way to Find an Underserved Market? Read More »
How do you answer someone who asks “Should I be an entrepreneur?” We ask, “Are you committed to self-improvement and to providing value?”
Q: Should I Be an Entrepreneur? Read More »
Customer development–discovery driven sales–requires that you first understand the customer’s problem then present a vision of a solution. If that is acceptable you can proceed to a demonstration that provides technical proof of value.
