Notes on founders, judgment, and the rooms that build both
Originally posted on Old threeFortyNine Jun 13, 2012 In the last couple of years my response to the question “should I start my own business?” has changed dramatically. I used to encourage people. I used to try and build them up, entice them, talk about the good life. My standard …
Originally posted on Old shiftMode Jan 20, 2009 I was part of a working session at Business of Software with the topic of ‘hiring and keeping great developers’. The topic of testing in interviews came up. The majority of people agreed that testing was important, however, they acknowledged fundamental flaws …
We spend a lot of time and money on the financial infrastructure of entrepreneurship. Capital programs. Tax incentives. Loan guarantees. Accelerators. Government-backed funds with mandates to move money into the hands of early-stage companies. The assumption underneath all of it is that the bottleneck is capital. Get the money to …
Originally posted on Old threeFortyNine Jul 2, 2013 [This was cross-posted with our friends at StartupNorth] First, a quick quiz…For this quiz, time is important as we want your gut instinct so you only have five seconds to answer before the submit button goes away. It’s multiple choice …
Group therapy for anyone bonkers enough to try and start a new business and go from 0 to 1. As with most things I've created, Founders' Club was entirely self-serving. It was the room I needed. It's the room we all need, just narrowed in on business creation. We all …
Small rooms matter. More today than ever. I've spent most of my career testing and playing with small rooms. Well over a decade ago, long before our companies reluctantly asked us to do it, I worked from home. It genuinely confused people back then, when I explained that I worked …
Remember when the internet felt like an adventure, rather than a shopping mall? The internet is going wild again, in the best possible way. There's a quiet movement happening where creators are reclaiming their digital spaces, stepping away from polished platforms and returning to something more authentic, more personal, and …
Even great companies reject your good ideas. There will always be days where it feels like your company doesn't want you there. Or at least, doesn't want your opinions, thoughts, or insights. Don't take it personally. Think of it like any important relationship. When your teenager screams "You don't understand …
At work, you create a lot of documents. Why? Well that's the work. You have to put things down on paper, communicate it to others in your company and beyond. You need a project plan for this upcoming project. Who can create it? Sarah can. How long do you need …
Originally posted on Old shiftMode Jan 5, 2011 I dabble in home renovations and low end woodworking when I’m not stuck at a keyboard. The commonality being that I seem to enjoy building stuff, whether the raw materials be 1’s and 0’s or pine. One of the …
Originally posted on Old shiftMode Oct 9, 2010 I noticed an undertone to the first day of talks at this week’s Business of Software . That was to be different, stand out, be unique. Create a different company. Towards the end of the day, when a speaker once again suggested …
Originally posted on Old shiftMode Feb 17, 2012 Feedback is an entirely different beast in the real world. By real world, I mean the world of being an entrepreneur, creating something from nothing. Not the safe confines of a workplace or school. There’s a quote I was reminded of …
Originally posted on Old shiftMode Dec 22, 2009 Note: While reposting this here after decades, how cool is it that the Guelph companies I referenced in the original post are all still alive and running here today, in Guelph! A few weeks back, our mayor here in Guelph wrote on …
I have a work hack that will increase your engagement, performance, and overall well-being. It's about finding your work bestie, just not in the way your company wants you to. According to Gallup , having a best friend at work is crucial. It increases engagement and improves business outcomes so significantly …
Originally posted on Old shiftMode Dec 6, 2012 In Winning the Story Wars , Jonah Sachs suggests that the broadcast model of marketing is coming to an end and we’re seeing a return of the oral tradition: “the oral tradition that dominated human experience for all but the last few …
Originally posted on Old shiftMode Jan 6, 2011 I realized last night as I pitched this idea once again that I’ve been pitching it privately for years but never in public. This is completely made this up so I have no idea if it’s practical and could be …
Originally posted on Substack October 6, 2023 "Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.", Winston Churchill We hosted Startup Wakes as part of our Founders’ Club(FC) events at 349. I borrowed that term from Brad Feld . In our case, I would wait until a …
Originally posted on Substack August 1, 2023 ...and is venture capital illegal? That subtitle was my original title but it seemed way too clickbaity, if that’s even a thing in an email newsletter? “Venture investing is the answer to the question of what would happen if you staffed a …
Originally posted on Substack July 13, 2023 After quitting the job I was commuting to back in early 2000’s, I began working from home full-time. I loved spending more time with our young kids, it allowed me to spend more time in my community and less time in a …
Originally posted on Substack May 31, 2023 I expect we’ll be discussing remote work, in-office, shared office spaces plenty here. Those topics are hawt, hot, hawt! I’m not sure if I’m personally ahead of the curve on this or behind or going full circle? About 20 years …
We're starting new after a decade+ hiatus here. I'll be starting by migrating some of the more referenced posts from the various other places I've created content. Welcome!