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Why Product Management Should Be Its Own Department

In my 15+ years in technology I have had the privilege of working as a product manager who reported to various department heads. In some cases I reported to engineering...

Think Twice Before Starting a Company

I sent a tweet out last week that resulted in some healthy debate:  “three years ago, I was telling everyone I met to start companies. These days, I’m telling everyone to think twice...

Thinking about student entrepreneurship…Boston can do better!

Below is a terribly written note, but I hope it conveys the point I am trying to make…May is a special time in Boston. With finals & graduation around the corner, students...

The case for an early exit: Average price increases between rounds

I have long had a theory that (for companies with up rounds) the greatest valuation increases occurs between the A and B rounds.  So, I recently had opportunity to do some...

On Selling Your Company

The most important financial decision you will ever make as an entrepreneur is when to sell your company.  What amount of money to raise at what price from whom pales in comparison...

I could build Instagram in a week

I could build Instagram in a week. How many times have you heard someone say "I could build [insert hot startup name here] in a week"? I hear it all the time. But, I have yet...

Raise More Debt Before You Raise More Venture Capital

Did you have to re-read that headline a few times? I admit, it might seem a bit confusing coming from a venture capitalist.  But here’s the truth: there are plenty of expansion stage...

Thoughts on Pinterest

Pinterest is the hot new thing. The new kid on the blog. The new story in town.  On hearing about it from multiple people, I decided to give it a shot. I actually had to wait to be let in...

Mentor Like You Mean it

There’s something magical happening in Boston right now, and it’s going to make history.  Like many Startup scenes, Boston’s is truly exploding, vibrant with...

If You Can’t Recruit a Tech Co-Founder, Learn to Market, Not to Code

I’ve noticed a growing amount of advice for business entrepreneurs on how to find a technical co-founder.  The advice seems to be “don’t delay if you can’t find one; learn to code.” It’s really...

Tips on building out your early stage marketing team

I’ve been getting this question often: “What positions do you fill first when building early stage marketing teams?”  Well. Here’s the deal. I’ve been fortunate enough to work at several...

WANTED: Engineer to Build My Product

As many fellow non-technical folks know, it’s not easy selling an engineer on building a product that’s not their own. To remedy this situation, many people (including myself) have...

No Better Time, Ever, To Be An Entrepreneur

I am often asked “what is new and exciting” by pretty much anyone that knows what I do for a living. And it is a great question that I relish answering – usually. Of late, however...

The Facebook IPO: too little, too late.

What’s wrong with the Facebook IPO?  The fact that the Company is coming Public at $70 Billion or hgher valuation.  That means the Public, your average Joe, has to wait until the...

Thirtysomething Entrepreneurship

As I recently hit the second half of my 30s, I must admit that my views towards entrepreneurship have changed since I launched my first company at 22. Entrepreneurs like myself are...

Why Amazon is better positioned to win in the tablet world than hardware OEMs and what it means

Recently, I’ve been putting my strategist hat on with regards to tablet ecosystems, both as a management consultant for CSMG, and in deciding where to devote energy as a...

Android as we know it will die in the next two years and what it means for you

I used to think that, as with Linux and web services in the early part of last decade, Android was going to be the mortar for the Internet of post PC devices— an essential ingredient...

Why Your Startup Needs an Engineering Blog

As a tech startup, you'll need all the help you can get to attract software engineers and web development talent. You need to somehow differentiate yourself from all the other companies...

Startups: You're Not Really Ramen Profitable, You're Ramen Sustainable

A new phrase entered the startup vocabulary a little while ago: “Ramen Profitable”. The phrase is used to reference startups that are making enough money for the founders to live...

What I Look For In An Entrepreneur

I speak to groups fairly regularly about what I look for in an angel investing opportunity, and one of the key factors I always mention is a fantastic entrepreneur.  Someone in the audience...

Caution for Startup Kids

Everyone knows startups are hot. Fueled by a strong seed funding climate and several well-publicized successes there is seemingly a rush to start your own company. I'm a big...

Advice maybe cheap. But take it even if you don’t act on it.

Until only a few years ago, I was a first-time entrepreneur struggling to get attention & advice from experienced entrepreneurs and investors. I did not need funding from them...

Size of Round Does NOT Equal Level of Success
This subject annoys me to no end. It seems to pervade the startup ecosystem, dominate media coverage over funding, and be the focus of far, far too many entrepreneurs’ discussions. The topic is...
Boston and Northeast startup scene thriving
As I took the train from Manhattan to JFK airport, I tweeted “The Northeast is thriving”. In two weeks, I attended two events that only got me more excited, hopeful and inspired about tech startups in Boston...
A New Generation of Opportunity @ MIT
Is MIT finally starting to catch up to its west coast counterparts in undergraduate entrepreneurship? After attending this weekend’s t=0 entrepreneurship festival, it definitely appears so. The t=0...
Business Model Analysis, Part 8: Crossing the Chasm
This post is part of a series on business model analysis for entrepreneurs. The first post in the series presents a comprehensive list of issues (available as a downloadable PDF) entrepreneurs...
“Strategic” customers are a myth.
Lots of small companies will do anything to sign up a big customer. Startups often make concessions of two varieties: We’ll give you more stuff (read: features / support). You give us...
Engineers aren't from Mars
Recruiting is hard. Finding the best talent is never easy—especially when it comes to finding a rockstar engineer. But could it be that companies simply don’t understand what engineers want? As an...
Forget Shrinking Markets – How About Expanding Them?
One of the powerful elements of the internet is the amazing efficiency through which commerce, advertising, and information flow can be facilitated. As a result, many successful...
The blue pill or red pill: Start-up life or an MBA?
I’m a movie guy. In one of my favorite movies, The Matrix, there is a famous scene as many know where Keenu Reeves’ character Neo is offered a choice between a blue pill and a red pill by Laurence Fishburne’s...