Before I get into it, I want to say a few words about my process for writing and posting this piece. I went back and forth with family and friends on the “should I?” or “shouldn’t I?” question. Will this piece come off as ego-driven? Maybe. Will this piece come across as a cry for… Continue reading Why I Kind of Fired Myself
Category: Startup Lessons
The customer is always right? Wrong
Allow me to let the cat out of the bag. The saying “the customer is always right” is dead. It should have never been a thing — props to the customer lobbyist who made this happen. The assumption that every customer is always right is a gross miscalculation. Businesses and brands have been bending over… Continue reading The customer is always right? Wrong
Focus (what’s your In-N-Out Burger?)
Achieving hard things is hard. The process includes long periods of failures followed by iterations that improve. Eventually, more often than not, you will have success — if you focus. Focusing is easier said than done, especially in 2023, for reasons we all understand, but it’s not impossible. Focus takes daily practice. I think this… Continue reading Focus (what’s your In-N-Out Burger?)
Don’t be cute
A follow-up post to Your baby is ugly As a startup, your natural tendency will be to complicate what you are selling. Through copy on your website, emails, paid ads, everywhere. I’ve fallen into this trap many times. Your head is in the right place, you want to build a brand and establish a key differentiator… Continue reading Don’t be cute
Your baby is ugly
Your baby is ugly. I first heard this truism from Troy Henikoff, an entrepreneur and VC, during a panel discussion back in 2012. I had no idea what it meant. Fast forward 10+ years, and I know all too well what it means. It means you’re coddling your startup. You’re worrying that X or Y… Continue reading Your baby is ugly
Speed vs. Velocity: The never-ending struggle of the early-stage startup
I’ve been thinking a lot about this recently, the idea of speed vs. velocity. Understanding the difference is essential, especially for you early-stage startups out there. Here is a quick blurb from britannica.com on speed vs. velocity: “Speed is the time rate at which an object is moving along a path, while velocity is the rate and… Continue reading Speed vs. Velocity: The never-ending struggle of the early-stage startup