992 Posts Found

Entrepreneurs are a unique group of people, but they behave in patterns. In fact, my firm’s research shows that most serial entrepreneurs display persuasion, leadership, personal accountability, goal orientation, and interpersonal skills. But we also discovered a set of skills they do not possess.

Content: Article | Author: Bill J. Bonnstetter | Source: Harvard Business Review | Subject: Entrepreneurship

While American venture capital firms are coated with an aura of glamor they are also shrouded by a cloud of mystery. Just how do they operate? How do they raise their money? Why do some VC firms succeed while others do not? The authors of this article, who were given unprecedented access to key executives of prominent VC firms, answer these and other questions that … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Authors: Hatim Tyabji, Vijay Sathe | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Industry Specific, Venture Capital

Every fast-growth company eventually runs into at least one of these all-too-common obstacles. How you handle them can make the difference between success and high-speed smashup.

Content: Article | Author: Kimberly Weisul | Source: Inc. Magazine | Subjects: Entrepreneurship, Management

Jesper Sørensen reveals the competitive advantages and disadvantages that startups and established companies can exploit as they compete for customers in new markets

Content: Multimedia Content | Author: Jesper Sørensen | Source: Stanford University | Subjects: Entrepreneurship, Marketing / Sales

Many companies get stuck on a plateau, unable to grow and burning through cash at a frightening rate. Frank V. Cespedes discusses how focusing on the right customers can generate growth again.

Content: Article | Authors: Frank V. Cespedes, Sean Silverthorne | Source: Harvard Business School (HBS) Working Knowledge | Subject: Entrepreneurship

Venture-capital firms have been the engine of the United States’ innovation economy. At Google Ventures, the search giant’s investing arm, Google thinks it can build a better one.

Content: Article | Author: Farhad Manjoo | Source: Fast Company | Subjects: Entrepreneurship, Industry Specific, Venture Capital | Company: Google Ventures

My rule of thumb is that someone is going to have the best seat in the house. It may not be me. But shame on me if I don’t ask for it. In every speech I give to entrepreneurs, I ask them not to make it easy for other people to say no and not to compromise.

Content: Quotation | Source: Inc. Magazine | Subject: Entrepreneurship

The greatest difference between entrepreneurs and corporate managers lies in the difference of a single belief about the future. Professional managers assume the future can be predicted; they create goals and plans and then attempt to control how things will unfold. The fundamental assumption, therefore, is that personal assumptions and learning happens primarily in the beginning of the process. Serial entrepreneurs, on … [ Read more ]

Content: Quotation | Author: Soren Kaplan | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Management

Joe Kraus says that analysts have discovered research that overturns some of Silicon Valley’s most cherished bits of lore. Take that old idea that it pays to fail in the Valley: Wrong! Google Ventures’ analysts found that first-time entrepreneurs with VC backing have a 15% chance of creating a successful company, while second-timers who had an auspicious debut see a 29% chance of repeating their … [ Read more ]

Content: Quotation | Authors: Farhad Manjoo, Joe Kraus | Source: Fast Company | Subjects: Entrepreneurship, Venture Capital

In the July/August 2010 issue of IBJ, these co-authors described the “caste system” and other secrets of venture capital (VC) firms in America. In this article, they summarize their interviews with VCs in Europe. While firms in Europe and America share similarities, the authors note that there are important differences that may explain why European VC firms perform poorly in comparison to those in America. … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Authors: Hatim Tyabji, Vijay Sathe | Source: Ivey Business Journal | Subjects: Industry Specific, International, Venture Capital

Entrepreneurs usually find that, until they are out there selling, they really don’t know the crucial differences between early adopters and others along the relevant spectrum of opportunities.

Content: Quotation | Author: Frank V. Cespedes | Source: Harvard Business School (HBS) Working Knowledge | Subjects: Customer Related, Entrepreneurship

As an investor at Accel Partners, Theresia Gouw has heard her share of spiels from entrepreneurs. Here’s her checklist for all the right (and wrong) things to say.

Content: Article | Source: Fast Company | Subject: Entrepreneurship

They say it’s all about the team. They’re not lying about that. They’re lying because they never mention “the team” as a reason for passing…

Editor’s Note: see a related article by Brad Feld, “It’s Hard To Tell Someone They Suck” (Content: Article | Author: Josh Breinlinger | Subject: Entrepreneurship

Compensation is a multi-dimensional challenge for founders and the first few executives in early-stage startups.

The most important principles to remember as issues present themselves are fairness — including the perception of fairness — and strong alignment between the key stakeholders in the company.

Content: Article | Authors: Kip McClanahan, Morgan Flager | Source: Austin Business Journal | Subjects: Entrepreneurship, Human Resources

When Project Runway winner Chloe Dao’s national spotlight faded, she needed help, but couldn’t afford a consultant.

Content: Article | Author: Issie Lapowsky | Source: Inc. Magazine | Subjects: Consulting / Analytical Tools, Entrepreneurship, MBA Related

Entrepreneur Jim McCarthy on why online innovations succeed — or fail.

Content: Thought Leader | Authors: Jim McCarthy, Laura W. Geller | Source: strategy+business | Subjects: Customer Related, Entrepreneurship, IT / Technology / E-Business | Company: Goldstar Events Inc.

During a recent visit to Wharton’s San Francisco campus, Tom Perkins, co-founder of the fabled Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, talked about risk-taking, his mentor David Packard, the downside of corporate VC, ethically challenged Wall Street, and networking vs. “cronyism,” among other topics.

Content: Thought Leader | Author: Tom Perkins | Source: Knowledge@Wharton | Subjects: Entrepreneurship, Venture Capital

Docracy is an open collection of legal contracts. It also offers a comprehensive solution for having the documents verified and signed online.

Content: Online Resource | Subjects: Entrepreneurship, Free Stuff / Tools, Legal

Every financial model has several parts that need to be put together. It also requires many assumptions, which act as the glue holding the parts together. The model allows us to contemplate what the future of our business will look like, a projection of what might be. Every financial plan needs, at a minimum, the following components, or worksheets:
– Marketing
– Sales
– Cost of Goods Sold … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Author: Ken Kaufman | Source: OPEN Forum (American Express) | Subjects: Entrepreneurship, Finance

This social entrepreneur pioneered a new model for mentoring startups in emerging markets. Now she’s replicating it around the world.

Content: Thought Leader | Author: Paula Margulies | Source: strategy+business | Subjects: Entrepreneurship, International, Social Responsibility (ESG)