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What Makes an Entrepreneur? Four Letters: JFDI

Both Sides of the Table

(In case it’s not obvious it’s a play on the Nike slogan, “Just Do It.&# ) I believe that being successful as an entrepreneur requires you to get lots of things done. Entrepreneurs make fast decisions and move forward knowing that at best 70% of their decisions are going to be right. This paralyzes most people.

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If You Don’t Define Your Personal Brand the Market Will

Both Sides of the Table

I have long advised startup companies that if you don’t control your messaging somebody else will and your potential customers will form impressions of you shaped by somebody else or by nobody at all. For 1991 I was very technical and also had a lot of practical business implementation experience in technology. ” F**k.

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6 Key Leaders Every Technical Startup Needs To Thrive

Startup Professionals Musings

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. Yet every entrepreneur I meet wants to talk about the idea, and rarely mentions the team. Outsourcing your core competency does not work.

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Three Words Entrepreneurs (and VC’s) Should Take to Heart

Both Sides of the Table

But as I rose in my career (and post MBA) I moved into a role in which I was to advise board-level executives on topics where I was expected to rapidly become an expert. Some areas were easy because they were technical and the answer was knowable or estimate-able. And I encourage entrepreneurs to triangulate as well.

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Every Technical Startup Wishes For This Dream Team

Startup Professionals Musings

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. Yet every entrepreneur I meet wants to talk about the idea, and rarely mentions the team. dream team entrepreneur startup technical'

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Get a Technical Degree But Entrepreneurial Spirit

Startup Professionals Musings

Many believe that entrepreneurs are born, not made. While I agree that successful company builders usually have a natural inclination to be entrepreneurs, a good education helps polish that apple. We can all point to examples of successful entrepreneurs who dropped out of college, but still went on to make a big impact.

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Most Common Early Start-up Mistakes

Both Sides of the Table

I often talk with entrepreneurs who are kicking around their next idea. When I hear entrepreneurs say that they’re kicking around ideas with friends I ask, “have you legally registered a company?&# If not, at least find someone really technical that you trust to help act as an adviser to you.

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