Startups Archives - Page 2 of 36

Set Up Your AI Board of Advisors

Monday, 27 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Among the incubators in which I’m involved, and in conversations with founders, it’s evident that most need startup experienced advisors; the brightest of founders even asking for them in their ask at the end of a pitch (before asking for funding). Evident in 90% of startups is that they lack the CMO but don’t have

Published in Startups

13 Comments

It’s All About Execution is Wrong

Wednesday, 22 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

For decades, we’ve told founders that “execution is everything.” Entire conferences, books, and TED Talks have been built around this single mantra, as if startups succeed or fail on the same principles that determine whether a restaurant gets your order right. A quick Google Search (as long as we’re still doing those), shows us article

entrepreneurship execution marketing

Published in Startups

9 Comments

Building Cities Out of Song; the Creative Engine of Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Tuesday, 14 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Music, a primary cultural cornerstone, plays a transformative role in fostering creativity, collaboration, and risk-taking — traits essential for entrepreneurship and innovation. A 2019 study by the World Economic Forum underscored the symbiotic relationship between the arts and innovation, emphasizing that creativity spurred by artistic engagement improves problem-solving and decision-making. Similarly, the National Endowment for

arts austin creative creativity detroit entrepreneurship innovation manchester music new york silicon valley texas

Published in Austin, Economic Development, Startups

34 Comments

How One of the Best Product Launches Ever Proves You Need Better Advisors

Wednesday, 08 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Be it a startup, a corporation, or even a public office, I would bet money before I’d invest in a startup that success hinges on the quality of its advisors. Advisors are not just voices in the background; they are formal participants in an organization’s structure, uniquely positioned to provide insights and strategic guidance that

advice advisors marketing mentors product launch

Published in Startups

11 Comments

The Foibles of Pivoting: Why It Fails

Tuesday, 07 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

The idea of pivoting in startups is almost as entrenched in entrepreneurial culture as the notion of disruption itself. Popularized by Eric Ries in his seminal work, The Lean Startup, the concept of a pivot refers to a “structured course correction designed to test a new fundamental hypothesis about the product, strategy, and engine of

entrepreneurship execution Lean Startup marketing validation

Published in Startups

4 Comments

Venture Capital Manifests for Opportunity: It’s Not Available to Serve

Monday, 06 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

For economic development professionals, community builders, and government officials committed to fostering entrepreneurship, it’s all too common to hear founders lament that a “lack of capital” is their most significant challenge. Yet, curiously, a lack of capital is rarely cited as a leading cause of startup failure. This disconnect points to a deeper, systemic issue

angel investment economic development fund raising funding venture capital

Published in Raising Capital, Startup Ecosystems

8 Comments

Driving Innovation in Corporate Environments

Thursday, 02 January 2025 by Paul O'Brien

Established companies often lag behind startups in innovation due to structural and cultural constraints. Designed to operate with agility and a high tolerance for risk, founders are pursuing specific solutions to uncovered opportunities and work at a pace necessary to get out in front of competition; large organizations, by contrast, naturally prioritize stability, efficiency, and

companies corporate innovation corporate ventures innovation intrapreneurship

Published in Startups

18 Comments