Tag: entrepreneurship

Pitching VCs from Far Far Away

Monday, 04 May 2020 by SEO'Brien

Later this year, the Mandalorian returns to the small screen for Season 2 of one of the hottest reasons everyone has flocked to Disney+ While anxiously awaiting a show near the top of my Must See TV, my family and I spent the weekend binge watching Star Wars while I toiled away on a major

Published in Advertising, Featured, PR, Startups

3 Comments

Startups: Avoid Competition (don’t neglect it)

Sunday, 03 May 2020 by SEO'Brien

Years ago, Peter Thiel provocatively proclaimed in the Wall Street Journal that “Competition Is for Losers” and I recall loving the headline not for the negative connotation implied, but for the play on words that you’re going to lose if you set out to compete. “The airlines compete with each other, but Google stands alone.

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Published in Featured, Startups

30 Comments

The Mental Health Burden of Entrepreneurship

Monday, 16 December 2019 by SEO'Brien

In 1985, management scholar Manfred Kets de Vries wrote in Harvard Business Review, “Entrepreneurs seem to be achievement oriented, like to take responsibility for decisions, and dislike repetitive, routine work. Creative entrepreneurs possess high levels of energy and great degrees of perseverance and imagination, which, combined with willingness to take moderate, calculated risks enable them

depression entrepreneur entrepreneurship founders health mental health

Published in Insights / Research, Startups

34 Comments

I’m Thankful for Cofounders

Monday, 25 November 2019 by SEO'Brien

It’s a marriage. I’m a bit surprised by how many entrepreneurs start something merely hoping to have a business, solve a problem, or accomplish something. I can’t recall when I’ve ever seen that work, substantially. Launching a startup is like having a child, and finding committed cofounders is a marriage. The difference is that you

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Published in Startups

19 Comments

Start Up with the Exit in Mind

Thursday, 14 November 2019 by SEO'Brien

EVERY founder should plan with the exit in mind. Whether that’s getting acquired, merely successful, going public, or otherwise, most startups struggle to bring on board resources and capital because they never think through and communicate what the FUTURE means for everyone. I don’t care if you want to get acquired or stay private, what

acquisition culture entrepreneurship exit strategy funding marketing

Published in Startups

8 Comments

Education in Marketing and Entrepreneurship

Thursday, 17 October 2019 by SEO'Brien

Two VERY different things. Love this question, I mentor in our local High School program and with University incubators and accelerators. Our schools can do better, if we help them do so. Peter Drucker (economist notable in the 70s and 80s), “Only two things create value in business – Marketing and Innovation; and Marketing is the

college education entrepreneurship high school marketing startups

Published in Advertising, PR, Social Media, Startups

2 Comments

Startups Often Try to Monetize too Early

Thursday, 17 October 2019 by SEO'Brien

I was just asked, What are examples of startups that tried to monetize too early? and my gut reaction was, “all that fail.” Before you jump all over that blunt and obtuse, and too narrow, reaction, let’s explore… Encourage you actually ask the question in the inverse. How or why are so many dominant and

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Published in Startups

20 Comments

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