Startups Solving Founders’ Problems are Failing
Monday, 30 September 2024
Here’s a problem that you might address as a startup founder: other startup founders struggle to find problems to take on, to come up with ideas to address, and to expose issues in industries, so that they might launch a successful venture presenting a solution to that problem. How do I know this is a
- Published in Industry, Insights / Research, Startups
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Marketing and Storytelling Manifest a Startup City
Friday, 23 August 2024
The explosive growth of specific cities throughout the world might be the best evidence of the impact of good old-fashioned marketing. Not advertising mind you, but marketing: understanding what you have, for whom, why they care, and delivering that to them. The last 25 years or so have witnessed the transformation of our world from
- Published in Austin, Industry, Insights / Research
Invention, Creativity, and Innovation are Merely the Gears that Turn a Startup
Wednesday, 06 March 2024
We’re witnessing throughout the world that our focus on “tech” for the sake of technology skills, and STEM education to support that, is actually failing people. Don’t be misled… yes, an education in technology will result in a decent job; more so than most University studies which result in poorer job prospects. I’m referring to
- Published in Startups
Startup Founders, a Good Idea Solves a Problem, A Great Idea Creates Value
Thursday, 29 June 2023
We have a huge problem in the startup ecosystem; that’s that most founders have been misled by a lot of people to think in terms of Problem / Solution. That a solution to a problem is what matters foremost in a startup. And that has led to the notion that validation is a simple matter
- Published in Insights / Research, Search, Uncategorized
Startups aren’t defined by Tech: How a Beverage Venture can Change the World
Sunday, 09 October 2022
Why is Coca-Cola a super successful company even though its main product does not solve any world problem? The question caught my attention for two reasons: Much of the world seems misled to perceive that startups and technology go hand in hand, as though something can’t be a startup unless it is in tech. Too
- Published in Advertising, Industry, Insights / Research, Startups
Startups: Market Timing is Misleading
Monday, 27 June 2022
It’s never too early to work on something toward which you’re truly passionate. Too many founders start out focused on building the business they want or expecting when and how to make money. Bless them for playing, but that’s not how startups work. Those are the people who fail not because they’re wrong, they fail
- Published in Insights / Research, Startups
‘I Recently Left an Agency to Join a Startup…’
Monday, 21 March 2022
“Now I have to think in terms of scale and process, not just marketing, which is a new paradigm for me. What are your best learning resources (book, webinars, podcasts, etc.) to start thinking in terms of scale and process?” Great question, but one that also left me with a weight of concern, disappointment, and
- Published in Insights / Research, Startups