Like many of you, I have been reading about the various government efforts that just don’t feel right: IRS audits, collections of phone logs (of everyone, all the time, when there is no probable cause), eavesdropping in on phone calls, and the like. Increasingly, the government is expanding its powers of surveillance, many of which
Being a VC vs. a CEO
I had lunch with a VC friend of mine, who previously was a CEO. His firm this year has returned a billion dollars to their investors. We were talking about the VC job, and he made a very humble comment after I congratulated him on all the success: As a CEO, the harder I worked,
Finding a Co-Founder for Your Start-Up
I recently had breakfast with a former classmate, who is a serial entrepreneur. She has worked on quite a few start-ups and is now looking for a new one to start. She’s in a difficult situation because she has so many great options. Many VCs are showing her new teams and ideas, and she’s looking
How to Start Trends and Not Just Follow Them?
Today is a big day for the economy. And, it made me think of start-ups, trend-spotting and entrepreneurs. But, bear with me as I explain. It was announced today that housing prices are back on the rise, and the stock market has rallied strongly. I looked at the data and was surprised to find this: the
Lessons Learned from Matt Lauzon
I recently saw the video below and found it incredibly refreshing, honest and super-helpful. It’s Matt Lauzon talking about lessons learned from his start-up, Gemvara. Matt is very honest about what went well and what didn’t. If you have 20 minutes, it’s well worth watching. Matt, I wish you only the best as you target
My Greatest Personal Fear
At Sheryl Sandberg’s talk the other week, she asked the audience a question from her book: “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” It’s a great question, and one about which I’ve been thinking since. Am I afraid? If so, of what am I afraid? Coincidentally, a friend of mine, Anne Cooke Mitchell, is