mikehudack:

startupquote:

Not having a clear goal leads to death by a thousand compromises.

- Mark Pincus

Some thoughts on entrepreneurship from the TED Conference

hiten:

seth godin_people don´t buy what they need (via One Trick Pony in FlickR)

stephenmurphey:

Over the past year I’ve worked with several startups and I’ve learned more about launching a new venture through these experiences than in my MBA program. It’s also much cheaper and less painful to learn from someone else’s experiences than your own…and in any startup saving money is always a good thing.

Building your desk is a right of passage

Nothing says startup like the founder saying “Great to have you…here’s a power drill, your desk is in those boxes over there.” If you don’t like putting your own desk together, you probably won’t like working for a startup. Let’s face it, there’s very little security and the pay is less than working for “the man.” Nobody launches a new business because they want security, though they often hope to strike it rich.

If you’re leasing office space, make the check out to the property owner not the property manager.

This one might not make any sense but here’s why. If you make the check out to the property manager and they run off with the check (it has happened) you will still owe the property manager the rent. However, if you make the check out to the “owner” and they run off with it you’re covered.

Half the reason to hire a lawyer is for their connections

Lawyers are great networkers and can be a great way to find advisors, mentors, investors and anyone else who can help grow your business. They won’t shamelessly promote your company, but they will make useful connections where possible.

When negotiating anything find the “root” cause

This is especially useful if you’ve reached an impasse and can’t come to an agreement. Understanding why they have a particular stance can help find alternative solutions that work for both parties.