Startup One Stop

Good morning, All,

It’s that time again: the year end round-ups are upon us, when every media outlet puts forth its Top Ten lists of top companies, top apps, top whatever, and their year-end summaries, from the startup ‘darlings’ who hit the airwaves (Startup: Silicon Valley) to the ones who went down the tubes (Zynga, Groupon). Let’s focus on how to move forward.

Since we’ve long been a big proponent of a business model over a business plan, confirmation: Burn Your Business Plan – Before It Burns You. “We need to have a more dynamic methodology for entrepreneurship than static business plans,” Alexander Osterwalder writes in the Wall Street Journal. “The good news is that we’ve now figured out how to replace business plan writing with a more reliable process that produces better results. It’s a process that supports you in your search for a scalable and profitable business model by combining three different methods in a powerful cocktail: Business model design with the Business Model Canvas tool; Business model testing with the Customer Development methodology); Rapid prototyping with the Lean Start-up methodology:” http://on.wsj.com/Tr4uN5 Osterwalder is co-author of Business Model Generation, the best-selling handbook for visionaries, game changers and challengers. There’s a 72-page preview, if you’d like to check it out first: http://bit.ly/lj0MXS Read More...

Good morning, All,

Some of you know that I’m a recruiter by trade and now, our recruiter hat is on. I’ve gotten quite a few calls lately from clients, and inquiries from some of you whom I’ve run into at the numerous events we attend – all wondering why they can’t find midlevel talent. First, a few points of clarifications:

1. No, they’re not in hiding; 2. No, they haven’t been shipped off to a gulag in some unknown part of the world. 3. No, not all of them have gone the entrepreneurial route and are off the job market. Read More...

Good morning, All,

Consider this your annual reminder. We know it’s your year-end crunch and that you need to get your holiday shopping done. Let’s face it, you’re going to be doing the latter online anyway (and here’s a little something for you to make it easier: 5 unconventional places to shop for your holiday gifts: http://tnw.co/TuUznl). This is also the time to get out there and meet people – a mentor, a coach, a potential co-founder and maybe even a technical one: lots of open bars and techies will kick back for a free drink or two, too. Here are the rules, which don’t necessarily apply to just the holiday networking/eggnog circuit season, and we’ve expanded on one or two of them:

Rule #1: Show up! Getting there is easier than you think: just put one foot in front of the other, and go. If networking doesn’t come naturally to you, bring a wingman and work the room together, or divide and conquer. But don’t talk to just each other. That’s not helpful. If having a drink will help to relax you, go for it, but don’t down it: pace yourself. You want to be relaxed, not inebriated. Again, not helpful. To anyone in the room. Read More...