Let me ask you a multiple-choice question: How often do you find yourself attempting to do what people say can’t be done? a) Never. I’m not that stupid. b) Occasionally. But I always live to regret it. c) Way too often. And it’s stressful as hell. d) Constantly. It’s what[…] Read On
Blog Archives
Why Business IS a Zero-Sum Game
News Alert: This old guy somehow managed to run five miles today. Okay, so I took a two-minute break to stretch out a bit at three but still. Nice to finally get back to pre-surgery form. Still running a bit slower but that will improve in time. You know, it’s[…] Read On
The Persistence of Persistence
Our culture fetishizes innovation. Fanaticizes market disruption. But that’s not how the world really works. Right now I’m wearing torn blue jeans, a t-shirt, a hooded zip-up sweatshirt, white sweat socks and a pair of Converse All-Star sneakers. This might as well be a scene from half a century ago.[…] Read On
A Foolproof Recipe For Long-Term Business Success
The first time I saw my mom throw pasta at the fridge to see if it stuck, I thought I was witnessing a minor miracle. Moms were always good for that sort of thing. Never mind that her pasta turned out like mush. What can I say; the woman couldn’t[…] Read On
In the Business World, Size Doesn’t Matter
The notion that startups are more nimble, less bureaucratic and better places to work than large corporations may make logical sense. But in the real world, that’s far more myth than reality. How a company behaves and performs as it grows is all about the culture its founders and leaders[…] Read On
The Prison of Our Own Ideas
The other day I met a former tech CFO who’d done countless IPOs and M&As back in the day. We were talking about how many CEOs we’d known were sort of narrow-minded — so married to their own ideas and strategies that they couldn’t adapt to save their lives, or[…] Read On
In the Face of Defeat, Follow the Advice of King Solomon
“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 1:9 When you’re facing failure, defeat or flat-out disaster, you can safely ignore anything that’s been written[…] Read On