All is fair in startups and war

I don’t believe in fair fights. I like competitive environments where there are tangible rewards for winners and life really sucks for losing. Building a successful technology startup is hard. Sometimes it can be downright brutal. In spite of our attempt at a feel-good society today where your kids get trophies for just showing up and everyone makes the team, there are still a few remaining high-stakes arenas.

“The startup steering wheel”

Getting a startup off the ground is not for the faint of heart. Its hard enough to run around slogging for funding and trying to attract top talent. Developing a Strategic Operating Plan or sometimes called an Annual Operating Plan, will you and your team a Map. It will help not only align your entire organization, but better help you drive your company and set milestones you must achieve. The most dangerous thing I see in startups is flailing around. As my friend and co-founder of DataTribe and founder of Allegis Capital, Bob Ackerman says: “Don’t confuse motion with momentum”.

Unconventional Strategy – Applied to Startup Economics

Cost is killing Silicon Valley. If you have been reading some of the news over the past year coming out of the valley, then your probably aware of the brain drain happening at a rapid pace. Protests on housing, insane talent costs and equity offerings just to compete with the Googles and Facebooks is having a huge impact. It’s becoming impossible to get a startup through A round without raising $2M-$4M in seed, which means you start from day 1 with a lot of dilution. Doesn’t matter if you raised it on a note or a set valuation,