You Only Have to be Right Once

Most things don’t work out. And that is the raw reality of business and entrepreneurship. All those people who were excited and did not call you back are just part of the flow of dealmaking. All those promising projects that did not materialize or play out could have been affected by factors outside your control.Continue reading “You Only Have to be Right Once”

Find Businesses That Already Have Demand

It’s far easier to meet demand than create demand. I have been in businesses that are innovative and the proof of concept, go-to-market strategy and target customer all have to be identified. This approach takes a lot of commitment to discovery and gathering feedback. You have to see what sticks and makes sense to aContinue reading “Find Businesses That Already Have Demand”

Be Clear About Who Your Customer Is

In case it doesn’t sink in, remember, you are one of 330M people in the United States. Go to the airport, a concert or any large gathering to get a small glimpse of how minute you are in a sea of people. The strategy to try and work with everyone is a sure fire wayContinue reading “Be Clear About Who Your Customer Is”

Be a Ruthless Pruner

We are always working on yesterday’s commitments. And when we have committed, it’s so easy to make those decisions sacred. Such reverence for our past commitments builds up continual clutter, drag and mediocrity in our work and lives. Without knowing it, we are managing many subpar projects, possessions and relationships at the cost of whatContinue reading “Be a Ruthless Pruner”

Loving The Main Thing

“The main thing Is to keep the main thing the main thing.” ~ Stephen Covey Keeping on the rails is so hard when our brain loves to pull us to distractions. It’s not only the distractions, but we are barraged by other people’s demands and priorities continually. The main thing  to do can easily getContinue reading “Loving The Main Thing”

Collecting and Testing Mental Models

Principles prevail in a world of chaos. Much of life is indeed chaos. I think the importance of collecting and testing your mental models – how you problem solve and approach the world – is critical to drive success. The 80/20 rule can help you focus on what has the best payoffs. Eliminating drain peopleContinue reading “Collecting and Testing Mental Models”

Always Monitor Relevance

I went through a lot of old digital files recently in my Google Drive as part of a pruning day. I had everything from client projects from years ago to books I was working on to consulting and coaching tools for strategy. The vast majority of information was irrelevant to what I am doing today.Continue reading “Always Monitor Relevance”

Minimize Your Digital Platforms

We have a hard time appreciating what drag does to our lives and work. If you’re used to sifting through your junk to find your clothes, notebooks, gadgets or everything to help you in a day, the friction may be lost on you. It’s become a habit that’s comfortable and unnoticeable over time. It’s easyContinue reading “Minimize Your Digital Platforms”