I'm an American entrepreneur & Angel investor.
Ahough my stuff and cats are in Savannah, GA, I work globally and virtually.
Sure, startups are hard. But you can still enjoy the journey if you keep perspective.
“Angry Birds was Rovio’s 52nd game. Startups are hard, but they can also go from difficult to great incredibly quickly. You just need to survive long enough and keep going so you can create your 52nd game.” –Chris Dixon, The myth of the overnight success One of the great joys of working with startups is the […]
1/13/2015 Update – Since writing this I’ve had a really nice exchange with the person I mention below. We understand each other and I feel better about it. A few days ago someone emailed me and asked for 2 free SoHelpful accounts. It wasn’t an unreasonable request – he volunteered to work on a […]
A few months ago I did a startup help call with Bob Kinnison. Bob had just moved on from Athlete’s Audio, his startup, and we talked about what he learned and his future. It was an inspiring conversation and I remember it like it was yesterday – mostly because Bob is one of those rare people who can […]
Setting goals is a distraction based on the illusion that we can achieve quick success by following a predictable plan. Make a long-term commitment to mastering your skills as an entrepreneur instead of setting goals.
Summary: Becoming an entrepreneur takes most people 3 or more startups and about 5 years because entrepreneurship isn’t about any particular idea or product – it is a career change. But unlike most career changes the real lessons are from what we learn about ourselves.
Summary: Along with diet, relationships, and exercise, meditation will make your entrepreneurial journey more rewarding by helping you focus on what matters and mitigating the day-to-day stresses and distractions.
Summary: Programming is becoming a new form of startup literacy – a language you need to effectively communicate with the team. Start learning this lifelong skill today and you’ll get more startup opportunities, will build better products – and you’ll enjoy it a lot more.
Summary: Ironically enough, starting a company with a long-term goal has helped me achieve success faster than having short-term goals. Want to relieve some startup anxiety? Think about what you want to do for the next 20 years – you’ll be surprised how many of today’s problems look easier.
I love life as an entrepreneur but really dislike one aspect – exhaustion from not sleeping. When I get into “startup mode” I have a hard time sleeping past 3AM. I suddenly wake up, my mind racing. A few months ago my friend Joel Gascoigne suggested Headspace. I’ve never been able to stick with meditating, […]
Summary: This week my friend and fellow entrepreneur Tim Jones volunteered his company’s services to help the Boston Police search for the culprits of this horrible, brutal act. It’s a great example of why entrepreneurs do what we do – but the headlines only tell part of the story.
Summary: Yes, yes, startups are hard. Brutally hard. But one of the reasons we chose this career is because we want meaningful, enjoyable work. While the emerging entrepreneurship management science of being a Lean Startup is our best remedy against failure, process isn’t worth it if it ruins the fun. So take breaks from the process and don’t let it.
For most web and mobile entrepreneurs, social media is where we work – where we build our personal brands, market our products, respond to customers, and recruit. Just as we wouldn’t proselytize our political views in the office, we shouldn’t do it on social media either. There is almost no upside and lots of unseen consequences.
Feeling frustrated by your lack of startup success? Don’t worry, this is normal. When I’m feeling discouraged I listen to some sage advice from Ira Glass, host of This American Life. In this interview Ira talks candidly about the phases you’ll experience on your way to success.