Dr Sean Wise, author of the new book Startup Opportunities: Know When to Quit Your Day Job, professor of entrepreneurship and innovation for the Ryerson University Entrepreneurship Program, producer of the Canadian entrepreneurship show The Naked Entrepreneur TV and consultant for Dragons’ Den (like the Shark Tank) is an expert at entrepreneurship and we are […]
When I read the following words, I nearly peed my pants: I’ve been an entrepreneur for, oh, half a century or so, and I’m still making most of these mistakes! (And yeah, these are mistakes…his list is bang on target). When I grow up I wanna be Lucas or Jason, who not only know the […]
Entrepreneurs are perpetually interested in M&A and Venture Capital topics, but often have little direct experience themselves. The math behind this is pretty obvious: if an entrepreneur starts 3 or 4 startups in his career, there are only so many opportunities that an entrepreneur gets to learn about these kinds of deals. On the other […]
Investing is personal. Make it personal. ~ Chris DeVore Ever wanted to know why investors go cold sometimes? Find out why in this candid conversation with a professional seed investor and mentor of mine, Chris DeVore (or @crashdev on Twitter). Chris is not your regular seed investor. His background is as an entrepreneur himself. He […]
Whenever I talk to a successful entrepreneur, I always ask them what common mistakes they see founders make over and over again. Luckily I have had the chance to record some of these conversations recently in the podcast and transcribe them to share with the world. Read this list carefully and make sure you are […]
When I started out as a programmer and first tried to raise venture capital, it was a frustrating process (to say the least). There were sleepless nights, tons of travel, and the worst part was I couldn’t tell how I was doing while I was pitching. For months it seemed like nobody was interested. I […]
After my company was acquired a year ago by a large Fortune 150, I have spent a lot of time thinking about what made this different from my other ideas. Before I started AppFog, I had tried dozens of terrible ideas that all failed miserably. I had bought a website that sold WordPress plugins. I […]
This week I was interviewed by Fred Williams of the popular Breaking Biz Podcast. Here were the topics we covered: Passion does not pay the bills (tip #25 of tips for aspiring entrepreneurs) Why is money the worst motivator for anyone starting their own company? I remember discussing a business idea with someone in 2009 […]
I find most startup founders fall into two camps: those that are open and free with their pursuit of money those who are ashamed of their desire for money There is nothing wrong with wanting money, or even wanting lots and lots of money. The problem with most founders is that they see and treat […]
Do you want to start a company? Scared you will fail or be embarrassed in front of family and friends? I’ve been in your shoes. I spent years trying to dip my feet into starting a company before jumping in. Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way: You are a bad judge […]