2014 Issues for a 2016 Exit – Part 1
January 21, 2014
If you want an exit later, deal with critical issues now. Guest author Bob Barker is managing partner of 20/20 Outlook LLC….
CEO exit strategies
What links CEOs of billion-dollar start-ups?
November 4, 2013
I found this article from Aileen Lee fascinating: Welcome To The Unicorn Club: Learning From Billion-Dollar Startups. She looks at…
It takes different strokes to move a company
October 10, 2013
In his latest column – “Starting and Finishing” – Fred Wilson writes about the different skill sets needed to found a company and then…
RISE Week Austin Registration Open
May 2, 2013
Registration is now open for RISE Week Austin, named one of the “Must-Attend 2013 Conferences for Entrepreneurs” by a Forbes contributor. Taking place May 13-17, the event “offers entrepreneurs a combination of interactive learning sessions, inspiring keynotes, unique competitions, funding opportunities, and celebratory networking events.” I’ll be hosting a session on Thursday, May 16 called “10 Steps to a 9-Figure+ Exit.” Sessions are kept to only 25 people to allow for in-depth, quality interactions, so sign up soon!
Success is not a straight line
April 4, 2013
I came across this Success Is a Squiggly Line diagram from Demetri Martin at Lifehacker.com. I love the message, because it accurately describes what a company goes through on the path to success. While I founded and successfully exited two companies to large returns for the team and investors, the path to success was anything but straight.
In an earlier post I described a board meeting where I recommended shutting down one of the companies after the events of 9/11 made it difficult to sell anything. I could tell you about another half a dozen times where I thought the companies would likely fail. As a CEO, you will rarely feel completely confident that your company is going to be a big success.
The phrase I use is paranoid optimism. I think that phrase captures the natural state that a good CEO adopts. There is a constant level of stress: The path to success has too many twist and turns to ever feel comfortable. Which is one reason I’m not desperate to jump right back into the CEO chair!
But I do believe that as a CEO you can set yourself up to be a good leader and make the best decisions possible at any given time, which is the reason I started this blog.
See also: Steering clear of other CEO’s mistakes
Pope’s resignation a lesson in leadership
February 28, 2013
The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI today after just eight years in office presents a great case study for leaders…