Published inUtah Business·Aug 22, 2022How to set vision for startup companiesA mission, a simple yet durable purpose, is the foundation of strategy for any great company. As with all foundations, leaders should take great care to construct them with exactitude, with the robustness needed to hold an organization steady in changing times and conditions through competitive storms and prosperous periods…Entrepreneurship4 min readEntrepreneurship4 min read
May 3, 2022How a startup can identify a company mission — Utah BusinessI’ve been a student of strategy for my entire career. It was ingrained in my way of thinking in graduate school, and in my five years of consultant work post-graduation. In operating and staff roles afterward, I had the chance to practice the craft of strategy over and over again. …Company Mission6 min readCompany Mission6 min read
Published inUtah Business·Feb 16, 2022How should you set direction for your startup?In all of my years in business, every company I know has used the beginning of a new year as a time to reflect on goals. …Startup7 min readStartup7 min read
Published inUtah Business·Jan 6, 2022Do you need a large market when raising venture capital? — Utah BusinessOne evening when I was in graduate school, I was invited to an event held by the Young Presidents Organization (YPO). At the time, I didn’t even know what YPO was, but it sounded interesting, so I went. I ended up in a conversation with a guy who mentioned, in…Founders6 min readFounders6 min read
Published inUtah Business·Nov 11, 2021The dark art of valuing a company | Utah BusinessKickstart reviews over 600 companies for investment per year―think about that for a minute. That’s two to three companies per business day. The variety is stunning. Everything from simple consumer products to complex AI systems for radiologists. These products are sometimes only ideas. In other cases, they are already generating…7 min read7 min read
Published inUtah Business·Sep 8, 2021Zoom isn’t enough (why startup teams should be together)When I first started at Kickstart, we dedicated one full day per week just to hear pitches. This equated to seeing more than 500 companies per year. We had almost no filter―if you were starting a company, you could talk to us―because, at a minimum, we hoped to provide some…Remote Team7 min readRemote Team7 min read
Published inUtah Business·Jul 15, 2021Successful startups need two types of people — Utah BusinessFor startup success in any industry, you need both role players AND athletes. In my last article, I wrote about certain strong beliefs I used to have as an early-stage venture capital investor, and on which I am changing my mind. One of those beliefs involves “athletes vs. role players.” I shared that I used to think that athletes should dominate startup teams…Startup6 min readStartup6 min read
Published inUtah Business·Jun 18, 2021Founders need more than purposeI’ve now been a venture capitalist for over six years. My early years were a bit disorienting, to be sure. I’ve traditionally been a big company guy, so adjusting my weltanschauung to the perspective of an entrepreneur and all of the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) that accompanies it…7 min read7 min read
Published inUtah Business·May 26, 2021On side hustles (please don’t, it’s for your own good)A couple of weeks ago, Medium pushed out a link to an article about a highly accomplished Harvard student. One of the primary messages of the article was that smart people can manage one or more “side hustles” while also pursuing a primary career or educational path in life. …Side Hustle9 min readSide Hustle9 min read
Published inUtah Business·Apr 21, 2021Utah tech is an ecosystem (and that should matter to you)Some time ago I was involved in a panel discussion at an event along with other investors. At one point in the conversation a participant on the panel referred to the technology startup community in Utah as an “ecosystem.” This is a fairly common metaphor, of course. …Utah5 min readUtah5 min read
