This is the fourth post in my series of blog posts on economic moats. I have already written about Network Effects, Switching Costs, and Intangibles. In this post I will discuss how Cost Advantages and Efficient Scale might develop as an early stage startup travels through the discovery phase of its life-cycle. ((Any errors in appropriately […]
The Path To Disaster: A Startup Is Not A Small Version of A Big Company – The Office Hours Remix
Note: This is a remix of The Path To Disaster: A Startup Is Not A Small Version of A Big Company, a blog post I wrote for publication at Tekedia on August 20, 2012. This remix is based on my experience meeting early stage startup founders in NYC since then. Each time I hold office […]
Revisiting What I Know About Intangibles & Startups
This is the third post in my series of blog posts on economic moats. I have already written about Network Effects and Switching Costs. The remaining three sources of an economic moat are Cost Advantages, Efficient Scale, and Intangibles. ((Any errors in appropriately citing my sources are entirely mine. Let me know what you object […]
Notes On Strategy; What Can We Learn From Religious Leaders About Building Early-Stage Startup Culture?
Alternative Working Title: Notes On Strategy; Engineering Your Early Stage Startup’s Culture For Longevity What it’s like to work for Amazon http://t.co/7Nw93JDqz0 — The New York Times (@nytimes) August 19, 2015 Replace Just 2 Words in the Times Amazon Article and Something Amazing Happens @TKspeakshttp://t.co/bk3Y7ZCLCE — Inc. (@Inc) August 21, 2015 The topic of culture has […]
Notes on Strategy; Michael Porter’s Generic Competitive Strategies for Early Stage Tech Startups
Running a business without a strategy is like breathing air without oxygen. My post Notes on Strategy; For Early Stage Technology Startups led to follow up questions from a handful of readers who asked for additional posts with more explanations and examples. ((Let me know if you feel I have failed to attribute something appropriately. Tell me how […]
How Studying Bankruptcy And Working On Two Turnaround Assignments Prepared Me To Become An Early Stage Venture Capitalist
When I started business school at NYU Stern in the fall of 2005 my plan centered on taking every class in Bankruptcy & Reorganization, and Distressed Investing that I could. I took 3 elective classes in that area; Bankruptcy & Reorganization with Prof. Ed Altman, Case Studies in Bankruptcy & Reorganization with Prof. Max […]