Managing Startups & Early-Stage Companies

16 Deadly Business Sins Committed By Startups Although this is by no means a comprehensive list there are many classics here. The problem is that it is often very hard to recognize them when you are in the middle of them. 1. The most deadly: "42," or "the four toos." Too much too soon, too little too soon, too much too late, and too little too late. 2. "Blinded by the light." The entrepreneurs get…Read More

THE TWELVE (ALMOST) * SURE-FIRE SECRETS TO ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS Venture capitalists are not known for their humility, so take note of the following confession: Venture capitalists are chickens. Compared to entrepreneurs they're spectators in the great game of small business hardball. They would no sooner personally guarantee a corporate bank loan than they would jump off the cliffs of Acapulco.…Read More

Job Scope in Early Stage Companies By Bob Norton In any startup company EACH employee MUST wear many hats. In a large company, job specialization is the rule. However, job specialization does not make for a successful startup, as it requires too many people and both costs and risks greatly increase with the added levels of communication. It is a well know fact that there are diminishing returns wi…Read More

Big Company Disease is Most Often Fatal For Startup Companies The Top Ten Signs A Company Has "Big Company Disease" By Bob Norton Definition: A startup is a company without any revenue and 50 or fewer people, which must deliver a product to market shortly. Easy access to capital and not adjusting to the new world after leaving a big company or another industry are some major reasons for "big comp…Read More

Startup War Story - Common Mistake #2 Understanding Capital Expenditures and Their Real Cost By Bob Norton During my first week at a company I had just joined as President, I was asked to approve the purchase of a $250,000 piece of hardware. The operations people, all from larger companies, were desensitized to the cost of capital and its accessibility. They wanted to buy this $250,000 piece of ha…Read More

Startup Mistake Series - War Stories From A Seasoned CEO Control Your Money and Resources By Bob Norton It always amazes me how much waste there can be in a big company because people don't consider it their own money. I have worked in both large and small companies, but I always tried to ask myself "would I pay this personally" before I signed a check or a P.O. for the company. Once I was acting …Read More

Startup Mistake Series - War Stories From A Seasoned CEO Control Your Money and Resources By Bob Norton It always amazes me how much waste there can be in a big company because people don't consider it their own money. I have worked in both large and small companies, but I always tried to ask myself "would I pay this personally" before I signed a check or a P.O. for the company. Once I was acting …Read More

Why Startup Need 80% Solutions Why New Products Should Never Shoot to Solve 100% of Any Problem By Bob Norton You can't be all things to all people Ever notice how that last 10% of most any job takes half the time or more? This is a simple fact of life in most tasks because the more detail you try to finish the further you get up that exponential cost/time curve to perfection. Even painting your h…Read More

Startup Versus Big Company A Comparison of Operations Modes By Bob Norton This table compares the two extremes that should be considered when selecting a management mode or style for your company. Any company using an inappropriate management mode will be a significant disadvantage and could easily fail. Big Company Startup Hires ahead of the curve, against quarterly and annual plans Hires just-in…Read More

A Perfect Metaphor For A Startup How Do You Run A Start-Up Differently Than Other Companies? By Bob Norton The SR-71, and its Development, is a Great Metaphor and Example for a Start-up The SR-71 travels at about 2,500 MPH at over 85,000 feet altitude. In the early 1960s it was designed and developed in less than a third of the time that was then typical for an aircraft (about 18 months instead of…Read More