Advice
Investing In Your Co-Founder Relationship To Weather The Storm
What if I told you that you could have a healthy and trusting co-founder relationship? What if I told you that you could meet any roadblock head on? What if I told you there were simple practices to create a stronger union with your co-founder? Here’s the good news:
What I’ve Learned In My First Year as a Solopreneur
Exactly a year ago, I announced that I was leaving the world of institutional venture capital to pursue a career as a coach, advisor, and angel investor. I honestly had no clue what the path was going to look like or where it would lead me. This was one of
How to Make a Lasting Impression in Under Ten Minutes
> "Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other." -Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture When I was at RRE Ventures [https://www.schlaf.co/p/86ad0a83-e6fa-480b-81d1-41f66b546ed7/www.rre.com], I had a positive first meeting with Ben Marcus [https://www.linkedin.com/
Introducing: The High Output Founder Library
Over the past decade, I've worked with dozens, if not hundreds, of founders in various roles— investor, advisor, coach, mentor, and friend. Throughout these experiences, I've consistently seen and heard the same things over and over. Many founders, especially first-timers, are learning on the job, facing similar challenges, and looking
Finding Your Coach: Fit Is Everything
Over the last two months, I’ve had dozens of conversations with potential coaching partners (I prefer this term over ‘clients’). I enjoy these conversations because I learn so much about a person — their history, company, vision, aspirations, blockers and more. I’m also able to glean who they want
40 Lessons From 40 Years
I turn forty today. I can’t even believe I just typed that sentence. Over the past month, I've been reflecting on the lessons I’ve learned directly through experience or indirectly from family, friends, mentors and teachers. I wanted capture and share these learnings for one important reason: I’
There Is No Perfection
Yesterday, I went for a stroll in Madison Square Park with my friend Dan Kimmerling [https://twitter.com/dkimerling?lang=en] who was visiting from the west coast. Dan one of the most thoughtful, intelligent and empathetic seed investors I know. Every time I get together with him, I walk
The March To 10,000 Hours
How long does it take to become a master at something? I first learned of the “10,000-Hour Rule” about a decade ago when I first read ‘Outliers’ by Malcolm Gladwell. The premise of this rule is simple: the key to achieving mastery in any skill or craft, is, largely,
How To Conduct A Comprehensive Annual Review
> “Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” -Meg Wheatley The holiday season is my favorite time of the year. It symbolizes family, friends, vacation and of course plenty of good food. I also enjoy it because it marks the
Here’s What You Should Ask Before Marrying A VC
Raising money from VCs is an important step in the company building process. It marks the beginning of a long-term relationship that can last longer than a decade. In my experience investing in and advising countless founders, company building is not rainbows, unicorns and lollipops. Startups are filled with adversity,
