1) It Prepares You for How Much Work Is Involved
2) It’ll Teach You What to Look for in a Cofounder
3) It’ll Show You How Flexible Your Ideas Need to Be
4) It’ll Teach You the Importance of Passion
5) It’ll Show You How Little You Know About Money
Chances are very high that you will fail with your first company. But this may not be such a bad thing after all. If you realize the failure early enough without sinking too much money, you can propably get out of the business without too much damage.
You are now much better prepared to make your next company a success. Much better than someone who hit a “lucky punch” once.
So, start small, follow your ideas with passion and get out, if it does not work out. Don’t get discouraged and apply what you’ve learned to your next startup, and always remember: failing makes you smarter than succeeding.
For those who have not seen it. The new iPod Shuffle is a cute little MP3 player that holds 240 songs and lets you you listen to your music for up to 12 continuous hours. Apple just released a cool new commercial for the Shuffle.
Check out the video (mov/QuickTime).
The music in this one is Who’s Gonna Sing? by the Prototypes- cool video, great music. Combine emotions with simple Mac/PC connectivity, great usability and make it easy and affordable to buy music through the internet (iTunes).
Its as simple as that.
Does anyone still wonder why Apple holds 60-70% market share for portable music players ? Its all about selling “experiences”.
Some interesting links for internet geeks
What Is Web 2.0 - written in 2005, but still a great read to understand what web 2.0 is really all about
Thumbstacks - making and sharing presentations on the web / not PowerPoint yet, but just another step into the “client-less” future of software
Omnidrive - storage aggregator, that allows you to bring all your files and content together from your desktop, devices and the web onto a single space that’s easily accessible from any platform (the account with 1GB of storage space is currently free)
The VentureBlog has a great piece extending on a recent presentation by Paul Graham of YCombinator a venture firm specialized in funding early stage startups. Paul talks about key success factors for startup companies and their founders. I want to pick out three points which I consider the most important ones:
make something people want
with focus and determination
and the ability to listen and react
This really captures the essence of a good start. It sounds simple, but lets look at the potential pitfalls in a bit more detail:
Did you sometimes wish to have a mobile scanner with you ? Well, then I have good news for you. ScanR - an online service - makes it easy to use a camera phone to scan documents, whiteboards or even business cards.
The whole process is fairly easy: Continue Reading »
Are you considering to take an MBA program, but you are not sure its worth the cost and effort ? Then how about the Personal MBA ?
The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufmann is a great low-cost alternative to a traditional MBA program. Josh’s approach does in no way claim to fully replace the business school experience of your typical MBA program - things like networking and in-class discussions are still of great value - but it will help you to progressively develop a greater understanding of business and increase your effectiveness at work. And this might just be what you want after all.
The Personal MBA is more flexible than a traditional MBA program, doesn’t involve going into massive debt, and won’t interrupt your income stream for two years. Just set aside some dedicated reading time, pick up a good book, learn as much as you can, and go out and make great things happen. - Josh Kaufmann
I think this movie is great. There are actually two things I really like about it:
it says a lot about our world and makes you think
it is a good example for creating a great presentation
The slides show how to put “cold” statistical data into into an emotional context. Showing the presented data in standard powerpoint fashion (=templates and bullet points) would certainly not get the message accross the same way. I think we can all learn a great bit from this and keep it in mind for the next time we are preparing a presentation. Watch this movie below. (3min 25sec)
More information about the “Miniature Earth” project can be found here.
“Before you speak, ask yourself: is it kind, is it true, is it necessary, does it improve upon the silence?” - Shirdi Sai Baba
I am sure I not always do, but I am really trying hard. Lets remember this the next time we are heading into a meeting or when preparing a presentation. Wouldn’t this make the the world a much better and more pleasant place to live in ?
I could not have said it any better, therefore I leave you with this quote:
Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery. If you want to influence someone, listen to what he says. When he finishes talking, ask him about any points that you do not understand. Then tell him what it is you want and point out the areas where you are in agreement and those where you do not agree. He will be flattered that you have listened intently, that you take him seriously, and that you truly want to understand his position. — Dr. Joyce Brothers
I took this photo during my summer vacation earlier this year. It shows the entrance to a jewelery shop in Bad Ischl, Austria (a very nice and quite town and a great vacation area by the way - check it yourself).
For all non-german speaking folks, it says AIR CONDITIONED - OPEN on the front door. I guess you won’t find many better sales arguments to get customers into your shop at plus 35 celcius in july.
Makes you almost wonder what they’ll put up in the winter season. Any guesses ?
- cool video, great music. Combine emotions with simple Mac/PC connectivity, great usability and make it easy and affordable to buy music through the internet (
