To conclude our series on a framework for building a business, we'll review some concepts that warrant your attention from day one - even if they aren't yet possible. (To review, we've already covered planning and business selection and designing operations.) So what's so important that you should be focused on it months or even years before you can achieve it? Three … [Read more...]
Ideas Don’t Matter
This isn't a post about ideas being a dime a dozen. While that might just be true, I wanted to pose a slightly more radical thesis -- that not only are ideas as common as badly fitting promotional t-shirts but that individual ideas have little baring at all on whether you create something great. Think about the last great inspiration you had that actually went somewhere. … [Read more...]
What’s the Best Age to Start a Business?
ANSWER: 26 I’m not sure if HTML has a tag to visually depict sarcasm, but, if so, it could definitely be applied above. Obviously, there is no universally acknowledged answer – not all entrepreneurs and start-ups are alike. But, I think it used to be that there was a universally acknowledged threshold. Before the advent of the information and electronic age, starting a … [Read more...]
Three Life Skills You Need to Know, But Aren’t Taught
My first few years out of college I lived in the East Village in New York City. I loved it. My job was demanding and I traveled most days of the week. On weekends I'd unwind in the East Village. My favorite activity was going dancing wherever my favorite DJ was spinning. My name was always on the list so I could sail past the line. I knew all the regulars, so I'd often venture … [Read more...]
How To Waste Your Money on College
The professor pulled his notes from his pocket and began speaking. He started with all of the things a student should not do: work, focus on too many extracurriculars, or take classes outside the main curriculum. He ended with a heartfelt plea to study as much as possible, focusing intensely on one's GPA and the CPA exam, excluding anything outside those narrow … [Read more...]