Marketwatch today ran the inevitable story: Apple passes Microsoft for second place in S&P 500. Yes, Apple is now bigger than Microsoft. Marketwatch noted Apple’s $241 billion market cap to Microsoft’s $239 billion market cap. This is what happens when a company manages to attain a high profile based on high quality and unapologetic high [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Entrepreneurship'
Advertising
February 13th, 2010 · Comments Off · Entrepreneurship
Advertising will in the future world become gradually more and more intelligent in tone. It will seek to influence demand by argument instead of clamor, a tendency already more apparent every year. Cheap attention-calling tricks and clap-trap will be wholly replaced, as they are already being greatly replaced, by serious exposition; and advertisements, instead of [...]
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Funding Working Capital
February 6th, 2010 · 5 Comments · consulting, Entrepreneurship
I recently fine-tuned my Financial chops at a week long National Development Association training on economic development finance. It was a tough week, but a good one. I brought back some new tools we can use to analyze companies quickly and efficiently, and help determine debt capacity and operational effectiveness. Here’s a concept that bears [...]
Tags: Accounts receivable·Asset·Balance Sheet·Business·Finance·Financial services·Financial statements·Working capital
The smartest guy in the room – you!
February 6th, 2010 · Comments Off · Entrepreneurship
Image via Wikipedia I’m teaching an MBA course at Mankato State University – MBA 690 Executive Series. The class is filled with amazing students – bright, inquisitive and well informed. We’ve lined up some great speakers. Our first guest was Lorin Krueger, former CEO of Winland Electronics and current start-up entrepreneur. I’ve facilitated guest speakers [...]
Ask Why/Why/Why/Why/Why?
January 14th, 2010 · Comments Off · Entrepreneurship
I was recently re-introduced to the “5 Whys Exercise” – used by Toyota during the evolution of their manufacturing methodologies. Simply ask “why” five times to get to the bottom of things. “We don’t have the proposal ready” Why? “Betty didn’t get it done” Why? “She didn’t get started ’till Monday” Why? “I didn’t send [...]
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Making it happen
January 12th, 2010 · 2 Comments · Entrepreneurship
Here’s a revisit of an article I wrote a few years ago while teaching at WHU in Germany. I’ve updated it a bit… Cover via Amazon All companies seek growth. Below is a plan of attack for identifying new venture opportunities within the framework of your current business. The key is to start with problems [...]
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Happiness
January 2nd, 2010 · Comments Off · apple, Entrepreneurship, yovia.com
“Happiness” is one of those weird spelling words – I think it should be “Happyness”, but I get a red squiggly underline, so I’m wrong. I get a lot of red squiggly underlines. “Happiness” is something I’ve been thinking about. I lead a great life. I have a fantastic wife who I adore, and seems [...]
Tags: Fred Wilson·Happiness Project·New Year's resolution·Stock market
The Fisherman
November 9th, 2009 · Comments Off · Entrepreneurship
This is usually the last story I teach for Entrepreneurship: A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them. “Not very long,” answered the Mexican. “But then, why didn’t you stay out longer [...]
Tags: Entrepreneurship
Insainly great media on the horizon
November 1st, 2009 · Comments Off · apple, Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship
There is a great article over on Harvard Business Blogs by Umair Haque. I’ve made reference to Umair before – his blog is well worth reading. He recently was discussing Apple’s rumored release of a Kindle-like/Video/Tablet/Killer device. Whatever it will be, it is sure to be disruptive. Innovation that is game changing tends to change [...]
Tags: Innovation
Fantastic Social Entrepreneurship Video
October 20th, 2009 · Comments Off · Entrepreneurship, ideas, Social Entrepreneurship
My sister is one heck of an entrepreneur. Instead of creating a business to benefit herself, she created a Museum that benefits an entire state. Anne Steuer created the Children’s Museum of Lacrosse – an epically wonderful place where families can go to learn and explore. Please watch her short “Aha Moment” video, and give [...]