Mecanic

Startups Need Fewer Visionaries and More Mechanics

Everyone claims to be an expert, but can they really help you build your business? There are three types of people an entrepreneur needs to build a successful business: employees to build the company, advisers to influence the direction of the business, and investors to provide the fuel and connections. Within each of these three…

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Integrity

How to Build a Company That (Actually) Values Integrity

For decades, leaders were expected to focus on one thing: financial results. But we are now in the midst of an ethical revolution. Leaders are increasingly held accountable for poor behavior, and companies are pushed by employees, governments, and customers to step up and adopt a multi-stakeholder approach that serves social purposes as well as…

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Feeling Unproductive? This Brain Bias Could Be to Blame

Bikeshedding is a very sneaky tool your brain uses to keep you stuck, and it’s very common during times of uncertainty. Our brains love the status quo because the subconscious (which makes 95 percent of all decisions) bases its choices on rules of thumb for what has worked in the past.  This desire to keep things predictable means…

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What Your Innovation Process Should Look Like

For innovation to contribute to a company or government agency, it needs to be designed as a process from start to deployment. When organizations lack a formal innovation pipeline process, project approvals tend to be based on who has the best demo or slides, or who lobbies the hardest. A canonical Lean Innovation process inside a…

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The Five Signs You’re Not Thinking Big Enough

Sign number one: You’re not thinking big if you’re thinking of a sale from the get go. You know the old saying that building a startup is a marathon, not a sprint. Well, you’re a sprinter, and you’re going to burn out well before the marathon is over. So, best of luck to you, but…

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7 Early Warning Signs That Predict Your Startup Will Fail

Getting success at the entrepreneurial setup isn’t easy. It’s because the success ratio is far less than the number of those who fail. According to a study, 90% of startups fail in the first five years of the venture. Given the failure ratio, jumping into the entrepreneurial field isn’t everybody’s work. #1 Get out of your mental trap…

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Why Startups Fall Apart at 50 Employees

“Hitting chaos at 50 employees could mean several positive things. For one, it definitely means a company is growing, likely faster than planned. And as long as the growth doesn’t get too far out of hand, that’s a good problem to have. Chaos is also a sign that your company’s executives are spending time building…

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36 Fundraising Tips For Series A

”Raising a Series A isn’t like raising your seed round. What probably took you a few weeks with minimal fuss is going to get a lot slower. Series A rounds can take months to close and involve a lot more due diligence. You’re probably wondering what metrics you need to guarantee a Series A.” Learn the…

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How to Explain Your Business (in Fewer Words)

”When you start with the problem, you ground your business in a real-world context. You present your business as purposeful, urgent, and user-centered. But something else happens when you tell someone about a problem. It triggers a ‘solution reflex’: when people identify with problems, they instinctively want solutions. Activating the solution reflex is a powerful…

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