Obvious Startup Advice

Investors Aren’t Stupid

February 26, 2020 Eric Marcoullier and Megan Hanson

“Do you think investors are stupid?”

You would not believe how many times I have posed this question to my clients. And every time they talk about approaching investors with “quick wins” and meaningless metrics, I am forced to ask them again.

The Work Is The Dream

February 19, 2020 Eric Marcoullier and Megan Hanson

“Those times when you get up early and you work hard, those times when you stay up late and you work hard, those times when you don’t feel like working, you’re too tired, you don’t want to push yourself, but you do it anyway. That is actually the dream.” – Kobe Bryant

Walkthrough Case Study (The 1-10-100 Process)

February 12, 2020 Eric Marcoullier and Megan Hanson

This week I’m handing off the blog to a good friend and client of mine, Pascal Wagner, to provide a case study for one of my coaching aphorisms, The 1-10-100 Process. Pascal’s experience provides additional insight into what happens when my clients put my advice to work.

The 1-10-100 Process

February 5, 2020 Eric Marcoullier and Megan Hanson

Investors are looking for a solid framework of how your company will grow and succeed, and they want to understand all of the assumptions underpinning that framework. It’s called The 1-10-100 Process, and it meets all the same criteria as a five-year projection, without the arbitrary time variable.

Forget “Smart” and “Dumb” Money; Find “Calm” Money

January 29, 2020 Eric Marcoullier and Megan Hanson

You’ve maybe heard the terms “dumb money” and “smart money.” If this is your first rodeo, “dumb money” refers to capital from investors who provide nothing but the cash, ie. they have no experience or connections in your industry, while “smart money” comes from investors who can offer you their rolodex and years of experience in addition to their funds.

Unfortunately, smart money is by and large a myth.

Perseverance is Everything

January 22, 2020 Eric Marcoullier and Megan Hanson

All startups are based on assumptions, and most have devastating assumptions that make the product or service impossible to square. If you have a good startup, it doesn’t mean all your assumptions are right. It means that you’ve done everything you can to find out which of your assumptions are wrong as soon as possible. And once you’ve done that, you don’t just quit and do something else.

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Obvious Startup Advice

AI Is Not Coming For Your Job; AI Is Coming For Every Job

What Gives Your Life Meaning?

Start With “A”

50% Doesn’t Matter

No Manager Ever Wished They Waited Longer to Fire Someone

Anatomy of a Successful Pivot: Rebric

The CEO is Responsible for the First 30 Sales

Unexpected & Inevitable

Simple Ain’t Easy

Beware Bullshit KPIs

The Tie Goes To The Runner

If You Want Money, Ask For Advice (If You Want Advice, Ask for Money)