Monthly Archives: January 2022

01/30/22

Startup, Founder Super Power — IGNORANCE

In the world of startups, founders:

“Know what they know” — which is often a substantial body of knowledge.

Some, “know what they don’t know” — for which they find co-founders to buttress or they learn.

All startup founders “don’t know what they don’t know” — which gives rise to the super power called “ignorance.”

One of the great truths of founders is they will not be talked off what the world judges to be a stupid idea because they are not knowledgeable enough to know it is a bad idea. Continue reading →

01/28/22

Broken Windows and Barbecue — A Tale of Austin By God Texas

Austin by God Texas is woke. It is my hometown and by osmosis, I am woke as a joke.

Recently, the Austin Police Department — under the pressure of a lack of support and a lack of funding via “defund the police” sentiment emanating from the City Council — announced they would not respond to burglaries via 9-1-1 calls. A burglary is now a “non-emergency” even if an alarm goes off and will be investigated when the APD gets around to it.

Hmmm, that sounded bad from the beginning.

So, what happened, Big Red Car?

What happened, dear reader, was the burglary of La Barbecue in East Austin, a chapel of barbecue (not quite a cathedral, but certainly a chapel). This was the third time in three months.

La Barbecue was not alone. Recent restaurant burglaries include: Chez Zee Bistro, food truck R & B’s Steak and Fries, five other food trucks in the same food court as R & B’s, and El Dorado restaurant. Continue reading →

01/28/22

The Dread Pirate Putin — Ukraine Blackmailer

Vladimir Putin is a thug. He runs Russia like an organized crime operation and is blackmailing Ukraine, Europe, NATO, and the United States by threatening to invade Ukraine. He may actually do it.

“Screw you, Big Red Car.”

The Dread Pirate Putin, The Thug

The Dread Pirate Putin is quick to go from diplomacy to warfare as evidenced by:

 1. The Russian attack — a “peace enforcement action” — on Georgia in August 2008 in the Transcaucasia region of the Republic of Georgia. Continue reading →

01/27/22

CEO Shoptalk – Celebrate The Winning Of Small Beginnings

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [John 1:1]

In the beginning of any startup company is the crucible that is the startup world which flows from The Idea and becomes the Vision, Mission, Strategy, Tactics, Objectives, Values, Culture.

Take a breath, a deep breath, exhale.

Then, there is the Pitch Deck, the Go-to-Market Strategy, the proforma, the Business Engine Canvas, the Dollar Weighted Org Charts, etc. etc. etc. There are Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, and Shareholder Agreements.

This is all before you even begin to think about the prospect of raising money to breathe life into all of the above.

It is a bloody daunting task and I see lots of startup founders slowly drowning in the enormity of it.

Ernest Hemingway reference, The Sun Also Rises:

“How did you go  bankrupt?”

“Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.”

Substitute the word “drown” for “bankrupt” and you get the picture.

Continue reading →

01/26/22

The Care and Grooming of SCOTUS Justices

As you are undoubtedly aware, 83-year-old Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has finally succumbed to pressure from the White House, the Dems, and the progressives and has resigned his SCOTUS seat. He was a dyed in the wool liberal and it is likely he will be replaced by a more liberal Justice.

“Wow, these people can be nasty. I had my choice of either dying or resigning. Boom!”

Continue reading →

01/24/22

On the Brink of War — Ukraine

The same morons who masterminded the disastrous withdrawal of US personnel and forces from Afghanistan after the US trained and equipped 350,000 man Afghan National Army was routed by 30,000 Taliban are getting ready to involve the United States in another tinderbox potential shooting war situation.

Three masked men discussing the future of Ukraine. “General Milley, have you figured out that whole white rage thing? Is our Army up to speed on its pronouns?”

Continue reading →

01/22/22

Dom Perignon 1962

Serious question — You receive this bottle of champagne from a pal and he sends this review along with it. What do you do?

 

The year 1962 gave us three important happenings. The first was the death of Marilyn Monroe, a tragedy beyond our ability to embrace. The second was the Cuban Missile Crisis that took the world to the edge of the abyss with nuclear war at the bottom and our toes dangling over the edge. The third happening offset the first two—Dom Perignon bottled a 1962 brut from an extraordinary crop that has changed the course of history and may change yours. Continue reading →