Tag Archives: founders

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 →

03/7/19

Bullshitters v Doers

I have been traveling to see Baby Tempe for a few days so I have been MIA. When I travel, it gives me a good chance to think. One of the reasons I adore road trips.

Here is Baby T working the marketing end of her mother’s hot startup Weezie Towels. You will want to get over to www.weezietowels.com when you can.

It is hard to be an effective marketer when you can’t speak yet. But, she’s on the case.

So, here’s something I have been thinking about for a long time, but have never really articulated in an intelligible way — the world is filled to overflowing with bullshitters, but has only a handful of real doers.

I am going to peg the comparative percentages at 98% bullshitters and 2% doers. A pal put it at 99% v 1%, but he was always a hard grader.

Before you condemn the coarseness of my observation, let me say there is nothing inherently bad or evil about being a bullshitter, as long as you know it and make way for the doers who are ultimately going to solve the problems.

Continue reading →

03/14/17

Point of View — Entrepreneurs v Funders

Big Red Car here on a sunny SXSW Tuesday in the ATX. On Earth as it is in Texas. No sign of snow, but it’s early.

So, the world is divided into three basic camps:

 1. Entrepreneurs and founders — consumers of capital

 2. Funders of all kinds — angel investors, venture capitalists, friends & family

 3. Ballerinas & poets — folks who are not in the startup world and are gloriously happier in their ignorance of it

Each understandably has a unique point of view depending which role they undertake. Forget about the ballerinas & poets for this discussion.

Continue reading →

11/7/15

A Story for You

Big Red Car here in a dripping ATX day. It is the kind of day for a long nap and some football.

The Boss is down in Houston for a wedding and I’m left with the house sitter and NO prospect of a ride with the top down.

The house sitter is usually good for a bit of wilding but not today. Too much rain.

So, I was rummaging through The Boss’s computer and found his stock of short stories. Continue reading →