February 2011
30 posts
The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek
The river is famous to the fish. The loud voice is famous to silence, which knew it would inherit the earth before anybody said so. The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds watching him from the birdhouse. The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek. The idea you carry close to your bosom is famous to your bosom. The boot is famous to the earth, more famous than the dress shoe, ...
How to be an Angel Investor
by Venture Hacks
Watch
Brian Chesky, CEO and founder of the company, stopped by last week to shoot a GigaOM Start-Up Sessions (video above), during which he shared the story of AirBnB and the lessons he learned in three years of chasing a dream.
Chesky has already learned some lessons he wants to share with his fellow entrepreneurs:
Conventional wisdom is overrated.
Being broke brings an incredible amount of...
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Facebook Co-Founder Speaks Publicly: What I... →
Imagine sitting in a movie theater, and when the lights dim and credits roll, you see your life unfold on the screen.
A Detective, a Salesman, and a Coach - Mike... →
Why focusing on a few products is hard
“Focus is about saying no.” This quote is perhaps apocryphal but it’s credited to Steve Jobs. It’s not a novel idea. Many companies chant this mantra but do they really understand what focus implies?
Focus is the antithesis of portfolio theory.
Portfolio theory is a great concept. Every pedestrian in New York City has experienced it. While the weather is fine, street vendors sell their...
Fred Wilson's 5 rules for finding product/market...
Early in a startup, product decisions should be hunch driven. Later on, product decisions should be data driven.
Hunches come from being a power user of the products in your category and from having a long standing obsession about the problem you are solving.
Domain expertise to the point of obsession is highly correlated with the most successful entrepeneurs in our portfolio.
Ideas that most...
What you can learn from The Social Network
The Social Network is an incredibly well made and motivating film. I don’t care about the facts of the matter — they’re irrelevant. The movie tells a better story about startup life than anything I’ve ever read in the press. Pretend this is a film about fictional people and a fictional product. Here are a few things you can learn:
- Facebook was built on strengths, not...
“Marriage is an important part of getting ahead: lets people know you’re...”
– Ellerby, The Departed (2006)
Six signs you may be dating a venture capitalist...
6. He had no interest in you, and then suddenly did once he heard five other guys were courting you
5. You often wish he looked at you the way he looks at Apple products
4. Refers to contraceptives as downside protection
3. One night he got drunk and asked if you’d be willing to have a syndicate
2. When things started getting serious, you introduced him to your parents; he introduced you to the...
How to Keep Kicking Ass When You Lose Your... →
We may feel fear because of an experience that has happened in the past which triggers fear in the present. We might feel fear of uncertainty, or fear of the unknown. Or, we may even be frightened of doing what we’ve always wanted to do with our lives—a kind of nervous excitement, if you will. […] Fear is debilitating. It keeps us at a distance. It stops us from moving forward. It holds us...
Why Starting Justin.tv Was A Really Bad Idea, But... →
“Weed — a plant whose virtues have not yet discovered.”
– Ralf Waldo Emerson