Why You Shouldn’t Use an Out-of-Office Responder
Here are three common mistakes I see founders make with out of office responders.
The Real AI Moat? Customer Support
The hardest challenge facing AI startups as they scale isn’t technical, it’s technical support.
What is a Forward-Deployed Engineer (and Why Should You Care)?
Forward-deployed engineers are nothing new (I built a team of FDEs in 2009). But they can be a game-changer.
The Cost of Hubris
Founder hubris can be deadly for startups. Here's how to identify it early and avoid its consequences.
On Resilience, Rockets and IPOs
Plenty of stories have been written about the history of SpaceX. This is not one of those stories.
The Return of Solution Selling
The rise of AI is upending B2B sales. If you’re a founder or sales rep, here’s what you need to know.
Stop with the AI Slop
Many of us have quickly accepted that AI can do things better/faster/cheaper than we can. But is that actually true?
Why Building with AI is Like Mowing Lawns
What can mowing lawns teach you about how to build a successful AI startup?
Snakes and Ladders
Over the past 18 months, Silicon Valley has sped up. And most people outside of the Bay Area have no clue just how wide the chasm has become.
Go Touch Grass
Here are some of the ways that I slow things down and take a break from the dopamine rush of AI.
Stop, Collaborate and Listen
There are moments in time when it’s important as a founder to stop and pay attention to what’s happening around you. This is one of those moments.
Humility vs. Hubris
A lot of the magic that happens in Startupland™ takes place at the intersection of humility and hubris.
Much Ado About Nothing, H-1B Edition
What does the announcement of a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas mean for startups in the U.S. and tech ecosystems around the world?
AI Won’t Actually Change Everything
The current gap between the tech world’s obsession-of-the-moment and the rest of the world seems more like a chasm.
Give Your Customers What They Want
What can this recent history of fast food teach us about AI? It turns out, a lot.
Want to Hire the Best? Stop Paying Local Wages
If you raise Silicon Valley funding or are generating revenue primarily from US customers, there is fundamentally no reason why you can’t pay employees Silicon Valley salaries.
Life is Short. Have Fun.
Over time, small injections of fun can change the trajectory of a company. And your experience as a founder.
American VCs Aren’t the Reason Your Startups are Leaving
Instead of blaming American VCs for “taking” their high-potential startups, ecosystems should stop and look in the proverbial mirror.
Where are the Builders?
Why does it seem harder to find communities of technical founders in some ecosystems than in others?