Selling Your Company: 6.5 Things You Must Do Now to Sell Your Startup In the Future
Although few founders launch a startup with plans of selling their company, preparing for that possible future is never a bad idea. But before we get in to the six (and a half) tactics you should be doing now to sell your startup in the future, let me share a quick story … Alan, the […]
3 Ways to Say No to Your Network (Without Damaging Your Relationships)
Or, The Art of No: How to Accomplish More by Doing Less As an entrepreneur or executive, it can often feel like half your day is spent fielding endless requests for your time. For example, does this sound familiar? Your head of engineering needs feedback on a feature, An old colleague wants to hop on […]
Why Being Interesting is a Choice (and the 9 Ways to Connect with Almost Anyone)
The best things in life often come not from those we know and trust, but from those who know and trust us. Learn to quickly establish trust and likability with practically everyone you meet in this insightful and actionable interview.
How To Make Introductions That Deliver Awesome Value to Your Network
Imagine this: You’ve just met with a new contact for the first time and can already tell there’s a lot of potential in the relationship. As a result, you want to establish yourself as someone of value; someone worth connecting with. What’s one of the most effective ways to deliver this kind of value early […]
Back-to-Back Meetings Poison Your Productivity. Here’s the Antidote.
“Meetings should be like salt: A spice sprinkled carefully to enhance a dish, not poured recklessly over every forkful. Too much salt destroys a dish. Too many meetings destroy morale and motivation.” – Jason Fried (@jasonfried), Basecamp founder and CEO 1860 minutes. According to Atlassian, the average person spends 31 hours, or 1860 minutes, in […]
If You Forget Everything Else About Your Contacts, Remember This One Thing
150. As Maria Konnikova (@mkonnikova) points out in The Limits of Friendship, the average person can maintain about 150 relationships at a time. This limitation, called the Dunbar Number, is illustrated time and time again in our day-to-day lives: We meet new people, shake hands, have great conversations, agree to stay in touch, collect business […]
How to Generate Valuable, Relevant Opportunities with a Relationship Objective
What do you want out of your relationships? Everyone has what I like to call a relationship objective; the problem is, most of us aren’t consciously aware of what ours is. For some, it’s incredibly direct and specific: “I want to leverage my network to make more money.” For others, it’s a little less direct: […]
Silicon Valley Success: 3 Traits of the Most Effective Founders, CEOs, and Entrepreneurs
No one in Silicon Valley “lucks” into lasting success. I’d know: I’ve interviewed, worked with, and coached a number of successful founders, CEOs, and Entrepreneurs; and I’ve seen first-hand what it takes to be a Silicon Valley Operator. Operators are those who consistently push the limits of peak efficiency, drive innovation, and generate valuable opportunities […]
Forget newsletters: 4 tips to stay top-of-mind using personalized update emails
Maybe that title is a little over-zealous: Don’t forget newsletters; they’re a powerful conversion tool. But don’t limit yourself to them. One of the most underutilized email strategies in network relationship management are personalized update emails. These are exactly what they sound like: Personal updates sent to your professional network; a quick and easy way […]
3 Powerful Tips to Excel at Active Listening and Relationship-Building
Active listening is essential for leaders to build strong relationships within their team and wider network. Here are 3 tips to help you develop this vital communication skill and drive you and your organization to success.