Several people I’ve talked with recently have quoted from Eric Ries’s The Lean Start Up with almost the same religious fervor people espouse Guy Kawasaki or Steve Jobs.
I haven’t read it yet, but after reading a brief column in WSJ’s About Tech Europe and watching the video I realized that Ries probably doesn’t appreciate that kind of blind devotion any more than Kawasaki or Jobs and is quick to say so.
Much of what he says is common sense,
“If 10 people in a row hate my product is that statistically significant? It is not conclusive evidence, but it is certainly telling you something.”
If you have 100 customers you can already say what percentage are paying. If it is zero then I can already start to be a bit worried about the model.”
which is often the easiest to rationalize or ignore.
Of course, you ignore it at your peril.
If you have read The Lean Startup please share your thoughts below; I’ll share mine after I’ve read it.
I’m There For You, Baby, is the first volume in Neil Senturia’sThe Entrepreneurs Guide to the Galaxy.
“Huh, if this is about entrepreneurs, why is it Monday’s post in stead of Thursday’s?” I’ll let Neil answer that,
Today everyone needs to think like an entrepreneur whether it’s in your own business, a large company or a non-profit.
I would add that you need to think like an entrepreneur if you are working for others, raising kids or just trying to function in the 21st Century.
Other reasons I’m reviewing it on a Monday.
It’s hilarious and a great read at only 215 pages. (Disclaimer: some of the language may be a bit blue, but no more so than real life.)
It’s autobiographical, so it’s very real; not as told to blah blah.
It includes a great deal of the bare-ass truth about entrepreneurs that is usually glossed over.
For those of you who don’t recognize Neil’s name, he is CEO of Blackbird Ventures; he moved from writing for television sit-coms to doing real estate deals to technology entrepreneur; like me, he is older than dirt, but at least a billion times richer.
I’m There For You, Baby includes some 400-odd rules, most of which you don’t have to memorize, but there are a few you would be wise to not only memorize, but implement as well, such as Rule #1: Return every phone call and every email.
Most of the rules are a function of common sense, good manners and a belief in the ethical treatment of fellow human beings—not the most prevalent attitudes in these go-go meme days, so maybe they do need to be memorized.
I’m There For You, Baby offers enormous value and no preaching; instead of how-tos it provides how-dids along with an unvarnished view of what worked, what didn’t and why.
I highly recommend it and would love to hear your thoughts here after you read it.
Lady Nancy Astor was a Viscountess and the first woman to sit in the British House of Commons. In her 85 years, 1879 to 1964, she saw changes on a global level that rival anything we’ve seen since.
Let’s start with her more serious side.
First, a viable summary of the attitude that permeates both politicians and voters these days.
“The main dangers in this life are the people who want to change everything or nothing.”
If you buy into her definition of education, you may start wondering exactly what young people are learning at our colleges and universities.
“Real education should educate us out of self into something far finer; into a selflessness which links us with all humanity.”
Based on this, almost no one on Wall Street could be considered educated.
“The trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds.”
And if hopes, fears and wishes don’t cut it, there are always hates, prejudices, and ideology—anything to avoid thinking.
On the lighter side, Lady Astor had some interesting commentary on the media, women and herself.
Looks like things haven’t changed much in more than 45 years, although she says “newspapers” the comment is just as appropriate for new media as any of the old.
“From the American newspapers, you’d think America was populated by naked women and cinema stars”
I love this one, because it reminds me of my youth. I was the person everyone else called the day after to find out if they had a good time; I knew I did.
“One reason why I don’t drink is because I wish to know when I am having a good time.”
Remember a couple of years ago at the height of the financial meltdown, Iceland suggested that if women had been in charge it wouldn’t have happened? I don’t agree, but I did get a kick out of Astor’s view of things.
“Women have got to make the world safe for men since men have made it so darned unsafe for women.”
Finally, on a very personal level, the Lady deals with the sensitive subject of age.
“I refuse to admit that I am more than 52, even if that makes my children illegitimate.”
Writing is weird; sometimes ideas bubble up faster than they can be used, while at others the well is totally dry—as it has been today.
Rather than not post, I thought I’d share links to several studies about kids that I found interesting. I hope you do, too.
Anyone with a kid, let alone a teenager, knows that they avoid doing almost anything that is ‘good for them’ or that authority figures push and that they are, if not a bit lazy, often oblivious.
That said, why should it be surprising that the efforts to force improvement of their food choices often fall flat? But some schools are beating the trend merely by repositioning the food in the cafeteria.
… tripled the number of salads students bought simply by moving the salad bar away from the wall and placing it in front of the cash registers.
Not more money or lectures, just playing to a “market” with well documented attitudes and behaviors. (Might be worth talking to your own kids’ schools.)
I often wonder when parents, especially upper and middle-class parents, are going to step up and take responsibility for raising their kids, instead of expecting the schools to do it. I realize that hovering is easier and you get to feel virtuous yelling because it’s for your kid, but having kids requires shouldering the not-so-fun stuff that turns them into valued citizens, rather than parent-dependent, adult children. Many of these kids don’t have a clue how to dress or act in the business world. The silver lining to this lack of basic living skills is the increase in business for etiquette schools.
Patricia L. Bower, clinical associate professor of management communication at New York University’s Stern School of Business. “They think, ‘If everyone has access to the same information, then we’re all equal, so I know as much as you do even though I’m 20 and you’re 55.’ “
I’ve been following a lot of discussion on what long-term impact the Great Recession will have on Gen Y and the experts are all over the map. For a good overview, take a look at the different, even conflicting, opinions of this group or Wharton professors.
They are one of the biggest generations in American history, and they are certainly the best educated. But for Generation Y — a group of young people some 70 million strong between the ages of 15 and 30 — the future seems anything but bright.
As Dan points out it is probably the hardest step of all.
Reading that post reminded me of a post I did based on an article I read ten years ago about research on incompetence.
“Most incompetent people do not know that they are incompetent. … One reason that the ignorant also tend to be the blissfully self-assured, the researchers believe, is that the skills required for competence often are the same skills necessary to recognize competence.”
Admitting you may be incompetent is far worse than admitting a lack of common sense and so even less likely to happen.
Which is why you need feedback from a variety of sources; the larger the variety the more accurate the picture.
Entrepreneurs face difficulties that are hard for most people to imagine, let alone understand. You can find anonymous help and connections that do understand at 7 cups of tea.
Crises never end.
$10 really does make a difference and you’ll never miss it,
I’m There For You, Baby, is the first volume in 
Lady Nancy Astor was a Viscountess and the first woman to sit in the British House of Commons. In her 85 years, 1879 to 1964, she saw changes on a global level that rival anything we’ve seen since. 
Anyone with a kid, let alone a teenager, knows that they avoid doing almost anything that is ‘good for them’ or that authority figures push and that they are, if not a bit lazy, often oblivious.
Which is why you need feedback from a variety of sources; the larger the variety the more accurate the picture.
