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When “I Don’t Get It” Is Useful Feedback
When “I Don’t Get It” Is Useful Feedback It’s Not an Indictment. Last week I spoke with four startups.Three of them heard the same response: “I don’t get it.” That sentence can feel discouraging. Many founders hear it as a lack of interest or a failure of imagination. In reality, it’s usually neither. Most of…
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Developing Your Own Mentor Program in an Emerging Tech Hub
Developing Your Own Mentor Program in an Emerging Tech Hub Why Every Nascent or Emerging Innovation Community Needs a Structured Path for Scalable Startup Mentoring In every strong startup ecosystem, regardless of its size, city, or industry, one truth stands out: mentors determine the altitude of founders. Great mentors accelerate learning, reduce mistakes, raise the…
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Most Advisors Aren’t Great Mentors
Most Advisors Aren’t Great Mentors What’s the Difference Between Startup Advisors and Mentors, and How Do You Become a Great Mentor? If you’re starting a tech company, you’ve probably heard people say, “You need good advisors and mentors.” But what do those roles really mean? Are they the same thing? And what if you want…
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Not Just Proven Programs. It’s a Mindset Revolution.
Not Just Proven Programs. It’s a Mindset Revolution. Think Bigger. Show Up. Share Boldly. Build Together. Over the past several weeks, I’ve sat down with 11 local leaders across Tucson Metro’s (Optics Valley) innovation, business, and academic communities. Each of them, in their own way, asked me the same question: “What exactly are you doing…
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I Don’t Like the New Me
I Don’t Like the New Me Optics Valley: Not Tech, But People Optics Valley: Not Tech, But People Eight years ago, I left Silicon Valley and relocated to Tucson. When I arrived, I was different. I was open. I was willing to present every opportunity, plan, and idea I was working on. I trusted people…
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10 Essential Moves for Innovators Launching a Tech Startup in Tucson
10 Essential Moves for Innovators Launching a Tech Startup in Tucson Launching a tech startup anywhere is a high-stakes endeavor. Doing it in a nascent ecosystem like Tucson adds complexity and opportunity. You won’t have the deep venture capital networks, dense clusters of scale-up companies, or established playbooks that Silicon Valley, Boston, or Austin entrepreneurs…
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Why Do Entrepreneurs Launch Startups (Even When 90% Fail)
Why Do Entrepreneurs Launch Startups (Even When 90% Fail) According to CB Insights and the Kauffman Foundation, over 65% of startups fail within a decade, with a significant portion failing within the first five years. Reasons vary from market misfit and cash shortages to team issues and premature scaling. Yet, despite these odds, the world…
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The Journey of An Innovator Turned Entrepreneur
The Journey of An Innovator Turned Entrepreneur From Idea to Impact Every incredible entrepreneurial journey starts with a moment, an unexpected spark, a flash of insight, a discovery that sets your soul on fire. For the innovator, that moment is everything. It begins with jubilation. A new way to solve a huge problem. A better…
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Minimal Viable Product – MVP
Minimal Viable Product – MVP What is it, and why is it the key to a tech startup’s survival? One of the most misunderstood concepts in startup development is the Minimal Viable Product (MVP). It’s often seen as a prototype, a half-baked version of the “real” product, or a placeholder while the team builds something…
