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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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Want No Boss? Don’t Be a Tech Founder.
Want No Boss? Don’t Be a Tech Founder. The Real Journey of a Scalable Tech Entrepreneur I have asked over 3,000 tech startup entrepreneurs why they want to start a company, and I heard a familiar line: “I want to be my own boss.” The allure of independence, freedom, and control is intoxicating. Yet, the…
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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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Knowledge Jacking: The Ferrari with Flintstones’ Feet
Knowledge Jacking: The Ferrari with Flintstones’ Feet In every startup ecosystem, two forces are at play: those who build genuine trust and those who exploit it. While some see collaboration as the lifeblood of innovation, others operate with a scarcity mindset, believing that knowledge is a limited resource to be extracted, repackaged, and claimed as…
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The Power of Storytelling for the Tech Entrepreneur
The Power of Storytelling for the Tech Entrepreneur For over 20 years, I’ve had a front-row seat to nearly 10,000 presentations from advanced entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and 19 other ecosystems’ pitch competitions, demo days, practice sessions with my mentees, and everything in between. One thing has become abundantly clear: art and science behind great…
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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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Arizona’s Launchpad for the Impossible
Arizona’s Launchpad for the Impossible Optics Valley – Shaping the next era of global innovation. I’m switching gears, focusing on the market opportunity rather than core technologies impacting a specific sector. I hope that you enjoy the change of pace. Tucson (Optics Valley), Pima County, and the State of Arizona sit on a unique and…
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Can Innovators Be Great CEOs?
Can Innovators Be Great CEOs? Too many researchers and innovators are told to step aside and hire a CEO. Is this the answer for all? Innovation doesn’t always come from boardrooms or business schools. Some of the most groundbreaking ideas and leaders are born in university labs, research centers, and the minds of domain…
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One Easy Step to Kill a Scalable Startup
One Easy Step to Kill a Scalable Startup Train It Like a Bakery Treating scalable tech entrepreneurs the same as lifestyle business entrepreneurs in terms of support, training, funding, and ecosystem infrastructure creates a misalignment that hinders and confuses tech entrepreneurs and often kills the growth potential of scalable ventures. The impact can be deep…
