"Think you can stand the heat? Then get in that kitchen! We've got all the information you need to start your own restaurant, be it a fast-food joint, a coffeehouse, a deli or a full-service establishment. Start with our extensive how-to, read the profiles of successful restaurateurs and food franchisees, and be sure to check out our articles on food trends and lists of top food franchises."
Read more in this Entrepreneur.com How-to Guide.
Is it true "that corporations are 'sociopathic' (a synonym for 'psychopathic') because they ruthlessly seek their own selfish interests -- 'shareholder value' -- without regard for the harms they cause to others, such as environmental damage...Are corporations fundamentally psychopathic organizations that attract similarly disposed people? It's a compelling idea, especially given the recent evidence. Such scandals as Enron and WorldCom aren't just aberrations; they represent what can happen when some basic currents in our business culture turn malignant. We're worshipful of top executives who seem charismatic, visionary, and tough. So long as they're lifting profits and stock prices, we're willing to overlook that they can also be callous, conning, manipulative, deceitful, verbally and psychologically abusive, remorseless, exploitative, self-delusional, irresponsible, and megalomaniacal. So we collude in the elevation of leaders who are sadly insensitive to hurting others and society at large."
On the other hand, is it true that "it's extremely unlikely for an entrepreneurial founder-CEO to be a corporate psychopath because the company is an extension of his own ego -- something he promotes rather than plunders. "The psychopath has no allegiance to the company at all, just to self," ... "A psychopath is playing a short-term parasitic game." That was the profile of Fastow and Dunlap -- guys out to profit for themselves without any concern for the companies and lives they were wrecking. In contrast, Jobs and Ellison want their own companies to thrive forever -- indeed, to dominate their industries and take over other fields as well. "An entrepreneurial founder-CEO might have a narcissistic tendency that looks like psychopathy," Babiak says. "But they have a vested interest: Their identity is wrapped up with the company's existence. They're loyal to the company."
Read more in this fascinating article from FastCompany.
"Many firms in the US have the ability to participate in the international marketplace. Unfortunately, many companies ignore opportunities outside the US... [thus] missing out on a tremendous opportunity...
Why do firms export? The many reasons can be boiled down to only a few, easily remembered phrases:
To increase profits
To smooth out fluctuations in demand in the domestic market
To gain access to the latest technologies
To increase capacity utilization
To learn what competitors are doing
The Center for Information Technologies Export Process Assistant (ExPA)could prove valuable to small and medium - sized firms planning to begin exporting. This electronic guide helps educate users on the export process. It can help businesses and individuals understand the complexities of the lucrative export market and the domestic and foreign issues that exporters face. This understanding can lessen the anxiety that many firms and individuals feel when faced with a new and complex situation. For those firms that are currently exporting, the Assistant can be used as a training tool, both for new employees and as a refresher course.
The ExPA also gives easy access to the vast amount of export - related information on the Internet. By connecting to online databases, the user can quickly and easily obtain market - specific information. This information covers overseas markets, trade data, trade leads, overseas business practices, and sources of assistance available to the exporter."
See also this website [Exportinfo.org] produced and hosted by students in the University of Washington Business School.
From the The Accounting Blog:
"H&R Block has launched a new business employing CPAs to serve the needs of small business owners. The new venture, H&R Block Small Business Resources, will offer services such as tax preparation and planning, payroll processing, bookkeeping, and financial advisory services, and will target businesses with 25 or fewer employees. The recently acquired offices are located in Tucson, Ariz.; Rancho Palos Verdes and Walnut Creek, Calif.; Fort Wayne and Rochester, Ind.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Wakefield, Mass.; Livonia, Mich.; Omaha, Neb.; Dublin, Ohio; and Roanoke, Va. H&R Block expects to expand the number of offices, services, and products over the next several years."
Timothy Lebold writes about his recent decision to resign his job and pursue his entrepreneurial dreams:
"Given that the time we spend on this earth is indeed finite, why do we spend so much time doing things that we don’t want to do?...
Entrepreneurship is the epitome of change and discomfort. To have simply no idea what the day will hold or how the bills are going to get paid is something that could make climbing Everest seem easy. But if it is what you want to do and the challenge that you enjoy, get out there and go for it. Swing for the fences. Strive for greatness.
Entrepreneurship thrives under distress and discomfort. Great innovation, great businesses, great things are created under pressure, not when a safety net exists...There is no fun, no reward for being unhappy, indecisive, bored or simply not doing what you want to do. Have a position, a dream, and stick to it until you make it happen...
The world is a vast, beautiful place filled with great experiences, great people and great opportunity. If you have not traveled, go travel. You wont miss your desk that much. If you want to open a business, write a business plan and line up the financing. You wont miss those beers at the bar that much. If you want to change careers, go back to school. You wont miss the 9 to 5. The most important thing is, do what you want to do. Not what others want you to do or what you think others want you to do."
"Pennsylvania employers that disclose information about current or former employees to a prospective employer will enjoy a presumption that the disclosure was in good faith...Employees will be able to rebut the presumption of good faith only by presenting 'clear and convincing evidence' that the employer disclosed information that:
-the employer knew or should have known was false
-the employer knew was materially misleading
-was false and disclosed with reckless disregard for the truth; or
-was probibited from disclosure by contract or other law. "
Read more in this post from For Your Benefit.
"The Pacific Venture Club has added a new section on Private Offerings for entrepreneurs who are interested in issuing private offerings. Private offerings are the most common form of investor financing used by entrepreneurs. The new section features brief explanations of the private offering process as well as links to the SEC's regulations for private offerings. "
This post from the Dealmaker discusses what to include and what not to include in your business plan if you want to capture the attention of a VC stating:
"An entrepreneur msut really nail the idea in the first paragraph, otherwise they risk losing the attention of the VC.
The VCs want to see clarity of thinking, honesty, and milestones, milestones, milestones.
The worst plans do things like become overly precise about what revenues will look like in year 5, tend to ignore the likelihood of competition, and say things like 'we will establish a standard for this indsutry,' which makes most VCs head in the other direction."
Steve Pavlina author of the Personal Development Blog - Steve Pavlina faces a dilemma. He has become a published author (sort of) without intending to be. As he puts it:
"I recently learned that a book was published last year that includes plagiarized copies of at least two of my articles...
This was done without my permission, and no credit was given to me in the book. The author is passing off my work as his own. This book is currently still selling both online and in bookstores and was published by a major book publisher. I wrote these articles years before the book was published. They’ve been very popular online, each read by tens of thousands of people.
This wasn’t just a case of borrowing ideas, which would be perfectly legal, since mere ideas aren’t copyrightable. The book reproduced most of my text verbatim, paragraph for paragraph, word for word — at least six pages total (it could be more though, since I haven’t scanned the whole book yet). Even my personal stories were included with minimal rewording to make them seem as if they were the author’s own. Imagine someone trying to resell your memories and personal experiences as his own. Reminds me of an old Seinfeld episode where J. Peterman tries to buy Kramer’s memories….
There are several different ways I could pursue this, but I haven’t yet decided whether I want to go the full legal route or try a different approach. Nevertheless, if anyone here can recommend a good IP attorney (or is one) with experience in copyright infringement, please let me know."
I was wondering whether the IP attorneys who read this blog would be interested in helping Steve or offering suggestions as to what his best options are. If you respond to my post or post to your own blog, I will forward the responses to Steve. You may also wish to contact Steve directly as he requested.
"Entrepreneurs, inventors and small and medium-sized businesses can now consult a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) publication that explains, in practical terms, using concrete examples, how patents can be used to further strategic business goals. The guide, entitled 'Inventing the Future: An Introduction to Patents for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises,' is the third in the 'Intellectual Property for Business' series....
The guide explores some of the most frequently asked questions about the patent system, providing companies with hints and tips on how to go about developing a patent strategy that is suited to their needs. While readers are advised to consult a patent expert when seeking to protect, exploit or enforce a patent, the guide provides practical information to help readers understand the basics and to enable them to ask the right questions when consulting a patenting expert."
Read more in IP Frontline aricle.
"Licensing [a Patent] is not necessarily always the best or most advantageous commercialisation pathway. Sometimes, assignment might be. Similarly, assignment is not necessarily always the best or most advantageous commercialisation pathway. Sometimes, licensing instead might be.
On each occasion an assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of assignment versus licensing needs to be made. Neither is necessarily the better course to take to the exclusion of the other. The benefits of royalties, as against the benefits of receiving a once only lump sum need to be assessed, with all other implications, to reach a conclusion whether on a particular occasion, a license, or an assignment is to be the preferred course."
Read more in this article from WIPO.
"Over the last few years, we have seen some exceptional strategies implemented by some of our portfolio companies and others in the market to give them an advantage over their competition. I decided to make a list of the ideas that stood out in my mind that other companies could implement - regardless of the industry focus.
1. Service your competitor's customers when they have problems...
2. Understand your competitive advantage...
3. Hire smart people...
4. Create a positive image in the community for your company...
5. Understand who your best customers are and shower them with attention. Also learn how your can sell more to this important customer group....
6. Don't spend a lot of time focusing on raising capital...
7. Work with partners, not service providers...
8. Spend time with others in the market that have "done it before" and pick their brain...
9. Be obsessed with success...
10. Offer strong packages to attract and retain your employees"
Read more in this Southeast VC post.
"I can offer at least eight solid reasons why Bootstrapping will consistently deliver better results than the "fund-and-burn" model that has become entrenched in Silicon Valley and elsewhere:
1. Bootstrapping ensures that you build your business on a legitimate, real-world value proposition...
2. Bootstrappers initiate the critical sales learning process sooner, not later...
3. Bootstrappers don't waste money; they make it...
4. Bootstrapping accelerates time-to-market and time-to-profitability...
5. Bootstrappers are less likely to make big, fatal financial mistakes...
6. Bootstrappers are forced into unconventional thinking. Necessity truly is the mother of invention...
7. Bootstrappers have more freedom and flexibility...
8. Bootstrappers wind up owning much, if not all, of what they create...
From my personal experience, I could add a ninth reason to this list: Bootstrapping is good, clean fun."
Read more in this SandHill.com article.
"The Thompson Memorandum sets forth nine factors for United States Attorneys to consider in deciding whether to investigate, charge, or negotiate a plea with an organization. Three of these factors relate to an effective corporate compliance program:
4. the corporation's timely and voluntary disclosure of wrongdoing and its willingness to cooperate in the investigation of its agents, including, if necessary, the waiver of corporate attorney-client and work product protection;
5. the existence and adequacy of the corporation's compliance program;
6. the corporation's remedial actions, including any efforts to implement an effective corporate compliance program or to improve an existing one, to replace responsible management, to discipline or terminate wrongdoers, to pay restitution, and to cooperate with the relevant government agencies . ."
Read more in post from Corporate Compliance Prof Blog.
"When the time comes to negotiate with VCs, expect them to suggest an attorney. Thank them politely -- and then go out and get your own expert...
You've received a list of terms from a VC group committing the $4 million in first-round funding you were seeking for your technology company. There are a few items you don't fully understand, and several others you'd like to change...In my view, the entrepreneur's instincts are right on target in this not-uncommon situation. Entrepreneurs who convince VCs to invest in their companies don't gain access to the cash until they have negotiated the actual terms of the investment -- and that negotiation process is far from trivial. It involves important items covering the terms of investment, along with the VC's ongoing involvement in the your business...
You will want a trusted adviser to recognize and advocate your interests. Here are some of the most common challenges:
• The power position of the VC firm...
• Antidilution protection...
• Stock incentive provisions...
• Management team employment agreements...
• Ongoing management decisions...
• Exit strategies and acquisitions...
These kinds of decisions make the choice of a lawyer far more important than many entrepreneurs realize... I highly recommend choosing legal counsel who represent startups and technology companies on a regular basis. Using someone who represents VCs is also a good idea -- as long as those VCs aren't investors in your outfit. After all, the greatest value that a lawyer can contribute to an emerging company is his familiarity with the ever-changing VC landscape..."
Read more in article by By Gabor Garai.
Twenty-three lawyers from Asia, Europe, and the United States have drafted articles for the Center for International Legal Studies on the legal issues facing the new Information Society.
Topics covered include:
Copyright
Cryptography
Data Protection
Dispute Resolution
Domain Names
Electronic Contracts
Fair Use
Internet
Patents
Technology Surveillance
Vendor Liability
PDF Versions of the papers are available here until October 2005.
Via this Information Policy post.
Brad Feld points to an awesome ten minute animation of how the states of the United States came together.
This post from Christian Mayaud points to an interesting cheat sheet for newbie VCs from Fred Dotzler of De Novo Ventures that provides useful information for the rest of us as well, especially point 10. The short version follows:
1. Generate deal flow.
2. Keep an open mind.
3. Follow the money.
4. Learn how to identify great people.
5. Be rational on terms of investment.
6. Be patient with startups.
7. Keep track of cash balances.
8. Spend time every week working on all your portfolio companies.
9. Don't get too high on good news.
10. Treat everyone with fairness and dignity.
"The Piper Jaffray Global Internet Summit saw dynamic ideas emerging on where the Internet and media are going over the near future. Key themes got developed that gradually built upon each other, leading to several key conclusions indicating that the biggest winners were online media companies (Yahoo, Google), intermediaries (Shopping.com), as well as advertising services companies (aQuantive, Marchex)." The top ten key findings from the Summit deal with these issues:
1) Online Advertising - The Big Winner
2) Changing Traditional Media and Telecom Models
3) Emergence of Mobile Media as the Next Big Opportunity
4) Google's Brand Strength and Dominance in Search
5) Uncertain Future for Music Industry
6) Development of New Web Communities
7) Consolidation Environment with Increasing M&A Activities
8) Limited Upside Potential for Pure eCommerce Players
9) Vertical search shall become more prominent
10) Spyware, Viruses Could Slow Ad Spending
For more, read this post from Sadagopan.
"eCommerceResources.infois a Subject Tracer(tm) Information Blog developed and created by the Virtual Private Library(tm). It is designed to bring together the latest resources and sources on an ongoing basis from the Internet for eCommerce...This site has been developed and maintained by Marcus P. Zillman, M.S., A.M.H.A.; Internet expert, author, keynote speaker, and consultant."
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