Occasionally, I am asked if there is an indicator of startup success, something that can be spotted early in a company’s existence. My answer is simple: “Had I such a gauge of future corporate success I would be a very rich man.” That remark satisfies most...
I am typing this blog on a desktop computer using my trusty NMB Technologies HI TEK keyboard. As I write, its loud clicking provides a soothing background buzz, helping me forget the fact that my opposable thumbs did indeed oppose me earlier today while texting from...
Question: When is a test run not a test run? Answer: When cash-strapped entrepreneurs are involved. I’ve observed many pilot production runs, for food, health-and-beauty, and CPG products. Most were mandated by contract manufacturers as a necessary pre-production...
Contract manufacturing is the engine that propels many a small business. Few startups have the equipment, experience and money needed to produce in-house. A contract manufacturer can be a trusted partner, tweaking prototypes and offering suggestions, recommending...
We live in a branded world. At every turn, it seems, we are encouraged to build our personal brands. Social media is awash with the disciples of this new religion. As a relative outsider looking in, I prefer to leave such matters to the Twitter habitués and...
Part time Astronaut wanted; no experience necessary. Ridiculous. No one would entrust a complex, multi-million dollar program to a novice on an hourly schedule. So, why do so many part time entrepreneurs (PTEs) approach investors with a similar pitch? PTEs are...
