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What startup will you build? Identifying market white space

I presented last week to the Leading Entrepreneurs of the World Conference on how to identify, research, and assess new business ideas. Here’s the video and slide deck:  ...

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How enterprise can learn from the innovation economy

One of the core functions of a VC is to identify the next generation of disruptive companies.  I presented last month to a Microsoft senior executive offsite on how large corporations can do the same, to inform their investing, M&A, and competitive intelligence.  My presentation was based on my research on deal origination best practices...

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How to create competitive market maps with MarketMap.me

At least ¼ of the investment proposals I get have a “market map” of some sort: a graphic analysis of the competitive landscape.  I think competitive analysis is critical.  Any useful startups is trying to perform some useful job for a client, and you have to understand what people are currently using to get that...

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Ten experiments to test your new business hypothesis

You know that a new idea has gained dominance when it becomes practically a cliché.  That is what I’ve seen happen with the “Lean Startup” philosophy of viewing your startup as a scientific experiment in search of a business model.  This started as a new idea, then became popularized, and now people view it as...

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Feedback is a gift; should you ask for it?

It’s rare to find someone who is insightful about you and your business … and rarer to find someone confident enough in their relationship with you to give you honest feedback.  I treasure these people, and have paid a coach to do this for me personally. When you’re meeting with your board, I strongly recommend...

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How to get world class experts to support your company

As the former CEO of a professional expert network, I’m a firm believer in the value of speedy access to relevant experts.  I was excited to see that GLG (formerly Gerson Lehrman Group), the industry leader, is now offering a professional network service geared to the needs of the startup community: GLG Share. When you’re...

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Build Your Startup on a Vacant Domain Name

This is part 2 of a 2-part series on domain names and startups; part 1 was “Should a Startup Spend VC Funding on a Domain Name?”. I’ve written in the past about how to identify a great startup opportunity.  Let me propose a path few take: find an under-monetized domain name and start a business...

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How to Identify Market White Space – Cambridge MA, January 22

The Harvard GSAS Business Club / Harvard Graduate Student Council/ HBS eClub are hosting me on January 22 in Boston; I hope you can join us.  I’ll be speaking on: “The Next Great Entrepreneurial Opportunity: How to Identify Market White Space”  Tuesday, January 22nd, 6pm, Maxwell Dworkin Building, 33 Oxford St., Room MD G125, Cambridge, MA  I will...

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