SHARE your ideas (they are worth $0.0083333 each anyway)
January 2, 2009 – 11:08 amThere are a couple other reasons that I really like taking ideas public....for entrepreneurs especially:1. You mentally devalue the "secrecy" of an idea. It is a tough leap for many....but soon it's quite clear that ideas are a dime a dozen and improve with early & often feedback2. You put yourself into a corner by adding the risk of a more public failure. People do their best work when backed into a corner. It's much easier to quit on a business that you've been secretly working on.3. You become a magnet for others interested and passionate about what you are doing. Sure....by keeping your idea secret, you're reducing the minute chance that someone will "steal" your idea.....but you're also creating a massive wall that eliminates the MUCH MORE PROBABLE outcome of attracting high quality people to your project. Originally posted as a comment by ...
4 Steps to being REALLY BAD at anything
December 29, 2008 – 6:12 pm1. Get a great "idea" 2. Build excitement for your idea to extreme "it's the only thing I think about" levels 3. Experience your first set of disappointments, reasonable criticisms or hurdles 4. Bail on the idea Repeat until dead.
Startup Ideas, $0.00833333333 each
December 15, 2008 – 10:48 pmFlying car that gets 250 mpg and costs less than $40k Search Engine with more relevant results than Google Cold fusion energy-producing reactor (prefer lightbulb size or smaller) "roomba" for home-building....just set out materials and upload blueprints, it does the rest tivo for radio transporter...star-trek style (will accept inanimate object, package transport only) Washer/dryer that folds/hangs clothes automatically Social networking mobile geo-tagging hyperlocal application producer Drug that cures cancer Disposable Sham-wow's on a roll my idea your idea There....a dozen, you owe me a dime. Use tipjoy to send it, please. "Ideas" are easy. "ideas" are NOT worth funding. Now, ideas that will be executed by a passionate entrepreneur with an intense desire to see that singular "idea" become reality, NO MATTER WHAT.....now THAT I can get behind. It is ALL execution. Now, isn't it about time you stopped thinking, and started doing? About time to accept..... ...that at some point, you WILL BE JUDGED, and YOU WILL FAIL? --- unless you want to live life in the ...
Market Role Call
December 12, 2008 – 12:09 amThose of you following my mytrade and twitter feeds should have had an amazing week in the market. With the market set to step of the ledge tomorrow, my FAZ trade will end the week in legendary position, up from an entry in the 38's on Monday to a likely mid to high 50's tomorrow. Just a beautiful week to go against the grain at the right time. Jana_for_Really is worth a follow for the comedy, fun crudeness and a great nose for the market. UpsideTrader is probably the best intraday guy on twitter on a consistent basis. Lucas Tarigal is giving amazing setups and analysis over at mytrade. "The Fly" is best to start following when he's down and angry...because he always wins in the end and is probably one of the best 3 traders I have ever seen. These are the people I'm watching right now because they are not only "on", but ...
Christmas Time….and yes, it’s up!
December 8, 2008 – 11:31 amThis is the fullness and glory of the Swan household Christmas decorations. Center of the front window, an absolute beauty from the street. Why, it's a major award! And yes, you're seeing it right....below the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window lies an original Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time. Mind power, Swede; mind power.
Friday stock market thoughts….
December 5, 2008 – 3:15 pmThe stock market took some extremely bad news in stride today. It's possible that armageddon is already priced in. GOOD news could put 10-20% on this market in a matter of weeks. I like buying stocks here and selling call options against the position to generate income, precisely because stocks are low and options are expensive right now. The economy needs a lot of work and help. FAILURE of defunct organizations will speed this process up and provide for a more efficient and sustainable future. Let's stop propping up bad ideas, structures, management and employees. Let's focus on building new ideas, sound structures, lean management and effective, efficient employees who are passionate about what they are producing. We've done ALL of this before. We'll do it again, as long as failure is a realistic option and motivator. What are you thinking?
Speech Notes for Today
December 3, 2008 – 11:39 amThought I'd share with you my notes for my speech today at the Louisville Venture Club. I will expand on these points in this post later tonight (the speech, and this slide were both too effective to tamper with, so you'll have to see the speech to get it)...but regular readers and friends will know what I'm talking about with each: 1) Relationships ....NOT Rolodex 2) Brian Jennings 3) Burn the Ships 4) Nick Fenton... Brandon Powers 5) Crocs in a Limo 6) Hyman Roth
10 Startup Commandments
December 1, 2008 – 5:09 pm1. Establish and grow RELATIONSHIPS "Contacts" are not nearly as valuable as you think. Relationships are the key. People who trust you and like you are very likely to help you. In addition, they are very likely to induce their own relationships to help you. Develop relationships BEFORE you need them. Do this by GIVING first and freely. Participate in, and enable the success of others at every opportunity. 2. DEFINE A SINGLE PROBLEM or NICHE OPPORTUNITY and resolve to find a simple solution (IDEA) This is crucial. DO NOT spread yourself thin. Do one thing extraordinarily well that either A) solves a common problem or B) creates a new niche that can be expanded. It is tempting to attempt more in one broad stroke, but this path leads to failure. DO NOT rely on having the best and latest technology unless you are willing to run the 100m dash....FOREVER. 3. STRUCTURE a business around ...
