Strategy
Creating Your Fundraising Strategy
Serial entrepreneur-turned VC Mark Suster shares advice on how to plan your financing campaign. Raising funds is a sales process, he argues, so prepare accordingly. A great primer, along with a link to (no joke) a o...
Best Biz Books of 2011
Kai Rysdaal asked a team of reviewers to suggest their favorite business books of the year. Some of the picks are familiar; others might surprise you. What do YOU recommend?
5 Common Strategy Mistakes to Avoid
Scale, goals, and core competencies are good, unless they masquerade as strategies, says this HBS analyst and author. Are any of these five common corporate strategy errors familiar?
When Slow Beats Fast
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Nobel winner Daniel Kahneman is creating lots of buzz. Its premise, that some questions reward quick responses while other decisions ...
More M&A Exploration Expected
McKinsey finds execs expect to examine more mergers/acquisitions in 2012. Many feel their organization's integration skills need beefing up if these deals are to achieve the intended objectives.
Best Business Books of 2011
strategy&business recently published its annual list of this year's best business books. Whether your focus is management, marketing, economics, leadership, or strategy, an esteemed panel of experts has selected a...
The CEO of Thanksgiving Dinner
As the holiday of gratitude approaches, this classic guide to a peaceful, reduce-stress Thanksgiving gathering is worth reviewing. Familiar themes like delegation (read potluck), outsourcing (think bakery), ...
Entrepreneur's Bookshelf
The Wall Street Journal solicited input from entrepreneurs and educators on good reads for those running or contemplating starting a new business. The collection of recommendations includes a few well-known books,...
Are Ex CEOs the Best Investors?
Some entrepreneurs appreciate knowing their VC has walked miles in their shoes as CEOs, prior to becoming an investor. Others say the experience can be a negative, creating control issues or a lack of objectivity. ...
Only CEO Can Make BIG Bets
This post suggests that true innovation, rather than evolution, requires commitment above the pay grades of those who collect and analyze data. Only the CEO can use his/her 'educated gut' to chart the organization's...
Should CEOs Get Political?
Corporate leaders have long played an active role in national politics. Is it a good idea for executives in smaller companies to actively support candidates or parties, at the local or broader level? Why or why n...
Are You Firing Lead Bullets?
Ben Horowitz uses his own experience to illustrate an essential theory of competition--in situations where there is no silver bullet, fire lead ones to fight for your company's survival.
Building a Company (vs. a Business)
Matt Blumberg posits that building a strong COMPANY, while also building a business, is essential to long-term success. Do you agree?
CEO's Highest Priority: a Debate
Should a CEO's greatest focus be on corporate survival? The author says yes; those commenting suggest alternative points of view. What say YOU?
Steve Jobs is Still Teaching, if We'll Listen
The passing of Steve Jobs is a tragedy difficult to accept on both personal and professional levels. Among the many eloquent eulogies, this post captures 10 important teachings we can all carry forward to honor his...
The Wizard of Oz and YOU
How can you compete effectively as a start-up with established brands? This post describes one firm's action plan used with great success to overcome prospective customers' reluctance. Does size really matter for Y...
CEOs Who See Through Walls
This post makes the case for leaders who understand and address social/environmental obstacles to growth--and in so doing create paths to untapped potential that benefit their shareholders, employees AND the...
CEOs, Ask Yourself...
When considering a major decision, CEOs should ask whether the action will create LONG-TERM shareholder value. According to a governance expert, this not only fulfills the legal and practical obligations but also is...
'Higher Ambition' Leadership
A new book, Higher Ambition: How Great Leaders Create Economic and Social Value, analyzes how some CEOs lead to grow revenue and profit while also creating value for non-owner stakeholders.
3 Jobs of a CEO
The author of this post describes his priorities as the CEO of a 200 person company. Unlike his job as co-founder of a start-up, his duties now boil down primarily to strategy, people, and resources.
