Latest Posts
From Unique Insight to Original Idea: A Founder's Process
As startup founders, we're on a quest for that elusive breakthrough idea - the one that could reshape an industry or create an entirely new one. But when it seems like every idea has already been thought of, how do we unearth truly original concepts? The landscape of
Pattern Breakers: Why Some Startups Change The Future – A Book Summary
Steve Blank calls "Pattern Breakers" by Mike Maples Jr. and Peter Ziebelman the most important start-up book of the last ten years. So I naturally picked it up. I found the concepts in it helpful to me, and important enough to write a book summary post that can
The ultimate book list on creativity and innovation for builders of products and brands
As builders, makers, and creators, we must innovate. Innovation requires us to generate original ideas that are both surprising and valuable. These ideas will emerge from the unique insights we gain, ultimately leading to our next creation. As I wrote in my Startup as artist essay, "The startup of
Startup as artist
The Future of Business: Infusing Artistry into Startups In 2018, musician and entrepreneur Pharrell Williams gave a presentation to the Berklee College of Music community for a course. [1] The course description says, “In this course, artists are developing business-related skills that will be fundamental in their career.” Artists developing
10 cents for 12 ideas? No, ideas are no longer a dime a dozen
Ideas are a dime a dozen. Execution is key. Anyone can come up with ideas. Execution is what really matters. Sound familiar? This has been conventional wisdom that only a few might disagree with. It is what I believed for as long as I can remember. This is no longer
Productive Daydreaming
I’ve been practicing a method called productive daydreaming. In short, it’s a conscious effort to catch your thoughts to produce ideas or solve problems. When I first read about the word daydreaming in Jonah Lehrer’s book “Imagine” [1], I thought it was about looking out the window,
Taste
I worry about my toddler-aged son's future. What could be a career path for him that can have a future in our quickly changing work landscape? Too early to worry about that now? Maybe, I don't know... I've been thinking about how skill will
