Posts in category: Uncategorized

I had dinner with one of our investors last night and we shared ideas, talked shop, laughed, and enjoyed a good time… One of the things we talked about was the importance of the “Dirty Reps”.

Dirty Reps are those small, tactical, things we must do inside our early stage startups. It may not always be our superpower, but dirty reps move needles…

Have you identified your “Dirty Reps”?

#startups#entrepreneurs
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If you’re interested in learning more about what we do and how we serve our fellow entrepreneurs, head over to www.TheBlackSmith.com to learn more and join our tribe.

Just landed where I’ll be meeting with some of our investors and wanted to tell a story about the power of limiting beliefs and why we need to squash that as fast as possible…

Want to learn more? Visit www.TheBlacksmith.com

Did you start your business with big dreams, amazing aspirations, and tons of excitement?

What happens when it gets hard, uncertain, and you hit a setback?

That’s when we need a double shot of “hope” (sitting in a coffee shop writing this  ).

Hope can provide entrepreneurs with the motivation and resilience they need to push through difficult times and stay focused on their goals.

Hope can help entrepreneurs to:

 – Stay optimistic

 – Overcome fear

 – Persist through setbacks

 – Inspire others

We entrepreneurs gotta stick together when the going gets hard…

What gives you the “hope” you need to keep going?

If you want to hear more, connect with me. I’d be happy to share.

#business#entrepreneurs#hope

One very important tool for any Founder, Entrepreneur, and/or Venture Builder is “being where your feet are” as my friend Steve Nudelberg writes in his book… 

Today, I am able to be present for my daughter, my wife, and our ventures because of proper preparation, planning, and scheduling…

My daughter (the fundraiser for all who remember that) is having a tumor removed today so living it up in the hospital most of the day.

Give yourself permission, fellow founder, to be where you are needed most… and ask yourself where are you needed now…

PS.. all went well  today…

#entrepreneurlife#planning#hospital

There’s a lot of noise, doubt, and fear brewing inside the venture community right now… The mindset we show up with as Founders, Entrepreneurs, and Business Owners will determine our success…

Let’s jump into one of our BSV Launch Program modules to hit the high level stuff on “Fixed” vs “Growth” mindsets…

If you want to learn more, connect with me, I’d be happy to share.

#founders#entrepreneurs#mindset

Why do you do what you do?  For me, its about one thing 

 IMPACT 

Once you’re not struggling to pay bills and provide for your family, then you have a big question to answer…  WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO?

I’ve learned through multiple ventures and experiences that the IMPACT we make on other people’s lives far outweighs the “financial” wins…

Here is what financial success allows you to do…

Make more IMPACT.

If you want to learn more, connect with me.

Are early-stage startup entrepreneurs business people or artists?

Both…  and we call them “BlackSmiths”…  Here is why 

Like artists, startup entrepreneurs have:

 a deep passion and sense of purpose for their work

 a desire to create something new, innovative, and impactful,

 a willingness to take risks and embrace uncertainty

Additionally,

 Just as artists often work independently or in small groups, startup entrepreneurs often operate in small teams with limited resources.

 They must be resourceful and creative in order to achieve their goals.

 They often rely on their intuition and instincts to guide them through what we call “Launch Phase”.

Are you a BlackSmith?  Let me know in the comments…

And if you want to learn more, connect with me.

#blacksmith #earlystage #venture

Self-reflecting a bit on this morning’s run about the very important question of “WHO”… 

As in…

Who do we choose to surround ourselves with?

On both the investor side of our business (our partners) and the founder’s side of our business (the early-stage venture folks) there is one commonality…

They’re both entrepreneurs…

They get the game and understand the need to create clarity out of uncertainty… Now, both are at very different places, but that’s the fun part… and where we come in.

If you’re an entrepreneur looking to take your business to momentum phase and IMPACT is important to you, DM me…

If you’re an investor looking to deploy your resources, wisdom, and experience onto the next generations… Let’s talk…

Infinite impact is changing one person’s life at a time… But, we can’t do it alone.

If you want to learn more, connect with me, I’d be happy to share!

#impactinvesting #investing #entrepreneurs

It starts with a dream…  then we make plans…

Then, the unexpected happens…  

I think most founders will at some point experience the phrase,

“Man plans and God laughs”

Change, uncertainty, and unknowns aren’t all bad…  They can actually be great.

But, I do think 

it serves as a reminder that life is unpredictable and that we must be flexible and adaptable in the face of uncertainty.

While we can certainly plan for the future, we should not become too attached to our plans and should be prepared to change course if (and when) necessary.

Forge ahead through the unknown and I’m quite certain you’ll find what you’re looking for…

Want to accelerate that discovery process?

Find the right partner to get into the canoe with you…

If you want to learn more, feel free to connect with me.

#mentorship #Launch #blacksmith

I hit the 50-yard line this week and turned 45 years old.  The last decade seems like a blur… Exited two businesses, started at least half a dozen more, and continue to be supported by my tribe.  

Those of us that call ourselves “entrepreneurs” have taken on one of the loneliest, challenging, and uncertain professions I’m aware of…

Every day, I speak to someone who is risking it all…  Heck this week, I’ve talked to two people who are looking at selling their family’s home to invest into their venture.

Without those around us that love us, support us, and endure our daily uncertainty this career choice would be empty…

Forge ahead fellow founder…and thank those around you that support, love, and encourage you…

Entrepreneurship is a team sport, and if you want to learn how our team works, connect with me, I’d be happy to share!

#startuplife #innovation #entrepreneurship