Talking ’bout my generation: We’re not acting entitled, we’re being reasonable

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It came up gently enough at a session at Affiliates Day, a half-day conference put on by the University of Washington’s Information School. We were sitting in a circle with Prof. Mike Eisenberg, talking about the “Google Generation,” when someone pointed out that young people these days tend to act a little, well, entitled. I… Read More…

Hackathons at startups: Creative ‘fresh air’

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Every now and again, we hear about hackathons: Startup Weekend, Facebook’s famed all-nighters, Hack Week at Dropbox. However, in a startup, it’s so difficult to imagine how organizing a hackathon can be anything but harmful: “What do you mean, take a couple work days and drop what we’re doing? We’re in a race with competitors!… Read More…

Why you should apply to TechStars (and my tips on how to get in)

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“Should I apply?” = Stupid Question I almost didn’t include the “Why you should apply to TechStars Seattle” part of this post, because in my mind it’s just a ridiculous question.  Somehow it still comes up. We started at TechStars Seattle last fall with about three months of cash in the bank.  Within three months… Read More…

The future of the inbox

inboxzero

My inbox is a horribly inefficient way to manage the requests that come into me. On any given day, I receive all sorts of different emails — all of which require different forms of action. Here are some of the types of emails I field daily: Introduction requests Notification emails from my bank Invoices Receipts… Read More…

Should you avoid raising startup capital early on? 10 founders weigh in

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There’s more than one school of thought about startup financing. After all, there are some very successful companies that have managed just fine without VC money, often on purpose. But as one entrepreneur we polled puts it below, if you really want to see your startup grow and thrive, then the question might be quite… Read More…

Commentary: Why every artist should work at a startup

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Hi, I’m Clayton Weller. I’m a director, performer and writer. I would most definitely consider myself an artist. I’ve worked for years to hone my craft. I’ve taken classes, held myself to a relentless production schedule, and worked under people who have been producing art for longer than I’ve been alive. Still, the best thing… Read More…

An open letter to Jeff Bezos: Help spark the creative class

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Congratulations on your success, Jeff Bezos! You’ve become one of the most important innovators in the world.  You’ve matched your vision with the hard work necessary to make ideas come to fruition. You’ve aligned yourself with people equally willing to start with a dream and work hard to achieve that dream.  And now you’ve decided… Read More…

What startups can learn from rock ‘n’ roll bands

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So what can startups learn from the local do-it-yourself Rock N Rollers? You think it’s hard to get people to click on your link, imagine inviting hundreds — or even thousands — of people to your show and knowing that your income is determined by how many of those people show up and buy merchandise. Trust… Read More…

Startup Jedi: How to get through the sh*t times

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There’s an old West Point quote that goes something like: The best laid battle plans are tossed out the window when the first shot gets fired. Startups are the same. Pretty much every new venture I’ve been involved with has gone through incredibly challenging “near death” experiences. While we may not be facing real gun… Read More…