Small business banking and innovation are two words that you rarely hear in the same sentence. Common wisdom points to heavy regulation as the primary cause of banks lagging behind the rest of the business world when it comes to innovation. While regulation certainly bears some of the blame, it is by no means the […]
The trials and tribulations of Theranos, the startup “Unicorn” of the medical technology field, continue to mount. For those who aren’t familiar, Theranos is a medical startup that claims to have developed a highly disruptive and revolutionary new means of conducting blood tests. These claims, however, were called into question by the Wall Street Journal […]
Earlier this week, VentureBeat’s Chris O’Brien published a phenomenal article that explored online productivity app Evernote’s recent trials and tribulations. Back in 2013, Evernote was yet another Silicon Valley darling with a $1-billion-dollar valuation. Since that time, Evernote has struggled to generate profits and maintain its traction with users. Part of the issue, O’Brien argues, […]
It’s cliché to say that entrepreneurs wear many hats, but there’s no escaping truth. Entrepreneurs and business leaders have to balance the needs of business strategy and business execution alongside family and their personal needs. With so many aspects of life demanding equal attention, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. I know this feeling all too […]
Nothing saddens me more than seeing people living their lives in quiet desperation, stuck in careers that are both uninspiring and unfulfilling. As James Taylor once said, “You can play the game and act out the part, even though you know it wasn’t written for you.” In the world of business, this tragic situation occurs […]
The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is a perfect time for entrepreneurs to relax, rejuvenate, and reflect. One great exercise in reflection is to put together a “year in review” that explores all of the ways that your business has changed over the course of the year. I’ve found that it is an […]
As with most things in life, managing compensation issues inside of a startup is all about balance. Whether determining your own salary or recruiting new hires, it’s vitally important to get it right. Compensation is an issue that I’ve struggled with constantly since starting BodeTree nearly five years ago. With each passing milestone there are […]
Among the many reasons that startups fail, a prevailing culture of obstinance and narrow-minded thinking is often to blame. In the male-dominated world of technology in particular, irrational commitment to a particular vision can blind founders and investors to glaring flaws in logic. To combat this, good leaders seek out a diversity of opinion in […]
Being a small business has its advantages. For example, it is generally easier for small or mid-sized companies to embrace social causes than it is for big companies. As the CEO of BodeTree, I get the chance to meet a lot of change-oriented entrepreneurs. Interestingly, many of these socially-minded small businesses are finding that “doing […]
Robin D. Schatz writes about food and farm ventures, from high-tech to homespun. Opinions expressed by Forbes contributors are their own. Check out your favorite market’s canned fish aisle or frozen-food section these days, and you’ll see numerous brands of tuna, salmon and other wild-caught seafood all claiming to be “sustainable.”The situation was very different back in 1999 when Henry Lovejoy […]
