Thursday, April 28, 2011

Confidentiality

I could almost call this a book report/book review blog.

So much of what I do in real life in angel capital, mentoring, board work, venture capital, selling businesses is confidential that it is tough to blog about it. I think it is also a spill over from running a public company where, again, confidentiality rules.

I use the 90/10 rule in blogging. 90% business/stuff people might be able to benefit from and 10% on my personal life (can only get away with so much boring stuff before you lose your audience)

Book reviews are “safe” fodder for thought and comment.

The other safe fodder is my personal self discovery. I like to observe myself to learn and improve.

My strengths tend to be my weaknesses. I enjoy starting things. Nothing gives me juice like a new business or deal. I love adding a bit of creativity in setting the process going. I then need partners/entrepreneurs to do the hard work of making it work.

I then try hard to add value while the business grows. Often the businesses enters new territory and sometimes my experiences can add value. But the bulk of what I can do it offer suggestions.

The other place I can add value is at the exit (that is what VCs call “selling the business”). I have been involved in dozens – well over 100 if you count both selling businesses and buying them especially if you include board work. Of course my involvement ranged from actually finding the deal, negotiating it and doing the work to close it through only approving deals that other people brought.

High creativity is a theme through most of my strengths. Much of it is unconventional. I often wonder if I would have been more successful with more convention.

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