Blog
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Four Horsemen of the Investor Apocalypse
Contempt That Destroys Investor–Entrepreneur Relationships Contempt is one of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. Once it shows up, it is the end of a relationship. Contempt doesn’t look like shouting. It is mostly passive…
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AI-Assisted Patent Search Tools Exacerbate Inventor Biases
AI chat tools have two problems: over-simplification and hallucination. These two problems mimic inventor’s biases when doing patent searches, leading to bad results. Inventors and entrepreneurs might love the idea of using an AI‑powered search…
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Your Patent Attorney Is NOT Giving Business Advice
Are you getting a list of options or a strategy that aligns with your business? Is that “strategy” more tailored to the Law Firm’s billing or your success? Most inventors think that hiring a patent…
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Contempt from Crowdfunded Equity
Entrepreneurs are stuck between two polar opposites. On one hand, they are encouraged – endlessly – to hype, hype, hype. The accelerators and incubators want to see astronomical projections, Total Addressable Markets in the trillions,…
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Entrepreneurs and Imposter Syndrome
The Easiest Way to Spot an Entrepreneur with Imposter Syndrome: They Don’t Have Revenue Some founders will drone on and on telling you how “innovative” they are. They highlight their patents, their clever ideas, their…
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AI Startups: Protect Everything EXCEPT the Patent
Short version: For most AI companies, patents on “using AI for X” don’t protect you. They backfire by revealing your method while remaining practically unenforceable. The competitive advantage is in your data, processes, distribution, and…
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Strategic Partnerships are often Neither
Strategic Partnerships are a polite way of saying “we don’t own the most important parts of our business.” Every founder loves to brag about their “strategic partnerships.” The name sounds impressive, but hides a glaring…
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The Company as the Product
Building a company that can be sold is building a different product for a different customer. Serving two masters – but they are compatible. The first master is the customer who buys your product, and…
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Nobody Buys Technology – They Buy Solutions
Nobody cares about your technology. Entrepreneurs love to talk about their technology. Endlessly. Ad nauseam. And when it’s time to raise money or sell the company[1], they make the same mistake: they lead with the…
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Build Your Company Backwards: How to Align With Angel and VC Expectations
If you can’t explain why someone will pay 10x to buy your company, you’re not ready to raise a dime. When you’re raising outside capital — especially from angels or venture funds — you’re not…