article thumbnail

A Venture Capital History Perspective From Jack Tankersley

Feld Thoughts

Michigan Cottage Cheese: Yoplait Yogurt. JMB Realty: Real Estate Management company. For many years preceding 1999, the 1982 vintage was known as the industry’s worst vintage year. There are five key risks in any deal: Market, Product (a/k/a technology), Management, Business Model, and Capital.

article thumbnail

Philadelphia University Commencement Speech – May 15th 2011

Steve Blank

I ended up at Michigan State because I got a scholarship…Once I got there, I was lost…unfocused…and had no idea of who I was and why I was in school. I dropped out of Michigan State University after the first semester. In the middle of a Michigan winter, I stuck out my thumb and hitchhiked to Miami, the warmest place I could think of.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

52 Entrepreneurs Explain Why They Started Their Business

Hearpreneur

Bruno’s Barkin’ Biscuits, LLC is a small, home-based company in Michigan specializing in all-natural, preservative free, and healthy dog treats. At the same time it seemed that whenever I would have a conversation with a friend, family member, colleague, manager, executive–you name it!–about 51 – My Oldest Son.

article thumbnail

Agile Opportunism – Entrepreneurial DNA « Steve Blank

Steve Blank

I packed up my life in Michigan and spent five days driving to California to start work. I was met by a very apologetic manager who said, “We’ve been trying to get a hold of you for the last week. The manager of the training department who hired you wasn’t authorized to do so – and he’s been fired.

Agile 245
article thumbnail

In Silicon Valley, Founders Fight for Control

online.wsj.com

As a registered user of The Wall Street Journal Online, you will be able to: Setup and manage your portfolio. Receive and manage newsletters. that did so in 1999 and 2000, according to an analysis for The Wall Street Journal by Jay R. Most people want to know management is accountable.". Faulted for Michigan Oil Spill.

article thumbnail

KILN Continues to Innovate Innovation Services

Gregg Fraley, Author of Jack's Notebook

It will be great to catch up with Idea Management System vendors like CogniStreamer , and innovation service firms like Ideas To Go and Maddock Douglas. “The contents are inspiring” – senior research manager, major food manufacturer using IdeaKeg since 2011. They’re always doing something new.

Boston 101
article thumbnail

US Economic Risks (Sept 2010): Impact on Investors & Entrepreneurs

Both Sides of the Table

While not 1999 all over again but I am observing first-hand the signs of funding frenzy. Many entrepreneurs could be caught in the “series A&B funding gap ” Equally worrying for entrepreneurs if the markets take a turn for the worse is that even if they managed to get angel rounds funded they may run into a VC brick wall.