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Why the Future of Tesla May Depend on Knowing What Happened to Billy Durant

Steve Blank

That year, as management tried to coordinate all the operating details across all the divisions, the company almost went bankrupt when poor planning led to excess inventory, with unsold cars piling up at dealers and the company running out of cash. The next year, 1910, trouble hit.

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SXSW Pitch Finalist: Intvo

Austin Startup

Alzookery is a University of Michigan graduate, but found inspiration in watching pedestrians and traffic interact in New York City. This track brings together founders and funders and showcases exciting new companies, products, services, and business models across different verticals and industries.

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SXSW Pitch Finalist: Hemafuse

Austin Startup

She is the primary inventor of a modular centrifuge that operates with or without electricity. We moved our company from Michigan to Baltimore in 2015, and it was a great decision for us. Shortly after we moved our company from Michigan to Baltimore, we were fortunate to participate in Steve Case’s Rise of the Rest Pitch Competition.

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The Story Behind the Secret History Part II. Getting B-52s through.

Steve Blank

After been stationed at three fighter bases in Thailand ( Ubon , Udorn and Korat ) and working on Electronic Warfare suites on F-4’s, A-7’s, F-105’s and AC-130’s, I got orders to report to a Strategic Air Command (SAC) B-52 bomber base in Alpena Michigan. Imagine how hot, humid and unbearable the weather was in Thailand. Reply Ben C. ,

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Durant Versus Sloan – Part 1

Steve Blank

Top management was trying to coordinate all of the operating details (sales, manufacturing, distribution and marketing,) across all the divisions and the company almost went bankrupt that year when poor planning led to excess inventory (with unsold cars piling up at dealers and the company running out of cash.)

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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. “And, oh by the way, can you write the manuals for the operators while you’re at it.&# As I poured over the system schematics, I figured out how to put together a course to teach system theory, operations and maintenance.

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Founders and dysfunctional families « Steve Blank

Steve Blank

We agreed that all her founding CEOs seemed to have the same set of personality traits – tenacious, passionate, relentless, resilient, agile, and comfortable operating in chaos. It’s why all of you operated so well in the unpredictable environment that all startups face.”

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