Mercedes Bent

  • Founders are Made, Not Born: How Founders Become Learning Animals (Part I)

    Part I: Founders need squads This is the “Founders are Made, not Born: How Founders Become Learning Animals” series, based on my Stanford Masters of Education research about founders & learning. Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI. Silicon Valley has long exalted a singular classic founder story that supposedly spells success. It goes something like…

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  • Validating Your Startup Idea: Sell Reduced Risk, Solve a Real Need

    I was reading Amy Hoy’s Unicorn Free newsletter the other day and was struck by a point she highlighted: every successful business is in the business of selling reduced risk to their clients. If you’re not doing that, you’re not selling the right product. 37 Signals commented on how this thought relates to people working at startups back in…

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