The Power of Ratios
There is a common rule known as the 80-20 Rule that espouses 80% of outcomes result from 20% of the causes or input variables. Formally, this is known as the Pareto Principle, inspired by the writings of Vilfredo Pareto in the late 1800s/early 1900s, who…
Do You Believe in Magic?
I recently binge-watched a show on Max (formerly HBO) called Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. It depicts a dramatized account of the LA Lakers basketball team and their successful run during the 1980s. The fortunes of the team (and National Basketball Association)…
In Principles We Trust
According to the Google, a principle is defined as “a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.” For example, “People disappoint, bacon is eternal.” OK, that is not really a…
Affordance by Design
According to Merriam-Webster, affordance is defined as the quality or property of an object that defines its possible uses or makes clear how it can or should be used. A good example is a door handle. The next time you approach a door, take note…
Welcome to the BS Generation
I’m a Tech refugee, having worked in the industry for almost 10 years and more recently, recruiting for early and late-stage growth companies for the past 18 years. This is the equivalent of 55 human business years, give or take. Or so it seems. Innovation,…
When to Challenge Authority
In middle and high school, I occasionally would find myself in circumstances that necessitated a private visit with my teacher or even school Principal, because mischief. I recall the immediate feeling of anxiety, deference, and shame having to face the consequences of my misbehavior in…
College is Not All That…
I am a Gen X-er (yes, I am old-ish) and in my formative years, the prevailing model and answer to “what will you be when you grow up?” automatically included going to college. Many of us have been groomed to believe that in order to…
Find the Signal, Filter the Noise: the most important thing you can do to maximize your life.
A common metaphor and phrase heard in the vernacular of the startup and tech community is to “find the signal.” It’s particularly apt for companies trying to bootstrap their way to success, let alone sheer existence. When a company is small and with limited resources,…