Worth Reading: Week of 1/28/2013
Catalyzing the startup renaissance can be busy business! So busy that it's sometimes it's easy to forget what's going on in the entrepreneurship ecosystem! Here are some great links related to entrepreneurship that will get you thinking!
Press the Play Button!
Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts
In today's culture, especially business culture, we seem to put a lot of focus on people with “personality”. Those extroverted individuals with great energy, passion, and charisma. Susan Cain argues that more introverted people can have just as much value as extroverts when it comes to innovating in the workplace.
Bounce Imaging
A MassChallenge Alumni, Bounce Imaging, made a big splash this year by going to CES 2013. Bounce Imaging develops low cost, throwable sensors and cameras for first responders which is a perfect example of using the power of entrepreneurship to make the world a better place and to make dangerous but vital jobs more safe.
Talk about these at the watercooler
Ask Dharmesh Shah Anything
Recently, Reddit.com's “Ask me anything” interview format has made a huge impression in the public consciousness. From Mythbuster's Adam Savage to President Barack Obama, important people have been leveraging the format to create a transparent forum for discussion. Dharmesh Shah is the Founder/CTO of Hubspot and a MassChallenge mentor that gave the keynote at our 2012 Launch. Check out his AMA and see his answers to questions about Startups, Venture Capital, Corporate Culture, and more!
Seven Reasons You Need a Mentor
At MassChallenge, we're big on mentorship. Just ask any one of our teams and they'll probably regale you with stories of how great their mentorship experience was. Mentors have years, if not decades, of experience in entrepreneurship and the best mentors are more than happy to help a startup with strategy, finance, resource management, and more. A mentor is integral to the success of any startup. If you're still not convinced, here are seven reasons you need a mentor!
Solar Crowdfunding Startup Lets Investors Own a Piece of the Sun
With the US Securities & Exchange Commission putting the finishing touches on regulations regarding the JOBS Act of 2012, Crowdfunding has been a huge deal! Even some MassChallenge teams have done successful Kickstarter, WeFunder, and IndieGogo campaigns! With Crowdfunding falling outside the traditional funding scheme of courting potentially stingy investors, there are truly no limits to funding entrepreneurship. Banks and corporations haven't been too keen on solar lately, so Solar Energy startup Mosaic founders Billy Parish and Daniel Rosen are finding new ways to get their funding, allowing individuals to invest directly through their website. Just goes to show you that if you're really passionate about your idea, you can find funding if you look hard enough!
12 Traits of Successful Startup Leaders
It's common knowledge that there are certain traits that make leaders great. Here are 12 of those traits from the Young Entrepreneurship Council, one of them from our fearless CEO, John Harthorne!
Startups: A Recipe to Restore Creativity to the Soul of America
There is no better value creator than the early stage entrepreneur, and that's why they need more help – now. Throughout her history, creativity, ingenuity, and innovation has been a ubiquitous theme in America. Unfortunately in the past 25 or so years that has hardly been the case. So how can we restore creativity to the soul of America? Startups, of course! John Harthorne speaks to this on the Huffington Post!
Books Make you Smarter
The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
Entrepreneurs always build risky ventures in extreme uncertainty. They innovate in rapid fire environments that are constantly changing and evolving. In his book, Eric Ries offers a flexible managerial style that fosters continuous and sustained innovation to adjust to unexpected circumstances before it's too late.
The Founder's Dilemmas: Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls That Can Sink a Startup
Founders themselves are faced with an egregious amount of trials and tribulations during the life of their startup. Should they go it alone? Or should they get a co-founder? Would their best friend make a good co-founder? What kind of investors should they get? Noam Wasserman, who spoke about this at our 2012 Accelerator Bootcamp Event, wrote a book for the Kauffman Foundation Series on Innovation and Entrepreneurship that serves as a great primer for these “Founder Dilemmas”. Problems with people are the most important problems in startups, so it's important to know how to deal with them the right way, which is what Mr. Wasserman's book offers!
- Jibran Malek, MassChallenge Social Media & Marketing
Have a great week and be sure to come back to the MassChallenge Blog for more advice, insights and startup profiles from the Startup Accelerator.
Important 2013 Accelerator Dates:
