Home > Entrepreneur-management-style

Entrepreneur Time – like working in The Matrix without the cool coats

Lately I’ve been taking a bit of a breather from consulting for entrepreneurs. It’s been nice. Very little stress. Dreams filled with rainbows and puppy dogs. Each morning birds chirped as they helped me dress.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t that Disney. But it was nice.

Until last week.

Last week I helped an entrepreneur launching a new product. His product is already in the market, but not much of the foundational, strategic marketing work has been done. They didn’t yet have a clear understanding of the product category or consumer.

This is not the surprising part. Right or wrong, startups frequently launch the product first, then back their way into the product strategy.

(That thud you just heard was every corporate marketing person reading this falling off their chair.)

What was surprising was how quickly I’d forgotten about the entrepreneur time vortex.

It’s a real thing, I swear. Entrepreneurs all know it. Anyone who’s worked in a startup understands it. And if you’re thinking about working for an entrepreneur you’re going to have to learn about it.

Startups run on Standard Entrepreneur Time.  Read more »

Horrible Bosses – 4 Ways to Cope Without Killing

The new dark comedy Horrible Bosses comes out tomorrow, and the premise is pretty simple. Three friends, pushed to their limits by bad bosses, make a pact to “off” them.

I get it. Really, I do.

But I also think there may be a few less legally ambiguous ways to manage a bad boss. Four ways to be exact. Each one guaranteed to keep you out of jail. Read more »

How to Manage Your Boss – Lesson from the bathroom stall

I just sat down on—well, on the toilet if you must know—when I heard the ladies room door open. My entrepreneur boss stuck his head in the bathroom. Yes, I said his head. In the ladies room.

“Kathy, we got the numbers in. I have to talk you.”

Really, guy? Really? You have to talk to me…right….now?

Believe it or not, this happened more than once. And no, I didn’t have a bladder problem. My boss had a boundaries problem.

Get Aligned
My friend Chrissy Scivicque, a career coach, recently offered some solid advice for managing your boss and avoiding awkward situations like this. Advice which applies two-fold if you work in a startup. Read more »

Entrepreneurs Think Your Degree is Stupid

In the past I’ve mentioned entrepreneurs’ distaste for corporate America in posts like Corporate Hatred for Richard Branson, and Entrepreneurs Are Like Porn.

I’ve even suggested that if you work for, or are interviewing for a job with an entrepreneur, that you play down any association you have had with big business. Much as an FBI recruit might want to hide a last name of Gotti or Gambino.

But today’s column in Canada’s The Globe & Mail takes my point to a whole new level.

Today, successful entrepreneur and author John Warrillow wrote that entrepreneurs should weed out any job applicants who “wasted their time” getting an MBA. He says that a resume with the letters MBA on it, should simply be tossed. Read more »

Your Baby is Ugly (and other things not to tell your entrepreneur boss)

In Fortune magazine’s new series “You Can’t Fire Everyone” Hank Gilman gives some great advice on What to Do When Star Employees Quit. He makes suggestions like making a counter offer, not bad-mouthing the new job, and understanding that sometimes employees have to change jobs to grow in their career.

All good tips for bosses.

But if you are planning on quitting a start-up, don’t expect your entrepreneur boss to behave so rationally. In fact, if you’re planning on quitting a start-up, strap on your crash helmet; there will be fall out.

Read more »

Since You Put it That Way – 5 Tips for Dealing with a Verbally Abusive Boss

If you missed quasi-celebrity and full-fledged entrepreneur boss Patti Stanger berating her stylist, then you don’t watch enough reality TV. And, you missed a great Working for Wonka learning moment. Hear it for youself on TMZ.

Here’s What Happened
Millionaire Matchmaker and entrepreneur boss, Patti Stanger, arrived at a fitting with her stylist and wasn’t happy with the selection. (For the guys: fitting = trying on clothes, stylist = person who picks pretty clothes.) I’ve watched enough Rachel Zoe to know that celebrities don’t always like the first dress a stylist shows them. But rarely does it turn into a confrontation like we see in Patti’s clip. Regardless of the stylist calm demeanor, or the attempts at solutions, there was no stopping the verbal beating that was coming. Patti was in fight mode. Read more »

Brother, Can You Spare a … Platinum Card?

“I’ll Gladly Pay You Tuesday, for a Hamburger Today”
–J. Wellington Whimpy, free-loading friend of Popeye

An NYC homeless man exhibited true entrepreneurial chutzpa when he garnered an AmEx Platinum card from a passerby low on spare change.

He didn’t steal the card. It was handed to him. Here you go, Homeless Guy. Go get what you need.

In the act, Homeless Guy demonstrated two classic entrepreneurial characteristics: charisma and the ability to get something for nothing.

Both traits are essential to an entrepreneur’s success, but the second (something for nothing) cannot exist without the first. Read more »