HOWARD TULLMAN JOINS LISA DENT ON WGN RADIO TO TALK ABOUT INC. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: MED MIRROR AT THE FIELD MUSEUM AND CYBERSECURITY

 LISTEN TO THE SHOW HERE

LISTEN TO THE SHOW HERE

WHO ELECTS THESE CLOWNS?

 

WHO ELECTS THESE CLOWNS?

NEW INC. MAGAZINE COLUMN FROM HOWARD TULLMAN

 

Don't Gamble with Your Tech Security

This week's cyberattacks in Las Vegas are yet another reminder that you can't be passive about protecting your network and other digital assets. You need to relentlessly remind all team members that they each have a role, every day, in protecting the company--and their jobs. 

 

BY HOWARD TULLMAN, GENERAL MANAGING PARTNER, G2T3V AND CHICAGO HIGH TECH INVESTORS@HOWARDTULLMAN1

 

Watching the hapless victims of a cyberattack as portrayed on The Morning Show -- running around like headless chickens while clueless executives demand instant protection from the just-arrived outside team of white-hat hackers -- I was painfully reminded of just how interconnected we all are by our devices. And how exposed and vulnerable every business is to network intrusions by criminals, along with the extortionate ransom demands that typically accompany them.

When people returned to the office, they brought with them all the shortcuts, compromises, simplistic passwords and other bad habits they've adopted working remotely, along with all the crap and viruses their kids have inadvertently loaded on their laptops and home networks. Now's the time for companies to refocus and redouble their efforts to protect themselves, their people, their customers, their networks, and their digital assets from the risks and increasing likelihood that they are cyberattack targets. Remember, it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

The trouble is that until they've been the victim of identity theft or had a check ripped off from the mail, everyone and every business of whatever size thinks that it won't happen to them. You can explain the risks, the economic and reputational costs, the relatively inexpensive preventative steps, and everything else to smart and otherwise prudent and rational entrepreneurs and corporate executives.  But you can't understand for them. 

An excellent case in point: two of the largest casinos in Las Vegas just got hit by cyberattacks with Caesars paying millions in ransom (without sharing any of that information on the Strip) shortly before MGM got hit with a similar attack.  We've been led to believe by Hollywood heist movies that it's incredibly tough to take on a casino because of massive security and surveillance technology. Guess not. You can't really stop what you can't see and keeping ahead of the hackers is more difficult every day. You either pay up front for the protection that is available and keep your fingers crossed or you pay after the fact for the failure and hope it doesn't happen again.

In the recent Morning Show episode, the head honchos at the UBA network were ultimately unwilling to pay a $50 million ransom although it appeared that the network could come up with the cash.  Obviously, this is far from the case for most companies and institutions. And, in the typical circumstances of any startup or relatively new business, a substantial and unpayable demand would very likely mean the death of the firm.

Startups are rarely sitting on piles of cash; investors never want to see their funds going out the door to pay ransoms; and new business builders almost never spend scarce dollars on insurance.  Apart from the D&O insurance which their investors demand, it's a one-in-a-million prospect that they've purchased sufficient business interruption protection to cover cyberattacks. Entrepreneurs believe in passion and promotion, but rarely commit appropriately to downside protection. One of the clearest COVID-19 lessons was just how strapped and skinny millions of startups are and how little thought and money they had committed to resilience and backing up their businesses and their data securely offsite.

To me, the show actually had a far more important message, especially for executives and senior managers charged with cybersecurity responsibilities. The episode tracked the responses and reactions of the various junior and senior staff members to the crisis. Whether through stupidity, selfishness, or inadvertent subversion, several main characters completely ignore the experts' very specific directions to surrender their mobile phones to contain the spread of the virus. Worse yet, despite being told that the corrupted phones represented further risks of damage, they stealthily snuck off to make personal calls. Which reminded me of an old truism: men are not against you; they are merely for themselves.

The point is that no one has the luxury of acting alone because there’s really no digital environment that’s absolutely isolated, insulated, or secure. Every system is subject to human intervention, frailty, ignorance, and self-interest. If your team doesn’t seriously commit to help secure your systems, it’s just a matter of time before you suffer. A little inconvenience and some simple precautions can avoid a ton of disruption. And, as a recent Deloitte survey shows, the risk isn’t where you expect it. Gen Z is, in fact, many times more likely to fall for these schemes as older employees. Turns out, they only think they’re a lot smarter and computer-savvy than you.

There are three major messages that senior management needs to carefully and consistently deliver, and also demonstrate and validate through their own actions. An example or two of conscientious compliance by the boss is worth a million words.

First, make it absolutely clear that the concerns expressed about system security aren't nags or nuisances, they're necessities. They represent existential risks to the business, and the safeguards that have been implemented aren't casual or suggested, they're mandatory and will be strictly enforced with zero tolerance. But just saying it doesn't make it so. Your whole organization needs to live it.

Second, it's far too easy for people to assume that these matters are someone else's responsibilities and especially to hand it off to the IT guys and let them worry about it.  That's misdirected: the vast majority of breaches aren't super-sophisticated or driven by complex technical intrusions. They're the result of simple sloppiness, stupid reuse of the same passwords, laziness in terms of updating software, and, of course, social engineering, which rarely has anything to do with the technical aspects of your systems. You want your people to be helpful when asked, but, in these precarious times, a fair amount of caution, suspicion, and confirmation makes a lot of sense. Keep in mind that 91% of all known cyberattacks start with email phishing.

Third, one ongoing problem is that the fraud phishers and the hungry hackers have increasingly adopted two strategies: (1) they constantly use fake Microsoft logos and language to misleadingly alert users to the falsehood that their passwords need to be changed before they expire or are turned off by Microsoft; and (2) as the year ends, they will again be sending millions of fake emails with titles relating to year-end comp changes, salary adjustments, and bonuses, which appear to be coming from internal HR departments.  They're not, but they are close to irresistible in terms of the temptation to open them. Now is a very good time -- since October is National Cybersecurity Awareness month - to remind your team about these two schemes in particular and also to consider how best to distinguish your legitimate communications from the noisy and cluttered mess.

None of this is easy to pull off, but all of this is critical right now to get out ahead of the problem, to the extent that's possible. Sharing stories from other companies and articles about attacks and breaches that have been hit is somewhat helpful, but sadly, most people still won't believe that these things can happen to them.  Until they do.

SEP 26, 2023

 We've got presidents who think that if they do something it by definition can't be against the law. We've got SCOTUS justices who feel they should not adhere to ethics rules or be criticized. We've got Senators who defend antiquated rules that grant each of them (or a minority of them) the power to stop progress on any issue ...and who value their club so much they won't speak out against obvious crimes. We have members of the House who feel they do not have to honor legal subpoenas, fulfill their duty to their constituents or honor the Constitutional definition of what constitutes an impeachable offense. We have state legislatures and governors that seek to ignore the will of the people and to reverse the results of elections without any legal grounds or justification. These abuses happen daily. Our system has become deeply and profoundly corrupt. We are in a slow motion constitutional crisis, one in which our governing ideals and principles have been gutted to serve the personal and partisan ambitions of a few--officials and donors alike. Don't underestimate the severity of this situation. Authoritarianism doesn't require a coup to assume power and snuff out democracy.

EXCITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A.I. PANEL DISCUSSION AT THE FIELD MUSEUM AND DEMO THE MED MIRROR TO THE TRUSTEES

 

DEMO VIDEO FROM THE MAIN HALL DISPLAY 

 

A PATRIOT

 So Proud of this Guy - A True Patriot Who Saved Our Democracy from the Traitorous Scumbag Trump

PERVERT GYM JORDAN UNLEASHED AND INSANE QUESTIONS GARLAND

 

 

CONGRATS TO CINDY C ON THE NEW APPLE TV MINI-SERIES: THE SUPER MODELS

 

CONGRATS TO CHRISTY T ON THE NEW APPLE TV MINI-SERIES: THE SUPER MODELS

 

NEW INC. MAGAZINE COLUMN FROM HOWARD TULLMAN

 

You Can't Build Culture in a Cloud

Zooming in can lead to zoning out, or worse: when everyone feels compelled or entitled to share whatever they're thinking. (Please spare us.) Here are four rules to bring some discipline to every discussion. 

 

BY HOWARD TULLMAN, GENERAL MANAGING PARTNER, G2T3V AND CHICAGO HIGH TECH INVESTORS@HOWARDTULLMAN1

 

I've spent a lot of painful time lately in interminable Zoom meetings wondering if things will ever get better or whether we're all just forever mired in this anhedonic rut. Drifting off into these depressing queries is easy when you're stuck for hours in front of a monitor and staring at your firm's infinitely less entertaining version of digital Hollywood Squares. Anyone who suggests that you can accomplish any meaningful interaction with your team or any effective engagement with a group over Zoom or Teams simply doesn't understand how humans interact, or how important body language, accurate voice tones, and posture are to EQ.  And how difficult it is to tell a joke to a remote audience.

 

The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth, and I fear that the endless hours we're wasting in these sterile endeavors attempting unsuccessfully to share and communicate are, in fact, slowly draining the connection, culture, and commitment from our companies, communities, and conversations. And digging us all deeper into a hole. You simply can't build a new business without being physically there.

 

We're in this hybrid WFH work world for the foreseeable future and there's no new technology bubbling up that's going to change our lives for the better in this area any time soon. Don't mistake the edge of the rut for a promising horizon. Synthetic startups with people scattered all over the country will never succeed in building a lasting business because you can't build culture in the cloud.  I've lived through and employed every version of virtual meeting technology over the last two decades and nothing has materially moved the needle in the qualitative and emotional areas that really matter to people. And I don't think anyone's seriously interested in joining the Meta legless legions or sitting with Apple visors strapped to their heads for unending hours every day.

 

We may not be doomed, but we're heading complacently in the wrong direction and waiting for some tech salvation or deus ex machina solution that's not about to arrive. The very best outcome we can hope for is that we start to think about and develop practical and procedural steps we can take in order to make the best of what we're going to be subjected to for at least the next few years.

 

The remediation process starts by examining and trying to comprehend how these apparently neutral virtual technologies have actually (and, I would argue, adversely) changed the dynamics of traditional meetings, and what we need to do in response. The old rules for running meetings -- keeping them "crisp" -- need some updating. What do we need to develop as the new ground rules for these gatherings based on what we've seen to date in terms of what's working and what's not.

 

First and foremost, democracy is still not a virtue in every meeting.  Never mind the fact that everyone's little on-screen boxes are the same size and vertically, horizontally --but not hierarchically -- arranged. Be honest and let people know that not every random thought is a good idea, and not everything needs to be said or shared. There's a reason we have leaders and listeners. Somehow these virtual meetings have empowered and emancipated the peanut gallery and enormous amounts of time are wasted listening to people who have nothing to say but insist on saying it nonetheless and at everyone else's expense.  Feel free to not chime in. I always suggest using anonymous collaborative input systems like Balloon as a far better way to get the whole truth from all of the troops. 

 

Second, just as the anonymity of the internet has enabled and empowered trolls, perverts, and radicals hiding behind their keyboards to attack and slander celebrities, civilians and especially children, the mechanics of Zoom unfortunately put a premium on loud, facile, and fast comments rather than fair and thoughtful ones. Volume too often drowns out value and velocity cuts off the comments and contributions of the people most likely to make a substantive contribution to the discussion. Some people are so loud that you actually can't hear what they're saying, which may ultimately be the best for all concerned. Unfortunately, as millions still haven't learned about Trump, shouting a lie doesn't make it true, but it does make it hard to get anything else done.   

 

Third, business managers have to learn that, from time to time - even if you've set aside the time to meet, there's no shame in not meeting if there's nothing pressing to discuss. Zoom and Teams won't miss you for a moment and most of your peers will silently thank you for sparing them from the whole fruitless exercise. And a corollary of the "bag it entirely" strategy is that the content of the meeting should drive the clock and not vice versa. Here again, if the important topics can be covered in half the time, so be it. People who feel obliged to say something - whether they have anything relevant or important to say - probably shouldn't be in the meeting in the first place. Halfway through just about any Zoom session, the vast majority of the attendees have already concluded that they have somewhere else far more important to be. No one's obligated to stay until the clock runs out except in football games.

 

Fourth, in the real world, most of the most important conversations and decisions often take place after the meeting, offline, and in smaller groups. This is really important to understand. It's a good idea to remind people that, if you don't say something honestly and out loud in the meeting, don't say it after the meeting, but that's mainly wishful thinking. Another of the unintended consequences of Zoom is both more and less team transparency because not everyone feels comfortable speaking to a crowd in the cloud.

 

Using the chat feature in Zoom (assuming it's enabled) as a sidebar for private conversations during the main meeting isn't fair to the group, it's a distraction in itself, and it's not especially useful. But following the meeting, it still makes a lot of sense for the leaders to touch base with each other and with other key attendees to make sure that all of the necessary communications, comments and disclosures have been made.

And finally, if you're the boss, listen hard, speak last, and say less. The leader's job is to be right at the end of the meeting, not at the beginning. By the end of the session, nothing beats brevity.

LOOP NORTH NEWS ARTICLE FROM HOWARD TULLMAN

 

The game is won by people who absolutely have to get things done Finishing. Whether it’s a crossword puzzle or a new product launch, the ability to commit to and finish a task is a critical skill for startups. Here are four keys to completion. By Howard Tullman 18-Sep-23 – Not too long ago, I was walking on a newly completed strip of asphalt, and I spotted a dime laying on the ground. Old habits die hard, and I quickly stooped to pick it up and found that the coin was stuck firmly in the black goo and wouldn’t budge. I took out my keys and tried to dig around the edges of the coin, but I clearly had the wrong tools for the task. I thought for a moment that this was some prankster’s idea of a joke, like the old wallet-on-a-string ploy or Lucy whisking away the football from Charlie Brown just before the kick, but sometimes tar is just tar. In any case, I went home and, like any good entrepreneur, stewed on the problem for a while, grabbed a screwdriver, mallet, and an awl from my basement, and headed back to the scene of the crime. That dime is now mine. You wouldn’t be surprised to learn that certain family members concluded that I was totally out of my gourd – but the only really important question is whether this undertaking at that moment was the best use of my time. Some version of this exact question is what every new business builder and entrepreneur should be asking themselves multiple times a day: Is what I’m doing or about to do moving the business forward and closer to our goals? It’s so easy these days to get distracted and lose your way and your direction. Time is scarce, resources are limited, and, if your attention is scattered, your chances of success are far less. But that doesn’t mean that even the smallest undertaking can’t be important and meaningful in the long run. Finishing what you start is one great example. It’s not like I couldn’t spare 15 minutes in my day, but was rescuing this dime really something that needed to be done? And please ignore the reality that, in the WFH world, the spousal list of chores is infinite, inchoate, and always lurking – so there are always other demands competing for your time. What’s critical about the decision to get the job done isn’t its importance or size or even ultimate monetary or other value. What’s crucial is developing, strengthening, and flexing from time to time the underlying behavior – or obsessiveness if you prefer – that drives so many successful people: The need to get things done. The most successful people I know make sure that they try their best to finish whatever it is that they started. Unfinished tasks, large or small, don’t disappear; they linger, fester, and suck away energy, focus, and enthusiasm. If you’re lucky and work at it, you develop a mantra, a style, and a lifelong habit – like a dog with a bone that won’t let things go. Everyone comes to appreciate that you don’t settle, quit in the middle, or do much of anything in a halfway or half-hearted manner. The level of intensity with which you approach any and every challenge rarely differs from one task or project to another unless you no longer care about what you’re doing. And if you’re very fortunate, that drive and commitment will carry over into whatever it is that you do for a living. Entrepreneurs especially know that in building a business you can be proud of, there’s never really a finish line. And don’t think for a moment that people don’t notice or that it’s not contagious. The strongest leaders lead by example, and they sweat all the details – large and small – to make sure the job gets done completely and done right. We don’t go home when the whistle blows; we leave when there’s nothing left to be done. We stop when we’re finished. Of course, we all know that not everything works out perfectly – or at all. It’s always a race to see how big you can get before you get bad. You need to learn how to let things go because not everything can be fixed, finished, or saved. Knowing how to stop an ill-fated or fruitless venture and how to do it fairly for all concerned is another critical skill set which takes years to master. It makes life down the line a lot easier to set realistic milestones and several checkpoints, benchmarks, and drop-dead dates before you commit everyone to stick to the plan and the schedule. But there are still some things you can do to set yourself up for the highest probability of consistent success and to help you avoid biting off more than anyone can chew. Here are the four main cautions I try to always keep in mind: 1 Look carefully – really carefully – before you leap. It’s great to be enthusiastic and to say “yes” to as many projects and tasks as possible, but the “ready, fire, aim” approach is guaranteed to cause you more heartache than happiness. Make sure you understand the scope and scale of each commitment before you jump into it. Everything in life generally costs more and takes longer than we hope or expect, and startups are no different. You don’t want to test the depth of the puddle with both feet. 2 Make sure you’re taking your team with you. The true leader is the one who gets followed – whole-heartedly and with enthusiasm. If you’re spending too much time trying to talk your team into the journey, convincing them of its wisdom, or pulling them along beside you, there’s a good chance that you need to take a second look and catch your breath before charging ahead. Nothing good gets done if you’re working on it all by yourself. 3 Don’t try to get to heaven overnight. Patience isn’t something normally associated with entrepreneurs, but starting out slowly and building over time gives you the power to course-correct, the flexibility of alternatives and options, and the ability to recruit partners, talent, resources, and support for the new venture as time passes. You can’t push a rope. Feeling too much pressure to get something done quickly generally means that you failed to scope out the project and analyze the requirements and necessary timeframes correctly before you began. In the long run, doing it right is far more important than doing it fast. 4 Make sure the gamble is worth the risk. In interviewing, we don’t hire the best person we see; we hire the best person we see for the job that needs to be done. It’s the same idea for taking on new projects. As attractive and potentially profitable as they may be, it’s always still a matter of “fit.” Are the risks, the costs, the other foregone opportunities, the team’s capacity and ability, and the upside of the venture all sufficient to make the undertaking worthwhile for your business? If any of the critical decision criteria are missing, it’s a pass. It doesn’t take a large leak to eventually sink even the sturdiest ship. Bottom line: Success is not about starting, it’s about finishing. But starting out carefully and thoughtfully makes the whole process a lot easier, a lot less painful, and a lot more likely to succeed. Howard Tullman is General Managing Partner for G2T3V, LLC – Investors in Disruptive Innovators, and for Chicago High Tech Investors, LLC. He is also the author of Words of Wisdom: A 60-year compilation.

SO SAD

 TOTALLY DISGUSTING THAT WE LOST A SMART, ARTICULATE GUY LIKE AL FRANKEN AND ARE STUCK (FOR NOW) WITH SCUM LIKE BOOBERT, MTG, AND NOEM - ALL FAKE CHRISTIANS - AND LYING TRAITORS.

 

STUMBLEMOUTH TRUMP   CLICK LINK HERE TO WATCH 

THE MONEY SHOW IN ORLANDO

 

Dear Investors and Traders, I have some great news: I’m going to be speaking at the MoneyShow/TradersEXPO Orlando this October! And that leads to only one question... Can we meet and talk markets there – IN PERSON? I sure hope so...because my friends at the MoneyShow organization have assembled a dynamite lineup of world-class market strategists, economists, professional traders, money managers, and newsletter publishers. You can see from the just-released preliminary agenda that you’re in for an unparalleled investor education experience at the event, which runs from October 29-31, 2023. In addition to my talk, you’ll have the chance to hear and learn from the likes of... Charles Payne, Host, Fox's Making Money with Charles Payne George Gilder, Editor, Gilder's Technology Report Lindsey Piegza, Chief Economist, Stifel Financial Corp. Barry Ritholtz, Founder and CIO, Ritholtz Wealth Management Mark Skousen, Editor, Forecasts & Strategies John Carter, Author, Mastering the Trade And more than 75+ other experts! They’ll cover everything from stocks, bonds, real estate, energy, and precious metals to alternative investments and elite trading tools and strategies. Plus, the conference is being held at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate – one of the nation's premier golf, meeting, and leisure retreats. AND because you’re one of my valued readers, I CAN SAVE YOU 20% on the purchase of a Standard Pass to the event! So first, here is my presentation schedule: The New Normal: Leveraging Emerging Tech Trends and the New Workforce And second, here is where you can click to secure your Standard Pass to the MoneyShow/TradersEXPO Orlando at a 20% savings! Or if you prefer, call the MoneyShow team at 1-800-970-4355 and reference my discount code SPKR20. Then get ready. Because I can’t wait to share my insights, strategies, and forecasts with you – not to mention talk markets IN PERSON – in Orlando! Sincerely, Howard Tullman General Managing Partner G2T3V, LLC

HOWARD TULLMAN JOINS LISA DENT ON WGN RADIO TO TALK ABOUT INC. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: FINISH WHAT YOU START

LISTEN TO THE SHOW HERE 

LISTEN TO THE SHOW HERE

 

CAUGHT IN THE COOKIE JAR WITH HIS TRAITOR AND CO-CONSPIRATOR WIFE CHOMPING DOWN ON THE GOODIES

 

NEW INC. MAGAZINE COLUMN BY HOWARD TULLMAN

 

The Game is Won by People Who Absolutely Have to Get Things Done.

Finishing. Whether it's a crossword puzzle or a new product launch, the ability to commit to and finish a task is a critical skill for startups. Here are four keys to completion. 

 

BY HOWARD TULLMAN, GENERAL MANAGING PARTNER, G2T3V AND CHICAGO HIGH TECH INVESTORS@HOWARDTULLMAN1

 

Not too long ago, I was walking on a newly completed strip of asphalt, and I spotted a dime laying on the ground. Old habits die hard, and I quickly stooped to pick it up and found that the coin was stuck firmly in the black gook and wouldn't budge. I took out my keys and tried to dig around the edges of the coin, but I clearly had the wrong tools for the task. I thought for a moment that this was some prankster's idea of a joke like the old wallet on a string ploy or Lucy whisking away the football from Charlie Brown just before the kick, but sometimes tar is just tar. In any case, I went home and, like any good entrepreneur, stewed on the problem for a while, grabbed a screwdriver, mallet, and an awl from my basement, and headed back to the scene of the crime. That dime is now mine.

You wouldn't be surprised to learn that certain family members concluded that I was totally out of my gord - but the only really important question is whether this undertaking at that moment was the highest and best use of my time. Some version of this exact question is what every new business builder and entrepreneur should be asking themselves multiple times a day: "Is what I'm doing or about to do moving the business forward and closer to our goals?" It's so very easy these days to get distracted and lose your way and your direction. Time is scarce, resources are limited, and, if your attention is scattered, your chances of success are far less.

But that doesn't mean that even the smallest undertaking can't be important and meaningful in the long run. Finishing what you start is one great example.

It's not like I couldn't spare 15 minutes in my day, but was rescuing this dime really something that needed to be done?  And please ignore the reality that, in the WFH world, the spousal list of chores is infinite, inchoate, and always lurking - so there are always other demands competing for your time. What's critical about the decision to get the job done isn't its importance or size or even ultimate monetary or other value. What's crucial is developing, strengthening, and flexing from time to time the underlying behavior (or obsessiveness if you prefer) that drives so many successful people. The need to get things done.

The most successful people I know make sure that they try their best to finish whatever it is that they started. Unfinished tasks, large or small, don't disappear; they linger, fester, and suck away energy, focus, and enthusiasm. If you're lucky and work at it, you develop a mantra, a style, and a lifelong habit - like a dog with a bone that won't let things go.  Everyone comes to appreciate that you don't settle, quit in the middle, or do much of anything in a halfway or half-hearted manner.  The level of intensity with which you approach any and every challenge rarely differs from one task or project to another unless you no longer care about what you're doing.

And if you're very fortunate, that drive and commitment will carry over into whatever it is that you do for a living. Entrepreneurs especially know that in building a business you can be proud of, there's never really a finish line. And don't think for a moment that people don't notice or that it's not contagious. The strongest leaders lead by example, and they sweat all the details - large and small - to make sure the job gets done completely and done right. We don't go home when the whistle blows; we leave when there's nothing left to be done. We stop when we're finished.

Of course, we all know that not everything works out perfectly -- or at all. It's always a race to see how big you can get before you get bad.  You need to learn how to let things go because not everything can be fixed, finished, or saved. Knowing how to stop an ill-fated or fruitless venture and how to do it fairly for all concerned is another critical skill set which takes years to master. It makes life down the line a lot easier to set realistic milestones and several checkpoints, benchmarks, and drop-dead dates before you commit everyone to stick to the plan and the schedule.

But there are still some things you can do to set yourself up for the highest probability of consistent success and to help you avoid biting off more than anyone can chew. Here are the four main cautions I try to always keep in mind.

(1)   Look carefully--really carefully-- before you leap.

It's great to be enthusiastic and to say "Yes" to as many projects and tasks as possible, but the "ready, fire, aim" approach is guaranteed to cause you more heartache than happiness. Make sure you understand the scope and scale of each commitment before you jump into it - everything in life generally costs more and takes longer than we hope or expect, and startups are no different. You don't want to test the depth of the puddle with both feet.

(2)   Make sure you're taking your team with you.

The true leader is the one who gets followed - whole-heartedly and with enthusiasm. If you're spending too much time trying to talk your team into the journey, convincing them of its wisdom, or pulling them along beside you, there's a good chance that you need to take a second look and catch your breath before charging ahead. Nothing good gets done if you're working on it all by yourself.

(3)   Don't try to get to heaven overnight.

Patience isn't something normally associated with entrepreneurs, but starting out slowly and building over time gives you the power to course correct, the flexibility of alternatives and options, and the ability to recruit partners, talent, resources, and support for the new venture as time passes. You can't push a rope. Feeling too much pressure to get something done quickly generally means that you failed to scope out the project and analyze the requirements and necessary timeframes correctly before you began. In the long run, doing it right is far more important than doing it fast.

(4)   Make sure the gamble is worth the risk.

In interviewing, we don't hire the best person we see; we hire the best person we see for the job that needs to be done. It's the same idea for taking on new projects. As attractive and potentially profitable as they may be, it's always still a matter of "fit." Are the risks, the costs, the other foregone opportunities, the team's capacity and ability, and the upside of the venture all sufficient to make the undertaking worthwhile for your business. If any of the critical decision criteria are missing, it's a pass. It doesn't take a large leak to eventually sink even the sturdiest ship.

 Bottom line: Success is not about starting, it's about finishing. But starting out carefully and thoughtfully makes the whole process a lot easier, a lot less painful, and a lot more likely to succeed.