I went to the TechBoise event last night to say thanks and best wishes to Tac Anderson, our EIR and widely recognized social media expert. He is leaving Hewlett Packard, Highway 12 Ventures and Boise for an exciting opportunity in Seattle. He has had a very big impact on the local entrepreneurial community, but his […]
Archive for April, 2009
Apr
30
Apr
28
Respect The Incumbent
“You don’t tug on superman’s cape. You don’t spit into the wind. You don’t pull the mask off the old lone ranger and you don’t mess around with Jim.” - Jim Croce “There are not enough Indians in the world to defeat the Seventh Cavalry.” - General George Custer just prior to the Battle of […]
Apr
26
Success?
So what is success? I guess that each of us has our own definition. I remember the day I heard my definition of success. I was in my early 20’s – driving around the West, looking for a place for us to call home and start a business. I had just finished a visit with […]
Apr
24
La Signification De Vie
A long time ago, my mother-in-law taught me a lesson I’ve never forgotten (if common sense were currency she’d be the wealthiest person I know). She shared with me that her father (a rancher who homesteaded in Idaho straight off the Oregon trail) used to always tell her “every person you meet in life has […]
Apr
22
Bruuuce and Entrepreneurs
Last week, my wife and I had the pleasure of seeing Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play in LA. I’m a big fan, but had not seen him for close to 18 years and my wife was a newbie when it came to The Boss in concert. As we were driving back after the […]
Apr
21
M&A opportunities in an economic downturn
I am fortunate to sit on the Advisory Board for McKinsey & Co.’s high tech practice. It is a wonderful learning opportunity - getting exposure to what they, and their clients, think is strategically important. I only hope that my experiences at HP, and now with Highway 12 Ventures, will enable me to contribute […]
Apr
16
From Operator to VC
I have been into the martial arts for a number of years, though I started very late in life. I remember my first night in class…….. a 40 something VP from Hewlett Packard, standing there in my new uniform and White Belt. I was in between an 11 year Black Belt and a college age […]
Apr
14
Bill Joos Entrepreneur Bootcamp - Wrap Up
As one attendee said, “Every entrepreneur in the Treasure Valley should be here.” Bill Joos put on a great day for 120+ entrepreneurs, students and business managers at Boise State University’s Jordan Ballroom. From the Top Ten Mistakes in Business Plans to Positioning to Perfecting Your Pitch, the attendees got real world advice and great […]
Apr
12
The Intermountain West: Part I (with apolgies to Eddie Vedder)
People often ask me what I mean when I describe that our firm’s geographical investment focus is the area known as the “Intermountain West”. Well, it was explained to me when I moved here from Boston 10 years ago that it is defined as the area from the Rockies on the east to the Cascades […]
Apr
09
Blogs?
A blog? Me? You’re kidding, Mark, right? I don’t even have time to read blogs! Well, maybe one… every now and then… Our friend Brad Feld…he’s a VC in Boulder and really smart…and creative, I like his blog. I’m sure I could learn a lot from reading blogs - After six years, I still sometimes […]