Published in FutureSight·Mar 10Mutual Economics: The Power of Non-Financial CapitalTen years ago, one of my newly hired software developers asked me why I hated her. When I asked her why she felt that way, she told me, “Whenever you walk by my desk, you are frowning and look so angry.” Her strong feelings surprised me because internally, I knew…6 min read6 min read
Published in FutureSight·Feb 9Mutual Economics: Provocative Questions about Value Creation, Power, and ProfitThis is the second article in a series exploring new approaches to venture creation. In the first article in this series, I introduced the concepts of the Economics of Mutuality in which a business seeks to earn profit while attempting to solve problems for people and the planet. Such businesses…Economic7 min readEconomic7 min read
Published in FutureSight·Dec 30, 2022Mutual Economics: How We Can Build Better CompaniesThis article is the first in a series exploring new approaches to venture creation. “What should be the right level of profit?” is a question few people have asked in the boardroom. The assumption underlying most business plans and decisions is that the right level of profit is the maximum…Profit5 min readProfit5 min read
Published in FutureSight·Oct 18, 2021How to Maximize Your Impact by Growing Your Co-Creation CapacityCo-created with Stephen Baldwin. Most entrepreneurs, myself included, have trouble letting go. They create their venture from nothing and nurture it into a profitable enterprise, so they’re understandably reluctant to relinquish responsibility, even if it’s the right path for both the business and the entrepreneur themself. Beneath this reluctance, in…Life Lessons6 min readLife Lessons6 min read
Published in FutureSight·Mar 4, 2021Lift, don’t climb: The lie of the corporate ladder and promise of the barbell strategy for maximizing wealth and impactMy understanding of how to generate financial wealth changed quickly and fundamentally after I sold my first company. I joined the buyer, a corporation with tens of thousands of employees and billions in revenue, as an SVP. Near the end of my earn-out (I had committed to staying with them…Startup8 min readStartup8 min read
Published in FutureSight·Feb 24, 2021From Striving to Calling: A path to finding meaning in your workOur Awakening I had always thought, like almost every entrepreneur, that selling my company would be a triumphant moment — the pinnacle of my achievements. But when it finally happened, instead of feeling fulfilled and overjoyed, I felt empty, lost, and bewildered with confusion over the meaning of my life and work. …Entrepreneurship11 min readEntrepreneurship11 min read
Published in FutureSight·Dec 6, 2020Venture Studio Value Creation: Studios vs. VC FundsA studio has distinct differences when compared to venture capital firms in value creation. Since venture studios focus on forming new ventures, significant equity value is created through the studio’s operation as a co-founder. …Startup Studio3 min readStartup Studio3 min read
Published in FutureSight·Oct 19, 2020Naked in the arena: How to find your entrepreneurial advantageWritten in collaboration with Stephen Baldwin. I’m often approached by entrepreneurs who want to start a venture in an area of interest. Some have great ideas, and I’m energized by their passion, but I can’t help but see them for what they are at that stage: Naked in the arena. …Startup5 min readStartup5 min read
Published in FutureSight·Sep 20, 2020How Snowflake took the venture studio path to a $70B market capWritten in collaboration with Stephen Baldwin. The venture studio model had one of its biggest successes last week with the IPO of Snowflake, a scalable data warehousing company that was worth $70.4 billion (USD) at the end of trading on Wednesday. Here are the share prices that significant early investors…Startup4 min readStartup4 min read
Published in FutureSight·Jul 10, 2020The entrepreneurial risk profile: Is now your time to build a startup?Written in collaboration with Stephen Baldwin. This article introduces a risk model that helps FutureSight, a B2B SaaS venture studio, determine whether someone is financially and psychologically prepared to start an entrepreneurial journey. The model rests on our belief that taking risks is fundamental to entrepreneurship. To start a venture…Entrepreneurship6 min readEntrepreneurship6 min read
