A little while ago, I made a website for Slo Carbon. I picked the name because it was available. I didn't love it, but it was there. So I picked it. The problem this hypothetical company tries to solve is also described in a different business evaluation for Clime. The "green premium" for carbon-free appliances… Continue reading Business evaluation: Slo Carbon
Is it okay to be a nice CEO?
As I take the CEO helm again with Shovels, I've been thinking more about what kind of CEO I want to be. Am I some visionary leader with all of the answers? A hard-nosed drill sergeant making sure we stick to our deadlines? A coder? A product whiz? Or the Chief Sales Officer? I simply… Continue reading Is it okay to be a nice CEO?
Taking advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act in Contra Costa County
After the success of The Future of Diablo Valley conference, for which I chaired and did the bulk of the organizing, I was approached by a friend in the local sustainability community. She asked me if I'd like to help organize a conference focusing on green tech in Contra Costa County. I enthusiastically said yes!… Continue reading Taking advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act in Contra Costa County
Platforms versus point solutions
This winter break has been a big one for Shovels. Despite having my kids at home, trekking out to Hawaii, and getting swept up in the Southwest chaos getting to and from Disneyland, I put a lot of deep thought into Shovels. This exercise brought out some gut-wrenching paranoia, deep frustration and confusion, and then… Continue reading Platforms versus point solutions
Business evaluation: Alumnify
I like B2B data businesses. I learned how to write web applications by building Toofr.com (now FindEmails -- they kept my "oo" logo after I sold it). Toofr found email addresses for business contacts. I wrote a book, The Parallel Entrepreneur, about my experience building, running, and selling Toofr while I kept a day job… Continue reading Business evaluation: Alumnify
Meet Murphy
I wrote only two posts here about Blue Boy, our first dog, a lovable chocolate Labrador who left us too soon. But if you had access to our photo album, you'd see that he's in nearly every video and every picture. Once you notice his round brown shape, the sound of his walk and shake,… Continue reading Meet Murphy
I’m fundraising this time — and here’s why
If you read this blog, I mean really parse through it and find my stuff from 2017 and 2018, you'd be surprised to know that I'm eagerly, enthusiastically, passionately fundraising for my startup this time around. Yes, me, the guy who wrote Don't make a mountain of a Sand Hill (Road). I wrote that. I'm… Continue reading I’m fundraising this time — and here’s why
Climate tech is my next big thing
This has been a wild year. I guess I'll start from where I left off on that children's book I wrote about a year ago. Coming into 2022, I was doing really great. I sold MightySignal to Airnow and was enjoying the process of moving into our new and improved house. I'd spend my evenings… Continue reading Climate tech is my next big thing
Business evaluation: Shovels
TL;DR I'm now working on https://www.shovels.ai. I’m going to evaluate a business that I’ve already started working on. Perhaps I should have done this earlier, but for better or worse, this project has evolved far faster than expected! To back up a bit, I’ve been looking for a good idea for a while. I was… Continue reading Business evaluation: Shovels
The Descent of Blue
Everybody who met Blue said he was the best dog they'd ever met. Everybody was right, of course. In the years since his rocky ascent, which I wrote about five years ago, Blue became his own establishment, a pillar of our little neighborhood, as recognizable as any street sign. He was out all the time,… Continue reading The Descent of Blue