Wrapping up my Boston trip and second Forbes Under 30 Summit. Memorable sessions by Anne Wojcicki , Eliza Esquivel , Whitney Wolfe , Bozoma Saint John! Glad to catch up with the one and truly Jenny Rooney ! 🙂 #sfbound

It's amazing what total nonsense you find in extremely expensive consulting decks. This language has spread thinly around the world and it's utter guff. Have these people ever met a person? Let alone listened to them. Why does nobody call out this crap? Why do we continue to all say it? Billions of dollars are spend on totally stupid things based on language and assumptions like this. The only words on here that are true is that people like quick customer service and easy to use fast websites. Even the idea that "customers are demanding quick delivery" isn't quite as simple as that. And I know all this, because I'm a human being and I have common sense. Really, that's all we need. …see more

My TEDx was about standing out with a story. And there are few things that illustrate the power of story better than this.👇🏽 In the 60s a Harvard Psychologist, Robert Rosenthal, approached a school in California. Basically saying, “hey, I have this test I can give your students to help you identify which students are special.” The kids were then separated into two groups “average” and “special”. A year went by and the test was incredibly accurate. The “special” group blew the other group out of the water in everything from: test scores, curiosity, happiness, etc. Even the teachers were happier. The thing is, that test was 100% bullshit and the students were chosen at random. So 1). A good story can help sell anything. And 2). Pay attention to the narratives that you’re telling yourself. Because stories have the power to create reality. #justQ 🖖🏽🖤 #entrepreneurship #PublicSpeaking …see more

My advice on how to navigate these crazy times? Be kind, be patient, be human. Be kind to everyone, for we’re dealing with unprecedented times where people are grieving multiple losses, from their jobs to treasured loved ones. A kind word and heartfelt gesture go a long way. Be patient, because we’re all just doing our best. When you encounter something upsetting, take a beat before reacting and pause before lashing out. Acceptance and tolerance are welcomed and encouraged. Be human, because before we were clients or vendors, salespeople or CEOs, we were people. And right now, people need each other more than ever. Yes, things are out of control and crazy. I know you're scared and angry and frustrated—so am I. But being mean, impatient, and cruel will not help things. Instead, be kind, be patient, and be human. #leadership #bestadvice #career …see more

Here are three reasons why #empathy is still the most important soft skill for your #career : 1. It shifts your perspective. When you practice empathy, you naturally shift to tap into your awareness of others, situations, and yourself. This allows you to understand that everything is connected—your interactions with other people, how they perceive you, your attitude, and your responses to them in the moment—and all can be enhanced through better self-awareness. 2. It facilitates understanding. When you lead with empathy, you ask meaningful questions and then actively listen to understand, not to respond, which helps others feel valued and heard, fostering feelings of trust and respect. And when you better understand your customers, colleagues, and partners, you’ll then be able to use those insights in ways to better serve and communicate with them. 3. It breeds kindness and gratitude. Those who are aware that our differences make us stronger, not weaker, use empathy to focus on finding ways to acknowledge and celebrate our commonalities. And practicing that gratitude has a positive halo effect on those around us, improving our relationships and communication with others, helping them feel connected and appreciated, which is then repeated in a virtuous cycle. #softskills …see more

Savor the small joys of each day. Be present and engaged in the moment and no longer let busyness control your life. - Carson Tate

I fly a lot. I am amazed at how well run most airlines are. I virtually never suffer cancelled flights, delays are rare and short and equipment failures unusual. When they happen I tolerate it all and unexpectedly happily. But the one thing that routinely staggers me is how awful airlines are at communicating. You can have an airline app installed, have passed on your email and cell phone number and still not be told of a cancelation or delay. …see more

While doomsday prophets predict the end of the brick-and-mortar store, there will always be a place for the experiential. Special thanks to Huffington Post and Zev Gotkin for the piece. …see more

Great to speak with the team from Change Please at a recent 100% #HumanAtWork gathering. After receiving a loan from Virgin StartUp , the coffee company is tackling homelessness in the UK and is now served on-board Virgin Trains and Virgin Atlantic …see more

Adam Grant 's latest book “Think Again” is a must-read. It’s all about reassessing our own opinions and biases while also getting others to reassess theirs—something that’s much needed at this particular moment in history. Highly recommend for anyone who’s interested in opening other people’s minds—and their own. …see more

Thanks Paul Krugman for sharing this image. I had suggested the image of an "asymmetrical square root sign" as a way to describe what is happening with growth and employment. This one -- the "reverse square root picture" -- captures much better the dynamics in play. #economy #jobs #growth #employment #unemployment …see more

I've been a startup founder twice now. And to tell you the honest truth...it isn't a fun job 😅 It's stressful, draining, and when it's unclear whose responsibility something is, it's yours. Now that I've moved into a role as an investor, one thing I tell startup founders is this: CEOs only have one job -- prioritize. CEOs are professional prioritizers. Everything else is detail. Which brings me to the main issue I find with startup founders. It's not that they aren't smart or dedicated or capable of performing at a high level, it's that they make no time in their day for their key responsibility of prioritizing. They're so busy reacting to emails, Slack notifications, and hopping between calls, they don't make time to plan long term goals and prioritize the things that will help the company scale. And so my advice to every founder is this: Make time to think. It is quite literally a competitive advantage. While other people are distracted, running from task to task, you'll be able to do the strategic thinking necessary to build a company. I recently appeared on The NFX Podcast with James Currier where we talked: • Why I wrote my first book Hooked • How to build habit-forming products • My angel investment strategy I've included a link to the episode below! …see more

Join me live on Thursday, June 11, 10 AM ET with O'Shares ETFs. I'll be answering 20 questions on the market and economy in 20 minutes.

"Many people may be nervous or think it is insane to make a bold move like this in the middle of a pandemic." In the past 7 months, no business owners have escaped the paradigm shifting impact of Covid-19. Small businesses have faced uniqued obstacles that no MBA program prepares for, but in these obstacles also lie opportunities to shift and grow. In this blog, my friend and partner Jamie Ratner of CertifiKID talks about why she ignored a chorus of "are you CRAZY!?" and decided to acquire another company during a pandemic. …see more

If we truly want to #learn, we never learn when we are #talking. We only learn when we are #listening.

When I was suicidal, I was doing all of the below bad habits. When I was going broke, I was doing all of the below bad habits. I’ve gone from rich to dead broke so many times I’m like a one-man scientific experiment in what works and what doesn’t. Or I’m just an idiot. Either way. These things don’t work. Stop doing them. …see more

Always learn from everything. Everyone you speak to. Everything you read. Everything you do... (Try to remember what you learned at the end of the day, and write them down).

As much as we moan about younger people in the workforce & the perception of their selfishness, the reality is that modern businesses would do far better if it worked around people rather than fit them into spaces. Find what people do best, fan their passions, nurture curiosity, work around their strengths, rather than fit people into roles. Am I being really naive?

What a show! 1,300+ companies applied, 5 amazing founders pitched & and I chose 1 company to win $10K (let me tell you - the choice was not easy). Meeting companies like these is why I love being a part of StartEngine. If you’re looking to raise $500K or even $50M, apply to raise on StartEngine here: https://bit.ly/34p01oD and if you know entrepreneurs in need of funding, you can refer them to StartEngine and earn $1,000 here: https://bit.ly/3cFAb36 …see more

Summary of the May jobs report which is a huge upside surprise. Top line numbers, including jobs (+2.5 mm vs negative 7.5 expected) and unemployment rate (declining to 13.3% vs 19.1% expected) are counter to all expectations I saw. In sum, a head scratcher that needs analysis. #jobs #unemployment …see more