20 Apr 2020
By Shannon Lyons
Design Thinking Webinar

Design Thinking Webinar

Tools
Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation. It integrates the needs of people, possibilities of technology, and requirements for business success.   It also allows those who aren't trained as designers to use creative tools to address a vast range of challenges.  Design thinking will help your team or organization: Better understand the unmet needs of the people you’re creating for (customers, users, internal stakeholders, etc...).Reduce the risk associated with launching new ideas, products, and services.Generate solutions that are revolutionary, not just incremental.Learn and iterate faster. This webinar will be presented by Shannon Lyons, who has been practicing design thinking…
Read More
24 Jan 2020
By Charles Stack

Lightning Network Books

Lightning Network, Tools
Books are generally a poor medium for emerging technologies. The book industry operates at a glacial pace compared to most emerging technologies. By the time a book is published, the contents are invariably dated and the technology has probably already emerged. Nonetheless, here are a few books, or book-like publications, that cover the Lightning Network. The Bitcoin Lightning Network, Poon & Dryja, Jan 2016, pdf. This is the seminal white paper that launched the concept of the lightning network. The early sections are invaluable for understanding the problems that the lightning network was designed to address. Required reading. Hacking The…
Read More
16 Dec 2019
By Charles Stack
What are your machines learning?

What are your machines learning?

News, Tools,
Machine learning (ML) is already a $2B USD market growing at 40+% a year. Unlike blockchain, ML can be applied to nearly every aspect of your business: accounting fraud detection, supply channel optimization, consumer marketing, employee hiring, intelligent products, process automation, and many others. The only thing you need to apply ML to a problem is some data and all organizations are awash with data. Basic ML algorithms are available in ready-to-use form on all the large cloud platforms. It's time to draft your ML strategy and plan some pilots.
Read More
03 Oct 2019
By Charles Stack
McKinsey Blockchain Categories

McKinsey Blockchain Categories

Tips, Tools
McKinsey has a fairly clear categorization for 6 use cases for corporate blockchain. Note: Category 6 which includes 'everything else'. Which is a clear indication that they acknowledge the opportunity for many as yet un-imagined opportunities. But it is a good starting point. Copyright McKinsey
Read More
04 Apr 2013
By flashstarts

Business Model Canvas for the Right-Brained

Other, Tools
We use the business model canvas as a tool in our accelerator. But, because we strongly encourage right-brained entrepreneurs, we wanted a slightly different version. Here is the standard left-brain version: And here is our new right-brain version: If the second one makes more sense to you, please apply to our accelerator right now.
Read More
31 Jan 2013
By flashstarts

Linkedin

Other, Tools
I just spent an hour updating my Linkedin profile. FlashStarts is the first business I have started where Linkedin has provided clear value. And that value is proving to be significant. FlashStarts, like most startup accelerators, is based on a network of mentors. Mentors provide advice, feedback, introductions, occasionally wisdom, and sometimes funding. Linkedin is ideally suited for this model. The underlying network model enables business connections across people, companies, and groups. We are already using Linkedin in a variety of ways: for mentor bios, applicant resumes, mentor group communications, team/mentor pairing, alpha customer introductions, and funding introductions. If you…
Read More
30 Oct 2012
By flashstarts

FlashStarts Core: The CEO Toolkit

Other, Tools
At the core of the FlashStarts business is a series of distinct conceptual tools that a startup CEO needs to have in their toolbox. These tools and the ability to know when and how to use them form the core of our value proposition to the startup CEO. Rapid iteration Focus on the core / Outsource the context Core metrics Time management: Getting things done Continuous feedback loops Profit models Building intellectual capital Negotiation with friends Strategic mindset Presentations and storytelling And because we are continuously iterating, this list is subject to change.
Read More
19 Oct 2012
By flashstarts

CEO Types

Other, Tools
Tom LeFevre, Intuit co-founder and member of The Angels' Forum, gave an interview a few years ago on evaluating good startup CEO's. While he didn't find clear markers for success, he identified six types of CEO likely to fail. His comments resonated with my own experience evaluating startups at the time and I hunted down the reference again. It still rings true. (more…)
Read More