Neil’s Blog

Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, April 12, 2021 Recently, I started a project. Like all entrepreneurs, I think I knew the problem I was solving for, and all I needed to do was plow ahead. At the very beginning of the project, I set as the baseline requirement, the sine quo non, that the […]

Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, April 5, 2021 Last week, I talked with a good friend who sees “froth” everywhere. His company is getting a buyout offer. He sees other companies getting gobbled up by SPACs (special purpose acquisition companies), and he is afraid. Lots of money, too much money. What happened to the […]

Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, March 29, 2021 I am struggling with a few deals, people and projects where I am battling tough competitors, and finding common ground is proving difficult. It is not clear to me what I should want, which is different from what I might want, and to that end, until […]

Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, March 22, 2021 What happens when you finally agree with yourself that you are going to do what you have always wanted? Then in the next instant, when it is right there in front of you, within your grasp, you are confronted with the fear of actually getting what […]

Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, March 15, 2021 There is enormous power in the word “no.” Meet Carol Tome, the CEO of United Parcel Service. In a recent extensive interview in the Wall Street Journal, Tome talks about saying “no” to their unprofitable contracts and customers. On the face of that, you might think that […]

Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, March 8, 2021 Hiring well is always a challenge. I had the occasion to watch an old, 1997 UCSD TV show about the San Diego software industry moderated by Barbara Bry when she was the chief operating officer at UCSD Connect. The five guests, from both big and small […]