Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, April 20, 2020 I am a big fan of NFX, a venture firm in Silicon Valley. And today I am going to attempt the infamous startup somersault on the uneven bars — where (look ma, no hands) I conflate entrepreneurship with the coronavirus. My guide (holding my hand) is […]
Neil’s Blog
After the coronavirus, how will we be changed?
Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, April 13, 2020 “Life is what happens while you are making other plans.” That quote is often attributed to John Lennon (from the song “Beautiful Boy”), but the original quote is from Allen Saunders, a cartoonist for Publishers Syndicate. Would that we could dismiss the last 90 days as […]
Why kids don’t need to stay on track to succeed
Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, April 6, 2020 I have children and grandchildren. I started late, so great-grandchildren are probably not possible. I have lived my entire life in the entrepreneurial world. I have had three full distinct careers (can’t hold a job). There was no logical path to explain this journey. My father […]
What is your ‘edge’ and how can you get others to see it?
Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, March 30, 2020 “Life isn’t fair.” That quote has been attributed to several hundred thinkers, writers, philosophers, pundits, wags and washerwomen. OK, so then what? For an interesting perspective, I turned to Harvard professor Laura Huang’s new book, “Edge, Turning Adversity into Advantage.” The common and accepted mantra for […]
Small things that may lead to something big down road
Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, March 23, 2020 In 2008, Edward Lorenz died. He was the father of what is commonly known as Chaos Theory. He was a professor at MIT and a meteorologist. His breakthrough research validated the “butterfly effect” — which says that small effects can lead to big changes and that […]
Looking to future, with a nod to a biotech visionary
Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, March 16, 2020 I just saw the future. I spent the day at the San Diego Science and Engineering Festival at Petco Park. But as is always the case with the future, it also has a past. So, let’s go back in time and remember Larry Bock, who changed […]