As the start-up ecosystem bursts, it is difficult to identify a diamond in the coal mine – an opportunity worth the risk, given the high percentage of failed start-ups. Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP), an American venture capital firm, alludes to unique characteristics of fruitful investments in its Investment Memos. So, what is the secret sauce? […]
Many new ventures, deals, investments and strategies fail because they haven’t been properly tested before launch. Applying rigorous contrarian thinking with a Devil’s Advocate or military style Red Team can save time, money and reputation by avoiding mistakes and making decisions that maximise chances of success. In the following piece, Dr. Nicholas Beecroft explains a […]
When I was first starting a business, I never seemed to have enough hours in a day for myself, my health, my business, or my loved ones but found myself throwing precious minutes and hours away for others, often total strangers. Requests to pick my brain, advise on a project, serve as a sounding board, […]
In these unprecedented times of (using the word unprecedented) uncertainty, many of us are contemplating taking the leap of faith and becoming a fulltime entrepreneur. One of the most common questions I encounter is – “How can I focus on growing my business or on thought leadership when I am struggling to make ends meet?” This […]
It’s been a busy period lately for the London Business School entrepreneurship community. Here are some of the updates that our entrepreneurs have been working on over the past few weeks. Pass the Keys exceeds its funding round by over 200% Pass the Keys raised over £1,000,000, more than double its original target of £500,000. […]
Is your business partner from another planet? When companies are growing fast, pressures can bring personal differences to the surface, and these can become major disagreements. In the following piece, Stefano Maifreni SEMBA2012 shares his thoughts on these questions. How do you prepare for conflict, and deal with it in a professional way? Experience has […]
Are entrepreneurs born or made? Alexis Prenn, Co-Founder and Chairman of Receipt Bank shares his experience as an entrepreneur with Jeff Skinner, the Executive Director of the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship as part of the LBS TELL Series. The interview covers what it means to be a growing start-up, hurdles of entrepreneurship and Alexis’ […]
Family businesses have more in common than they often realise. Rupert Merson, Adjunct Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School and family business expert explores the sources of unhappiness family-owned companies face time and time again in his latest blog. ‘All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own […]
The mobility industry, like most, has felt an impact from the pandemic. But, what’s next? Julien Trost MBA2021 explores micromobility and related venture opportunities. The use of Micromobility as a word is a relatively new trend that coincides with the birth of Lime and Bird, the electric scooters sharing services, in 2017. But the history […]
In these unprecedented times of (using the word unprecedented) uncertainty, many of us are contemplating taking the leap of faith and becoming a full-time entrepreneur. One of the most common questions I have encountered is – “Co-Founders and where/why/how/when do I find them?” So, is the Fit-Founder a myth? Err… The Founder-Fit… Is the Founder-Fit a […]