Author archive for admin

  • Changing Silicon Valley

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    Silicon Valley is working well, but is increasingly broken. We have venture capitalists to thank and blame for both....

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  • Episode 10: The lose-lose proposition

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Tough-Things-First-Podcast-Episode-10-The-lose-lose-proposition.mp3We all lose when an atmosphere of anger, hostility or contention prevails.  Ray Zinn’s company, Micrel, was built in...

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  • Money for Nothing

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    “If you’re in it just for the money, find another line of work.” Some founders I coach hate hearing...

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  • Episode 9: Focus, filters and blinders

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Tough-Things-First-Podcast-Episode-9-Focus-filters-and-blinders.mp3Ray goes into great detail about entrepreneurial focus, how to construct filters to prevent being overwhelmed, the necessity of...

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  • Episode 8: How do we get the U.S. economy growing again

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Tough-Things-First-Podcast-Episode-8-How-do-we-get-the-U.S.-economy-growing-again.mp3The American economy is moribund. This has a direct effect on businesses and an indirect effect on employees. Until...

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  • Episode 7: Holistic vision vs money motives

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Tough-Things-First-Podcast-Episode-7-Holistic-vision-vs-money-motives.mp3Money is not the motive we have for lifting weights and jogging on treadmills at the gymnasiums. But it...

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  • Episode 6: Challenges, faith and focus

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Tough-Things-First-Podcast-Episode-6-Entrepreneur-challenges-faith-and-focus.mp3Entrepreneurs must stay focused, keeping their eyes on the horizon. Doing so makes seemingly insurmountable obstacles look like fun challenges....

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  • Episode5: Organizational discipline – training, repetition and policy

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Tough-Things-First-Podcast-Episode-5-Organizational-discipline-training-repetition-and-policy.mp3It doesn’t matter how disciplined a CEO is if that same discipline doesn’t find its ways through the organization....

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  • happy employees

    Success with People

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    Originally posted on LinkedIn Pulse “Mankind was my business,” wailed the ghost of Jacob Marley. In life, nothing is...

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  • Tough Things First Podcast

    Tough Things First Podcast Launches

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    The Tough Things First Podcast launched today. As if I were not busy enough. Several people have told me...

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  • Episode 4: Details, the entrepreneurs friend

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Tough-Things-First-Podcast-Episode-4-Details-the-entrepreneurs-friend.mp3Entrepreneurs cannot be just “big picture” people. They have to dig into the details of every part of their...

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  • Entrepreneur Stress

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    “If it wasn’t for the stress, I’d never get anything done!” Every entrepreneur gets a bucket of stress, but...

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  • Episode 3: The Venture Capital trap

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Tough-Things-First-Podcast-Episode-3-The-Venture-Capital-trap.mp3Why wouldn’t a Silicon Valley entrepreneur take venture capital? Because doing so could kill their business. Listen to Ray Zinn, who...

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  • Episode 2: Discipline for entrepreneurs

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    http://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Tough-Things-First-Podcast-Episode-2-Discipline-for-entrepreneurs.mp3Ray Zinn discusses how discipline for entrepreneurs is an essential element to their own growth, but also to the cultural...

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  • The key to hiring the best employees

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    Micrel had the lowest employee turnover rate in the American semiconductor industry, and the highest rate of boomerang (returning)...

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