Insights on leadership, entrepreneurialism and management
Five Ways to Make Your Company More Employee-Centric
Read moreI know many companies feel that if you don’t take care of your customer, somebody else will. At Micrel, the semiconductor company that I ran for 37 years, I told my employees that they were number one. One of...
Picking your first Board of Directors
Read moreCongratulations! You have grown your business to the point that you need a board of directors (BOD). The good news is that you have been successful enough to need a BOD. The bad news is that you need a...
Episode 22: Key to hiring the best employees
Read morehttp://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Episode-22-Key-to-hiring-the-best-employees.mp3Hiring really good employees predisposes your company toward success. But how do you do this? Ray Zinn knows how, having run the Silicon Valley semiconductor company with the lowest employee turnover rate.
Plans, Funds and Thinking
Read moreGo-to-market plans seem nearly out of vogue in Silicon Valley. After leading the most consistently profitable semiconductor company, and by doing so becoming the longest serving CEO in Silicon Valley, I decided to help a few startups with mentoring...
Episode 19 – Being Driven but not Being a Slave Driver
Read morehttp://toughthingsfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Episode-19-Being-Driven-but-not-Being-a-Slave-Driver.mp3Entrepreneurs are driven. How can they remain driven without driving their employees crazy? Ray Zinn, the longest serving CEO in Silicon Valley explains to a special guest interviewer where the divide is between motivation and slave driving.
Debt: the toothsome tiger
Read moreCheap money is like cheap food. It tempts some people to overeat. Money has never been cheaper. Some nations, attempting to re-inflate their economies, are actually issuing zero percent loans to banks in the hope they will offer nearly...