Startup Crisis
So, when do you panic? As an investor in many startups, we are always dealing with a major crisis in one of our companies. The reality of startups is that it is actually part of the normal process to have …
The Brightspark Blog
Subscribe to RSSSummer’s over, but it feels a little like spring…
Normally this is the time of the year that really stresses me out. It is late September in Ontario, summer is over, the leaves are starting to change colour, and while it is still pretty nice out, it’s real clear …
When to Say No
We want to see lots of deals, but the challenge is to meet expectations. Given the volume of deals that we see on a weekly basis, we consistently need to be selective in determining which deals we will pursue and …
More “Bill Gateses”, not more graduates
The press in Canada has been full of articles about how Bill Gates thinks that if Canada and the US want to stay ahead, they should “focus on improving the quality of education and expanding the number of young people …
Corporate culture is what gets it all done
This week, we had a reunion in Toronto for the company that I co-founded in the 80s/90s called Delrina. (For some history, see wikipedia). Amazingly, close to 200 ex-Delrina employees attended (see photos here at Flickr), but more amazingly this …
Going to the CVCA
I am on a plane to Vancouver heading for the CVCA annual conference. (No wireless access to e-mails with Air Canada so got lots of time on my hands). For those of you not familiar with the Canadian venture capital …
Interview with a 7 year old
Last weekend, my daughter, 7 years old, had to prepare an interview with one of her parents about their job. She chose me, lucky her – I am a venture capitalist. Explaining what a venture capitalist does to most people …
The WOW Meeting
A few weeks ago, I walked out of a pitch meeting with an entrepreneur and the only thing I could think about was how to close this deal quickly and make sure that I scooped it from the competition. These …