How much effort should we put into the design of a product before we start building it?

A startup can certainly succeed in a market where there are existing players. However, you should be very careful about entering markets where there is a single dominant competitor or no competition at all.

My project was late and it was time to tell the CEO. I expected a tough and one-sided conversation, but what I got instead was a great lesson.

Why does everyone recommend marketing to a niche? How big or small should my target niche be?

Building a product can be time-consuming, expensive and error-prone.

One mistake commonly made by startups is to build a product in its entirety, in secret, before a big-bang launch. A well-coordinated and well-executed marketing plan at launch will undoubtedly help with user acquisition, but it is not merely a case of “build it, and they will come”.

So many startups fail because the founders had unrealistic expectations and weren’t truly honest with themselves.

The underlying cause of many failures is that one or many incorrect, unchecked and unmanaged assumptions have been made.

A referee has had a good game if you don't notice them. The same goes for leaders.

Now and again, as leaders, we all need to deliver some "constructive" feedback to someone. This is not a job that anyone relishes.

Every project has its ups and downs, and everyone's energy levels rise and fall over time. It can be really easy to give up when the going gets tough, but there is another way...

Resistance to change is a normal part of the change process and is inevitable and unavoidable. It's how we deal with it that makes a difference.

When we think of the traits of great leaders, many of the things we first think of are linked to Emotional Intelligence or EQ.

"A man convinced against his will. Is of the same opinion still." - Dale Carnegie