GeekMBA360
Career Advice At The Intersection Of Business And Technology
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You should understand Liquidation Preference and Preferred Participation before joining a start-up
Before you join the next "exciting, top venture capital firms backed" start-up, you need to understand liquidation preference and preferred participation. As I wrote in Don’t get screwed! Startup questions you should ask before you join a startup — you could totally be screwed by a start-up. You need to know the details of the start-up’s financing structure to protect yourself. If the start-up refuses to share the details with you, you shouldn’t join the... |
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11 lessons from hard-nosed negotiation with car salesmen
I recently bought a new car. I had to admit that I hate to deal with car salesmen. It was one of my least favorite activities. Unfortunately, I needed a car. And I didn’t want to get ripped off. So, I was determined to get a good deal while minimizing my pain. Here are 11 lessons I learned from hard-nosed negotiation with car salesmen. Start price negotiation below invoice price. Dealers will tell you that they cannot sell you at invoice because they will not make any profit. Never believe... |
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The never grow up, dependent and confused young adult
This is a serious problem. It’s more common than you might think. It’s heart wrenching for the parents and siblings. No matter how accomplished and wealthy they are, they feel powerless in dealing with this problem. In the past few years, directly and indirectly, I have known several families who are facing this very difficult problem. All of these families have an adult son or daughter who is in his or her late 20’s or early 30’s. They share a common pattern. They have... |
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Is this ethical? Or even legal?
The Secret of Profitability (SOP) is a high profile start-up in the Silicon Valley. It’s "high profile" because it has two of the most famous venture capitalists on earth sitting on its board. it had received $100 million in venture funding. its senior management consists of super stars from major internet companies such as Google and Amazon, top-tier strategic consulting forms such as McKinsey & Company, prestigious universities such as Stanford and Berkeley, etc. It has... |
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You should be ready to leave immediately
Jake called me yesterday morning. He informed me that he just gave notice to his boss. He was leaving his employer. Jack called me because I was one of his customers, and we had collaborated for the past three years. Jake was a member of the senior management team in his company. On the surface, he got along really well with the president. They worked together at another company before they both came to work for Jake’s current company. Jake told me that his last day would be two weeks from... |
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Don’t try to get a job and make a career transition at the same time in bad economy
Lately I have talked to several friends and acquaintances who are actively looking for jobs. They share one thing in common: they have been laid off by their previous employers. But, instead of feeling bitter about the experience, they’re using it as a turning point to find something better and more fulfilling. To certain extent, the layoff is a wake-up call they have been subconsciously waiting for a long time. It’s time to make some changes, and pursue a career path that they truly... |
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Don’t work for the same company for too long
Jimmy had been working for the same employer for almost a decade. His employer was a recently funded start-up when he joined the company as a contractor. He performed well, and was soon hired as a professional service consultant. Jimmy had great customer facing skills. Customers loved his work. He won an excellent employee award two years after he joined the company. He was doing great. On the 3rd year, Jimmy then married and started a family. He didn’t want to travel as much as he used... |
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How did you guys meet?
"How did you guys meet?" — this is one of the most commonly asked questions we ask couples who are in love. Over the years, I have heard many answers. "We were high school sweethearts. We have known each other since we were thirteen years old." "We were in the same English class during our freshman year in college." "We had a common friend who set us up". "He was my TA in college." "We met at work". "eHarmony.com"... |
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Same old, same old
A few years ago I ran into an acquaintance at the Phoenix Airport. He had been working as a post sales consultant for the same company for several years. I asked him: "How are things going?" He said: "The same old shit, the same old shit". Have you had your own "same old" moment/day/week/month/year/decade? You get up at the same time every morning, tired, want to sleep in for another hour but you have to go to work. You go through the same morning routine:... |
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What are your Non-Negotiables?
A lot of people go through their lives without knowing what they want. I used to be that way myself. As I wrote in your relationship with your parents have a lot to do with your career success, around the time I graduated from college, I came to the painful realization that I didn’t know what I wanted. I didn’t know how to decide for myself. Over the past decade, I have become much better in figuring out what I want. A critical lesson I learned is the importance of defining my Non-Negotiables... |
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Will you still buy Toyota?
I’ve been a loyal customer and a fan of Toyota for a long time. I’m not a car enthusiast. When I buy a car, all I need is a safe and reliable vehicle that can move me from point A to point B. I’m not the most mechanical inclined person. I don’t like to do work on my car. All I want is to bring the car in for periodic maintenance. I want a worry-free, reliable car. Toyota fits the bill. Eighteen months ago, when we needed a mini van, we got a Toyota Sienna. It is not sexy... |
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Career Reflection #1: First Job After College — Andersen Consulting (now Accenture)
This year marks the tenth year of my career. In other words, not counting the two years of business school, I’ve been slaving away in Corporate America for a decade. Ten years is a long time. Life is short. Lately, I have been doing a lot of reflection and thinking about the past, present and future of my career. In the next four weeks, I’m going to write a number of articles to reflect lessons learned from this past decade. I’m also going to ask you for your feedback and inputs –... |
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Nanny #6
I received an urgent email from a friend: "We just find out that our nanny is looking around. We need to find a replacement as soon as possible. Please pass any lead you have!" It turned out that the nanny had an interview with another family. But, the family knew my friend and told them that their nanny was looking around. My friend’s family consists of a duel-income working couple, one 5-month old, and one 2-year old. Like many working families, they have to spend a significant... |
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Job Hopping is good for you: Career Lessons from Lane Kiffin
I’m going against the conventional wisdom. Job hopping is good for you if you can plan your moves strategically, Since I’m neither a USC Trojan fan nor a Tennessee Volunteer fan, I’m fairly indifferent about Lane Kiffin’s move from Tennessee to USC. From an ethical standpoint, I didn’t like how Lane Kiffin made empty promises to the Tennessee community and then bailed on them. But, I have been fascinated by Lane Kiffin’s career moves. At the young age of 34,... |
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Do you have an identity outside of work?
A few years ago I attended a seminar taught by a retired executive. He was partner at a major investment bank, served as CEO of a large corporation, and worked in the white house. From a professional standpoint, he was highly successful. Using his own words, "I won the economic game." However, his son was a drug addict for a period of time while he was rapidly rising through the corporate ranks. He was frustrated, angry, and powerless. He struggled for a long time. Eventually,... |
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Google is desperate in China
I guess I’m in the mood to stir some controversies. This morning, I read What Google is up against in its China showdown on Seattle’s TechFlash blog, written by a Chinese American and so-called long-time China watcher. I disagreed with many of the points on the article. So, I left a long comment on TechFlash. I figure you might be interested in what I wrote. So, I’ve re-produced my comments below to share with you: The author of this article showed a lack of understanding of China and... |
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Vote for me!
The U.S. Department of Labor is collecting votes for which career sites to list on its site. If you like this blog, please help me by voting for me. Thanks. |
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Mochi Media acquired by Chinese Internet company Shanda Games
Mochi Media is an advertising network and payment platform for Flash Games. It has been acquired by Shanghai-based Shanda Games for $80 million ($60 million in cash and $20 million in equity). This news caught my attention because I have been thinking lately that more US based technology companies will be acquired by Chinese companies. As Chinese companies grow, they must figure out a way to enter the U.S. market – they need to acquire existing customers, sales force, channels, and technologies... |
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It does NOT hurt to ASK
I published How to Get A Job At Amazon.com premium report last July. If you search "most read, purchase only" documents in "Resume & CV" category in Scribd Store, you’ll see my document showing up among the top three in the search results. So, I have sold many copies. I wrote the report because I wanted to help people. I included my contact information in the document — I asked readers to contact me if they have any question or feedback. It turned out that... |
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How do you combat fatigue at workplace?
Do you experience fatigue at work? When was the last time you were physically and mentally exhausted at work, and all you wanted to do was to lay down and relax? As I became a parents of two little ones, I started to experience fatigue more often than the past. I have been trying to figure out how to combat fatigue. Here is what I learned from my own experience: Eating a healthy breakfast is absolutely crucial. When I skip a breakfast or eat unhealthy, sugary stuff from Starbucks, I can notice... |