Call for Topics

Please send ideas for topics and questions that you'd like me to cover here. I need to know what you want to know.

I can't say I'm qualified to do them all, but like my mother used to say, “You don't get if you don't ask.”

I could also use about 5,000 links in my quest to be in the top ten of Technorati!

Thanks!

Guy

Comments

[Jay Westmark]

Guy,

We seem to be entering into a repeat of the irrational exuberance of the late 90s. Squirrelly Web 2.0 and Social Networking Internet startups are getting funded at an alarming rate.

What’s your take on it? Are we looking at a new generation of VCs that didn’t experience the bubble burst? Are they suffering from Alzheimer’s? Or is there something to the business models that I don’t see?

-jay

[Matthew Wilder]

What I would like to see is:

1) The art of becoming a "proven" management team candidate.

By the way, someone asked the following:
"The valuation of internet businesses that don't have a revenue model (e.g. free services) that might get bought for their technology or the management teams skills or the user base - but no real cash generator."
The dotcom bubble has burst. It might be good technology, but few big companies would buy a management team that doesn't create any revenue.

[Leigh Hunt]

Guy, How about share with us your future on web 3.0 Whats next?

[r]

Guy,

How about advice for film/music/television entrepreneurs? While your ideas and teachings have a general applicability to businesses, what about art-driven businesses that are dealing with a less tangible product?

Thanks for your time,

R

[Frank Turner]

Guy:
It would be helpful to hear stories of what entrepreneurs have done right, and what they have done wrong.
This would give your readers some real life drama, and would give you infinite material to keep the magic flowing.

[Kurt Witt]

top 10 marketing mistakes.
things to look for in your office as examples of what NOT to do.

[Jayanth]

Hi,
Mashups have been touted as the next big thing in the vision of Web 2.0. However I've been seeing this only in the consumeristic internet space, with your view, How do Mashups fit into the Enterprise? could be a nice topic to deal with

[Mateu]

Well, I confess I was expecting to read something about the latest Garage venture... What is it, exactly? And *why* is it?

[thatedeguy]

How bout a "best practices" startup guide for those of us stuck in the middle of nowhere, far from any major city?

[Jim Jones]

Guy -

I'd like to see you tackle the topic of press releases.

In the era of blogs, instant messaging, etc, are they even relevant anymore? And if so, setting aside how famous you are, if you were to write a press release, how would you go about it so that it doesn't get thrown in the 'ignore pile' along with the other thousands of PR's?

Thanks guy!

[Stacy]

Been sending out your link to everyone I know of Guy...hope it helps!

To add to the ever growing list of great suggestions:

1) The Art of Relaxation - the whole life, work, relatonship balance area
2) When to just go at it alone and when to bring on partners
3) How the Sharks can win their division (at last! They've move up from the bottom!)
4) When to quit the FT gig and devote energies 110% to the start-up (some of us are funding our start-ups with proceeds from regular 9-5)
5) Best marketing practices when you have no $, some $ or gobs of the stuff
6) Unusual hobbies of entrepreneurs

If I think of more, I'll post them...thanks GK..again, you rock.

[Rodolfo]

Topic: once you've got your product ready and some money, how to scale sales? how fast? how many people? you can't get large partners without large sales or not?

PS. You got a link Guy

[Jamie]

Topic idea: How to find partners to help launch your business idea.

[Donagh Kiernan]

1) Finding and using a Mentor
2) Business Networks (industry oganizations)
3) US business versus International business challenges
4) International Companies selling into US

[Ben Rowe]

Looks like you've got your work cut out for you for a while Guy!

To add to the list:

- Your views on whether entrepreneurship can be learnt, and is it worth studying when we now have access to all this amazing information?

- The art of the business model: Your thoughts about the range of business models that are being used in the web 2.0 world, and perhaps suggest some alternatives.

- What kind of things, online or off, are inspiring you at the moment.

- The art of the earth: What innovative ideas could Guy Kawasaki add to saving the planet?

I would love to hear your views of on any of the above.

Thanks, Ben

[Dusan Belic]

Your blog is really interesting. I would like to read more about the networking with VCs and angel investors - the best way to reach them. I'm very interested in Symbian mobile OS platform, and are looking forward to start the development in the near future. As I'm located in Serbia and Montenegro where labor is cheaper than in the US. Any tips, for all other people located outside US, how to reach potential partners/investors? That kind of advice/blog post would be really appreciated. Keep up the good work. - Dusan
P.S. Your link from one of my sites on the way. :o)

[Digg it!]

I'd like to hear your thoughts on how to nurture and encourage innovation in a company.

Reading your book at the moment (Art of the Start) and enjoying it hugely!

[Nanojath]

I'd like to hear what you think about the question of how much room there is at the top. I mean, being an entrepreneur, or at least parts of it, sound good to most people (or most reading this blog, anyway) but the observation seems valid that only a tiny component of people will succeed in becoming entrepreneurs, and that a larger contingent will try, and fail, and eventually give up. Are the majority of people who consume entrepreneurial media basically like sports spectators, observing a game they could never actually play at the pro level? Can a person make themselves more entrepreneurial, or is it basically innate, or is it really just about being in the right place at the right time? Is the 21st century going to breed more entrepreneurs or less than the 20th?

[Alvin]

I've found your blog very insightful Guy, you're linked! :)

[Enric Margall]

One of the issues of people that have great ideas is how to protect them in order to be able to start a business without the fear of not being able to enter in the market. Any suggestions on the different levels to protect ideas from concept to reality?

[Vivek]

How about a rundown of the VC process from start to finish? So you finally get to pitch. Where and how does the process work from that point? What's involved in due diligence and how long does it take? How do you choose the right VC firm?

[Seann]

Topic suggestions:

- The Art of the pitching an intrapreneurial venture (i.e. getting board endorsement on a new product or market opportunity)

- The Art of work/life balance (i.e. more ice time/less phone time)

[Edwyn Chan]

Guy,

What about some tips on how to find a mentor?

Edwyn

[Bernie Aho]

Topic Idea:
Starting a business with a few partners, so

ART of THE Shareholders agreeement

[Devon Watson]

Topic ideas:

- Top 10 signs that you (the inventor/entrepreneur) might not be the right person for the CEO role.

- - How to properly structure an angel round if you plan to raise venture capital in the future.