Lincoln (Guest post by Paul Jarrett.) If my title was polarizing enough to entice you to read this, I'm guessing I have about two minutes and thirty seven seconds to get a few points across about company culture before you decide to stop reading before I lose you to /r/AWW. I could spend some of that time leading you to believe that Bulu Box has "the secret" to company culture… but we don't. And that's not how we roll. For me, there's nothing more refreshing than someone with less than one year of entrepreneurial experience (that's me) calling it how it is and sharing their experiences, candidly. That said … read more

Omaha (Guest post by Joe Petsick.) The word is thrown around rather frequently in the world of startup businesses, and is largely regarded as being pretty important, but at times, I'm not sure everyone defines it the same way when they process the word - culture. What is culture? For the purposes of this post, let's agree on this definition: cul·ture [kuhl-cher] noun - the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular group working toward a common cause. I recall during an extensive interview process for a particular key hire at a critical, high-growth time for Proxibid, that culture became … read more

Iowa City (Guest post by Michal Eynon-Lynch.) Creating a positive company culture is much like creating a positive classroom culture. As former teachers and camp counselors, this is something we enjoy actively considering. When intentionally attempting to improve company culture, I recommend following these three tips: 1. Laissez-faire it up 2. Hire well 3. Make it enjoyable. Laissez-faire it up: In the classroom, I can easily make a lot of really firm rules and structures. I can make my students do worksheets every night and give them points for completing their homework on time. I can penalize … read more

Omaha (Guest post written by Mark Hasebroock.) Frequently, we are asked, "What should I present to you when I pitch my business?" I've heard and read a number of different ways to pitch and they all have merit. There isn't one specific right answer. But there are some guidelines. From our standpoint, as capital providers and value add partners, we like to hear: What's the problem? What's your solution? How big is the market opportunity? Why will you win? Format: Ten to twelve slides. Be brief and be blunt. | What's the problem? Some of the best ideas we have invested in so far stemmed from a founder identifying a problem that is personal to them. It often starts with … read more

Omaha (Guest post by Gordon Whitten.) When Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks, he famously said, "That's where the money is." Not so different from an entrepreneur looking to start a business. Business is where the money is. But most entrepreneurs go into business to build something. The money to be earned is somewhat secondary to the creation of this new thing, which is kind of nice. Obviously, to get money out of the new business, however, you usually have to put some in. I've raised capital for three entrepreneurial ventures of my own so far in my life, and I'm commonly asked, "What is the best way … read more

Des Moines It is a great honor to close out the October series on hiring here on Silicon Prairie News. I have read both Brad's and Brent's post from earlier in the month and I'm hoping I can share some great insight like they have. I'm a big fan of Mark Suster. Mark is an investment partner at GRP Partners and blogs at Both Sides of The Table. In March 2011 he wrote a blog post that I have bookmarked and read often. I am drawn to his post and this topic so much because Mark says when hiring employees, always choose "Attitude over Aptitude." In a region like LA, or even in NYC and The Valley, where there is more abundance of people with the same aptitudes … read more

Columbia Between AdVentures and our portfolio companies, we're no strangers to hiring. Personally, I've hired nearly one-hundred people in the past five years. Some have been fantastic hires and long-term fits. Others have been terrible. Throughout the process, we've developed a set of rules so we land more of the long-term people – and fewer short-timers. Trust, but verify: Ah, yes, there's nothing like kicking off a list with a Ronald Reagan quote. The wisdom couldn't be more accurate. Regardless of what people claim in an interview or on a résumé, be sure to verify the accuracy. For some people, somehow, references tend to magically … read more

Des Moines (Guest post by Brad Dwyer.) Hiring your first employees is one of the scariest propositions a startup founder will face. It's often tempting to go it alone and make do with the superhuman efforts of a startup's founders for much longer than is healthy. The decision to build out your team is a huge responsibility and one not to be taken lightly, but it's probably the most essential thing you can do to lead to your startup's success. On the other hand, hiring the wrong people can be the kiss of death for any business. The team at Hatchlings: Being the sole driving force behind Hatchlings was a rut that I languished … read more