7 Traits You Need if You Want to Be An Entrepreneur

As the global economy undergoes more changes (and it will continue to do so) even more people will choose to take the plunge into entrepreneurship. Changes to corporate mindsets, downsizing and other upheavals in the “safe” world of formal employment are forcing many to embrace entrepreneurship, and start their own small businesses. Add to those the people with the burning desire to “be their own boss” and you have plenty of new entrants into the wonderful, frightening, exciting and exhausting world of being a business owner.Whatever your reasons for considering entrepreneurship instead of formal employment, there are a few traits you will need...

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Google Offers beta should scare the crap out of Groupon, other startups

Do you remember the days when every startup had to ask: "If we're successful, will Microsoft move into our market?" With its new Groupon competitor, time has come -- and perhaps long past it -- to ask the same about Google.Last night during the opening of the D9 conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., Stephanie Tilenius, vice president of Google commerce, demonstrated Google Offers, which begins beta testing today in Portland, Ore. D9 cohost Walt Mossberg asked Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt why Portland? Schmidt said that Portland is a surprisingly good place to test tech products.Google started signing up Portlanders for the beta...

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Please, please, please stop asking how to find a technical co-founder

Listen guys, I'm sorry. But, I just can't do it anymore. I can't keep having this conversation with every non-tech founder. It's just too painful. On you, on me, and everyone else that you've approached. I was once on the search for a technical co-founder, so I can empathize.But, seriously, Please stop. Back in the day, I remember going to my favorite startup mentor, Gregg Fairbrothers, and asking him for help finding a technical co-founder. Here's what he said: I can't help you with that, but all the good entrepreneurs seem to figure it out. Hopefully you will too.Man, I still love that answer. That's being a founder. If you have...

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