Behind every innovation that has transformed how we work, live and play is entrepreneurial thinking. Entrepreneurs observe problems and respond by creating products and services that transform the world.
I’m committed to help more people discover how entrepreneurial thinking can transform their careers and support those already pursuing their dreams.
Investing in and advising startups
I joined Birchmere Ventures in 2012 as a partner, after 13 years as a founder and entrepreneur.
That experience helps me remember that the hard work is done by our portfolio companies, and it's truly a privilege to collaborate with them. At Birchmere, we believe great entrepreneurs can live anywhere. I have active investments in cities across the country including Pittsburgh, New York, Nashville, Austin and LA. I’m proud of the portfolio we’ve built by partnering with amazing entrepreneurs.
Birchmere Ventures typical initial investment is:
- Part of a Seed Round (typically $1 - 2M round)
- Primarily in SaaS and Marketplace startups
- Open to Leading or Following, but either way strive to work closely supporting the founder's vision
- Reserve for follow-on investments
Teaching at Carnegie Mellon University
As an Adjunct Professor in Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon, I teach multiple graduate courses.
I teach Lean Entrepreneurship (idea to product/market fit) and The Science of Growth (product/market fit to scale). My courses attract graduate students from a range of disciplines and backgrounds. It's a joy to challenge each of them to become more entrepreneurial in their careers.
Writing about innovation
Sharing through writing about entrepreneurship is important to me.
St. Martin's Press published my first book, The Science of Growth in April 2016 that explains why some innovations scale to change the world while other similar ideas stall. It follows the journeys of 10 well-known companies, ranging from modern marvels like Tesla, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn all the way back to the retail juggernaut McDonald's. It then contrasts each story with that of a lesser-known startup that was created at about the same time, with a similar product, targeting the same market. Of course, only the first one worked. Find out why ...
Leading the Corporate Startup Lab
We believe that startups can exist and thrive anywhere, including in large corporations.
Over the last decade, the tools and processes that "traditional" startups have used to commercialize their ideas have become much better understood, thanks to books like The Lean Startup and The Science of Growth. In some ways, corporate startups can follow similar processes. In other ways, the organizational dynamics are different enough that different best practices and thinking tools need to be developed. The Corporate Startup Lab is developing and testing these tools and processes.
Delivering keynotes and workshops for startups and global brands
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