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Channel: Empathy – Open Ambition
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Slide decks and spreadsheets

This morning I came across an article in mocoNews.net about how Charmin is using a wiki to create a community cataloging the locations of public toilets in ten countries.  As the article points out,...

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A-players hire A-players, B-players hire C-players

This is one of those sayings in the startup world that is so accepted that it’s crossed the border of familiarity and become a full-time resident of the land of trite.   Guess who coined it?  Steve...

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Ambiguity and alignment

My last few posts have been very much “inside the world of vc and high tech” and I wanted to get back to the broader theme that underpins this blog – meaningful failure and what you can learn from...

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The collateral damage of a missed opportunity

Sometimes life just steps right in and provides an illustration of a key principle, almost as if on cue. My apologies for the length of this, but the topic merits it. For those of you who have read my...

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Societal costs and pure economics

I wrote earlier in the year about the challenges companies face raising Series B financings, and in particular how vulnerable companies are who have demonstrated potential but not yet converted that...

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A BDP from an unlikely “industry”

My first job out of business school was with a management consulting firm who focused on growth strategies for their clients.  The four founders of the firm were former partners at Bain, and they...

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A spontaneous reaction

I’m still struggling to get back into a writing routine after my John Muir Trail adventure, there’s a lot going on in my life and job, and I’m still a bit consumed with the deeper, reflective topics...

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The Brand Value of “No”

One of the most valuable lessons I learned as a venture capitalist, and one that my partners and I took super seriously, was how our personal brands and firm’s brand would be built on how we said “no.”...

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Personal Heroes

I have personal heroes – folks who have lived their lives in ways that give me inspiration and a vocabulary to name my own ambitions. People who are unafraid to say what they believe, regardless of...

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I’m done with Uber – The moral cost is too high

I was one one of Uber’s best fans – I must have recruited a dozen friends and colleagues to the service, because it fundamentally is just so much better than taxis or car services. Wonderfully inspired...

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A life of generosity lived with an open heart. I will miss you, Ken Myszkewicz.

A friend of mine was murdered six days ago. He was 43 years old and left behind a wonderful wife and son. And amidst the heartbreak and the tears, my friend left life as he lived it – focusing all of...

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The high cost of winning

It’s been a little over a week since Donald Trump won the US presidential election, and this is playing out as expected. Republicans are the “winners” and Democrats are the “losers.” The obsession with...

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Preparation for an upcoming blog post

I’ve been working on a post about feminism and the different paths women face in careers and society that men don’t face. Here are a few resources that have both informed my journey and point of view,...

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I am a feminist because of my sons

I think I was part of the problem for longer than I realized. As a man, I simply assumed everyone got treated the same. Got paid the same. Was listened to equally – because I sure was listened to. And...

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Cabals of Women

Sunday mornings are “read the paper” mornings for my wife and me. Today she got to the NY Times before me, and casually remarked “did you know there are cabals of women in Silicon Valley whose goal was...

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Unthinking Power and Authority

by Peter Zaballos This past week my wife and I moved our youngest of four children to college – totally fun and a momentous occasion for the three of us, and the family as a whole. And it was an...

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Unseen Entrepreneurs

Why are some innovators so easily overlooked? By Peter Zaballos I want to tell you about a serial entrepreneur I know in the small town I used to live in. When my wife and I moved the family to...

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What I’ve Learned Over a Career

By Peter Zaballos Reflections Upon Retiring I have officially “stopped working,” which is a way of avoiding saying I have retired. I’m still active on two technology company boards. Still very much on...

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Thank you, Malcolm Gladwell

By Peter Zaballos Why we donated to Diablo Valley College instead of MIT I listen to a lot of podcasts. It’s one of the reasons why living in the heart of Seattle is so awesome — I walk a lot every...

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Tiny acts of aggression

By Peter Zaballos I’ve written a fair amount about equality in the workplace and the need to understand and empathize with people who are not in positions of power and authority – here, here, here,...

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