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sometimes it takes getting punched in the face

A Horse Head in My Bank AccountYesterday

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Come, young entrepreneurs, sit down, I have a story to tell.

About four years or so ago, I started a search marketing agency with a friend. But you know that.

About a year or so into Current Wisdom, we were generating quite a bit of money. But you know that, too.

Around that time, I began to party. A lot. But you know that too.

What you dont know, is that during the better part of the time Current Wisdom was up and running, I paid little to no taxes.

Why?

Because it was more fun to spend the money on partying.

And, boy, did I spend money on partying, which included a ton of sales calls and client engagement, so I never felt too bad about it. And, I figured that the big, bad IRS would just not think about little old Micah.

So time passed. I paid a bit here and there, but mostly avoided the taxes.

Until a couple weeks back.

I went to use my debit card, and it came back declined. That hadnt happened in years.

After watching Willie Nelson at Red Rocks (irony!), I went home, I checked my bank account.

What did I see, but a negative amount, about 4Gs.

WTF! I exclaimed, and saw a withdrawal.

It was the IRS, and da

DonorsChoose Bloggers Challenge - Why?October 5

Why?

What a disruptive question. The person who asks why constantly in an effort to learn always gets further than the person that accepts the direction and information presented them.

Why?

Here is why I have gotten involved with DonorsChoose. Dave Taylor, asked me to write an email to him as to why I decided to get involved:

About a year ago, I was beginning to read VC and tech blogs. During that time, I came across Fred Wilson’s blog. I had no idea who Fred Wilson was, other than a lot of people seem to read his blog. He was linked to by Brad Feld, and Brad was someone I trusted, so I assumed Fred’s content was equally trustworthy.

For a period of time, as I read Fred’s blog, I began to find most of the content pretty interesting and on topics that I found interesting.

Then one day he had a post about joining a “blogger’s challenge” by DonorsChoose. I was a new blogger, and was just learning what a widget was, etc., plus the power of blogging.

Having been an educational fundraiser for years early in my career (mostly colleges and universities), I always have held any philanthropic effort to help education in high regard, so I took a closer look at DonorsChoose.

Its a really interesting charity. It allows teachers to self identify things that are important to them. So music teachers will choose things like new guitar stands, a history teacher might select a trip to a local museum, a english te

I Am a Dick, Not an AssholeOctober 3

I was having a conversation the other day, and my friend said to me:

“Dont work with him, he is a dick.”

“But, Im a dick.” I replied.

“No, you arent.”

—–

The next day, I have a conversation with another friend, who said:

“I was talking to someone about you yesterday, and they ask me if you were a dick.”

“What did you say?”

“No.”

——-

I like it when the world thinks that I am a dick.

Why?

Because I am a dick.

About a year ago, I realized something. I had finally become someone that I kinda liked. I am a honest person, trustworthy, and open. I am pretty smart, and generally helpful. If I can do anything for someone who deserves it, I will. And, if you dont, then I cut all ties.

Because I have figured out who I am, I leave it up to the rest of the world to deal with it.

Like me? Great, lets hang out. Dont? Then think I am a dick. Who cares?

Apply the same concept to a startup CEO.

Strong CEOs know who they are, and who they arent. Because of that, they are clear in their decisions. They are confident in their actions.

Yet, many people look at most successful startup CEOs and call them dicks.

Mostly because strong startup CEOs do what they should do, not what they want to do, or more importantly what you want them to do.

Same works with VCs. I know some wonderful people that are venture capitalists who other

Dont Give To EducationOctober 2

Earlier today, there was a video, that went around:

Busy vs. ProducingSeptember 29

I had lunch with a good friend today. She was telling me how she was contemplating starting a new company.

“Why?” I asked.

“Well, my current company isnt allowing me to do what I want to do, and there are lots of people telling me that there is opportunity out there.”

“Sounds a lot like the advice so many people got before heading out to California to mine gold.”

We continued to talk, and I began to get a picture of what her current job situation sounded like. Tell me if this sounds familiar:

• In order to get “all your work done” you eat at your desk;
• In order to “finish your work” you take work home, and spend hours at home working;
• You “love” what you do; you just often feel “unappreciated” at work (because they just take for granted “how hard” you work);
• You think that if you quit “they will be in a bind, and realize how valuable you really are”;
• and so on.

On the other hand, so many people that I talk to say to me, “Micah you never work. You are always on IM, twitter, and the like. When do you get stuff done?”

And, I always respond the same way:

“Why are you so interested in how much I work rather than how much I produce?”

Isnt that really what matters?

Being busy doesnt make one more effective. Working constantly doesnt make someone a better employee.

Only production does.

For some, that means ext