Blog

KP's unfiltered insights on innovation, technology, and startups in real estate and construction.

The Cap-Ex : Op-Ex Conundrum

I had two significant calls yesterday. One was with the owner/developer of a 10M+ square foot development and the other was with a president of a multi-billion-dollar building products manufacturer. There was a sing...

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9
min read
1/30/20
So Immature: A Digital Transformation Maturity Model

Last week I was in NYC and had an amazing meeting with Anand Sanwal, CEO of CB Insights. If you've never heard of CB Insights...

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A Startup Survival Guide to Tough Times

I remember the day in 2008 when my bank called me and asked for a meeting. I was running a startup that was gaining incredible traction--until 2008, that is. My startup was focused on the construction industry. The bank gave me notice on our line�

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Finding the Right Coach for Your Pre-Revenue Startup

Last night, I was at dinner with a mentor, and we were discussing my goal of writing an article every day. So far, this goal hasn't been easy, but it also hasn't been the hardest thing that I've done. He asked me �

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Do the Work!

This week I had a great conversation with a friend who does freelancing consulting. She was facing the challenge of hitting her income potential. She's a one-person operation and has a fixed number of hours that she can work. So say...

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6
min read
1/18/20
Innovation Has Been Killing the Planet (Part 2)

In part 1, Innovation is Killing the Planet, I discussed innovation's role in climate change. Innovation has created abundance, and abundance has created waste. And unfortunately, the built environment is the #1 producer of waste in the world...

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The psychosis of an entrepreneur

Going it alone as an entrepreneur is often a recipe for disaster.I'm not saying you don't have what it takes; I've just seen far too many solo entrepreneurs fail. Startup success is not just about the entrepreneur and their idea. It has a lot to...

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Tell me your story; here is mine.

Most of my entrepreneurial career has been spent chasing markets. In the last few years, though, I've had the fortune of the market moving my direction. It's a lot less exhausting and disappointing. And I've gotta admit -- as a civil engineer...

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4
min read
1/17/20
Innovation has been killing the planet.

The planet is on fire. Literally. Australia is in the middle of a particularly devastating bushfire season. I'm not here to debate climate change or how bad it is or isn't; what I want to focus on is waste. If...

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How to create a monopoly?

In fifth grade, we got an Apple computer at school. The computer was carted around from class to class in a wooden credenza with wheels. I was a nerd (which I always saw as a positive thing -- I'm glad other people are starting to see it that way...

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I'm an Expert! You could be too.

Building an effective team is one of the hardest tasks for any entrepreneur. It's like how I shop for my house (yes, I am comparing people to furniture). I go out looking for a dining table, but end up finding a sofa that I love at a great price...

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How to Bootstrap and Still Scale Your Startup

When I was 22, I launched my first tech startup. I was working in civil engineering by day, and coding on nights and weekends. I was both sales and development. At 25, I went full-time. I owned sales while my partner owned development...

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