Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Feb 4, 2012, 4:32 pm
Well that title removes any chance that Business Week, Inc, Forbes, etc will pick it up, and that other than Brad Feld and Mark Suster, no one will reblog/retweet/etc, so we can speak plainly. Fuck yes. (Just making sure…) The past few weeks have been really interesting at Graphicly. We have ac...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Jan 20, 2012, 2:02 am
This week there was a ton of rumblings, leaks and rumors about Apple’s big “eBook” event that took place earlier this am. Apple is going to change education! Apple is going to destroy publishing! (Interesting that no one really said “Apple is going to sell more iPads!” but we live in a ...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Jan 18, 2012, 2:38 am
When I first was out raising money for Graphicly, I got to meet comic book publishers. At each meeting, I asked the same question, “What do you think of digital?” And each one answered the same. “There are more people pirating my comic books than there are buying them. Perhaps as high as 5 ...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Jan 10, 2012, 1:51 am
Today I heard that a friend got a term sheet. “Whew.” he sighed. “Excited to turn the Doomsday Clock back a minute?” The Doomsday Clock was invented in 1947 during the Cold War. Set at seven minutes to midnight, it represented how close the world was to global thermonuclear war. Seven mi...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Jan 3, 2012, 3:08 am
My grandmother was a storyteller. She wrote 10 or 11 books, mostly of children’s stories, and always had a story to tell. (As she got older, the stories got more fantastical. She worked as a simultaneous translator in the 1950s, and was a spy. Well, not really a spy, but she had to take documents ...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Jan 2, 2012, 12:36 pm
Lets state for the record, not my employees.  Well, not after we hired them. When I was a kid living in Mountain View (532 Thompson Avenue!) a rather large, but old tree fell down in our backyard during a storm. “Geez, Dad, how are you going to get rid of that tree?” “Remember that bike yo...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Jan 1, 2012, 2:59 pm
I only have 5 minutes to write this. But, I wanted to share something. Focus is my enemy. We battle daily. Every time I think I’ve won, someone tells me that they wish I was better at being focused. I hate Focus. Focus is for fools. I don’t understand its importance. I hate that its something ...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Jan 1, 2012, 12:53 am
Im dead. Well, not right now. Right now, I am doing what I have done every day since I was ten years old. Im sitting in front of a computer banging on the keyboard. When I was twelve I started participating and hosting BBSes. Standard story of the early 1980s Silicon Valley. I was never a hacker....
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Dec 31, 2011, 4:32 pm
Its that time. Time for the end of the end of the year reflective posts. Before I moved back to California a few months back, I saw a therapist once a week for more than 6 years. Its a fascinating process. For me, the process went something like this: me: So, this happened. therapist: how did tha...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Dec 22, 2011, 7:46 pm
When I started mentoring at Techstars, the first program was about 2/3 of the way through, and I spent a lot of time with several of the teams. As the years have passed, and the program has grown, I get a bit protective of that unique feeling that existed that first summer. The feeling that this wa...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Nov 29, 2011, 2:33 am
In the past couple of days there have been a couple of posts floating around that I really agree with: Michael Arrington's post on working hard; and the response of the quoted developer, Jamie Zawinski, who says, in essence – dont forget who really makes money from your hard work. Are VCs really ...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Nov 17, 2011, 12:12 am
The man to the left is my grandfather. My grandmother used to say he looked like a movie star from the 1950s. He worked for one of the five richest men in the world. A man so rich and powerful that he once was on the cover of Time magazine for brokering arms between Israel and China. I still have th...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Oct 31, 2011, 2:56 am
Over the past several days, I, like most people, have been reading the Steve Jobs biography. I havent gotten very far – I think he is still in high school – but what I have read so far has caused me a lot of internal debate. First, let me say this: Steve Jobs was a weirdo. And, thank god for t...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Oct 17, 2011, 3:16 am
Last week I had lunch with a friend of mine. We had met a year or so ago in the process of discussing a deal between my company and hers. (In fact, its amazing how many of my friends I’ve met while doing deals. It’s clearly due to my believe that a startup doesnt need sales; what it needs is fri...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Oct 13, 2011, 4:06 am
Earlier this evening, I was watching a twitter conversation that was bouncing around several top seed stage investors. It all started with an article in the Wall Street Journal that opined that pre-money valuations (what a company is worth prior to raising money) were falling, and that some startups...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Oct 6, 2011, 4:03 am
I grew up here. Went to school at Monta Loma Elementary in Mountain View while living at 532 Thompson Avenue. A friend of mine, Chris’ dad was amazing. He raced motorcycles. He introduced us to Thomas Dolby. And he loved Apple. When I was in the fifth grade, I opted out of normal school and went...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Oct 1, 2011, 1:32 am
The amazing thing about great athletes is how hard they work at being great athletes. Entrepreneurship is no different. If you dont live in a state of constant improvement and research, you will not become the great entrepreneur you envision yourself being. Its the hardest part of being an entrepre...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Sep 25, 2011, 1:53 pm
Today is my birthday. Strangely enough, it happens about once a year. Never been big into personal milestones or dates. I forget everyone else’s birthday (thanks Facebook for helping me there!) and cant remember the last time I had a party on my birthday (I think I was like 14.). It’s just not i...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Sep 17, 2011, 11:51 am
Over the last 3-4 years, I have had the pleasure of mentoring lots and lots of startups (last count its just over a hundred or so) both with my association with Techstars and 500startups, and completely informally. I have a rule that if you ask me for help, I will always meet with you for thirty min...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Sep 12, 2011, 1:31 am
This morning, I woke up in San Mateo, CA. Doesnt mean much on any other day. But today, being the tenth anniversary of September 11th, I began to read memories written by so many of my friends. Ten years ago, I woke up in Oakland, CA. Did mean much on any other day. But on that day, planes crashed ...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Sep 10, 2011, 2:55 pm
Stasis. Status Quo. As an entrepreneur these are concepts that we rail against. The first thing an entrepreneur learns is to solve a problem that they have passion about. To find something that needs fixing or changing and focus on that. Be the change. Make something happen. Be an agent of chang...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Aug 7, 2011, 3:01 am
I hate suits. I hate everything that they represent. I spent my life, since I was nine, living a life that doesnt require suits. I wear sunglasses, a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops always. Sometimes shoes, and maybe jeans, but never a suit. Never a god damn suit. So when Jeffrey called me to talk...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Aug 4, 2011, 2:21 am
Over the past year and a half, I have spoken to more than 100 entrepreneurs that are in various stages of company building, and are looking to raise money. Over that time, I have gotten better and better (at least I think I have) in outlining the best way to frame the story of the startup. BTW: I...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Aug 2, 2011, 11:18 am
Every year, Techstars has a reunion for Techstars companies. About a year ago, it was hosted in New York during Techstars For A Day. The excitement was that it was the first time that many mentors and former Techstar companies would see a fair number of the more than 600 applicants for the yet to la...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Jul 9, 2011, 5:36 pm
The other night, I was down at Techstars listening to the companies practice their pitches. Whats always most interesting to me is how the companies have shifted over the course of three months. Some have shifted a ton (one company completely restarted), and a few have made really minor adjustments....
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Jun 14, 2011, 10:26 pm
It’s an easy answer, right? A secret isn’t a secret when everyone knows. But, what I have learned is that it’s not the secret itself that matters, but the reasons behind that secret. Lets get the secret of out the way. Next month, I will be moving to SF. Not Graphicly, just me. Why? That...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Jun 9, 2011, 2:45 pm
(This is cross posted over at The Couch, which is Graphicly’s Tumblr) When we started Graphicly, we knew we loved stories. And not just the art, or the story-telling. Or the sharing and discussion. But all of it. And as we began to add publishers and creators to the Graphicly Network (close to 2...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - May 30, 2011, 2:49 am
I hate the belief that in order to be successful, you have to completely sacrifice yourself to your company. There. I said it. This isnt the work/life balance debate. For that, go check out what Brad Feld writes. He’s a smart dude, and he has lots of thoughts on the subject. This is about trea...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - May 26, 2011, 12:18 pm
Over the past couple of months, I have been hearing more and more entrepreneurs tell me about the multiple startups they are working on concurrently. Really? Do you live in a 40 hour day world? Startups are hard, they take time and focus. There are periods of time where there is nothing you can do...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - May 25, 2011, 1:16 am
Earlier today I had our monthly Graphicly board meeting. Once it was over, I often get the same question: “How did it go?” And, luckily, my answer was the same as last time: “At least they didnt fire me.” When I worked at Lijit, their CEO, Todd Vernon, used to tell me that he viewed his b...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - May 21, 2011, 10:47 pm
Travel hell. That how I describe the last two months. Since March 23, I have been on the road for 31 days (31 / 58 days). Hell. During all those flights and late nights in hotels, this thought has been percolating in the back of my brain. What inspires me? More accurately, who. Now before I d...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - May 18, 2011, 1:32 am
A few years back, I was fresh from selling Current Wisdom, had joined Lijit Networks and decided that I wanted to get back into public speaking. My friends Frank Gruber and Eric Olson were putting together a conference in Chicago, and I agreed to speak at it. “What do you want to speak about?”...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - May 6, 2011, 1:59 am
Image by micahb37 via Flickr Over the past week, I have been thinking and researching two gifts. I thought about the people who would be receiving them; I thought how they would receive them (would they like them – think there is something behind them, etc.) I worried that I had done a good job o...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - May 3, 2011, 5:24 pm
This past week, I did a bit of travel. I spent a few days in Detroit and a few days in Atlanta. I have greatly limited the amount of times I speak (there are a couple of events that if asked I will speak — Big Omaha is one, and its coming up next week — but mostly, I am heads down with Graphicly...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Apr 24, 2011, 6:03 pm
I was having a conversation with a friend of mine who has a really hot startup. As we were wrapping up the call, he tells me that he has one last thing that he wants me feedback on. “I think I should bring in an outside CEO.” Now, one would expect that the normal reaction would be “Screw tha...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Apr 22, 2011, 9:41 pm
(I always try to come up with something pithy for my post titles, but is there anything better than free tickets and LessConf?) I hate traveling. I enjoy meeting entrepreneurs in communities outside of Silicon Valley and NY. So far, I have been to Omaha, Lexington, Bloomington and a couple of othe...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Apr 16, 2011, 11:21 am
Damn it. I do. I think. About a month ago, I ran into a fellow Techstars mentor on a flight back from somewhere to Denver. (I really wish I could remember where it was from, but I seem to always be flying back from somewhere…) It was one of those strange flights where I ran into about five folk...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Apr 15, 2011, 9:08 pm
For the past several days, I have been contemplating life. I do this often. It’s almost a ritual at this point. I stop. I review. I think about things I have done; I question why I did them, and evaluate them. I try to learn from things I have done and havent done. I guess at the future; at alter...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Apr 8, 2011, 1:02 am
After talking about how to get ready to start raising money for your startup, and the importance of story telling and the demo, now its time to wrap that into the big scary pitch deck. Before you start to build your deck, ask yourself (and be honest): Are you a successful sales person? Do you rely ...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Mar 30, 2011, 12:39 pm
For those that dont know, Graphicly, at its core, is a digital comic book reader. Recently, when I was pitching the company, I got an intro to a Sand Hill Road VC. Pretty excited, I got to the meeting a few minutes early so I could set up my mac with the overhead. Then the minutes passed (my perso...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Mar 29, 2011, 10:14 am
My grandmother, who passed away last year was an amazing story teller. I remember the hundreds of stories she would tell me as I grew up. She even wrote several books that were collections of children’s stories from around the world. Why does this matter in pitching your company? Because without...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Mar 28, 2011, 7:53 pm
(I am going to try something I have never done. Write a series of posts on a single topic. Lately, I have been really interested in the process of pitching a startup, and so thought I would write about it.) One of the best parts of my life is listening to pitches from startups. Love it. I probably ...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Mar 23, 2011, 11:04 am
Years ago, I asked a friend who was obsessed with golf where his obsession came from. “There are two things about golf, Micah,” started George. “The first thing is that is the ultimate competition. Just me against the course. Every time I play, the course presents new challenges.” George t...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Mar 20, 2011, 2:03 am
I am not an investor. I am not a VC. I am currently not an angel, super or otherwise. I am just an entrepreneur. By the way, I am always happy to talk to any entrepreneur about their startup – but it has to be a startup, and dont just send me a lengthy email. Im super lazy, and its hard to read a...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Mar 17, 2011, 12:12 pm
Most people who know me, know that I can be a bit obsessive. Ok, maybe not just a bit. We joke (at least I think our team is joking) about the dead horse I must keep in easy reach to continually beat. Fine. I obsess. The thing I obsess most about is the future. What will it look like, how will ...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Mar 11, 2011, 4:08 pm
For those that know me, I am a smartass. I am quick with a quip, and fast to joke about most anything. I talk a lot about failure, and about how its part of our lives. I discuss my sobriety with ease, and am pretty open with my life. What I dont talk about is that for a very long time, I looked ...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Mar 10, 2011, 11:33 am
A couple of days ago, Techstars here in Boulder hosted their annual Techstars For A Day program. The idea is to bring a bunch of potential Techstar companies together with a bunch of mentors and alumni to discuss the program and learn more about each other. As I walked in, Colin, who was working th...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Mar 8, 2011, 11:58 pm
Every week, I get emailed 2-4 offers to do book reviews on my blog. I dont do them. Then a few days ago, my friend Gary Vaynerchuk text’d me and said “Micah, my book comes out in a few days. Can you read it and tell me what you think?” I quickly replied “Of course,” while thinking to ...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Feb 27, 2011, 2:30 pm
Image by micahb37 via Flickr Yesterday, there was an explosion on twitter and some investor blogs about AngelList. It all started with Bryce Roberts of OATV writing a post about why he deleted his AngelList account, which was quickly followed by tweets and posts by folks like Shervin Pishevar (An...
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Micah B. posted an article on Learn to Duck - Jan 29, 2011, 1:54 pm
Image by Getty Images via @daylife Last week we announced at Graphicly that we had raised an extension of our Series A of $3 million. For those that are counting, we have now raised $4.2 million in our quest to allow everyone to enjoy the art and the story telling of comic books and associated ente...
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