Never Pre-Judge

Never pre-judge. Don't think a person my be too old for a job.

A person's work experience can be more valuable than a college degree. When you interview to fill a job position, do not make the mistake of not considering older people. Many startups believe only young people understand technology. Anyone can learn technology.

Older people with the right work experience can add value to your startup. Older sales people have contacts and know how to open doors. An accountant with many years of experience brings value to a company. Experience can not be learned, it is earned.

Never let age sway you from interviewing someone. It works both ways. Some may think someone is too old for a job while others may think someone is too young for a job.

Sometimes people feel that someone who has many years of work experience will want more money. That is not always true.

I never give my salary requirements when I interview for a job. When asked, I politely state that we can talk salary when we both feel we are interested in developing a working relationship.

What I've made on previous jobs has no bearing on what I want now. The only concern is will I work for the amount the company can offer.

Never pre-judge. You never know which person is the one that will make you a millionaire.

Rule #1 for a Startup - Develop a Sales Strategy

Develop a sales strategy as soon as possible. This is one of the most important things that you can do. I understand that in the beginning startups focus on technology or product development. However, it is never too soon to think about sales.

I was reading the book, Sales Dogs, by Blair Sinclair (www.salesdogs.com). The first thing that I learned is that you can't run a business unless you have some prior sales experience.At first, this caught me off guard; I do not have a sales background. I now do sales for a startup. I quickly understood why this is important. It answers the most important question for any startup - How are you going to make money?

It doesn't matter if your startup develops software, hardware, a new cosmetic, a cleaning service, an electric car, a new pharmaceutical, license your technology, or sell your company. You need to develop and implement a strategy that answers the question - How are you going to make money?

There are many tasks and priorities for a startup. Make sure your sales strategy is one of your top priorities!