kathleen forden

Wow, as I sit here tonight thinking about the bubble of 1999; I can’t but help to see similar signs of that time now in 2011.  Linked In, Facebook, Pandora, and more are all heading towards public offerings.  The valuations are again in the stratosphere, like in 1998 and 1999.

Are we doomed to repeat the past?   Thinking back to that time, I’m realizing quite a few of my successes and my failures.  What I did well, I did really well,  what I did bad I did really well, to paraphrase Mae West.

So what have I learned:

• That we all need heros and mentors
• That it’s OK to fail, it’s how you handle it that matters more
• That walking away and taking a timed break will do your heart and passion good
• That you should celebrate your success when it happens and learn from what worked and what really didn’t
• That we need to build relationships, projects won’t sustain your business, relationships will

So here I go, I’m back to trying to learn from Bill Gross of Idea Lab again.  Over 14 years ago he was my hero, on the cover of Inc. Magazine and launching a Start-Up Factory.  He was my role model on what was possible in business.  His start-up Idea Lab was the inspiration for the name of my second software development start-up Idea Avenue, Inc.

After recently connecting with someone that worked closely with him around that time, I find myself following him again.  This time it’s his blog at www.billgross.com.  I urge you to read it and learn about the man and his principals, then go to his business at UberMedia to learn what they are doing to help change the world, 140 characters at a time.

Here’s to sharing a great resource whom offers sage advice on everything from business to saving our planet.