All in Entrepreneurship

Setting Your Own Yardsticks

Setting Your Own Yardsticks

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Private Equity, Strategy, Sales

I read a tweet the other day about a founder who was worried that his company was growing at “only” 25% a year and, as a result, felt he needed to get bought.

Now, to any objective observer, if you were to set up a business that returned 25% top line growth year over year, that would be considered, without question, a successful enterprise. I mean, we’ve all heard that stat about how 80% of new businesses fail within the first year. So then to not only get past that but to also flourish and grow, is a heck of an achievement.

Omerisms Podcast - Episode 127

Omerisms Podcast - Episode 127

Omer Abdullah
Careers, Communications, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Personal Codes, Teams

We throw around the word "partnership" pretty loosely. And often, when we do, we're sincere about it. But it's easy to talk about partnerships when there's nothing at stake.

You really find out whether you have a real partnership (or not) when problems arise. And in those moments, there's one trait that matters above all else, as I discuss in today's episode.

There Are No Grown-Ups

There Are No Grown-Ups

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Creativity, Leadership, Life, Strategy

Near the end of Crypto.com’s SuperBowl commercial earlier this year, in which Lebron James goes back in time to talk to his 17 year old self, the younger Lebron asks his future self what’s most on his mind:

“Is the hype too much? Am I ready?”

He’s looking for reassurance, of course, some certainty that the choices he’s about to make, the risks he’s about to take, are the right ones. Valid concerns for a 17 year old.

Is Arson Your Business Model?

Is Arson Your Business Model?

Omer Abdullah
Careers, Communications, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Teams

There’s a peculiar thing about the internet, and social media, in particular.

While it is this incredible and unparalleled form of communication, with a versatility and reach we’ve never seen before, it’s not without its issues (and material ones at that).

Central among these issues is that, while it’s ostensibly an objective and ‘fair’ medium, it also has the capacity - conceptually and practically - to set the world (or at least some relevant, targeted universe) on fire.

LinkedIn And The Modern Employee

LinkedIn And The Modern Employee

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Communications, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Teams

LinkedIn is now giving people the option of adding a career break to their profiles. Instead of having an unexplained time gap between positions, you now have the option of adding a more specific (and appropriate) description of why you were in-between (traditional) jobs.

The options range from those we might expect (Full Time Parenting and Professional Development) to those we might not (Bereavement, Personal Goal Pursuit, Gap Year, Travel and Voluntary Work).

How Change Begins

How Change Begins

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Communications, Entrepreneurship, Creativity, Leadership, Life

Change doesn’t arise of its own accord. It needs a catalyst. And that catalyst usually comes in the form of pain, problems and (material) discomfort.

Charlize Theron, when commenting on the origins of the #MeToo movement said, “I think at the beginning of every revolution, there’s this opening of a wound.” Intuitively, we understand that - wounds instigates change, and that’s certainly what’s happened there.

Dealing With Ambiguity And Uncertainty

Dealing With Ambiguity And Uncertainty

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life, Strategy

A while ago, a good friend of mine sold his company in what was regarded by all parties as a wildly successful outcome. In a little over a decade, he had taken it from an idea to a material, profitable entity, one that was valued enough to be bought out by a major industry player.

From the outside looking in, then, every decision he ever made looked to be validated…

StartUp Investing: Do The Numbers Matter?

StartUp Investing: Do The Numbers Matter?

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Entrepreneurship, Learning, Strategy

One of the ways that my firm helps organizations is by forecasting commodity prices. That is, we study specific commodities (e.g. High Density Polyethylene) and, using both quantitative models as well as qualitative analysis, provide a view as to what will happen to the prices of those commodities 6 to 12 months out. It’s not a perfect science but it’s helpful in driving better decision making.

Every so often, I’ll have someone ask us for a detailed 24 month forecast. And every time, my answer is the same.

Owning Your Space

Owning Your Space

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Creativity, Leadership, Life, Marketing, Sales

Rented space can be a good thing. It provides for flexibility and minimal commitment, allowing us to piggyback on someone else’s work to serve our ends. Rented space can be a good and useful thing - for the short term.

Longer than that, the problem that arises, is one of control. When you rent, by definition you don’t own. Sure, you might be able to paint the walls and move the furniture around a bit, but if you want to make structural changes, more often than not, you’re out of luck.

Some Thoughts On Burnout

Some Thoughts On Burnout

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Life

I talk a lot on this blog about ‘doing the work’. That is, in order to get to where we want to go, we need to put in the time and effort to get us there.

More often than not, this means A LOT of effort - long hours and plenty of personal sacrifices. The bigger the goals, the more that’s demanded of us. I stand by that.

And while everyone’s different, and each and every one of us have different levels of endurance, stamina and focus, sooner or later, there has to be some tempering.

Nature Loads The Gun...

Nature Loads The Gun...

Omer Abdullah
Aspirations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Learning, Life, Strategy, Sales

Nature loads the gun, nurture pulls the trigger. Or genes load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

I believe this phrase (using “genes” and “lifestyle” instead of “nature” and “nurture”) was first used in a research paper about obesity, but it applies to so many aspects of our lives. It speaks to the complexity of life, of how we might be oriented and what we might be able to influence.

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