Can You Recession-Proof Your Customers?
“Enterprise sales processes are slowing and some deals that feel like they were won are not getting across finish lines because of CFO mandates on no new spend.” At Osage Venture Partners, we are already hearing these rumblings. Not everywhere and not at every portfolio company, but enough to see that spending sensitivity is beginning […]
Full Article“Big Brain” Software Platforms versus “Small Brain” Best-of-Breed Applications
I recently got asked if I thought there was going to be a future need or demand for proprietary software platforms or if the evolution of APIs and the ability to efficiently connect best-of-breed applications would render the concept of a platform a thing of the past. It is a good question. As data easily […]
Full ArticleEntrepreneurial Optimism Versus Fraud
Everyone talks about an entrepreneurial culture of “Fake it until you Make It” and how things can go wrong if this is taken too far. The instances of fraud in venture investments goes well beyond what has been alleged at Theranos and Ozy. Pick a vibrant venture ecosystem and there will be stories with some […]
Full ArticleDon’t Under-rate the Impact of Leadership – Let FDR Be an Example for Biden, Congress, and the Rest of Us in Stemming the COVID Tide
Franklin Roosevelt is a perfect example of the kind of leaders we need in the country today. I have been listening to Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership in Turbulent Times and her Chapter on Turnaround Leadership – Franklin Roosevelt and the Hundred Days could not be more timely for what faces our country over the coming […]
Full ArticleRecording Zoom Meetings or “Play It Again, Sam!”
In this current environment of sheltering in place and virtual meetings, everyone in the investment community is well aware of the challenges of not meeting with people face-to-face. It takes longer for personal connections to be created. There are fewer sidebars and casual interactions where we traditionally begin to feel comfortable with people. Non-verbal clues […]
Full ArticleMost of our Portfolio CEOs Say “See You at The Office in 2021”
We recently held a zoom conference with our CEOs to discuss reopening the office and to share what people were learning, thinking, and how they were preparing. 100% of participants are business-to-business software start-ups and almost 100% of employees are college educated with salaries averaging above $100k, so their perspectives will be very different from […]
Full ArticleWatch Out for the Next Gray Rhino – Beware the Coordinated Cyber-Attack
In this time of COVID-19, many people have used the term “Black Swan” to describe the pandemic and its global and national impact. But “Black Swans” are defined as “Events that are highly improbable, difficult to predict, and have massive impact.” Our current situation has had massive impact, but it certainly wasn’t improbable or difficult […]
Full ArticleTwo Great Reads and Three Trends to Drive Innovation
Two things I have read recently have stayed with me and lingered in my mind. The first is Ed Glaeser’s Triumph of the City, which focuses on the history of urban development, the impact of regulation and industry structure on urban success, and the future for cities. Glaeser outlines several trends that suggest that in […]
Full ArticlePACT Enterprise Awards: Proud of Philly, Proud of our Collective Grit, Proud of our Companies
The 2019 Enterprise Awards were held last night at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. True to the resurgence of Philadelphia, this event has returned to Center City over the last five years after being held for several years in the hotel and casino landscape of City Avenue and King of Prussia. This black-tie event does […]
Full ArticleThe Compounding Effect of a CEO’s Day-to-Day Decisions
A colleague of mine recently stepped away from his day-to-day role as a partner in a venture fund and into an interim six-month role as Executive Chair in one of our portfolio companies. It was a necessary move to stabilize what will likely be a very good company and it was a great move for […]
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