A VC in Vacationland

I spend a lot of my time pointing out to founders/entrepreneurs how successful they are, in spite of the whining they are doing to me at the moment. My role as a cheerleader is one I try to impress on founders that being a cheerleader is their role as well. When I visit one of my portfolio companies, see the founder(s) down over some issue, I remind them that their staff can see their 'despair" and think something is wrong, lose productivity, look for another job, whatever. I politely remind them of this and tell them to confine their despair to discussions with me.

But projecting success goes much farther than having a positive attitude around company offices. Startups have to take on the Big Boys (or Girls) in their industry, convince potential partners they are worth working with, selling top-tier customers and talking investors into giving them money, among other feats. You cannot do this without projecting success. People who you want to do business with can smell fear and immediately put you in a different category than you want.

Here's a few tips on how to project success:

    1. Project positive attitudes–no whining, please, except around your closest counsellors. 

    2. Count your blessings–It's easy to dwell on failures. I do it all the time, especially around the millions I have lost in unsuccessful start ups. rather than the many more millions I have made on the successful ones. When in a funk, I look at all my successes and realize that I'm well ahead in the success/failure game. You should too.

    3. Take a walk–when I'm wallowing in self pity, I take a nice long walk. I generally come back with a positive attitude and a better outlook on life.