As a startup CEO, you are in the business of building relationships: with employees, with customers, suppliers, and partners. But you are also building relationships with investors, coaches, and advisors who are helping you achieve your mission and goals. Oftentimes, founders fail to build these relationships because they lack a consistent rhythm of giving regular … Continue reading Company Updates: Lines, Not Dots
How to Soft-Circle Investors & Close Your Investment Round
One of the hardest jobs of the founder/CEO of any startup is having enough cash to operate and pursue the dream you’ve committed to building. Raising capital is a topic that could mean a lot of different things depending on which stage of the startup you’re in. In case you’re not familiar, scan over this … Continue reading How to Soft-Circle Investors & Close Your Investment Round
VendorHawk Story: Ventures Podcast
My friend Will Little interviewed me and Brian about how we built VendorHawk from the early days through acquisition. If you want to see the high points, Will did a nice summary of key points in the cliff notes below. Watch the recording on the Sachel post: https://satchel.works/@wclittle/ventures-episode-12 In this episode of Ventures we cover the full … Continue reading VendorHawk Story: Ventures Podcast
Startups & Enterprises (2 of 2): Agility, Trust, and Innovation that Enterprises need.
In the first post, we addressed what startups can learn from enterprise software companies, but in this post we’re focusing on what enterprises can learn from startups. There is a reason startups outexecute the good ole’ enterprise, but let’s find out why. Disclaimer: If decision and policy-makers are your enterprise are stuck in their ways … Continue reading Startups & Enterprises (2 of 2): Agility, Trust, and Innovation that Enterprises need.
Startups & Enterprises (1 of 2): Startups, how to build for and sell to enterprises
Since the acquisition of VendorHawk last year, I have been taking mental notes of things I'm learning working at a large enterprise software company, ServiceNow. I'm writing these couple of posts in an attempt to bridge two worlds of startups and enterprises and show what each one can learn from the other. If you’re running … Continue reading Startups & Enterprises (1 of 2): Startups, how to build for and sell to enterprises
Faithful Founder (3 of 3): Spotlight, Compromise, & Kingdom Impact
In this final post, I’ll get into the implications of living in the spotlight, dealing with compromise and aiming to leave a kingdom impact. Let’s jump in. Living in the Spotlight When you’re watching football or basketball it’s common to fix your eyes on whoever has the ball. They are in the spotlight. When you … Continue reading Faithful Founder (3 of 3): Spotlight, Compromise, & Kingdom Impact
Faithful Founder (2 of 3): Employees, Investors, Customers & Prayer
In part one of this series, I focused on the foundations and motivations of being a faithful founder. In this post, I will unpack how those things are put on display throughout the workday. Let start off with a somewhat contentious topic about how followers of Jesus should conduct themselves in the workplace. An Integrated … Continue reading Faithful Founder (2 of 3): Employees, Investors, Customers & Prayer
Faithful Founder (1 of 3): Motivation, Co-Founders, Values & Family
Reflecting on my journey as an entrepreneur so far, I’ve found I love helping other founders. Specifically, I really enjoy helping men and women trying to follow Jesus and honor God in the way they run their startup. Unlike experienced consultants or seasoned entrepreneurs, I do not profess expertise in many kinds of businesses or … Continue reading Faithful Founder (1 of 3): Motivation, Co-Founders, Values & Family
Founder’s Manifesto
The following contains the Founder's Manifesto, our company Values and how my co-founders and I intended to use them as we operated our company, VendorHawk. I'm am deeply grateful to Brian Geihsler for contributing the core content of the founder's manifesto and for he and Ben Stephens for holding to it while we ran VendorHawk … Continue reading Founder’s Manifesto
Honoring Bethany: 7 Years of Marriage
Today is my seven year anniversary with my beautiful, God-fearing wife, Bethany. From our sovereign foundations in God-fearing families to our early days of meeting in east Texas (12 years ago), to our family of five, just 10 years after starting a relationship, the Lord has been very good to me in giving me Bethany … Continue reading Honoring Bethany: 7 Years of Marriage
Patrick Lowndes 