The Start-Up Strategist
How Robert van Pappelendam Translates Start-Up Lessons into Corporate Growth and Leadership Agility Robert van Pappelendam spent three decades at the helm of Fortune 50 companies, leading global businesses through transformation, growth, and disruption. Later, as a founder, mentor, and author of The Start-Up Puzzle, he distilled those hard-won lessons into practical frameworks that help […]
The Entrepreneurial Compass
When I was going through many of the examples we pulled together for the book, a recurring theme emerges: entrepreneurship is as much about humility, observation, and adaptability as it is about technical skill, capital or innovative ideas. The reason why we use so many real live examples in our book is because these stories […]
It’s all about the product, right?
Think you need a big ‘Eureka!’ moment to start a business? You don’t. The best ideas don’t come from sudden inspiration, they come from solving real problems. Dropbox didn’t invent storage. Uber didn’t invent taxis. They just made life easier. So here’s how to find your winning idea: First, look for pain, not inspiration. Ask […]
Most unicorn founders didn’t succeed the first time.
Here’s a message for every entrepreneur who has not succeeded yet: don’t stop. 90% of start-ups don’t make it. But failure isn’t the end, it’s training. Most unicorn founders didn’t succeed the first time. They learned, they adapted, and they came back stronger. Think about it: - Steve Jobs was fired from Apple before coming back […]
A letter to the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
We live in a world of paradox. On the one hand, technological breakthroughs, global connectivity, and abundant capital have made it easier than ever to start a business. On the other hand, the odds of success remain dauntingly low. The start-up failure rate hovers around 90%. That’s not just a statistic, it’s a profound waste […]
The Real Reason Start-Ups Win: It’s Not the Idea, It’s the People!
Talent and resilience are your ultimate unfair advantage. There’s a reason investors often say: “I’d rather back an A team with a B idea than a B team with an A idea.” Start-up success isn’t just about innovation. It’s about the people behind it and their ability to endure, adapt, and execute under pressure. In […]