Mark Cuban's 12 Rules for Startups

Anyone who has started a business has his or her own rules and guidelines, so I thought I would add to the memo with my own. My "rules" below aren't just for those founding the companies, but for those who are considering going to work for them, as well. 1. Don't start a company unless it's an obsession and something you love. 2. 3. 4. 5. Related: Mark Cuban on Why You Should Never Listen to Your Customers 6. 7. 8. Related: Three Steps for Getting Started in Mobile Commerce 9. 10. 11. Related: Is Any Publicity Good Publicity? 12. This article is an edited excerpt from How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It (Diversion Books, 2011) by Mark Cuban (Available at Amazon and iTunes). Click to Enlarge+ Get Your Valuation Do you know what your business is worth?

Recruiting: 8 Qualities Your Best Employees Should Have Great employees are reliable, dependable, proactive, diligent, great leaders and great followers... they possess a wide range of easily-defined—but hard to find—qualities. A few hit the next level. Some employees are remarkable, possessing qualities that may not appear on performance appraisals but nonetheless make a major impact on performance. Here are eight qualities of remarkable employees: 1. When a key customer's project is in jeopardy, remarkable employees know without being told there's a problem and jump in without being asked—even if it's not their job. 2. People who aren't afraid to be different naturally stretch boundaries and challenge the status quo, and they often come up with the best ideas. 3. Remarkable employees know when to play and when to be serious; when to be irreverent and when to conform; and when to challenge and when to back off. 4. 5. 6. An employee once asked me a question about potential layoffs. 7. 8. Great employees follow processes. Forget good to great.

Workplace Distractions: Here's Why You Won't Finish This Article Vision Without Execution is Hallucination