Lessons of a Vistage Chair – The Value of Vistage
I learned more in the 7 years I was a Vistage Chair then I learned in my 30+ prior years as an entrepreneur. That's the Value of Vistage. I went through a grueling interview and selection process...
Blog: Forward Thinking
Often snarky, sometimes funny, thoughts and musings from Glen Hellman about Executive Development, Leadership, Startups, Washington DC Business and more.
An Idea is not a Company
An idea is not a company. It does not matter if it's a bad idea, like a $200 battery operated Jonathon Perrelli (JP) designed water bottle and connected phone app that feeds fuel pods to humans (in other words a glorified liquid PEZ dispenser). A bad idea is not a company just as a great idea like sliced bread is not a company. There are several requirements to qualify as a legitimate company and those requirements include engaged constituents, team members, customers, industry partners. and a product. Sorry JP, but an idea is not a product and LifeFuels is simply a bad...
The Introvert App Economy
Uber's success? Chalk it up to the introvert app economy. GrubHub's success? You got it...
Offering Free Investment & Investor Due Diligence Service
For the last few years, I've been researching and reporting on, clowns, scammers, schemers, and scumbags. I've been doing due diligence for investors and founders seeking investments. Sometimes it's as simple as a google search, sometimes, it's a tip from a source, and sometimes, I have to reach out to my sources. My due diligence has uncovered: Clowns - The Incompetent Imbelishers Paul Singh Evan Burfield Jonathon Perrelli Jason Feimster Alexandra Stanton Crooks - The Guys Who Should Be Locked Up Danny Boice Jen Mellon Andy Powers Ram Reddy Matthew Pugsley In the course of my day, I do research to...
Trustify – In Search of The Danny Boice and Jen Mellon Autobiography
Back in March, Danny Boice of Trustify had this huge think tank meeting with a large group of people at the Trustify offices. In attendance, employees, and representatives from a Boston-based PR firm hired to promote Boice's and Jen Mellon's "brand," a production company hired to create a feature-length documentary about Danny and Jen and a publishing company hired to ghostwrite Boice's autobiography. The first chapter of the autobiography was written and circulated the Trustify office. I'm told it was hilarious. Danny had a big falling out with the owner of the publishing company a few months later. I later learned that the company Trustify...
The Definition of Transactional – DK Tenant Rep
Warning to all commercial landlords, according to DK, he isn't a landlord so he doesn't care if you get paid! In October, I spied a post on social media from DK about the great deal he got for one of his clients. His clients, in this case, were a cruel, crooked, wicked couple. If you read any of my posts, you might know them, Danny Boice and Jen Mellon of Trustify. If you haven't heard of these two and their dumpster fire of company, Trustify, just check out these Glassdoor reviews. In typical Mr. Cranky, delicate and sensitive style, I replied to his...
This Year in DCTech – 2018 addition
It's that time again. Time to review all the tremendous accomplishments of the most dynamic tech ecosystem south of Columbia Md, North of Springfield VA, East of Gaithersburg MD and west of Annapolis. Yes, DCTech we're number 1 out of any city in the world with our exact lat/long coordinates! Yea us! Go Team DC! So let's get right to it. January - Was Action Packed!!!! Amazon Will Change Everything - Amazon announced they would hold a beauty contest to determine which town they will destroy by overloading local infrastructure, straining the already huge employment talent gap by bringing 50,000 new jobs parked...
What’s In A Name – Sharing Your Name With A Douche
A recently received the following email: Oct 29, 2018, 9:18 AM to glen From: The Other Andy Powers Email: Interested in: Message Body: Hi Mr. Hellman, I'm a different Andy Powers and I encountered your blog after looking curiously at others with my same name online. I am floored and sickened by the stories about the other "me" and others in their crew. I can't believe all that stuff really happened (meant only figuratively, as the details are quite clear and reinforced by SEC orders and the like). I'll have to keep aware of that AP and his digital presence, in case of misunderstanding about someone looking up my name...
Marcus Bullock – Flikshop
In 1996 15-year-old Marcus Bullock, founder of Flikshop, stood in front of a judge. Tried as an adult Marcus was sentenced and served 8 years in an adult maximum security prison for felony auto theft. For the next 8 years, in the heat of summer, this young man would go out to the prison yard, dressed in a winter coat, stuffed with magazines...
Jason Feimster is not a VC
Jason Feimster is not a VC, how can you tell? Let me count the ways. Do you have eyes? Do you have ears? Do you have internet access and know how to use Goggle. Do you have a brain that functions? That should be enough. Just looking at Jason Feimster should tell you Jason Feimster is not a VC. Hearing him pretend to be a VC should be a tip. A little internet research would tell you. Providing you have a functioning brain and the ability to reason, any sensible human should know that Jason Feimster is a lot of things...