Blog: Forward Thinking

Often snarky, sometimes funny, thoughts and musings from Glen Hellman about Executive Development, Leadership, Startups, Washington DC Business and more.
December 16, 2018
In DCTech, Musing
4 Comments

Peter Corbett’s Ego

"At the end of June this year I retired from the company I had founded. Being a 38 year old retiree has its perks for sure, but I’m assuming most people don’t have a perspective on the challenges associated with giving up the profession/status/context/wealth-generation-machine that they’d been managing for decades. In fact, this is a devilishly difficult thing to do for one super complicated reason: we subconsciously construct an Ego that enables us in the journey we set out for — and that Ego doesn’t just go away over night. It fights you— till its death or yours, and usually...

December 12, 2018
In DCTech, Wolves of Startupland
8 Comments

Zombie Founder Danny Boice, dead man walking

The problem with Zombie's like Danny Boice is they don't know they're dead. Danny Boice, dead man walking. Danny's soon to be ex-wife and ex-retroactive Trustify founder Jen Mellon has left the building. This week her LinkedIn status went from presently employed at Trustify to ended employment in 2018. On LinkedIn for married co-founders of a dumpster fire, this is the Facebook relationship status equivalent of "it's complicated." In addition, according to a comment below, Ms. Mellon has removed every picture of her husband, Danny Boice from her facebook page. It appears she is trying to distance herself from the legal jeopardy of...

December 11, 2018
In DCTech
9 Comments

Trustify Damage Control Law Suit

What happens when you hear that the Washingtonian is going to do an article and you feel that the facts may damage your business? Well if you're Danny Boice you hire Dinni Von Mueefling Consulting to clean up your image. What happens when you can't do good business so you require a company to do Trustify Damage Control? ...

December 9, 2018
In Musing
6 Comments

Startup Dictionary – An Urban-Dictionary for Startups

Startup speek is bullshit speek that requires translation. So I've created a Startup Dictionary to be like the Urban Dictionary for Startups. I hope this Startup Dictionary helps you distill truth from doublespeak. Agile - The excuse developers use for coding without a plan and running around in circles Artificial Intelligence (AI) - The living embodiment of the Shakespeare line, "first kill all the lawyers." It is AI that will replace the lawyers, accountants, and marketeers.  Look for a new AI app to answer spam email and phone calls. Award Winning - Pre-revenue company Big Data - Big deal Blockchain - Something that someday is going to...

December 5, 2018
In Rant, Startup, Wolves of Startupland
4 Comments

Alexandra Stanton, Gullible VC and Trustify Investor

Alexandra Stanton, calls herself a VC, and Trustify Investor. In this interview below, Alexandra presents herself as a seasoned investor who invests in double-bottom-line companies that "do well while doing good." Mr. Cranky thinks, not so much. If you can't see the interview yourself can find it by linking here. If you listened to the interview, you may have heard Ms. Stanton opine on the health of a very unhealthy, about to go out of business...

December 2, 2018
In DCTech
24 Comments

Open Letter To The Washingtonian Magazine

The December issue of the Washingtonian features a story titled “Meet Mr. Cranky.” While the story appears balanced, it is less than fair. The article ignores the groundwork and research that goes into my posts. For example with regards to Danny Boice and Trustify, I have interviewed well over 30 people including, former employees, former current employees, relatives of traumatized former employees, vendors, co-workers, partners, startup executives who shared office space with him in two separate accelerators and family members. These interviews cover Mr. Boice's employment with Trustify, Speek, and The College Board. The Washingtonian ignores the fact that I have 40 years of...

November 30, 2018
In DCTech, Human Resources
2 Comments

Former Trustify Employees Available For Hire

Hello, DCTech here's an opportunity to help some needy fellow DC Techsters during this holiday season. According to multiple, recently-ex Trustify Employees. Monday, November 26, 20018, in a loud and aggressive screaming match, Danny Boice fired 8, Trustify Employees. These Trustify Employees were guilty of going to the Labor Relations Board seeking back pay. Danny was so aggressive that the Trustify Employees called the police. Trustify Employees that I've talked to have not seen Jen Mellon in the office for months, with one exception. Two weeks ago, she breezed into the office and printed a few things out. According to multiple witnesses, she...

November 28, 2018
In DCTech
5 Comments

4th Not Quite Annual Not Quite 100 #DCTech Companies I Don’t Hate

Back in April of 2014, Mr. Steven Overly, formerly of the Washington Post, presently of Politico challenged me to name 100 DC Tech companies that I did not hate.  Well, I came up with only 42. Last year, for my third try I came up with 78 companies. This year, it's still 78. I've added a few companies to the list and some went off due to acquisition, or going out of business or me realizing I made a bad pick, or deciding the company isn't really a tech company. Not being listed doesn’t mean I hate your company. It only means that...

November 25, 2018
In Leadership, Uncategorized
2 Comments

Leadership Integrity: Is Integrity A Mandatory Leadership Trait

Leadership and Integrity Of the numerous motivations behind committed loyal followers, developing loyalty via respect and trust in a leader is the most enduring. If humans believe their leader’s goals are aligned with theirs, if they agree on their why or purpose (see post) and that their leader has the skills, intellect, and character to lead the team to its goals… they will follow.  To be sure, loyalty to a competent, leader of high integrity isn’t the only way to lead. Despots lead through fear. There are cases of untrustworthy, incompetent leaders...