Blogs

Originally posted in our February 2025 Top of Mind Newsletter. Innovation thrives when we focus both on the problem we’re solving and on those experiencing the unmet need. This Stanford Online article presents some initial steps for fostering creativity while innovating, which align with key principles of ELI’s Entrepreneurial Opportunity Discovery Process. Like ELI’s approach, it emphasizes the importance of identifying and deeply understanding problems before investing resources while also promoting testing ideas as you go.…

Originally posted in our December 2024 Top of Mind Newsletter. To wrap up the year, I want to point you to Scott Barry Kaufman’s recent Beautiful Minds Newsletter post, “From Trauma-Informed to Adversity Informed.” This piece delves into the concept of shifting our perspective from merely being aware of trauma to actively understanding and leveraging adversity as a powerful catalyst for growth and resilience. By adopting an “adversity-informed” approach, individuals and communities can transform challenges into…

Originally posted in our April 2024 Top of Mind Newsletter. In his essay “Relentlessly Resourceful,” Paul Graham defines a successful startup founder as someone who embodies the quality of being relentlessly resourceful. Graham contrasts this with the notion of being hapless, emphasizing that in dynamic and complex domains, success hinges on more than just perseverance. For followers of ELI’s work, this underscores the critical importance of resourcefulness in entrepreneurial thinking. Resourcefulness is not only fundamental to…

Originally posted in our February 2024 Top of Mind Newsletter. “Stop Coachsplaining!” delves into the intricate relationship between coaches and teachers, highlighting the detrimental effects of excessive direction-giving by coaches. Coaches engage in coachsplaining when they dominate conversations, prescribe solutions without considering teachers’ perspectives, and focus solely on instructional techniques rather than student needs. This approach undermines professional growth by oversimplifying complex issues, diminishing teachers’ autonomy and motivation, and hindering genuine learning opportunities. By recognizing the…

Originally posted in our March 2023 Top of Mind Newsletter. So you’re setting out to test an assumption that you hope will solve a problem in the world that others will value. As we reflected in the previous article, it is important to start testing ideas rather than carefully planning, especially in the early stages of an idea. But knowing how potential users will interact with the concept is also essential. If you’re establishing a new…