To the North! - Belfast

Started the day with a nice coach bus tour up to Belfast followed by a walk around the Titanic docks, I could have spent hours there as I can't help but thinking about all the "things used to make the things" used to make the Titanic at this point in history.

Today was a great day up in Belfast we had a number of great speakers that really focused on the details and intricacies of start-ups. On multiple occasions, we were given essentially a road map for tips on launching a successful startup. It's pretty great to be able to learn from other's mistakes like this.

There were several good slides today, one I recall from memory quite well from OMIINO about Perceived wisdom "we violated":

• Money raising should be a beauty contest, prepare for disappointment.
• Finances are not the full story when it comes to valuation.
• Strive for incremental R&D spend before revenue stream starts.

These guys today also stressed the importance of not being the smartest person in the room but be sure to surround yourself with the smartest ones. This is a sign of both humility and knowing thyself - both critical leadership skills. 

Again these guys are on the opposite side of the country and there is still a resounding message that one of the keys to leadership is listening to others... This has become a focal point for me as I too often am not an active listener and don't hear the unheard nearly as well as I should.

Generosity was another key takeaway we saw first hand today. Brian Keegan graciously presented an award to one Colim, the former CEO of one of his investment companies for being courageous. Colim overcame adversity in his personal life and in the business world, sticking it out when times were tough. We were very lucky to get to be a part of this small and intimate exchange between these two men. 

-The Curious Bob