linkedin post 2013-02-24 06:23:08

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INVESTORS SHOULD ALWAYS USE A PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION as part of Due Diligence to help weed out sociopaths, fraudsters, borderline personalities, severe egotists, and other personality types that can be time-bombs in early stage investments. No other environment is so vulnerable to personality defects as a startup. All flaws become magnified in this pressure cooker, and (my opinion) at least half of early stage failures are due to personality issues. View in LinkedIn
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linkedin post 2013-02-24 05:55:18

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SCIENTIFIC FRAUD IS QUITE RARE but there have been a number of cases over the years, all characterized as being very hard to uncover. Many never hit the news. In one case, Glenn Elion of Massachusetts, claimed to have cloned the gene for spider silk. He had cunningly cut and spliced data from the literature and patents with sufficient novelty modifications that it was similar but different. He conned his way into an Army CRADA, investor pockets, and much more before going to jail. Lesson? Scientific due diligence will not help. Only your intuitions about character will give you clues. View in LinkedIn
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linkedin post 2013-02-24 05:46:54

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"KEEP AND OPEN MIND AND STEP OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE" is great advice from this intrepid investor who clearly does his homework on the ground. Listening, asking triangulating questions, being observant, and watching for tell-tale lies are his mantra, and worth adopting if you don't already do this in due diligence. http://lnkd.in/B69x9h View in LinkedIn
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linkedin post 2013-02-24 05:37:47

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ENTREPRENEURS PITCHING FOR INVESTORS are well served to carefully study TED conference speaker's techniques, as they are among the most gifted speakers in the world. No podium, frequently no slides, these speakers engage the audience in often very technical concepts with clarity and simplicity. http://lnkd.in/R2UBVA View in LinkedIn
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linkedin post 2013-02-24 05:30:53

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ENTREPRENEURS, BEWARE FUNDING SCAMS. Today more than ever, criminals are posing as Angels or fund managers. The scenario always evolves to you having to pay various "processing fees" upfront before being able to secure funding (Google '419' Advance Fee Fraud). These scans hit millions of people per year and can be very sophisticated and convincing. NEVER advance cash to secure funding. NEVER accept unsolicited fund offers. View in LinkedIn
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linkedin post 2013-02-23 19:38:50

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WANNABE ENTREPRENEURS MUST READ THIS before you plunge in. A very real description of the price you may pay to be an entrepreneur. In my case, it cost me my first marriage, and then some. This is a high octane and high casualty path to follow. Go in with your eyes open, and know the risks are real. http://startupnorth.ca/2013/02/08/the-things-an-entrepreneur-will-never-tell-you/?__lsa=c7e4-1e51 View in LinkedIn
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