by Mike Goodrich | August 27, 2019 | 2019, Birmingham, Entrepreneurialism | 0 Comments

The venture capital business model is built on the theory that if you do ten investments and have one huge return, what happens with the other nine investments doesn’t matter. I don’t take issue with the financial argument of this model. However, I do have an issue...

by Mike Goodrich | August 5, 2019 | 2019, Birmingham, Business Lessons, Entrepreneurialism, Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, Social Capital and Social Entrepreneurialism | 0 Comments

In 2018, Innovate Birmingham published their final report on the Birmingham entrepreneurial ecosystem. (See five articles at the end of this link - http://www.innovatebham.com/about/)  In that report, the core conclusion is that Birmingham needs more “funded...

by Mike Goodrich | July 11, 2019 | Birmingham, Business Lessons, Entrepreneurialism, Small and Medium-Sized Businesses | 0 Comments

“There’s nothing in the world more powerful than a good story.” That’s what Tyrion Lannister says in the series finale of Game of Thrones. Whether or not you like the show’s conclusion, the conclusion that stories matter is undeniably true. Entrepreneurialism and business are no exception to this rule.

by Mike Goodrich | March 5, 2019 | 2019, Board Membership, Business Lessons, Small and Medium-Sized Businesses | 0 Comments

The role of the board and the board chair for a small and middle-sized private business is materially different from the role of a non-profit’s board and from a public company’s board, which must follow a host of securities regulation and compliance laws. ...

by Mike Goodrich | January 8, 2019 | 2019, Birmingham, Business Lessons, Entrepreneurialism | 0 Comments

Birmingham is still recovering from economic mistakes of the past. We can’t repeat them. When the clock struck midnight the other night, I heard the refrain, “Time to party like it’s 1999.” I guess a little Prince, coupled with a year mnemonically similar to an event...

by Mike Goodrich | December 18, 2018 | 2019, Birmingham, Business Lessons, Entrepreneurialism, Social Capital and Social Entrepreneurialism | 0 Comments

The Birmingham entrepreneurial ecosystem is now in its adolescence. Just like a teenager, our entrepreneurial system does miraculous things that impress, inspire, and invigorate the community -- then stays out past curfew, blows allowance money, and remind us that the...

by Mike Goodrich | February 1, 2018 | Birmingham, Regional Cooperation | 0 Comments

The regional cooperation bandwagon has gained some momentum and received good press. The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham recently released a report showing a comparative argument through an analysis of similar metro areas and their success and failure, as...

by Mike Goodrich | January 16, 2018 | Alabama Crimson Tide, Business Lessons, Football | 0 Comments

As an avid football fan, I (rightly or wrongly) try to find business lessons in football. As I watched a great National Championship game Monday night, two business lessons came to mind as I was alone on my couch and then tossing in bed during the three-hour wind down...

by Mike Goodrich | December 18, 2017 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Do you know what you could not do four years ago? Get anything from Shipt. Four years and 550 million dollars later, the sale of Shipt is a huge win for Birmingham. Congratulations to Bill Smith and all the people involved. What this shows Birmingham, and the...