March 30, 2016

Ready to Rock!

And it feels like the first time
Like it never did before
Feels like the first time
Like we’ve opened up the door
Feels like the first time
Like it never will again, never again

“Feels Like The First Time,” Foreigner

WHY I’M (FINALLY) DIPPING MY TOE IN THE BLOGOSPHERE

In the last couple years I’ve had the opportunity to re-discover my hometown startup community. Since becoming a founding member of Cintrifuse in 2013, I’ve met with a majority of the 250+ Cintrifuse member startups. I’ve been thoroughly impressed with the quality and energy of the startup scene in our hometown. Whether it’s in one-on-one conversations or small workshops we do, people are hungry for insights into how to build startups and get them funded.

I really enjoy trying to help entrepreneurs, and I love hearing their stories. So this is for entrepreneurs in #startupcincy and elsewhere that might benefit from what I have to say and share.

To be honest, this is also new for me. I recently had the opportunity to attend the Upfront Summit in Los Angeles. During one of the panels, Brad Feld talked about how writing his blog makes him a better person. Others made similar comments. Writing also helps you sort through your own thoughts and ideas. 

OK… here we are. I have to admit up front that the idea of writing a blog scares me. And it scares me for two reasons.

1. I know for a blog to be authentic I have to be vulnerable.

2. It also means that I have to be fully committed to maintaining it, if it’s going to have any value over time. 

Odds are I would personally benefit from overcoming both of these fears, and that’s not a bad reason to start writing. It can be cathartic and therapeutic.

I reviewed some of the blogs I’ve followed like BothSidesOfTheTable, AVC, FeldThoughts, FirstRound, Guy Turner, HardKnox, Rob Go, etc. Thank you all for being pioneers and inspirations to me and others. My goal is to follow your advice and just get started. 

My thoughts may not always be perfectly constructed, and I will likely get some things wrong or make mistakes. My views on certain subjects may shift over time. But the important thing is that we spur conversations. It’s a place for dialogue and discussion. 

SO ABOUT THE NAME…

You might be wondering where the name of this blog comes from. Those of you who know me also know that I play guitar. I come from a musical family. Many more of my 36 cousins play music, from small honky tonks to touring with Ozzy or Kenny Rogers. Be sure to check out Ben Schigel’s latest band, SomeKindAWonderful. Our aunts and uncles taught all of us when we were little, and we love them for it. 

IfThenRiff combines my experience as a musician, tech entrepreneur, and VC. I think there a lot of similarities and lessons that you can take from music and apply to entrepreneurship. The “if then” is a reference to what happens when your business plan isn’t working out the way you expected. You’re forced to face reality and adjust. People often refer to this as a “pivot.” IF your original plan isn’t working out, THEN you need to adjust to a new plan.

A “riff” can refer to a phrase, or sequence of notes, like a great guitar riff. Riffing is also used to refer to improvisation, which happens a lot in live music. It happens in startups, too. … As you adjust to the market, or heaven forbid “pivot.” I’ll explore more of these concepts in this blog. 

Whew! That wasn’t so bad.  

For those of you who may not be old enough to know who Foreigner is, this is for you.

Tim