Why Microsoft Is Willing to Pay So Much for GitHubMicrosoft’s recent $7.5 billion mega acquisition of GitHub is a perfect illustration of how differently value is ascribed in Silicon Valley as opposed to the...
Make It Easy for Decision Makers to Approve Your DealImagine you’ve been offered a way to purchase $1 lottery tickets for a penny each. How many would you buy? If you were operating based on rational self-inter...
Win Over the Person Blocking Your DealAfter two and half decades of doing deals in Silicon Valley I could write a dissertation on what I’ve discovered. Instead, I’ll posit one big, bedrock idea t...
To Close a Deal, Find a ChampionIn Greek mythology, Charon is the ferryman who guides souls across the river Styx to the underworld. Those who do not employ his services are forced to wande...
The Stakeholders You Need to Close a Big DealA $27 million investment by Andreessen Horowitz fueled Pinterest’s explosive rise on the startup scene. A partnership with Starbucks elevated the mobile paym...