One of the top five issues I’m passionate about is the need to increase the number of women executives, techies, scientists, and entrepreneurs. Why does this subject get so much of my mental energy?
Best practices in lean business operations, technology, and other areas pertinent to success of startups, small, and mid-market businesses.
Time to end the frat house culture! We need more women in our midst.
Difference between “My CEO” and “Our CEO”
Being in operations, I’m usually the right-hand-man for the CEO (and CFO), and have worked with some fantastic ones and a few who should have let someone else pilot the company. Not everyone is cut out to be a CEO and nowhere is this as evident and crucial as in startups. A good CEO can take the company anywhere he/she dreams it to go.
As I search for a head of operations position and talk to employees and founders of startups, one of the key phrase I am listening for is “my CEO [insert the rest of the sentence]”. That is what I want to hear. Yes, many will say “our CEO”, but there is a difference when someone adds emotion to their alliance and proclaims he works for his/her CEO.
Can’t retain talent at your company?
Everywhere you turn, more and more people are talking about the “free-agency” attitude of many professionals. The greater the demand of their skills, the less likely they will be loyal to their employer. I have a number of friends and acquaintances in high demand fields and I keep hearing stories about why they will “only do corp-to-corp” (independent consulting). This free-agency mentality is a direct backlash to poor human capital management (HR, for you old-schoolers) practiced by companies. Even in a bad economy, good talent is always in demand. The multitude of recent layoffs have left people feeling like they are easier to dispose of than corporate jets, and this is only going to make it more expensive and harder for companies to recruit and retain talent once things bounce back.
About
Hi, my name is Apolinaras Sinkevicius, but most call me Apollo. I am the guy who takes care of the day-to-day business and technology of rapidly growing companies.12 years in managing the "nuts and bolts" of companies and being a steward of corporate cultures makes me a seasoned operations professional and right hand person to founders and CEOs.[read more]
Availability
I'm available for consulting engagements and will consider full-time positions.
Category Archives: COO
How to create a Non-Disclosure Agreement people can understand
Like many of you in the startup world, I have read and signed my share of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). I have reviewed, edited, and sent hundreds of them in my career, but I am yet to come across one that really serves anyone but the lawyers who charged dearly to write it. So, why don’t we stop wasting our money on having attorneys fill in one of their NDA templates, and write one that is understandable to everyone. Yes, let your lawyer look it over, but don’t allow him/her to insert any words your grandma would not understand. Here is how I would write my NDAs
Time to make HR accountable! The rise of Human Capital professionals.
HR, as a profession, is on its way out. Those who claim to be “good old school HR professionals,” should start looking for a new career or drastically change their thinking. In contrast, Human Capital professionals who “get it” are on the rise. Companies are no longer willing to pay for simple paper pushers or resume screeners in HR – they want results.
Want your company to survive? Just say NO to hiring specialists!
In the last 12 years, I watched the market change as often as a teenager’s mood-swings. What was hot yesterday is old news today. From technologies to methodologies, change is constant and accelerating with every passing day. No one is immune, be it startups or the big boys.
The survival of organizations depends on flexibility, adaptability, and sustainable costs. So why do so many companies still hire specialists? This is the most expensive route to pursue and I see several problems common to such a human capital model
Keeping entrepreneurs and CEOs out of jail and an early grave
I am often asked what I do for a living and since I am not a PR or marketing professional, describing what I do to an “outsider” is challenging at times. I can hide all I want behind my resume and a great group of people I have worked with, but in order to further enhance my network, I must “translate” the role of a business operations leader to those in other professions.
Reading Jeremiah Owyang’s excellent article ”What’s Your Career Mission?” was a great kick-in-the-behind that inspired me to write down my Career Mission and the Value I bring to the table
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