Peter Stromquist

Category: Uncategorized

  • So You Think You Need to Hire a Social Media “Expert?”

    If you’re a small business, you’ve likely hired, or contemplated hiring people or firms from the realm of “social media experts,” SEO, and/or website builders. You may not need the former, and you have to carefully screen the latter. Most people that approach you claiming to be “social media experts,” probably aren’t. They’ll try and […]

  • Why the Communication Break Between the Public and American Fast Food Companies?

    I admit, I’m not understanding the apparent disconnect between consumers and the major fast food companies. Anecdotally, it would appear that the American public has become more interested in “healthier options” as well as knowledge of the source of their foods. One could surmise this not only from media reports, but also from the apparent […]

  • Private Equity Could Use a Little Disruption

    Lazy Cash Flow I didn’t go to B school. I was far too eager to “get out and start doing it,” building businesses, doing deals. I don’t think I missed anything with that decision, and as I sometimes contemplated returning to school during my career, I’m pretty sure I would have ended up like Rodney […]

  • Why Start-Ups Need Mentors

    I first “landed” in Silicon Valley in 1998, at the beginning of the first bubble. I use the word “landed” literally, as I had just completed nearly ten years of running media, information, and news companies overseas, across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, including four years on Mainland China. My colleagues, employees, and […]

  • Making a Case for Incubators

    How to Make Incubators and Accelerators Work There have been some articles lately on the proliferation of incubators/accelerators and debates on whether or not they provide a worthwhile service, or in fact, actually help to launch companies. I can say unequivocally yes, they can be a valuable part of the start-up landscape if set up […]

  • More on McDonald’s Ills

    (May 4, 2015) The “new” CEO of McDonald’s, Steve Easterbrook, took to the street (Wall) today to explain how the company was going to effect its much needed “reset.” (I put “new” in quotes as Easterbrook is a long time McD employee). While he was talking to Wall Street, he should have been talking to […]

  • Is Your HR Department Your New Storefront?

    Some years ago, people talked about the importance of having a great website – that for many companies it was the equivalent of a brick and mortar storefront. The site was what the public saw first, created the initial impression of the company and encouraged (or discouraged) people from doing business with the concern. I […]

  • The Joys of Working Overseas

    I’ve been fairly lucky to have had a long, internationally-facing career, having resided in London, Paris, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Beijing, and having touched down on business in sixty countries. I’m sure I learned more than I “taught,” and that’s perfectly OK with me. My assignment with the largest and most challenging responsibilities included being […]

  • The Mother of All Business Incubators/Accelerators

    I’ve been involved in a lot of start-ups. No grand slams, but a few solid base hits and some spectacular strike-outs. My ex wife called me a “risk junkie,’ – I never agreed with that assessment, but I do enjoy the passion and energy of working with founders and employees of new ventures. I’ve also […]

  • Are We Ready for “A la Carte” “Cable” Television?

    Have you cut the cable yet? There has been a lot of coverage in the news, trades, and other media about how millennials have abandoned “traditional” delivery methods for video product (like cable), and instead are relying on services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and the like. These services have not yet figured out how to […]