How to use twitter

Posted by on November 21, 2009 under Advice | Be the First to Comment

We all use Twitter extensively at Royal Holloway Entrepreneurs. It’s important in many ways – to keep up with the latest news, to keep in touch with colleagues, and to find the solutions to problems at short notice. But it is pretty confusing to get started!

If you want to start using Twitter, set up an account first and then ‘follow’ our members. For an introduction aimed at beginners and hints and tips for advanced users, read this post by Guy Kawasaki.

Microscopes and telescopes

Posted by on October 11, 2009 under Advice | Be the First to Comment

Tall tree and the eye, by Anish Kapoor

Tall tree and the eye, by Anish Kapoor

I went to see Anish Kapoor at the Royal Academy of Arts today. It blew me away – an amazing exhibition. It was great to see people interacting with the pieces – moving closer, then further away; swinging their heads from left to right to see how the artwork changed with the change in their perspective.

These interactions reminded me of something I read recently in Guy Kawasaki‘s brilliant book ‘The Art of the Start‘. Guy talks about telescope phases, when entrepreneurs think up the next big thing to change the world, their heads full of dreams. In microscope phases, there is a focus on detail and a return to fundamentals. Perhaps the major banks are in microscope phases right now. According to Guy, you need both microscopes and telescopes to achieve success.

At the exhibition, some people wondered around, looking at the art from a distance to appreciate the immense scale. Some people walked up closely to each exhibit, looking closely at the texture of the material. Others did both; they moved closer then further away, taking in the totality of the work.

Perhaps it is this third group who really gained the most from the day. I noticed my tendency to look at the bigness of things, appreciate the scale; remembering Guy’s words, I made sure to look at each work more closely. I ended up spending several hours there, never feeling bored, and I’m sure I will return again.

The art of the start

Posted by on September 20, 2009 under Videos | Be the First to Comment

Bravura performance from Guy Kawasaki. He’s the king of entrepreneurship in many peoples eyes.