Defining workplace culture as your company grows
Robert LoCascio, founder and CEO of LivePerson, knew his company had a culture problem when he found that managers were switching from open-plan workspaces to enclosed offices upon winning promotions. "I came in one day and asked all the leaders to move out of their offices, and that was the start of a painful process of change," he recalls. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (2/9)
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Leading the Pack

The best organizations never stop learning
Education and continuous development are critical parts of any organization, writes Transformation Systems CEO Marta Wilson. "Learning is the way we evolve as people, as leaders and as organizations of excellence," she writes. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (2/8)
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Finance & Growth

How to avoid picking the wrong board members
An ineffective board of directors can stall the progress of your business, writes Eran Laniado, managing director of BMN! Avoid making your board too large, he writes, because "[a]t some point, a board's growth has diminishing returns." Make sure your board members have diverse backgrounds and support management without micromanaging. VentureBeat (2/10)
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The Whole Entrepreneur

Is there time for romance in an entrepreneur's life?
Maintaining a romantic relationship can be difficult while launching your business, but it is possible, some experts say. Make sure your partner knows how much time your business will take, but also commit to making time each day to listen to him or her. Also, go on dates at least once a month and take short vacations during the year, suggest Brad Feld and Amy Batchelor, a husband-and-wife team who wrote a book on the topic. The Wall Street Journal (2/10)
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Do entrepreneurs need to be young and egotistical?
You don't have to be a young hotshot to become a successful entrepreneur, according to research compiled by the Founder Institute. The most successful entrepreneurs tend to be open-minded and agreeable, with some experience in their field. Mashable (2/12)
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Ideas for Innovators

Innovation begins with defining the problem
Before beginning an innovation effort, it's important to carefully define the problem you want to solve and figure out who is best-suited to address it, writes speaker and consultant Greg Satell. Afterward, you can use the answers to these questions to guide your strategy. Harvard Business Review online/HBR Blog Network (2/11)
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Fortune from Failure

Signs that it's time to step down
It may be time to step down as CEO of your startup if you're having a hard time attracting customers, raising funds, recruiting top talent or adapting to changing market conditions, writes Peter Cohan. "[I]f your venture is losing ground because you are a one-trick pony, do yourself and your shareholders a favor and step aside," he writes. Inc. online (free registration)/The Hungry Start-up blog (2/12)
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Editor's Note

Your SmartBrief has a new look
Noticed a change? SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs has the same valuable content but with a reworked design to make reading and sharing stories easier, especially on mobile devices. Have feedback on the change? Send it our way!
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SmartQuote

Defining a managerial approach to innovation starts with developing a better understanding of the problem we need to solve." -- Speaker and consultant Greg Satell, writing at the Harvard Business Review online's HBR Blog Network. Share: