Kevin P. Taylor

Video: How Business Owners Can Balance Work and Life

Here is another video segment extracted from my interview by DePaul University's Raman Chadha.

How Business Owners Can Balance Work and Life – Coleman Entrepreneurship Center – DePaul University.

To summarize the video, there are many ways to change the world and do meaningful work. Entrepreneurship is one such way. But, as an entrepreneur you also have the opportunity to create and structure a company to fuel you reaching your life goals.

I also reference the E-Myth Revisited, a book that I read soon after founding Obtiva and one that fundamentally changed my outlook on entrepreneurship and business ownership.

Video: Building a Strong Company Culture

Here is another video segment extracted from my interview by DePaul University's Raman Chadha.

Building a Strong Company Culture – Coleman Entrepreneurship Center – DePaul University.

To summarize the video, create the company that you would want to work at as an employee. Then, hire people that will self-select into that culture that you have intentionally created.

Video: The Responsibility of Being a Business Owner

Here is another video segment extracted from my interview by DePaul University's Raman Chadha.

The Responsibility of Being a Business Owner – Coleman Entrepreneurship Center – DePaul University.

To summarize the video, what keeps me up at night as a business owner is that the decisions I make have serious implications. They affect not just the company's well-being but the well-being of our employees and their families.

Also, entrepreneur must get good at failing frequently and in a recoverable manner, because failing is the first step to learning and eventual success.

Video: The Fulfillment of a Business Owner

Here is another video segment extracted from my interview by DePaul University's Raman Chadha.

The Fulfillment of a Business Owner – Coleman Entrepreneurship Center – DePaul University.

To summarize the video, my proudest accomplishments as a business founder to date are the culture of Obtiva that celebrates software developers and gives them a fantastic group of peers to work with. And, the exceptional—in many cases life-changing—value that we have brought to our clients over the years.

Video: Managing a Management Team

Here is the second of several video segments from the interview Raman Chadha conducted with me at DePaul University. 

Managing a Management Team – Coleman Entrepreneurship Center – DePaul University.

In summary, at some point in a growing business, typically when entering the second stage, the founder needs to transition from being a day-to-day operator to being the leader of a management team. Leading, managing, and coaching an executive team requires a wholly different work-flow and set of skills than that of a startup entrepreneur. As the founder, if you are not interested in, or capable of, growing into this new role, it is time to bring in someone with the right skills.

Video: Cutting Costs During the Recession

Raman Chadha of DePaul University's Coleman Entrepreneur Center recently invited me down to the campus to record a video interview. They broke the interview into several short segments, which I'll post links to here on the blog, as they become available.

The first segment is about my experiences helming Obtiva through the depths of the 2009 Great Recession.

Cutting Costs During the Recession – Coleman Entrepreneurship Center – DePaul University.

In summary, anyone can look like a great business manager when times are good and profit margins are covering up sub-optimal decision-making. But, when times are tough even minor mistakes are amplified and can put your company at risk.