The only thing that prepares you to run a company is running a company.

Volatility and length, that's the value on an option. 10 years on a startup stock, that's a big valuable thing.

I believe in strength over lack of weakness.

Your employees know each other better than they know you.

Generally the reason they fail in the job is, you made some mistake in the hiring process in that you didn't match... them to the needs of your company accurately enough. That's the #1 reason this fails. And that's generally a good place to start: Here's where we are and here's what I didn't recognize about us and about you when I made the decision, and now it is what it is.

There are no silver bullets.

The right answer on raises is you have to be formal. You have to be formal to save your own culture.