The sad truth is as difficult as the first mile can be for entrepreneurs, it is doubly tough inside most large companies as innovators can face some significant headwinds.

Most startup companies have two people, and they figure out creative ways to swarm problems. They move faster and have more impact.

The curious company studies the anomalies or the unexpected findings. The company that isn't curious ignores them or punishes people who don't do exactly what they set out to do.

I find social media as fun and engaging as the next person, but imagine if all the creative talent that was pouring into finding increasingly clever ways for us to broadcast daily banality (and then serve ads based on what is learned) instead focused on some of the UN Millennium goals? The world would be a better place.

Have a core concept, but wrap it in a full business model.

Some people who were central to former success aren't the right people for your future success.

The reality is customers lie - not because they want to want to deceive you, but because they don't do a good job of predicting what they will do in the future.