Mandelbaum has been an entrepreneur her whole life, starting her first company at the age of 3. She spent her early career years working at companies she was not passionate about and these experiences taught her that she could sell anything to anyone. When she decided to work on someth...
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When putting together a team, Fern Mandelbaum, Partner at Monitor Venture Partners, focuses on the CEO. She looks for someone who is incredibly committed, persevering, a great listener, attracts talented people, and knows their strengths and weaknesses.
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Mandelbaum answers a question she thinks about every day: How does she make time for what is the most important part of her life, her family, while making sure her companies stay alive? She checks in with her family everyday to see that they are happy. She also recommends listening to ...
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Mandelbaum believes that the best, and arguably most valuable, part of business school is the people you meet. She recommends working before going into business school to provide some experience that can be shared among classmates. Though the business school material can be learned jus...
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Mandelbaum talks about how luck and timing are key factors in entrepreneurial success. Commitment and perseverance are also essential. In most cases, if you try hard enough and are willing to do whatever it takes, the company can be successful, she notes.
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Mandelbaum did not consciously make the decision to shift her life’s work, but was asked by two friends to help them with their new venture firm. This was in 2002, and a very difficult time to start this type of company. She got very involved in the challenges of the project and decide...
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Mandelbaum is optimistic about the opportunities in the market today based on her assessment of holiday parties, which she believes are a valuable indicator of market climate.
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The most important piece of advice that Mandelbaum would give to an aspiring entrepreneur is to surround oneself with great people and ask these people lots of questions. Take the opportunity to meet with as many people as possible because they could potentially become a best friend, sh...
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A common problem Mandelbaum sees in new companies is an unwillingness of the founder to let go. The mark of a great entrepreneur is the ability to recognize what skills you have and what tasks would better be left up to someone else, she says. Choosing the best people and board members...
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Mandelbaum suggests that one should surround themselves with really great people in order to bolster their chances of success. But how can we meet these people? She explains that you can meet people anywhere, from Border’s to the supermarket. You never know where a valuable relationshi...
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Mandelbaum moved into the outdoor toy market because she loves sports and outdoor games. She is thriving at Monitor because they focus on companies that have developed innovative applications for technologies that exist, rather than brave new world startups.
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