Jeff Goldblatt has been involved with startups of many shapes/sizes (including: VC-funded, Angel-funded, Bootstrapped… successes, failures, and that subjective gray area between) for ~20 years and has served as Advisor/Mentor/Coach to 100+ young founders. Originally from Framingham, MA, he has an MBA from Emory University and a PhD from The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.

Bio

As creator of the original "Rejection Hotline" - a satirical phone service that grew into a 7-figure VIRAL *P.A.C.A.S.M. company (*Products As Content As Social Marketing) with 300+ “Humor Hotlines” engaging millions of fans - Jeff became a nationally-recognized expert on VIRALITY (in Products/Content/Marketing/Thinking). He feels awkward writing in the 3rd-person, so he will now switch to 1st-person (and so will I).

#BeReal – Like MOST entrepreneurs, I put “CEO” on my first business card. Also like most entrepreneurs, I once believed in The Tooth Fairy. In BOTH cases, it took YEARS to realize I WAS WRONG.

My #IamNOTaCEO epiphany was undoubtedly the catalyst for my first startup success.  – [3 months after replacing myself as CEO of my own company, we raised $1 MILLION in funding; 9 months later we were a PROFITABLE 7-figure company – after YEARS struggling as a solo founder wearing all the hats!)] –  And it began my fascination (obsession?!) with #SelfAwareness and the MANY related problems that young founders are OFTEN blind to (until YEARS LATER - often lamenting: “I Wish I Knew THEN, What I Know NOW!”)

Full-Disclosure: Yes, I’ve occasionally been called a “Negative Nancy” - but I believe “Realistic Rick” is much more accurate AND much more helpful to young/future founders because...

A. “Negative / Pessimistic (BAD?)”
VS.
B. “Positive / Optimistic (GOOD?)”
creates a Dangerous False Dichotomy!
   [Spoiler Alert: C. "Objective / Realistic (GAME-CHANGER!)”

[Note: The following was specific to my 1-on-1 Mentoring/Advising/Coaching, which I am doing less of these days to focus on reaching more people via @CoFounderator]

HOW CAN I HELP?

1. Multiple Perspective Thinking: Helping you see how you and your business are seen by potential customers, employees, investors, and… by FUTURE YOU?!?

2. Helping YOU to challenge your own ASSumptions 

- Do you KNOW it or THINK it or HOPE it? 
- Do you Differentiate POSSIBLE vs. PROBABLE? 
- Confidence is great - sometimes;
[is YOUR Confidence based on data/stats/testing? or hunches/hopes & conversion rates YOU plugged in to hit YOUR revenue/growth goals?]  

3. I Have Many *FUQs to Give!

*[Frequently UNasked Questions]
NOW is the time to discuss/debate uncomfortable topics (including potentially-bad FUTURE STUFF!) - so you can consider it objectively/calmly (with minimal emotional bias!) while it’s still just hypothetical!!