Forbes Column 2009: What Amazon Should Buy Next

This week’s Zero In assesses new targets which, along with the recently acquired Zappos, could help Amazon create a strong portfolio of high-margin vertical offerings. Read What Amazon Should Buy Next.

Venture Capital in China: David Chao of DCM (Part 2)

SM: What was your next step after deciding that you could not stand on the railroad tracks any longer?

DC: I immediately resigned from McKinsey and started a company called Japan Communications Inc with three other co-founders. It is the first and largest mobile virtual network operator in Japan. >>>

Aug 1: Deadline Coming Up for Bootstrapping eBooks Promo

Note that you can still win a free e-book copy of “Entrepreneur Journeys, Volume Two: Bootstrapping: Weapon of Mass Reconstruction” even if you did not win the first copy. All who retweeted before midnight Pacific time on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 are qualified to enter the draw as long as they write a review of the first volume on Amazon. We will pick five winners out of this group. >>>

Entrepreneur Journeys Book Review: Value Creators vs. Speculators

In case you missed Sramana discussing value creators vs. speculators on the “Gary Allen On Business” radio show this past weekend, you can find the recording here.

And here’s part of the excellent review Craig Newmark posted on his blog, “Newmark’s Door”:

“I recommend ‘Bootstrapping: Weapon of Mass Reconstruction’ to my MBA students and to anybody planning on, or even just thinking about, starting a business. And also to policymakers. Maybe especially to policymakers. The importance of entrepreneurs to our economy cannot be overemphasized.”

More to come…

Venture Capital in China: David Chao of DCM (Part 1)

David Chao is the co-founder and general partner of DCM. He has been active in the information technology industry since the 1980s. At DCM, he guides portfolio companies in formulating corporate and product marketing strategies, developing strong management teams and implementing domestic and international partnerships.

SM: Let’s start by talking about your background. What experiences have shaped your thought processes?

DC: I am ethnically Chinese. I was born and raised in Japan. By definition I am a Chinese/Japanese, but I came here for high school and college, and did work between college and business school in both Japan and Asia. I am a product of three cultures. I am a Chinese/Japanese/American. >>>

The Microsoft–Yahoo! Deal

Last week I wrote Yahoo! Going Nowhere, “So far, I have seen absolutely NOTHING from Carol Bartz on a compelling strategy.” >>>

Deal Radar 2009: Skyline Solar

Skyline Solar Inc. manufactures High Gain Solar (HGS) arrays which use silicon cells, durable reflector materials and single axis tracking into a single system. Skyline HGS claims to deliver ten times more energy per gram of silicon than traditional flat panel systems in sunny locations. Systems are built primarily out of commodity materials, which improves financial payback and scalability, thereby accelerating the solar industry’s path to grid parity — a goal of both integrators such as SolarCity, which focus on residential systems, and those like Skyline. >>>

Driving Solar Growth Through Financing: SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive (Part 7)

SM: What is your plan, at this point, for the continued evolution of SolarCity?

LR: To continue educating the way we have been doing, and to innovate in expansion areas so that we can bring clean power to more homeowners in more locations. We want to bring as much clean solar power to as many people and businesses as possible. Whatever bottlenecks exist will be addressed. >>>