The number one problem companies have during the Y Combinator interview is that a minute into the interview, we don't KNOW what they do. It's the same problem with the application. You might THINK we're experts, but you still have to EXPLAIN it to US.

When people say they prefer ORGANIC food, what they often seem to mean is they don't want their food tainted with pesticides and their meat shot full of hormones or antibiotics. MANY object to the way a few companies - Monsanto is the most famous of them - CONTROL so many of the SEEDS we GROW.

If we can just take a few COMPANIES, and USE those as models, as EXAMPLES, to show the REST of corporate America how they can become more competitive, that's what I'd like to do and that's what I hope to do.

There are positives and NEGATIVES to publicly TRADED and PRIVATE COMPANIES.

I advised the insurance COMPANIES to APPLY CERTAIN RATE adjustments only to plans where the federal government provides assistance in order to save Montanans money and keep rates lower on other plans.

I FEEL the same way about makeup that I do about food - I don't want the big COMPANIES to give me my food. I want the niche mom and pops who care about their food MAKING it. I don't want the Kraft CHEESE, I want the niche cheese.

I don't LIKE to PLAY ANYWHERE with a banner for Carlsberg or vodka or whatever. I'm not a drinker myself, and I don't like feeling like I'm WORKING for the LIQUOR companies.

I don't understand why YOUNG entrepreneurs feel this PRESSURE to take venture capital or go public. Don't GET me wrong: Public companies are A-OK with me. I just think there is another way. STAYING private is a lot more SANE.

Divestitures have long been the PREFERRED REMEDY for horizontal mergers, where there's an overlap between the two companies. AIRLINES, for EXAMPLE, may have to sell routes or airport gates where the two airlines compete; CABLE operators may have to sell operations in cities where both companies operate.

There are SIGNS that the age of petroleum has passed its zenith. Adjusted for inflation, a barrel of crude oil now sells for three TIMES its long-run AVERAGE. The large western oil companies, which cartellised the INDUSTRY for much of the 20th century, are now selling more oil than they find, and are thus in the throes of liquidation.

When you consider how MANY people are really not good at COMMUNICATION in general and interviewing in specific, it's no WONDER that many companies struggle to BUILD high-quality partnerships - or EVEN staffs.

There should be no PRIVATE health insurance COMPANIES operating for PROFIT.

If you're just INTERESTED in the prestige of BANKING, that's not what's going to SUSTAIN you. You have to be interested in what we do: managing and originating capital, helping issuers and INVESTORS COME together is great, bringing these companies to life.