Learn Entrepreneurship with Max Stern

This is the most common problem I face as an advisor. So, I built a way to fix it. And I can include a lot more text here, but it needs to tell a story that makes sense.

You can do this yourself! Here is the free framework:

"I have a product idea –
but I don't know how to build it."

This is the most common problem I face as an advisor. So, I built a way to fix it. And I can include a lot more text here, but it needs to tell a story that makes sense.

There's a simple framework:
[1] Identify
[2] Curiousity
[3] Be rigorous
[4] Be adventures

So, I fixed it.

You can do this yourself! Here is the free framework:

Max Stern is

"I'm worried that my founder
is just a total ass."

This is the most common problem I face as an advisor. So, I built a way to fix it. And I can include a lot more text here, but it needs to tell a story that makes sense.

So, I fixed it.

There's a simple framework:
[1] Identify
[2] Curiousity
[3] Be rigorous
[4] Be adventures

You can do this yourself! Here is the free framework:

At the time, the pickleball community was very small. I doubt there were more than a thousand people in the Seattle area who had ever seen the sport when my family picked it up. And I don’t think anyone expected it would ever become a national phenomenon.

At the time, the pickleball community was very small. I doubt there were more than a thousand people in the Seattle area who had ever seen the sport when my family picked it up. And I don’t think anyone expected it would ever become a national phenomenohere I can learn about tactics and strategies from the best players. It’s amazing to see pros like Ben Johns play the game. Given all the rage about pickleball, I expect someday soon it may end up as an exhibition sport at the Olympics.

At the time, the pickleball community was very small. I doubt there were more than a thousand people in the Seattle area who had ever seen the sport when my family picked it up. And I don’t think anyone expected it would ever become a national phenomenon.

I PRACTICE MBA, Graduate, and Undergraduate courses in Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Duke University. Read about my approach to teaching entrepreneurship and my life at Duke University. Get my thoughts on the latest books, policies, tech and tools. about my thoughts on books and tech. Share my obsession with Star Trek and chess.

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Copyright © 2025 Max Stern

Hi–I'm Max Stern. I'm a Lecturing Fellow at Duke University where I teach MBA, graduate, and undergraduate courses in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Before Duke, I spent 5 years building, scaling, and selling a funeral industry software business.Questions? Message me on Linkedin.

FAQs

Who is Max? +
I teach, research, and practice applied entrepreneurship. I’ve worked with early-stage founders, built real products, and coached startup employees through high-stakes challenges. I specialize in helping people navigate chaos, conflict, and ambiguity in early startup roles.
Who is this for? +
Startup employees #2–#20 — the first hires doing real, high-leverage work without clear guidance. If you’re in an early-stage company and dealing with stress, politics, or messy situations, this is for you.
What types of questions can I ask? +
Anything real, specific, and hard to Google. Examples: “What do I do when my founder is avoiding me?”, “How do I lead my first direct report?”, “Should I ask for more equity before we raise?” I respond with tactical guidance and no fluff.
Example of Email Q&As? +
A real example: someone asked how to professionally disengage from a startup they no longer believed in. I shared a clear exit script, two framing options for the founder, and three follow-up resources on job hunting while preserving relationships.
Example of Zoom Sessions? +
A 60-minute call with an operator managing up to a difficult founder. We unpacked what was being said vs. unsaid, mapped power dynamics, and designed a three-step conversation plan. They got follow-up notes and messaging templates afterward.
Example of Workshop Engagements? +
One founder brought me in to work with their first 8 hires. I ran a live session on startup communication breakdowns, gave each team member a chance to surface blockers anonymously, and built a shared language for giving feedback and prioritizing under stress.
I'm not sure what to choose +
No problem — just email me at [email protected] with your situation. I’ll point you to the right path (or build something new if nothing fits).

*Duke Students fly free. If you are a current Duke student, please email me directly for access/information. If you are not an active Duke student and you do not know me, please do not email me. Instead, message me on Linkedin instead.