Entrepreneur Corner: Handling online critics and being a good apprentice

Here’s the latest from VentureBeat’s Entrepreneur Corner.

5 things to consider before firing back at online critics – Seeing harsh and seemingly unfair criticisms about your business appear online is frustrating, but rarely illegal. Attorney Curtis Smolar offers a few things you should mull before unleashing your fury – or your legal team – on the offending customers.

Key ingredients for startup success – Having a good idea and knowing your way around business only gets you so far as an entrepreneur. Serial entrepreneur Tod Whipple, who also is the founder of StartupAddict.com, discusses five important things that need to be top of mind for the wannabe startup owner.

Want to be a good entrepreneur? Be a good apprentice. – Despite the myth that all startups are founded by kids in their 20s, the smart entrepreneurs spend their early years learning from others. Serial entrepreneur Steve Blank looks at why that’s so essential.

3 ways to avoid creating a bubble company – Whether we’re in a new bubble now or not is irrelevant, says Ari Jacoby, CEO and co-founder of Solve Media. What’s essential is building a company that can withstand both the inflation of that business cycle – and its inevitable collapse.

Vulnerability as a leadership skill – Managers may not want to be thought of as vulnerable, but those willing to take the risk are usually the ones most trusted by their employees, says Ori Brafman, author of “Click: The Magic of Instant Connections,” in this Entrepreneur Thought Leader Lecture.