[author: Bill Warren]

Some interesting links we found across the web this week:

Want to Ruin Your Relationships? Ask Family and Friends to Fund Your Startup
A true "friends and family" round is one way to make holidays more awkward. WilmerHale Partner Gary Schall discusses the potential minefield that comes along with asking friends and family for money to seed your startup.

Don’t Try to Do It All on Your Own: Building a Core Team for Your Startup
There's no "I" in team, even if there is a "me." In any case, Business Collective reminds us that a core task for a founder is finding that all-star team to fill in knowledge and experience gaps.

You Can’t Afford to Ignore Branding: Here’s How to Convince VCs
AlleyWatch looks at the value of good positioning and branding. VCs can’t ignore the ROI on strong branding for a portfolio company, if you show it to them.

How Will Leadership Change in the Cognitive Era?
Forbes thinks about how company leaders will tackle management challenges in the age of technological disruption.

The Science of Innovation: How to Imagine the Unimaginable
A startup’s goal is to create something out of nothing. Entrepreneur takes a deeper look at the science behind creativity to explore how companies can encourage innovation in their own ranks.

Why 2017 is the Year of Data-Driven AI
Data-driven AI is predicted to have the best year yet—or so it tells us. VentureBeat looks at the trends that will make 2017 a banner year for AI.