Advice on How to Develop The Entrepreneur Mind
Risk comes from not knowing what you are doing. —Warren Buffett, businessman, investor, philanthropist. Among the several definitions of an “entrepreneur,” some are pretty good while others are downright terrible. Regardless, a common word among them seems to be “risk,” which is what truly defines an entrepreneur. The following simple definition by Merriam-Webster is one [...]
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Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow. —Anthony J. D’Angelo, entrepreneur, education trailblazer. When I arrived at Morehouse College, I was focused on doing well in my classes so that I could get a high-paying job as a computer programmer. After catching the entrepreneurial bug during my sophomore [...]
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All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. —Walt Disney, founder, the Walt Disney Company. As he approached the middle of the basketball court, Michael Jordan had tears in his eyes. It was halftime during his final NBA All-Star Game in 2003, a highly emotional moment for sports fans [...]
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Inspiration comes from all different places. —Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO, DreamWorks Animation. Oprah Winfrey is known for making guests on her show cry. However, this time, she was the one who would shed tears, overcome by the significance and serendipity of the moment. In 2007 I stumbled upon a television special titled Oprah’s Roots: An African [...]
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No business plan survives first contact with a customer. —Steve Blank, Silicon Valley–based retired serial entrepreneur. After conjuring up a brilliant business idea, I would immediately start writing a business plan. Like a skilled magician, I could make a marvelous business plan appear before your eyes in just a few days. It would be complete [...]
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If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses. —Henry Ford, founder, Ford Motor Company. The two kinds of entrepreneurs are those who create markets and those who do not. On the one hand, the entrepreneur who creates markets is considered a revolutionary. On the other hand, the entrepreneur who [...]
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The man who has no problems is out of the game. —Elbert Hubbard, writer, philosopher. When checking my e-mail one morning, I noticed an urgent subject: “Web Site Down. Call Immediately.” This wasn’t a good sign. I knew then that it was going to be a long day—and it was. Until that moment, I had [...]
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Hire slow, fire fast. —Unknown. I recently received a desperate call for help from one of my mentees, who is working hard to grow his new clothing company. He sought advice about how to deal with a lazy business partner who is preventing the company from moving forward. My mentee wrote, I have been working [...]
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Two heads are better than one. —John Heywood, English playwright. One of my favorite events in the Summer Olympic Games is the 4×100 meter relay. In this event, a team runs 400 meters total, once around a regulation athletics track, with four teammates running 100 meters each. Currently, Jamaica holds the world record time of [...]
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Beauty awakens the soul to act. —Dante Alighieri, Italian poet. Excited to hit the pavement and to sell advertisements for my new magazine, I visited a local mom-and-pop store near my alma mater, Morehouse College. After my sales pitch, I waited to hear if the business owner would place an ad in my next issue. [...]
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