If you're an entrepreneur and you're starting a company, I think the first thing you do is you go and talk to a bunch of people. But then the next thing you probably should do is figure out if there's a broader demand than just people you know. That's where I think SurveyMonkey is pretty valuable to people.
Elon Musk is an incredible leader and entrepreneur. I have known him since 1995 when he first came to Silicon Valley.
I was an entrepreneur myself and often say that I'm on loan to public service.
Your first job, as an owner and an entrepreneur, has to be to understand how the business is going to actually work.
If you immediately take a job somewhere, you've given up on the dream of being an entrepreneur and creating jobs for people and making new technologies and making new paths.
'Entrepreneur' is a French word.
I think Uber is just very different; there's no model to copy. It may be the reason why we've been a lightning rod in so many ways, because we don't do anything conventional... And then I think also, as an entrepreneur, I'm a bit of a lone wolf.
If I had to give one piece of advice to a budding entrepreneur, I would say: 'Aim big.'
Every entrepreneur needs ideas, vision, and creativity - no matter what the product or service. Not only that, but the product should truly delight customers and become an essential part of their lives.
If anyone tells you that you're too old to be an entrepreneur or that you have the wrong background, don't listen to them. Go with your gut instincts and pursue your passions.
The excitement of being a Task Rabbit is that you can create your own businesses and become an entrepreneur. We're creating jobs for people in this economy. Some of the Task Rabbits are cashing out at $5,000 per month.
As an entrepreneur, I've come across countless articles and quotes proudly telling me that I should accept failure, smile, and keep my head up. In other words, I've been told to stay positive. The thing is, when you're forced to shut down a business and let really awesome people you care about go, staying positive is the last thing on your mind.
Watching an entrepreneur fail is sad, but watching him fail from lack of nerve is tragic.
I always had this desire to be an entrepreneur, except I felt I didn't really know what I was doing.
What does an entrepreneur do? The first thing is they've given themselves permission to see a problem. Most people don't want to see problems... Once you see a problem and you keep looking at it, you'll find an answer.
I could try to incorporate or reflect in my models what it is that an employee, manager, or entrepreneur does: to recognize that most are engaged in their work, form expectations and evolve beliefs, solve problems, and have ideas. Trying to put these people into economic models became my project.
I don't think it ever occurred to me that I wouldn't be an entrepreneur. My dad became a real estate developer, and that work is usually project-based. You attract investors for a project with a certain life cycle, and then you move on to the next thing. It's almost like being a serial entrepreneur, so I had that as an example.
You have to respect your parents. They are giving you an at-bat. If you're an entrepreneur and go into the family business, you want to grow fast. Patience is important. But respect the other party... My dad and I pulled it off because we really respect each other.
I want to give other creatives the opportunity to find the entrepreneur inside themselves and teach them how to build their own platform.
For an entrepreneur with 'improbable' and 'impossible' dreams, the alleged stability that comes from getting 'a real job' is nothing but a sign of slavery.
