Entrepreneurial Q&A: You have 5 minutes to pick a fellow successful entrepreneur’s brain. What’s one thing you ask?
What do you value? “At the end of the day, business is business. Finding out what the entrepreneur values can give you insight into why and how he or she drives the ship. So I would inquire what he or she values and how they worked toward achieving it. I’d be interested to see how they thought about and overcame road blocks, if their vision changed, who/what influenced them, etc.” Jessica Baker, Aligned Signs
What do you wish you had known? “I’d ask them to tell me the one thing they wish someone told them when they were first starting out. Chances are it would be something I myself didn’t know. I’d then ask what their greatest failure was and what they learned from it.” Steven Buchwald, Buchwald & Associates
If you could make one mistake over again, what would it be? “Don’t ask the obvious questions. Instead, ask a question that makes them think in a different way or that is completely off topic. The goal here is to make a lasting impression.” Steven Picanza, Latin & Code
Where does your courage come from? “As entrepreneurs, we are constantly going where no one has gone before — inventing new products, venturing into unexplored market spaces or creating markets that have never existed. I’ve never met someone who does this and hasn’t felt afraid of the many unknowable variables. I’d like to hear more about where they find their courage and how they make their persistence a renewable resource.” Tony Banta, Venture Greatly, LLC
What patterns have you noticed that have made you successful? “Most successful entrepreneurs do the same things over and over in order to be successful. They notice patterns and follow those patterns with each company or investment they participate in. I’d ask them at what was it and at what point did they realized it was something they needed to replicate going forward in order to be successful.” Ben Walker, Transcription Outsourcing, LLC
(Source: TCA)
