Entrepreneurness

Finding your own path instead of taking one already marked out is an interesting thing.  If you start yourself working at a company, it is fairly easy to track your progress by annual reviews, title, and salary.  When you let go of the security of the known path and decide to venture on your own, things are less defined.  I think its personal preference if you are able to handle not having things not as clearly defined. For me, at first journeying off the path was exhilarating, followed by some apprehension/fear, and once again, exhilarating.  Because I've had in idea of what I wanted, ever since I've come out to California I have surrounded myself by the complimentary/nurturing atmosphere.  While here I've been taking time to build my networks, go to as many lectures/classes/talks/events that pique my interest, and learn and do as much as possible.  By taking such a broad stance on the matter it makes it quite impossible to track my progress incrementall...

On July 6th I had written a post about taking on a business partner. Unfortunately that relationship has come untied. But alas, with every life experience comes learning that is best applied later in life. I had thought my relationship with my business partner was beyond paper. We had trust and understanding, and a passion for entrepreneurship that we shared together. And then one day I receive an email that erased all of it. From happily coasting along, I received an email that single handedly broke down my world. It was an email that dismantled our partnership. As a full time entrepreneur your work is your passion. If an individual wants to make money, find a good paying job. If an individual wants to create a business and make a difference, they create a company. It's hard to separate your heart from your business at that point. The question still looms of, do you have to? Ask a VC, and the answer will probably be "yes". Investors are out to make money, mos...

On February 26th 2009 and October 10 2008, I blogged about the bits of fate that brought me out to California that involved IDEO and Tom Kelley's book, " The Art of Innovation: Lessons in Creativity from IDEO, America's Leading Design Firm ". Then I mentioned how I found out about Tom Kelley speaking, and had the opportunity to meet him. And how I ran into David Kelley, and had the opportunity to meet him. Yesterday I had lunch with an IDEO employee whom I met through a mutual friend. I met her in Palo Alto and we decided to eat at a local Thai restaurant. The host shows us to our seats, a very small two person booth, right next to one other small two person booth, that is nicely tucked away in a corner of the restaurant. After 10 minutes of sitting down and talking about IDEO and what had brought me out to California...the host seats two people in the booth right next to us. I moved my backpack for the person who would be sharing a bench with me. To my... di...