As a VC, I see all kinds of business ideas. Some are good, and some are not so good. I always try to help refine the idea, because even if it’s not a good concept in the beginning, there’s always a kernel of something unique in there and if you chip away at it long enough, you might get to something great. Helping entrepreneurs succeed is my passion. That’s why I volunteer whenever I can to help mentor our future business leaders.
In February, I had the opportunity to speak at the University of Washington’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. It’s a program I helped found at the school’s Foster School of Business because entrepreneurship is near and dear to my heart.
I also had the chance to speak to a group of entrepreneurs and leaders at the White Bull Conference in Barcelona a few months ago. This event was great fun because I got to be hands-on and give direct advice to leaders on the spot. It was an interactive and entertaining way to share ideas and feedback about business plans and ideas.
I’ve been so energized by these events that I’ve decided to create a series here on the blog to talk about what it takes to make it as a Phenomenal Entrepreneur. I don’t mean just any entrepreneur, I mean the uber-successful ones such as Bill Gates, Oprah and Richard Branson. They all have three key ingredients that have made them successful, and I will share those with you in the coming weeks. Look for ingredient one later this week.