ENTREPRENEURIAL Heros
Bruce thompson
I was very impressed with Bruce and his prospective on business. A lot of people believe that entrepreneurs are just out for one thing, money. Bruce shows us that you can be successful in the business world and have values. He realized that his family is more important than business and it brings greater joy than running a successful business. Now don't get me wrong, there is a lot of happiness that can come from running a successful business. However, most people on their death beds don't say I wish I would have spent more time at the office. They say, what kind of person am I? How did I treat my family? These are the things that really matter.
Dr. Deshpande
What an amazing story. Desh came to the USA with 8 dollars in his pocket. He realized that Americans think they need a lot of things that they really don't need. For example TV, movies, and expensive clothes. All of these things are not important. This country yields so many opportunities for us to make a dent in the world for the better. Desh also touches on the point that going into business with a partner isn't always the best idea. He broke away from his partner because he felt it was the right thing to do. The main principal I gain from Desh is to take advantage of this great country and use your resources to make something great.
Tom monaghan
Tom grew up as an orphan and therefore had very little as a child. Later in life he purchased a pizza business called Dominick's. He grew that business and it became successful. He then got a call from Dominick saying you cant use my name. They chose a new name for their restaurant and called it Domino's. Of course, we know that Domino's is very successful and Tom had a lot of money at his disposal. He got into the worldly toys and later in life he read a book by C.S. Lewis. This book helped him realize that pride was overtaking his life. This changed his outlook on life and turned to helping others. He found Christianity and began to give to others. By the time Tom Passes away most, if not all of his money will have gone to helping others. He wants to make it to heaven with all the people he helped.
Henry Stein
"Be hugely bigger." As Henry likes to say. You can be something great. Being in the Marine Corp Henry felt that he was able to do a lot of things that was great and gave him a lot drive. There are some people in the work force that don't want incentives based on performance. They don't want to feel like they are being judged. Henry feels like you should treat work as a sport. You are always honing your skills and trying to get better. I like his determination and outlook on life. I want to be a pro athlete in the business world.
phil romano
Be different than everyone else! If Phil didn't do what people told him not to do then he wouldn't be where he is today. Going against the grain feels good to him. He is always in a mode of creation, whether its painting or business. And if what he creates doesn't feel good to him then its not going to feel good to the customer. His first job as an entrepreneur was working his paper route. He went to one of his customers and said how much more will you pay me if i put your paper in between your two front doors so you don't have to step out into the cold? He made an extra 25 dollars a week because he found something that the people wanted. As a business that should be the goal. Feel a need and in return the customer will thank you buy giving you a generous amount of money. Phil thinks that fear is a great motivator. I would agree with him but I don't think its the best motivator. As you can see in the picture it says "I've got to make it work." He is talking about starting a business and its your only option. If you don't succeed then you don't eat. You just have to make it work.
Bud Brigham
His purpose was to be the best he could be. Even though he grew up in a broken home he created a successful business in the oil and gas business. His father died when he was 19 due to alcoholism. He encourages us to read philosophy or religion. Find something that gives you purpose. Some people don't like to work around people that are smarter than them because it makes them feel inferior Bud suggests that we surround our selves with these types of people. They will bring us up and make us better people, especially if they have our same values. Like most of the Acton heroes money isn't their primary goal. They have a real purpose behind what they do. Bud is a great CEO and I will use his advice throughout my career.
RUSS ROSENZWEIG
Russ had an entrepreneurial dinner with his business partners to kick off their exciting new business. During this dinner someone mentioned do we know who our customer is going to be? There was a moment of awkward silence because no one knew the answer. They were so caught up in the idea of the business they really didn't know who they were going to target. It took them 2 years to finally nail down their customer. At first, they were just begging for anyone to call them. That was their customer. But later on they decided to really focus on a market. That is when their business took off. Russ ends his interview from Acton by saying we need to be more than successful. We need to make the world a better place. There are many different measures of success but when we have changed peoples lives for the better that's when the world has become a better place.
Catherine rohr
Catherine began her career on Wall Street. She has the ability to create deals and get people to say yes. She soon found that she could use that ability for good. She got involved in a program that helps prison inmates get back into society by helping them create a small business. People told her that these inmates cant even write home to their own mothers how are they going to write a business plan. If she could just get over the initial hurdle she would be on to something great. Even though she didn't know what the outcome would be she knew that it was the right thing to do and if she stuck with it then it would all work out. What a great inspiration she is to all of us!
corey bell
Cory is the founder and CEO of TriFusion. They specialize in IT services. He was working in the corporate world and was looking at his 20 year life goals and realized that he wouldn't be able to reach those goals working for someone else. He quit his job and started his own company. Some might say that is risky but other might say it was risky not to pursue his dream. One of my favorite quotes from his video was "The grave yard is the richest place." Its the riches place because that's where everyone leaves their dreams. A good majority of people go to their grave with the thoughts of what if. We need to live our lives with no regrets. Get out there and make your life what you want it to be.
Nicole donnelly
Nicole Donnelly has always lived life on the edge. After living as a snowboard bum for seven years, she discovered her homemade leg warmers were the perfect remedy for her daughter's diaper rash as well as a fashionable clothing accessory. Local mothers fell in love with the leg warmers, and bought more than 100 pairs in just two weeks. This incredible demand for the her product prompted Donnelly to create BabyLegs, a diaper bag essential that can now be found in clothing boutiques in over 50 countries worldwide. Nicole believes in giving back to the community and helping others in need. She has donated hundreds of her products to third world countries for young children and babies.
paul robshaw
Paul Robshaw got an early start in real estate, working alongside his father at age 13. Since then he has been involved in every aspect of real estate from cleaning and selling - to investing and development. Pursuing his calling, Paul founded AIC ventures, the leader in helping mid-size firms unlock the value in their real estate. Yet it was the lessons beyond real estate taught him by his father that allowed Paul to survive and thrive again after losing everything. He went through personal bankruptcy and divorce all on the same day. Because he lost everything it was important for him to rely on his core values. He overcame that hard time in his life and is now a very successful business man.
ken zolot
Growing up, Ken Zolot often felt hindered by his devilish curiosity, but it was this restless creativity coupled with a nuanced understanding of consumer expectations that helped him create companies like Egenera and Heartland Robotics. Ken continues to stretch the boundaries of innovation at the Kauffman Foundation where he mentors aspiring entrepreneurs, teaching them to blend their technical skills with an understanding of human relationships. Ken tells us to be level headed when your trying to bring something to market. Often entrepreneurs think that there product is amazing and everyone will want it. He says to really think about who your market is and really listen to them. Have your product solve a problem in their lives. But, we also need to be innovative with our products. Henry Ford said if I were to ask my customers what they wanted they would have said faster horses. So we do need to think outside the box but also listen to our customers.
erick slabaugh
At 19 years old, Erick Slabaugh joined his father's business in its time of need after losing a major client. Working his way up to become CEO, Slabaugh established ABSCO Alarms as the number one supplier of life-safety and security solutions to the private higher education market.
tom nall
After 35 years involved in the development of Wick Fowler's 2-Alarm Chili, Tom Nall created Republic Tequila, in partnership with Ken MacKenzie, a 100 percent organic tequila 'Born in Mexico and raised in Texas.' Momentum brands, Nall and MacKenzie's tequila import company was founded on wholesome core values and a passion for providing opportunities for his team to make their mark on the industry. Tom believes that you need to give people the opportunity to work hard and think outside the box. He much rather hire someone with less experience and a desire to work hard that someone with 20 plus years of experience.