Csaba Toth's Blog

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7 awesome thoughts from Guy Kawasaki

I consider Guy Kawasaki to be one of my mentors. For me he embodies the true entrepreneurial spirit.

(If you don’t know him, shame on you, really.)

One of his greatest assets – and I’m learning this from him – to cut through the crap and present really powerful ideas in everyday language.

Following is my Top 7 quotes on entrepreneurship from him, taken from this gold mine of Forbes. Why these ideas? As you know, the world changes constantly – we break and reinvent all the rules. I believe that these “unwritten laws” should never be broken.

One.

        "Make meaning."

Two

        "Ideas are easy. Implementation is hard."

Three

        "A true entrepreneur can recruit… by communicating passion and creating a great product or service."

Four

        "I don't believe in the psychobabble, mumbo jumbo about entrepreneurship: first child versus second child, breast-fed versus formula. Besides, if I listed them, it's not like you could magically and actually change yourself. So if you want to start a company, start a company. Don't bother to 'check' to see if you've got what it takes."

Five

        "I know now that one's children are more important than any company you can start. Raising children is the purest form of entrepreneurship."

Six

        "You can learn the technical and management skills that increase the likelihood of success, but there are many other factors that you cannot get out of a book or lecture. Luck, honestly, is one them. Another is compassion; for example, laying off an employee is the hardest thing in the world to do, and you can't study that.

Classroom learning is definitely helpful, but it is not sufficient. If I had to weight the major factors, I'd say experience is 20%, classroom learning is 10%, hard work is 30% and luck is 40%."

Seven

        "The critical issue is why you'll succeed and the others won't. When someone tells me that "no one else is doing this," I conclude one of two things: (a) there's no market; or (b) you're so clueless you can't even use Google to find out that five other companies are doing the same thing. Neither conclusion is conducive to an investment."

Simple is beautiful

Photo by Emily Higginson

I was listening to an awesome podcast the other night. Pamela (Escape from Cubicle Nation blogstar -  yes, she is that good, she really ROCKS) and Gary Schoeniger (founder of the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative) were discussing the entrepreneurial mindset.    

I had a paper and pencil in front of me and – quite unintentionally – I had jotted down three very simple thoughts.

Look for problems!

Be unreasonable!

NEVER give up!

Three simple thoughts. Yet put together they are capable of shaking the world.

Simple is really beautiful.

The essence of entrepreneurship

Last night I was standing on our balcony soaking wet as a fierce and devastating storm was passing through. And I was smiling.

It was extraordinary… it was a whole new experience, a clear revelation.

It was the very essence of entrepreneurship.

 

The storm came very late in the evening. Heavy, pitch-black clouds filled the sky; the cold and strong wind immediately conquered the promise of another mild night. The air was different. It was full of energy, full of… change.

As I stepped out to the balcony I could see people hurrying home because they were not expecting the storm. Not such a devastating force. Not tonight. They were not ready.

I could hear the thunders – far away at first then coming ever closer. And it made me shiver. I knew this was no ordinary storm. Those thunders were carrying a message loud and clear: I’m coming and if I arrive all hell will break lose. I will declare victory no matter what! Dare standing in my way and I will crush you and I will sweep you away!

I couldn’t help myself but stay there and experience this magnificent force. I felt excitement, and fear, and courage at the same time. There was a part of me that said: “Flee! Go back to your room! It’s not safe out here!” I couldn’t care less. I wanted to be part of this, I wanted to experience this devastating force in its true nature.

I really have no words for the experience. The chain of thunderbolts lighting up the mountains… the wind and the heavy rain… the feelings… no words really.

I was standing there and couldn’t help but think that true entrepreneurship must be like this.

When you embrace change.

When you break all the rules and sweep away the lukewarm conventions.

When you strike like no other.

When you have passion and power. When you have the power to inflame passion and desire in others.

When you are not just another storm.

When you are extraordinary.

And you just can't wait for the time when all hell breaks loose.

(Kudos to Bob Ingraham for the magnificent picture! Thank you Bob!)