5 lessons for entrepreneurs

LESSONS LEARNED IN 20 YEARS AS AN ENTREPRENEUR 5

IAN LURIE CEO, PORTENT @PORTENTINT

WHO IS THIS GUY? @PORTENTINT CEO, FOUNDER, PORTENT, INC. WWW.PORTENT.COM

SINCE 1995

SINCE. 1995.

I’VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT (AND I’VE HAD MY MOMENTS)

SOME STUFF IS FINALLY SINKING IN

guess i shouldn't have

done that

MY 5 LESSONS just mine. your results may vary.

ENTREPRENEURS these lessons are for

you don’t have to be one

BELIEVE IT 1 IT’S WHAT GUIDES YOUR WORK

IT’S PERSONAL don’t let anyone tell you different

LIVE IT in the way you work

KNOW WHY you’re doing this

LOVE IT enough to learn it

LOVE IT enough to teach it

THE CUSTOMER IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT

WHEN YOUR GUT SPEAKS LISTEN

BALANCE 2 LIFE, WORK AND HEALTH

YOU CAN WORK any 100 hours/week you want

YOUR FAMILY must support what you’re doing

YOU STILL have to clean the toilet now and then

YOUR 1ST DUTY is to remain standing

YOU’RE NOT CAPTAIN AMERICA YOU’RE A GRUNT

TREAT YOURSELF you deserve it

YOU DON’T HAVE A.D.D. you’re just disorganized

BECOME A MASTER TIME MANAGER it’s your most precious resource

GROWTH 3 MUST BE SUSTAINABLE

YOU ARE TAKING RISKS NOT CRASHING CARS be smart

HIRE FOR INTELLIGENCE NOT SKILLS anything can be learned. if you can think.

HIRE FOR EQ NOT POLISH they can always wear a suit

TEACH THE SH#T OUT OF EVERYTHING

LEARN THE SH#T OUT OF EVERYTHING

WORK AT THE EDGES DELEGATE THE MIDDLE

expertise leadership execution

DO THE MATH it doesn’t lie (but it may fib)

SET CLEAR, MEASURABLE GOALS for yourself and others

CHANGE IS GOOD until it’s not

DON’T WAIT FOR THE PERFECT TOOL forever is a long time

CASH FLOW IS KING you can’t breathe without air

TRUST 4 BUILD IT. DEMAND IT.

INTEGRITY IS THE ACE it’s not a renewable resource

DON’T FART IN PUBLIC people remember that

IF YOU CAN’T TRUST THEM FIRE THEM employees or clients

SET CLEAR STANDARDS ‘be great’ doesn’t do it

CRAZY ISN’T MOTIVATIONAL no one likes working for a nutjob

TAKE A TIME OUT before you explode

NICE IS NOT HELPFUL it’s destructive

LEADERSHIP 5 IN ALL THINGS

photo by richard masoner

LEAVE YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR it’s distracting

LISTEN, THEN DECIDE please. pre please.

YOU DO KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING even when you don’t

FOUNDERS MUST BUILD THE THING it’s hard to run the business otherwise

CEOs MUST KNOW THE WORK otherwise they make bad decisions

REVEAL TO DISCOMFORT it beats hiding

THINGS GO WRONG it’s how you react that counts

NEVER EVER EVER EVER stop learning in public

THE PEOPLE who taught me

BEN HOROWITZ THE HARD THING ABOUT HARD THINGS

PATRICK LENCIONI EVERYTHING HE’S WRITTEN

GUY KAWASAKI ENCHANTMENT

STEPHEN AMBROSE D-DAY

DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN TEAM OF RIVALS

STEVEN JOHNSON THE GHOST MAP

ALL OF HISTORY great leaders are great teachers

MY WHOLE FAMILY through patience & occasional lack thereof

EVERYONE I’VE WORKED WITH with judicious eye-rolling & support

MIND YOUR PARTNERS and yourself

LOVE WHAT YOU DO to your core, without question

DO IT WELL and beer every day

STAY HUMBLE enough to learn

STAY ARROGANT enough to lead

THANK YOU

ian lurie @portentint ian@portent.com www.portent.com

other presentations by me: