Lots of people dream of owning their own business one day, though not everyone actively pursues this goal for one reason or another. It takes a very committed individual to successfully run a business and a great deal of hard work, determination and business acumen is involved in truly making it as an entrepreneur.
Though success can be measured in different ways, a truly successful entrepreneur has the power to inspire and influence those around them.
University of Mayland have taken a look at 6 modern day entrepreneurs who we can seek inspiration from. Here’s what we can learn from them:
Blake Mycoskie – Founder of TOMS Shoes
- He pioneered the ‘One for One’ business model where for every one pair of shoes that is sold, another pair is donated to someone in need.
- 10 million pairs of shoes have been donated to children so far and 175,000 people have had their eyesight restored with support from TOMS.
- What you can learn: Keep pursuing fresh ideas and share your vision. Mycoskie has shared his vision of a future of social minded consumers and customers.
Jord Poster- Helped to found Tickets for Charity
- They ask companies to donate tickets for resale with part of the proceeds going to 100 different charities.
- By 2012 Ticket for Charity had raised around $10 million.
- What you can learn? Seek and untapped market and be patient when it comes to profit. Tickets for Charity had noticed that 30-70% of tickets that corporations buy for sports games and concerts go unused each year, so the decided to do something about it.
Sergey Brin and Larry Page – Co-founded Google
- They co-founded Google from a friend’s garage, which is now one of the world’s biggest global tech companies.
- Google now has over 57,000 employees.
- What can we learn? Start new projects with conviction and be prepared for the long haul. The Google X Division is all about futuristics projects, such as self-driving cars.
Kevin Plank – Founded Under Armour
- Plank started his startup in his grandmas basement, selling his sports clothing from his car.
- By 2010 Under Armour received an annual revenue of $1 billion.
- What can we learn? Support the next generation of entrepreneurs and your community. Under Armour have a ‘Give Back’ initiative supporting the unserved communities of Baltimore.
Jeff Bezos -Founder of Amazon
- Jeff left his 6 figure Wall Street pay check to open Amazon in 1994.
- Amazon now has a revenue of over $100 billion.
- What can we learn? Set high standards for the staff you hire and hold regular meetings. Bezos believes that he’d rather interview dozens of people, than hire the wrong person.
[Top Image Credit: Pablo]
