RE3EL STANCE

I just can’t get enough of the ideas of Kevin Roberts. If you haven’t followed him, I urge you to do so. In the meantime, check out his thoughts on “Ideas”. If ideas are indeed the future, we as entrepreneurs must listen to his insights as we are the ones creating the future:

Integrity: “Basing one’s actions on an internally consistent framework of principles.” Maybe it’s fitting that I’m writing this post during the lunch hour. Maybe if my stomach wasn’t screaming at me so much for some yummy food, I would be thinking about other entrepreneurs that fit the bill for integrity. But, instead, I’m sitting craving some delicious grub from Rick Bayless, owner of two very successful restaurants in Chicago, cookbook author, celeb chef with his own cooking show, etc…For those of you that don’t know Rick Bayless, here are a few tidbits: Continue reading

Some entrepreneurs are the business. Yes, so far I have mostly showcased entrepreneurs that own businesses, with corporate offices, large staffs, etc…in my “13 characteristics of successful entrepreneurs”. But, most companies in the United States aren’t big. Instead, they are single proprietors with small staffs (often just one person) and home offices. So, how do you succeed when you go it alone. You need a personal brand. You need to be a bit of a maverick. You need to learn a thing or two from Daniel Pink. Daniel Pink is an author and thought leader. He wrote Freeagent Nation to inspire the freeagents of the world to embrace going it alone. Continue reading

Pangea Day…a time for the world to unite around ideas, inspiration, music and film. We are proud between REBEL & dt to be hosting a viewing in San Diego. However, for me, I’m 2/3 of the way across the country in Chicago on the 22nd floor of a firm very literally building the future…architecture firm OWP/P.

As my wife and I were leaving to head to OWP/P to take part in Pangea, I got a call asking “oh, what is that?” So, what is Pangea Day…well, it’s tough to say really. Pangea Day is individual and communal; it’s personal and collective; it’s mine and it’s ours. So, what is Pangea Day? Well, the only way I can answer is to tell you what Pangea Day is to me. Continue reading

Tony Hsieh has made some money…lots and lots of it in fact. He has built Zappos.com into a powerhouse with over $1 Billion in sales. He sold his first company for $265 million to Microsoft (at age 24). He was an investor in Ask Jeeves, Mongo Music and others that had very nice acquisitions. And, he works in a cubicle.

Yep, Hsieh works in a cubicle rather than a fancy corner office. He drives a Mazda rather than a Maserati. He wears jeans rather than Armani. And, he keeps his focus on business rather than flashing his wealth.

That’s all fine and good but what do we that aren’t worth a few hundred million dollars learn from him?? a lot… Continue reading