At our wedding, Susan’s mother – a professor emeritus of English literature – read Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham. While some guests may have wondered about the significance, most knew that I had been rather persistent in my pursuit. Tenacity has served me well in other aspects of life too. It was in 1999 that I decided I wanted to be an investor in startups. From there it took me seven years and two major setbacks before joining Union Square Ventures.
Tenacity is a quality that I think is essential for entrepreneurs. Even the most successful company encounters tough times along the way. And many entrepreneurs are successful not on their first attempt but in a second or third venture. Jeff Lawson, co-founder and CEO of Twilio, is a great example of someone who kept going with another startup despite a previous setback.
I wish I knew how to impart this quality to our children. If anyone knows of educational or psychological research that points in this direction I would much appreciate it.
PS The topic came to mind because this is my 1,000th post on Continuations.
