Mark Cuban is the Entrepreneur’s Entrepreneur
September 10, 2008
Jason Calacanis interviewed Mark Cuban yesterday at Techcrunch50 and the transcript is definitely worth reading.
Mark Cuban is probably known to many people as the owner of the Dallas Mavericks who was on Dancing With the Stars. However, he has had an entrepreneurial career that most founders/startups only dream about.
Here are the take-a-ways I got from the interview:
- startups today are too focused on pageviews/users rather than revenue and making money.
- EXECUTE - we all know this one, but I like the way Mark puts it: everybody’s got the will to win but when it comes time to doing something, it’s always about someone else. Not many people have the will to prepare. You got to be willing to know your product and environment better than anybody. No matter what you do there is someone out there trying to kick your ass. You got to be the smartest guy in the room about your product. Then you need to have a revenue source. You need a company with a revenue to make money. Concept, competition, and where the money is — plus something you love doing. I’ve never had a day of work. When I die I want to come back as me.
- read, read, read
- “Find people you can trust and who compliment you… The worst place to hire is the Silicon valley because everyone’s a hero in their own mind.”
- Good ideas are everywhere… run with something you love and that’s “not work”
