do you remember when you first got the Internet everyone under 25 is like no
Internet everyone under 25 is like no
Internet everyone under 25 is like no growing up with the power of dial-up
growing up with the power of dial-up
growing up with the power of dial-up internet for the first time ever I did
internet for the first time ever I did
internet for the first time ever I did the only logical thing I started selling
the only logical thing I started selling
the only logical thing I started selling bootleg CDs I mean I was downloading
bootleg CDs I mean I was downloading
bootleg CDs I mean I was downloading movies and games and people at school
movies and games and people at school
movies and games and people at school were like how do I get those so I saw a
were like how do I get those so I saw a
were like how do I get those so I saw a great opportunity to make some side cash
great opportunity to make some side cash
great opportunity to make some side cash you know I needed to pay for movie
you know I needed to pay for movie
you know I needed to pay for movie tickets the irony I even taught myself
tickets the irony I even taught myself
tickets the irony I even taught myself graphic design so I could flip covers
graphic design so I could flip covers
graphic design so I could flip covers into the cases a real perfectionist I
into the cases a real perfectionist I
into the cases a real perfectionist I know it’s super illegal but I was young
know it’s super illegal but I was young
know it’s super illegal but I was young we didn’t have Netflix and we were all
we didn’t have Netflix and we were all
we didn’t have Netflix and we were all just trying to figure out what this
just trying to figure out what this
just trying to figure out what this internet thing would mean for our lives
internet thing would mean for our lives
internet thing would mean for our lives that was my first experience as an
that was my first experience as an
that was my first experience as an entrepreneur but not for the reason you
entrepreneur but not for the reason you
entrepreneur but not for the reason you might think let me explain back at
might think let me explain back at
might think let me explain back at school as being taught a different fixed
school as being taught a different fixed
school as being taught a different fixed ideology of success that I had to get
ideology of success that I had to get
ideology of success that I had to get great grades get a good job in a big
great grades get a good job in a big
great grades get a good job in a big company and work my way up with
company and work my way up with
company and work my way up with immigrant parents I really didn’t want
immigrant parents I really didn’t want
immigrant parents I really didn’t want to screw up my chances at this so I
to screw up my chances at this so I
to screw up my chances at this so I buried every entrepreneurial bone in my
buried every entrepreneurial bone in my
buried every entrepreneurial bone in my body and eventually I got that first job
body and eventually I got that first job
body and eventually I got that first job the right job at that company on the way
the right job at that company on the way
the right job at that company on the way to success only one year into it I felt
to success only one year into it I felt
to success only one year into it I felt uneasy I felt uninspired and I struggled
uneasy I felt uninspired and I struggled
uneasy I felt uninspired and I struggled to see the impact of my own work
to see the impact of my own work
to see the impact of my own work thankfully has being pulled back into a
thankfully has being pulled back into a
thankfully has being pulled back into a more modern-day equivalent of selling
more modern-day equivalent of selling
more modern-day equivalent of selling CDs selling websites a friend from
CDs selling websites a friend from
CDs selling websites a friend from school approached me about joining him
school approached me about joining him
school approached me about joining him to start a design agency together and it
to start a design agency together and it
to start a design agency together and it wasn’t about to miss my next chance so I
wasn’t about to miss my next chance so I
wasn’t about to miss my next chance so I left that job and I was often a new
left that job and I was often a new
left that job and I was often a new adventure to build my first legitimate
adventure to build my first legitimate
adventure to build my first legitimate business jet coober gone where the
business jet coober gone where the
business jet coober gone where the shackles in was a larger slightly cooler
shackles in was a larger slightly cooler
shackles in was a larger slightly cooler beard
beard
beard and I was off on this new journey of
and I was off on this new journey of
and I was off on this new journey of building something uniquely my own it
building something uniquely my own it
building something uniquely my own it meant the entire world to me for five
meant the entire world to me for five
meant the entire world to me for five years 24/7 365 I put my everything into
years 24/7 365 I put my everything into
years 24/7 365 I put my everything into this my friends and family relationships
this my friends and family relationships
this my friends and family relationships and hobbies food and entertainment every
and hobbies food and entertainment every
and hobbies food and entertainment every success and failure there was no longer
success and failure there was no longer
success and failure there was no longer of me that was not my business
of me that was not my business
of me that was not my business only a single shared identity we grew
only a single shared identity we grew
only a single shared identity we grew our team tenfold and we built some
our team tenfold and we built some
our team tenfold and we built some amazing things that people still use
amazing things that people still use
amazing things that people still use everyday and that eventually got us an
everyday and that eventually got us an
everyday and that eventually got us an exciting new opportunity to sell the
exciting new opportunity to sell the
exciting new opportunity to sell the business it was the right thing for our
business it was the right thing for our
business it was the right thing for our team it was the right thing on paper and
team it was the right thing on paper and
team it was the right thing on paper and we were excited normally you’d say
we were excited normally you’d say
we were excited normally you’d say that’s pretty dope you should feel
that’s pretty dope you should feel
that’s pretty dope you should feel really good let’s celebrate
really good let’s celebrate
really good let’s celebrate that’s what people said and that’s what
that’s what people said and that’s what
that’s what people said and that’s what I did
I did
I did on the outside but hasn’t settled that’s
on the outside but hasn’t settled that’s
on the outside but hasn’t settled that’s not exactly how it felt on the inside I
not exactly how it felt on the inside I
not exactly how it felt on the inside I was in mourning I was starting to have
was in mourning I was starting to have
was in mourning I was starting to have an identity crisis I had worked so hard
an identity crisis I had worked so hard
an identity crisis I had worked so hard to be a real entrepreneur and now I
to be a real entrepreneur and now I
to be a real entrepreneur and now I didn’t even own a business anymore who
didn’t even own a business anymore who
didn’t even own a business anymore who did this make me now back in a job it
did this make me now back in a job it
did this make me now back in a job it didn’t just feel like I sold a thing it
didn’t just feel like I sold a thing it
didn’t just feel like I sold a thing it felt like I had sold a piece of myself I
felt like I had sold a piece of myself I
felt like I had sold a piece of myself I quietly removed that word entrepreneur
quietly removed that word entrepreneur
quietly removed that word entrepreneur from my vocabulary and my Twitter bio
the truth is it took me longer than I
the truth is it took me longer than I care to admit to realize that I had been
care to admit to realize that I had been
care to admit to realize that I had been thinking about my identity the
thinking about my identity the
thinking about my identity the completely wrong way being an
completely wrong way being an
completely wrong way being an entrepreneur wasn’t attached to this
entrepreneur wasn’t attached to this
entrepreneur wasn’t attached to this business it was about the journey that
business it was about the journey that
business it was about the journey that got me there
got me there
got me there entrepreneurship is a mindset if I asked
entrepreneurship is a mindset if I asked
entrepreneurship is a mindset if I asked you to name an entrepreneur you’d
you to name an entrepreneur you’d
you to name an entrepreneur you’d probably say Bill Gates Mark Zuckerberg
probably say Bill Gates Mark Zuckerberg
probably say Bill Gates Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk
or Elon Musk
or Elon Musk but we’ve let Silicon Valley steal this
but we’ve let Silicon Valley steal this
but we’ve let Silicon Valley steal this idea from us and put it on a pedestal
idea from us and put it on a pedestal
idea from us and put it on a pedestal what about small
what about small
what about small businesses intrapreneurs freelancers
businesses intrapreneurs freelancers
businesses intrapreneurs freelancers side hustlers doctors teachers public
side hustlers doctors teachers public
side hustlers doctors teachers public servants even instagramers who is an
servants even instagramers who is an
servants even instagramers who is an isn’t an entrepreneur we have this other
isn’t an entrepreneur we have this other
isn’t an entrepreneur we have this other fixed ideology that suggests that owning
fixed ideology that suggests that owning
fixed ideology that suggests that owning a business at being entrepreneur are one
a business at being entrepreneur are one
a business at being entrepreneur are one and the same thing but do you become an
and the same thing but do you become an
and the same thing but do you become an entrepreneur by just registering a
entrepreneur by just registering a
entrepreneur by just registering a corporation sign me up
corporation sign me up
corporation sign me up of course not we have a lot of words to
of course not we have a lot of words to
of course not we have a lot of words to describe people that start businesses
describe people that start businesses
describe people that start businesses founder partner director CEO wizard of
founder partner director CEO wizard of
founder partner director CEO wizard of many hats but we have know others that
many hats but we have know others that
many hats but we have know others that describe an individual’s ability to take
describe an individual’s ability to take
describe an individual’s ability to take control of their risk and reward
control of their risk and reward
control of their risk and reward entrepreneur like creativity
entrepreneur like creativity
entrepreneur like creativity entrepreneurship is a part of who we all
entrepreneurship is a part of who we all
entrepreneurship is a part of who we all are we don’t just say someone is or
are we don’t just say someone is or
are we don’t just say someone is or isn’t creative we know there are less
isn’t creative we know there are less
isn’t creative we know there are less creative people and more creative people
creative people and more creative people
creative people and more creative people but creativity isn’t everyone we’ve all
but creativity isn’t everyone we’ve all
but creativity isn’t everyone we’ve all had a creative moment so it’s not fair
had a creative moment so it’s not fair
had a creative moment so it’s not fair to say that entrepreneurship is or isn’t
to say that entrepreneurship is or isn’t
to say that entrepreneurship is or isn’t there the question is how much and if we
there the question is how much and if we
there the question is how much and if we can think of entrepreneurship in this
can think of entrepreneurship in this
can think of entrepreneurship in this way we can also develop it why is this
way we can also develop it why is this
way we can also develop it why is this so important to understand that we have
so important to understand that we have
so important to understand that we have to go back all the way back to 6000 BC
to go back all the way back to 6000 BC
to go back all the way back to 6000 BC when every human was an entrepreneur we
when every human was an entrepreneur we
when every human was an entrepreneur we had to be to survive we traded our own
had to be to survive we traded our own
had to be to survive we traded our own individual skills or resources for those
individual skills or resources for those
individual skills or resources for those of others it was the barter economy we
of others it was the barter economy we
of others it was the barter economy we crafted our own unique offering and we
crafted our own unique offering and we
crafted our own unique offering and we maximize our risk and reward in the last
maximize our risk and reward in the last
maximize our risk and reward in the last 3,000 years we invented money we
3,000 years we invented money we
3,000 years we invented money we organized labor we created corporations
organized labor we created corporations
organized labor we created corporations we set job roles and responsibilities
we set job roles and responsibilities
we set job roles and responsibilities and we left far behind that essence of
and we left far behind that essence of
and we left far behind that essence of entrepreneurship that was natural to
entrepreneurship that was natural to
entrepreneurship that was natural to every human and that brings us to today
every human and that brings us to today
every human and that brings us to today where thanks to technology our life and
where thanks to technology our life and
where thanks to technology our life and work are more blurred than they’ve ever
work are more blurred than they’ve ever
work are more blurred than they’ve ever been before
been before
been before just like those barter days we’ve
just like those barter days we’ve
just like those barter days we’ve democratized the ability for you to
democratized the ability for you to
democratized the ability for you to create almost everything just look at
create almost everything just look at
create almost everything just look at what you can do on your phone
what you can do on your phone
what you can do on your phone your skills your relationships your
your skills your relationships your
your skills your relationships your opportunities they’re entirely in your
opportunities they’re entirely in your
opportunities they’re entirely in your control
control
control the only limiting resource is your
the only limiting resource is your
the only limiting resource is your attention span but that’s not where our
attention span but that’s not where our
attention span but that’s not where our story ends we’ve gone so far so quickly
story ends we’ve gone so far so quickly
story ends we’ve gone so far so quickly with technology that we’re already in
with technology that we’re already in
with technology that we’re already in that next transition
that next transition
that next transition we’re already changing with the job
we’re already changing with the job
we’re already changing with the job market for our own intelligences now
market for our own intelligences now
market for our own intelligences now anything that can be organized can be
anything that can be organized can be
anything that can be organized can be automated from the daily automation all
automated from the daily automation all
automated from the daily automation all around us like ordering your burger or
around us like ordering your burger or
around us like ordering your burger or driving your car – the arms race for
driving your car – the arms race for
driving your car – the arms race for artificial intelligence hey Siri we
artificial intelligence hey Siri we
artificial intelligence hey Siri we can’t assume we’ll always do what we
can’t assume we’ll always do what we
can’t assume we’ll always do what we have before not forever nine-to-five
have before not forever nine-to-five
have before not forever nine-to-five until age 65 we’re back in unchartered
until age 65 we’re back in unchartered
until age 65 we’re back in unchartered Internet territory
Internet territory
Internet territory just like that bootleg CD days the
just like that bootleg CD days the
just like that bootleg CD days the future of work is not going to be better
future of work is not going to be better
future of work is not going to be better or worse but it is going to be very
or worse but it is going to be very
or worse but it is going to be very different so how do you not get left
different so how do you not get left
different so how do you not get left behind the future will demand and reward
behind the future will demand and reward
behind the future will demand and reward an entrepreneurial mindset one that puts
an entrepreneurial mindset one that puts
an entrepreneurial mindset one that puts you back at the center of control of you
you back at the center of control of you
you back at the center of control of you the good news is we all have this inside
the good news is we all have this inside
the good news is we all have this inside of us it’s not a big scary goal it’s a
of us it’s not a big scary goal it’s a
of us it’s not a big scary goal it’s a journey that we have to go down and I
journey that we have to go down and I
journey that we have to go down and I want to tell you three ways that you can
want to tell you three ways that you can
want to tell you three ways that you can start to grow your own entrepreneurial
start to grow your own entrepreneurial
start to grow your own entrepreneurial mindset number one say yes to more yes
mindset number one say yes to more yes
mindset number one say yes to more yes is hard yes means we have to do
is hard yes means we have to do
is hard yes means we have to do something yes we can fail but when we
something yes we can fail but when we
something yes we can fail but when we say yes we open ourselves up to risks
say yes we open ourselves up to risks
say yes we open ourselves up to risks and we can measure the returns once upon
and we can measure the returns once upon
and we can measure the returns once upon a time I couldn’t imagine learning how
a time I couldn’t imagine learning how
a time I couldn’t imagine learning how to design websites but a life-changing F
to design websites but a life-changing F
to design websites but a life-changing F got me a lot further than a usual no and
got me a lot further than a usual no and
got me a lot further than a usual no and start with the simple yeses take that
start with the simple yeses take that
start with the simple yeses take that coffee meeting volunteer with that group
coffee meeting volunteer with that group
coffee meeting volunteer with that group try a new activity with a friend the
try a new activity with a friend the
try a new activity with a friend the more you say yes the more you learn
more you say yes the more you learn
more you say yes the more you learn number two
number two
number two don’t wait for them we’re all guilty of
don’t wait for them we’re all guilty of
don’t wait for them we’re all guilty of this they they need to do something
this they they need to do something
this they they need to do something they’ll take care of this when are they
they’ll take care of this when are they
they’ll take care of this when are they going to look at that who is they I’ve
going to look at that who is they I’ve
going to look at that who is they I’ve never met them when we say they we free
never met them when we say they we free
never met them when we say they we free ourselves a responsibility and turn into
ourselves a responsibility and turn into
ourselves a responsibility and turn into bystanders every day moment is an
bystanders every day moment is an
bystanders every day moment is an opportunity for you to expand your
opportunity for you to expand your
opportunity for you to expand your skills and create more value take it and
skills and create more value take it and
skills and create more value take it and number 3 find the small wins there’s a
number 3 find the small wins there’s a
number 3 find the small wins there’s a lot we need to do here and no one is
lot we need to do here and no one is
lot we need to do here and no one is saying you have to do it all at once we
saying you have to do it all at once we
saying you have to do it all at once we have to get better at breaking down the
have to get better at breaking down the
have to get better at breaking down the problem into small chunks that we can
problem into small chunks that we can
problem into small chunks that we can wrap our head around wherever that might
wrap our head around wherever that might
wrap our head around wherever that might take us on our journey I like to treat
take us on our journey I like to treat
take us on our journey I like to treat my small chunks as projects projects are
my small chunks as projects projects are
my small chunks as projects projects are a beautiful of a project have a start
a beautiful of a project have a start
a beautiful of a project have a start they have a finish they have a clear
they have a finish they have a clear
they have a finish they have a clear achievable goal now when you focus on
achievable goal now when you focus on
achievable goal now when you focus on goals instead of tasks you can also tie
goals instead of tasks you can also tie
goals instead of tasks you can also tie your work directly to their impact
your work directly to their impact
your work directly to their impact that’s it you say yes to more you don’t
that’s it you say yes to more you don’t
that’s it you say yes to more you don’t wait for they and you find the small
wait for they and you find the small
wait for they and you find the small wins what would happen in a year if you
wins what would happen in a year if you
wins what would happen in a year if you started to do these 3 things tomorrow
entrepreneurship is the future of work
entrepreneurship is the future of work and we are all entrepreneurs don’t be
and we are all entrepreneurs don’t be
and we are all entrepreneurs don’t be afraid of the weight of this word I know
afraid of the weight of this word I know
afraid of the weight of this word I know it can be intimidating but as humans we
it can be intimidating but as humans we
it can be intimidating but as humans we are naturally entrepreneurial and you
are naturally entrepreneurial and you
are naturally entrepreneurial and you need to change how you identify with
need to change how you identify with
need to change how you identify with entrepreneurship too you don’t have to
entrepreneurship too you don’t have to
entrepreneurship too you don’t have to start a business you have to develop a
start a business you have to develop a
start a business you have to develop a mindset name an entrepreneur the next
mindset name an entrepreneur the next
mindset name an entrepreneur the next time you’re asked I hope you’ll say you
time you’re asked I hope you’ll say you
time you’re asked I hope you’ll say you are thank you
are thank you
are thank you [Applause]
”
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