Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and President of Virgin Group Richard Branson, two of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, shared their best tips on how to start a busniess via the videoconferencing service Google Hangouts the last year.
It was jointly sponsored by Google for Entrepreneurs, all programs and busniess tools to support startups Google, and non-profit foundation Virgin Unite Virgin Group.
Here are some of the most interesting tips and exchanges.
It was jointly sponsored by Google for Entrepreneurs, all programs and busniess tools to support startups Google, and non-profit foundation Virgin Unite Virgin Group.
Here are some of the most interesting tips and exchanges.
Their basic advice to entrepreneurs
Branson: "If you have a good idea that could improve the lives of people, just do it."
Musk: "You want to be very careful to do the right thing as much as possible find anything wrong with it and fix it solicits negative comments, especially from friends.."
Their advice about failure
Musk: "In all the companies I have been involved with, there has always been a very difficult time This is usually near the beginning Things seem optimistic, roses, and exciting for the first 6 months to a.. year, then things start to go wrong. having problems that you did not expect, step on landmines. This is bad. the 2 to 4 or 5 first years are usually quite difficult. a friend has a proverb is 'eat drink and watch into the abyss.'
In most cases, firms pass through this phase by being in constant danger to society die. If you are a co-founder or CEO, you have to do all sorts of things you might not want to do ... if you do not do your chores, the company will not succeed ... no task is too menial . "
Branson: "I knew Elon in those days, I am surprised that her hair is still black and not gray. Elon said there is a very fine line between success and failure. It is a matter of survival.
At Virgin, we have seen similar cases ... we had bank managers sitting on our doorstep ... The struggle to survive is essential, most companies do not survive. The important thing to know is that you will learn a lot by building your busniess. If you do not survive, and 8/10 busniesses do not survive, you should learn from this and try again. "
Their advice on the implementation of several projects at once
Musk: said not to.
"If you're in the early stages of a busniess, you need to focus your resources. If you broadcast them, your chances of success are much less. Do not try to run two busniesses at a time.
Focus on a single busniess, spend as many hours as possible on your project. Seven days a week, no breaks, no sleep. This is what you should do when you start a busniess ".
Branson. "Find someone to run your busniess from day to day is, hopefully, better than you Most of us do not have time to find this person, we remain completely immersed in it You. free to have a family life, to look at the big picture, to take care of your body.
You are not necessarily the best person to run the busniess on a daily basis. "
Branson: "If you have a good idea that could improve the lives of people, just do it."
Musk: "You want to be very careful to do the right thing as much as possible find anything wrong with it and fix it solicits negative comments, especially from friends.."
Their advice about failure
Musk: "In all the companies I have been involved with, there has always been a very difficult time This is usually near the beginning Things seem optimistic, roses, and exciting for the first 6 months to a.. year, then things start to go wrong. having problems that you did not expect, step on landmines. This is bad. the 2 to 4 or 5 first years are usually quite difficult. a friend has a proverb is 'eat drink and watch into the abyss.'
In most cases, firms pass through this phase by being in constant danger to society die. If you are a co-founder or CEO, you have to do all sorts of things you might not want to do ... if you do not do your chores, the company will not succeed ... no task is too menial . "
Branson: "I knew Elon in those days, I am surprised that her hair is still black and not gray. Elon said there is a very fine line between success and failure. It is a matter of survival.
At Virgin, we have seen similar cases ... we had bank managers sitting on our doorstep ... The struggle to survive is essential, most companies do not survive. The important thing to know is that you will learn a lot by building your busniess. If you do not survive, and 8/10 busniesses do not survive, you should learn from this and try again. "
Their advice on the implementation of several projects at once
Musk: said not to.
"If you're in the early stages of a busniess, you need to focus your resources. If you broadcast them, your chances of success are much less. Do not try to run two busniesses at a time.
Focus on a single busniess, spend as many hours as possible on your project. Seven days a week, no breaks, no sleep. This is what you should do when you start a busniess ".
Branson. "Find someone to run your busniess from day to day is, hopefully, better than you Most of us do not have time to find this person, we remain completely immersed in it You. free to have a family life, to look at the big picture, to take care of your body.
You are not necessarily the best person to run the busniess on a daily basis. "