Adam Schlesinger Quotes

I guess there are people who are like, 'Here's one thing, and I'm gonna do it,' but I can't. I don't have the capacity to have that singular focus. I need to try to get a lot of things going 'cause you never know what's gonna hit.

People say sometimes that I'm distracted. I'm not distracted. I'm being smart. I'm capitalizing while the iron is hot. That's why I'm trying to do movies. I do the podcast. I do a radio show. I work on FOX. I have a gym; I have a lot of things going on. That's because when I'm done, I want to be set up.

In the media business and as a creative executive, if you don't take risks, you're dead in the water. Calculated risk-taking is essential for success.

I'm always investing and building things at the same time.

I believe in always having a lot of irons in the fire.

I'm always trying to do as many different things as I can, just so when one is not doing so hot, maybe the other is still there.

American business at this point is really about developing an idea, making it profitable, selling it while it's profitable and then getting out or diversifying. It's just about sucking everything up.

When you've got a great business going, you go open another and take the risk of losing the whole thing. It's fun!

My philosophy is that if I have any money I invest it in new ventures and not have it sitting around.

I think everyone in Hollywood works on multiple things because you never know what's going to happen with your projects.

The man who knows it can't be done counts the risk, not the reward.

You cannot take all the chances you get.

If you spend most of your effort preventing bad things from happening you will also prevent many good things from happening.

I never wanted to go to drama school. I thought that was too many eggs in one basket.

One of my philosophies of building companies is the importance of velocity.

It's very rare that a person, especially in his twenties and thirties, can do more than one business and do it well.

The nature of the music business is such that it's better to have a few chances for some things to be successful than just one, and that's kind of been my attitude all along.

I've always juggled a lot of projects because at least half the projects you do get shelved. So you have to do a lot of things in order for things to move forward.

Whenever you're at a poker table - and you're betting all of your chips - you're worried, you're scared. Is it the right play? Have I thought through all the angles? That's what stinks about life and business in general. If I had to calculate 100% certainty on every deal I did, I literally would do zero deals.

Ultimately the clothing company is a large investment on my part, and I'm taking a huge gamble. But having a focus away from the track is good for you.

He that counts all cost will never put plough in the earth.

The cost of being wrong is less than the cost of doing nothing.

The thing I preach constantly is do your research; build your knowledge base. Don't just go into business on a whim or a prayer - and don't think 'I'm an entrepreneur so I have to take risks'. Entrepreneurs don't take risks. They take calculated risks; only the good ones.

Load the ship and set out. No one knows for certain whether the vessel will sink or reach the harbor. Cautious people say, 'I'll do nothing until I can be sure.' Merchants know better. If you do nothing, you lose. Don't be one of those merchants who wont risk the ocean.

I've got my fingers in many pies and I'm very excited about creating stuff and watching it blossom and bloom and harvest it and get on with the next thing.