Entrepreneurial Network Quotes

Ultimately, I'd love to see a legacy company that has alumni that come out of it and go on to create other big things. A maple-syrup mafia, a HootSuite mafia.

We think of the Techstars product as not really the accelerator but the network. That's what entrepreneurs should be valuing here. I think it's the most undervalued thing that many entrepreneurs don't get.

My relationship with Silicon Valley and the tech community historically has been really good. Many of these folks are my friends.

In 2007, there weren't any other accelerators, at least that I was aware of. We were almost the prototypical Y Combinator founders: We were highly technical but had never done a startup before. We also didn't know anyone in the Valley - investors, other entrepreneurs, potential hires. YC seemed like a great way to bootstrap that network.

Super early-stage companies have a village that form around them for support.

More important than starting any startup, is getting to know a lot of potential co-founders.

I think it's smart to always keep an eye on the companies that sit within incubator communities, which bring together the skills and expertise needed to grow an enterprise.

Having been a venture-backed CEO, and having an established background in working with consumer-focused companies, I've built a strong network of entrepreneurs and people who can help startups.

I think Kansas City has one of the strongest entrepreneurial ecosystems in the country.

If you're in a city where there's no clear startup community, the goal is not raise a bunch of money to fund a nonprofit; the goal is not get your government involved. The goal is start finding the other entrepreneurial leaders who are committed to being in your city over the next 20 years.