When you think of the word "entrepreneur", who comes to mind? Whether you look at historical innovators such as Henry Ford or John D. Rockefeller or at today's headlines, there are just a handful of entrepreneurs who stand out in each generation. We recently talked to two of today's entrepreneurial icons - people whose names are synonymous with success, risk-taking , and independent thinking. How have they changed from their early days in business through today's volatile market, everchanging technology, and crowded business landscape? And how has their entrepreneurial spirit endured? Let's find out.
Michael Dell
As a college student, Michael Dell declared that he wanted to beat IBM. In 1983, he began conducting business out of his dorm room at the University of Texas in Austin, selling custom-made PCs and components. A year later, with $1000 in start-up capital, Dell officially set up his business and left school. "Begin an entrepreneur wasn't on my mind," insists Dell. "What was in my mind was the opportunity I saw ahead, which was so compelling."
He had no idea how big that opportunity really was. Dell Computer Corporation in now a $31.9 billion company. Though Dell himself had " no idea the Internet world come along," his company now runs one of the world's largest Windows-based e-commerce websites. These days, Dell spends most of his time planing company strategy. "Strategy is the biggest point of impact I can have as the company is much, much largest - it has 40,000 employees," he says. "So many ability to make an impact on anything else is pretty small."
Dell says he feels as entrepreneurial now as when he started."There are plenty of markets to discover," he says he feels as entrepreneurial now as when he started. "There are plenty of markets to discover," he says, "and each new venture requires tenacity and a willingness to take risks." Dell shares his thoughts on what being an entrepreneur is about below.
Q: How do you define "entrepreneur"?
A: Somebody who has a new idea, or different idea, and takes a risk, and works hard to make it work.
Q: How do you keep your entrepreneurial spirit alive?
A: There's always a new challenge, whether it's a new product line, a new customer, a new service, or some new milestone.
Q: What was your dream when you started out?
A: My plan was to sell built-to-order computer systems directly to end-users. I recognized there was a big opportunity there because of the inefficiencies of the indirect system.
Q: What would you hope to be your legacy?
A: Well, I don't plan to be remembered any time soon. I'm 36 years old.But I hope they would think, this is a guy who built a company that created tremendous value for its customers, its employees, and its shareholders. And perhaps, this is a guy who helped people realize the power of computing and the Internet. And then the last piece, which is something only few people would know, that this is a guy who was a great dad and a great husband.
Dell says he feels as entrepreneurial now as when he started."There are plenty of markets to discover," he says he feels as entrepreneurial now as when he started. "There are plenty of markets to discover," he says, "and each new venture requires tenacity and a willingness to take risks." Dell shares his thoughts on what being an entrepreneur is about below.
Q: How do you define "entrepreneur"?
A: Somebody who has a new idea, or different idea, and takes a risk, and works hard to make it work.
Q: How do you keep your entrepreneurial spirit alive?
A: There's always a new challenge, whether it's a new product line, a new customer, a new service, or some new milestone.
Q: What was your dream when you started out?
A: My plan was to sell built-to-order computer systems directly to end-users. I recognized there was a big opportunity there because of the inefficiencies of the indirect system.
Q: What would you hope to be your legacy?
A: Well, I don't plan to be remembered any time soon. I'm 36 years old.But I hope they would think, this is a guy who built a company that created tremendous value for its customers, its employees, and its shareholders. And perhaps, this is a guy who helped people realize the power of computing and the Internet. And then the last piece, which is something only few people would know, that this is a guy who was a great dad and a great husband.
Text by Neil J.Anderson
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