Apple hasn’t been on my radar until recently, when it started coming out with the ipod, followed by the sleek aluminum macbook. As a kid, I always hated the Macintosh computers in school. They were slower than windows, less intuitive, and not conducive to gaming. Also, when I started to get into programming in high school, I hated how Apple computers had such closed systems and how it was difficult to fiddle with their hardware. All the way up until college, I was a die hard windows or linux fan. However, when the aluminum macbook came out, I fell in love and haven’t looked back.

I was in London when Jobs died. It was a big shock. I had no idea he was suffering from cancer and it felt really strange because he’s around my dad’s age. Shortly after, the biography came out and I remember most articles I read said it was scathing, unfriendly, and ugly. Well, being a young entrepreneur, full of dreams and passion, you can imagine what was #1 on my Christmas list. I wanted to learn who this man really was and whether he was an Edison or a Rockefeller. A Benjamin Franklin or an Andrew Carnegie.

Before I give my thoughts on this book, I want to say that Walter Isaacson did a brilliant job of capturing this man on the page. Using extensive research, flowing prose, and keen psychological analysis of a deep and complex character, he weaves this compelling and informative narrative that makes the book a guaranteed seller. I’ve read his other books on Benjamin Franklin and Einstein, and hope that he continues to write  biographies for the rest of his life.

There is one belief or driving force that I think has existed all throughout Job’s life and it is a common belief among people who leave behind something we call “legacy.” It’s the kind of belief system that I believe Alexander the Great must have had, and it’s summed up in this quote from Job’s Standford Commencement Address: “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

It’s like the quote from the movie Alexander: “The fear of death drives all men.”

I think that Job’s need to do something great, to forward the human race, to keep achieving and creating despite what he had already created, and to be remembered is what led to his incredible focus, hard work, and success. He had this idea in his mind that he was going to die young and wanted to do all he could before  that happened. When you understand that desperate need, it’s easier to understand why he ignored his family so much, how he summoned the strength to keep going, and the reason he took such huge risks, often betting the company when it wasn’t necessary.

So, just like Alexander the Great, he had this desire, but unlike Alexander, he considered himself an artist, not a military general. Instead of conquering nations, he sought to bring products into the world that did not exist  before and held them to rigorous and perfectionist standards.

When he talks about what drives him, he seems to give off less of an egotistical or control freak nature than what is portrayed in the biography: “I think most creative people want to express appreciation for being able to take advantage of the work that’s been done by others before us…A lot of us want to contribute something back to our species and to add something to the flow…We try to use the talents we do have to express our deep feelings, to show our appreciation of all the contribution that came before us, and to add something to that flow.”

A lot of entrepreneurs say that the greatest ventures one will create are inline with one’s passions. For Jobs, this was combining his need to be an artist with his interest in technology. In short, he sought to combine the  humanities with science.

I spoke in my last post about the different types of entrepreneurs that exist. Some do market research in order to understand where there are gaps in the market place and how they can take advantage of those gaps. Others seek to solve problems that individuals have with new or slightly altered products. Then, there are entrepreneurs who create products that people don’t realize they “need” until they see it. Jobs certainly was not an inventor or engineer, but he did have the ability to understand this last category of people and push his employees to develop innovative products that people didn’t realize they needed.

“Some people say ‘Give the customers what they want.’ But that’s not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they’re going to want before they do. I think Henry Ford once said, ‘If I’d asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, ‘A faster horse!’ People don’t know what they want until you show it to them. That’s why I never rely on market research. Our task is to read things that are not yet on the page.’”

I think it’s clear to anyone who reads this book that Jobs is a master salesman, an expert handler of people, and has an incredibly intuitive sense about the marketplace and aesthetics. Despite these amazing qualities, there is this strange thing about reading this book and learning how he grew up. You get this sense of how ordinary and human he is. I feel like some people are idealized as gods by the media, and it’s wonderfully refreshing to be able to come away from this book and be able to think about how on many levels, he’s no different than me or my friends. It might seem pretentious to say something like that knowing how much he accomplished and how he revolutionized six industries, but it’s completely true. To reinforce that belief, I’m going to provide a short video from when he was younger:

Well, I’m certainly not saying very much about his bad qualities. In a lot of ways he reminds me of Howard Hughes, a very successful and driven man with many personal issues and odd mannerisms. There is no doubt that he put a lot of his personality into Apple products and the company’s organization, but I’m going to stay away from some of the ugly things in his past. They do serve to make him more human. Since I want to be an entrepreneur, I mentally glossed over a lot of the negative things and focused on emulating the positive, but all I can say is after reading this book, my mom hated the man and wanted nothing to do with him or his products.

I remember Will Smith saying in one of his interviews that he believes that all successful people have to have a delusional quality to them because they have to believe that something different will happen that hasn’t happened to anyone else around them. Steve Jobs had a similar “reality distortion” field that he used to get people to give their best, to stay ahead of the competition, and in less admirable cases, ignore his daughter born out of wedlock, ignore that he needed to seek medical attention for cancer, and ignore the horrible effects of his strange diets. In hand with a natural charisma, Job’s reality distortion field reminded me of something that a cult leader would employ to get his or her loyal followers to behave how they wish. It was actually incredibly effective and it’s very interesting reading about how he used this to his advantage.

For example, he would convince employees that they were capable of performing incredible production feats, despite a seemingly inadequate deadline length or lack of technological ability. Then, amazingly, they would perform these feats (and often be up day and night doing so). I guess people truly can do more than they think they are capable of.

His ability to create a reality distortion field was married with his knack for creating a team of A players. He had this firm belief that A players only want to work with other A players and that B players often let C players creep into the organization because they are self-conscious about their own performance and want to appear better. By giving these A players harsh feedback and holding them to a high standard, he was able to cultivate the creation of wonderfully beautiful and technologically advanced products.  His ultimate test was to create products that the engineers themselves would want to use.

“If you want to live your life in a creative way, as an artist, you have to not look back too much. You have to be willing to take whatever you’ve done and whoever you were and throw them away.”

I think this is the reason that Jobs continually sought to re-invent himself and his company.

This book was incredible and is a must read for all entrepreneurs and technologists. I’d like to end this entry with a quote from an Apple advertisement.

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

This book made me think about the difference between an entrepreneur and a businessman. I think the biggest difference between someone who is an entrepreneur at heart and someone who is a businessman at heart is how they approach business. When I think of an entrepreneur, I think of Steve Jobs, Marc Cenedella, and Richard Branson. When I think of a businessman I think of Warren Buffett, Donald Trump, and Andrew Carnegie. When I think of an inventor, I think of Steve Wozniak .

In my opinion, there are two types of entrepreneurs. One cares about delivering a great product or service that truly adds value to the world or revolutionizes an industry. Not only do they want to deliver innovative products or services, they also want to create enduring business around them. They don’t care as much about money as they do about their work and legacy. The other type of entrepreneur spots opportunities where consumer demand is unmet or there is possibility for product improvement. They then create a business around this opportunity. I think they definitely enjoy the game, but care more about money than the first type of entrepreneur. Obviously, individuals may have a little of both of these mentalities. I think the biggest difference between entrepreneurs and inventors is that inventors don’t work as hard to build businesses around their inventions and either give them away or sell them. An example could be Benjamin Franklin. Inventors have more of an engineer’s mentality than a business mentality.

Businessmen are much more interested in using money as a scorecard for their success. That doesn’t mean they are greedy or only care about money, but they definitely enjoy the game of buying, selling, and sometimes creating, and use money to gauge how successful they are at their endeavors. I think they are far less likely to “create” than to buy or sell or improve a business. Warren Buffett is probably the best example. He is clearly in the business of making money and will often give heavy weight to the numbers behind a business and the ability of the employees to grow and expand the business. He doesn’t create or directly foster the innovation of new products, he allocates capital. In the spectrum of entrepreneurs and investors, I think that businessmen have more of an investor’s mindset than an entrepreneur’s mindset.

All this being said, I see Richard Branson as the first type of entrepreneur. He is a creative visionary who cares less about money than he does about creating great products, services, and organizations.

“I am aware that the idea of business as being fun and creative goes right against the grain of conventions, and it’s certainly not how they teach it at some of those business schools, where business means hard grind and lots of discounted cash flows and net present values.”

There are four main lessons I learned from this book, despite Branson’s urging not to follow magic success formulas and to break the rules and do your own thing.

1. Hit the ground running. (Branson relies mostly on his instincts and intuition. Although he analyzes the situation, he executes before doubt sets in)

2. Build a great team around you. Reward them and praise them.

3. Have fun with it. (You can tell he thoroughly enjoys his work and makes sure to exercise the creative side of his brain)

4. Be on the consumer’s team. Work FOR the consumer. Don’t try to cheat the consumer out of their money or take advantage of them.

“My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unachievable, challendges and trying to rise above them.”

““Above all, you want to create something you are proud of. That’s always been my philosophy of business. I can honestly say that I have never gone into any business purely to make money. If that is the sole motive, then I believe you are better off doing nothing.”

“Looking to the future, I had no idea whether Virgin Cola would become a global leader in soft drinks or not, but, as with all of our businesses, I keep an open mind…The decision to launch Virgin Cola was founded on three key things: finding the right people, the positive use of the Virgin brand name, and protection of the downside.”

“He’s not a real businessman, he inherited his money.”

“He’s just  another slimy rich bastard out to make money off of glitz and glamour.”

Like most people, I  have been exposed to one aspect of his personality through his television show, The Apprentice, and like most people, I have read about the casinos, beauty pageants, and the lavish Trump Tower in newspapers and magazines. However, I wanted to see for myself whether or not Trump’s success is born from his upbringing and family background or whether it is the result of shrewd business tact. I figured the best way to do that would be to read his well-known known book, The Art of the Deal. I have divided this review into two sections: My Review and What I Learned (and can apply to my own business life).

My Review

Should you pay $8 on amazon to read this book? First of all, no, get it used. Second of all, it really depends on what you are looking for. If you’re looking to better understand his rise to fame and fortune, then yes. It’s really remarkable the juggling acts he performed as a real estate developer, often times having to convince multiple parties to agree with him and get on the same page. It’s even more impressive how he mitigated risk, persuaded lawmakers, businessmen, and city officials (despite having no track record), and used the press to his advantage.

If you want to be an entrepreneur, I’d say that this book is not a “must read.” As a real estate developer, Trump is far more of a businessman than an entrepreneur. Of course he spots opportunities and organizes resources to take advantage of new high risk ventures, but I think he really shines more as a businessman. When you think about the word “deal,” you’ll get a better understanding of what this book is about. In simple terms, a deal is an agreement where one party is selling and one party is buying. One party is doing the persuading and the other needs to give the “okay” or buy into the opportunity. Negotiations simply refer to deciding on the terms of the deal, whether that be price, ownership, or future privileges. So, this book is about Trump convincing a lot of people to buy into the opportunities he creates, and he does it brilliantly.

If you want to be a businessman or an entrepreneur who also manages his or her venture, this book will be invaluable. It gives an in-depth look of how negotiations work and how to manage people. It’s also interesting to see how Trump partners with other businesses in order to give his projects more profitability and authenticity.

Is Trump a real businessman? It’s true that he had family money and was able to learn about the real estate business from a young age from his father, but financial resources are not what cause success. If that were true, investors wouldn’t care about business teams. I believe what determines success in business is how well you use all of the resources available to you, be they financial or social. It comes down to your business skills and who you are as a person. Without a doubt, Trump is a brilliant businessman and would not have been able to attain the level of success he now enjoys were it not for his passion, ability to understand people, and knack for spotting opportunities.

Another rich bastard who only cares about money? I think that caring about money is part of what develops your hunger in the early years of business, but there also needs to be a stronger desire to build something that wasn’t there before. From all of the business men and women I’ve read about, I’ve come to the conclusion that you either need a passion for the game or a passion to create. Let’s be honest, if all he cared about was money, he wouldn’t still be in the game making deals. I think he genuinely enjoys the game and is playing it for life.

What I’ve Learned

Business is people. There is no other way to say it. Reading this book has shown me that developing relationships can go a very long way and that learning how to persuade others while still maintaining integrity is invaluable. That also means it’s important to know your customers, which Trump did by constantly asking questions to understand how people viewed the world, his ideas, and his products

You are only as good as your product. Donald Trump would spend so much time and energy making sure he created quality products and delivered on time. It built into his reputation over time and made for smoother sailing in later years.

Mitigating Risk. I was surprised the steps that Trump would go to to mitigate or in some instances almost completely eliminate risk. At the same time, he knew when to take the calculated risks. It’s very smart business tactics and I think that people who play the game in the long run all have this in common.

Psychology. I’m a big believer that talent will only take you so far. Maybe that’s because I don’t think I’m a born businessman or entrepreneur. But one thing I’ve seen over and over again is successful business people saying that in the long run what has made them successful is complete focus on improving their skills and producing quality work. Trump is no different and I think that the psychology he has developed has played a large role in his success. Thinking Big. Dreaming. At the same time, taking action and focusing on the present project at hand. In the realm of psychology, he also taught me to leverage “public anticipation” and “sensationalize” in terms of public relations and marketing.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed this book! Especially the early years when he was first getting started. The idea that he started with $200,000 right out of college is kind of astounding, but it’s in no way the hundreds of millions of family money that people make it out to be.

“To me it’s very simple: if you’re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big.”

I think there is something important to be said about what a hero is. To me, a hero represents possibilities. “If he can do it, so can I!” It’s someone whose story holds emotional weight. Not only do you admire their achievements, but more importantly, you see a part of yourself in these men and women. You may have the same desires or goals, come from a similar background, or have the same outlook on life. It doesn’t really matter how you connect, just that you connect. That’s the difference between someone you hold in high regard and someone that’s a hero in your life.

I think it’s important to have heroes because it makes climbing the mountain much easier. It’s far less difficult to attempt something if you’ve done it before and succeeded, but it’s also less difficult if someone you identify with has achieved a goal that you are reaching after. Lastly, I feel like having heroes represents a challenge. Not necessarily to attain the same level of success that they have, but to be daring enough to chase your dreams, even if you might fail.

My heroes have changed so much in the past year and a half, probably because  my dreams have changed. Up until last fall, I had never taken a business course, didn’t know the difference between a stock and a bond, thought that economics was just a subject about confusing graphs, and abhorred the notion that I lived in a capitalistic society where people only care about money. I distinctly remember making an argument to my parents that I wish we lived in an economy where everyone was paid the same amount so that I wouldn’t have to worry about money and just spend my days writing fiction. Boy, have my views changed!

My wall of heroes now includes:

Warren Buffett. Unlike so many money loving dishonest businessmen, he is actually passionate about investing and business and wants to make the world a better place. I, along with the rest of the world, really connect with his down to earth manners, practical investing style, and humble outlook on life. I think he has built a company unlike the world has ever seen before and has done it by playing by the rules and working hard. To me, he just represents the opposite of all this high brow men in suits corporate nonsense.

Andrew Carnegie. After reading his autobiography, I felt compelled to add him to the list. Like Warren Buffett, he had such a caring disposition towards his employees and partners, played the game honestly, and was still able to amass a business empire. I think the difference between achieving something and achieving something while maintaining integrity and later striving to give something back is the difference between a man and a great man.

Felix Dennis. I identify with Felix Dennis because represents the quintessential rags to riches tale and was daring enough to craft the story into a book. I like how he titles the book “How to get rich.” I hate how there is some kind of stigma associated with wanting to be rich, and most people just say “I want to be a successful businessman.” I also love him because he has this no nonsense attitude towards life. He cuts the crap and tells you how it is. On top of all this, he’s a well known poet!

Sylvester Stallone. Another underdog story. I’m guessing everyone has seen Rocky.

Alexander the Great. Does this really need an explanation?

Arnold Swarchenegger. One of the downsides to having heros is that you sometimes have to concentrate on their achievements rather than their personal life. Let me put it out there now that I don’t admire him at all for the way he’s treated women. However, he is a great inspiration to me both in the gym and out. If you get a chance, watch some youtube videos of his “rules of success.” It’s incredible how he’s gone from a nobody to a body building champion to a movie star to a public servant. I like how he asks himself what he wants and then just goes out and does it, not matter how many people criticize him.

Tony Robbins. I mainly view him as a hero because of his life advice. For those of you who don’t know, he’s a compelling motivational speaker and actually is one of the people who started me off with the “modeling” mentality. Picking models and emulating their life outlook, psychology, and actions has helped me gain some success in the gym and I hope this will translate to the business world.

Tom Cruise. Again, sometimes you have to ignore their personal lives. The reason Tom Cruise is on my list is that every time I have to give a presentation, I try to picture the way he speaks in my mind and imitate that sheer force of conviction. It helps that he’s the same height as me and at the same time is still able to give a passionate performance that moves, intimidates, and excites people. It just seems like every word he says is so definite and has such power. I’m not saying that what he says is actually meaningful. It’s the way he says it and his facial expressions.

Leonardo DiCaprio. Have you ever listened to him in an interview? If not, you should. He has this idea that every movie choice he makes should be more challenging than the last. It forces him to grow and be a better actor. That’s the kind of life I want to lead. Instead of shying away from challenge and possible failure, seeking it out. With so many people watching, it would be pretty devastating if he failed, but I guess he reasoned it’s better to step up to the plate than act in a B rated movie that might get commercial success but not help him improve his skills.

Will these people change by next year? Probably. Will my dreams change? I kind of doubt it because I feel like I found what I was meant to do with my life. Maybe though, who knows. These are my heroes. Have you thought about yours?

The second reason I picked up this book is that after you’ve read books on business, gone to lectures, and competed in competitions, a lot of the “rules of success” tend to be repeated (which is good, it means they are true). However, I feel like it would be a waste of my time to read a book that simply lists some pieces of advice. I wanted to learn from book centered around entrepreneurial stories because they more compelling, they are inspiring, and you get to see how other entrepreneurs tackle business problems.

Lastly, I’ve had great experiences with Harvard in the past. I took two classes there during high school to learn about creative writing and screenwriting. The teachers were wonderful, but more importantly, the books I was introduced to were seriously life changing. I hoped that this book would follow suite.

What follows are my thoughts on the book. After that, I’ve included a section about what I’ve learned and what I plan to do now that I have read it.

My Review

Okay, let me first say that I really enjoyed this book and found it both compelling and informative. I’m happy for spending my 16 dollars and would gladly spend it again to read this book. However, you must go into this book knowing that about 30 percent is going to seem like a sell for harvard business school. I don’t know if the author intended that, but that’s the way it comes across. That being said, I learned so much from the stories of these three entrepreneurs and the author’s ten rules of success.

I’m genuinely surprised this book hasn’t gotten more press attention or reviews. There are only like 3 reviews on amazon. Being a young and hopeful entrepreneur, I really identified with all of the people and think Murphy did a great job with the style and format of the book. There is this one paragraph in the book that really stuck with me through all the chapters.

“As you read their stories, I hope you’ll keep in mind that they are living, breathing human beings who started out just like most of us- With a hunger to succeed, but also with the usual array of fears and insecurities. Each of them sat alone in a room with a blank sheet of paper and developed an idea. They wrote business plans. They attracted teammates and partners. They raised money. They built prototypes. They launched; they built brands; they scaled up their businesses.”

I didn’t realize it until I started meeting real entrepreneurs, but when you don’t know someone who has actually taken the leap, the possibility of success in an already mysterious discipline seems very intangible and distant. Like he said, these are REAL entrepreneurs who are alive today. So many times the media makes successful people out to be two dimensional, like Andrew Carnegie. I’m glad Murphy presented these individuals as three dimensional personalities and explores their inner motivations, fears, and dreams.

Overall, I would give this book a four out of five stars. The ten successful rules of business complemented by the entrepreneurial stories makes this a fascinating and informative read, but you have to ignore the sales pitch for HBS. Otherwise, you’ll probably end up putting it back on the shelf after a quick glance.

What I’ve Learned

There are so many things I learned from this book. I strongly encourage budding entrepreneurs to read it, not just for the lessons, but to see how other businessmen solve problems. While competing in my first business competition, I was able to contribute meaningful ideas because I’ve read about problems businessmen face and their solutions. If you would like a PDF or word doc of my notes, you can contact me. For now, I’ll just give an abbreviated version. I’m going to concentrate on new lessons I learned, meaning those that I have not been introduced to before.

The #1 thing I learned from reading this book is that there is nothing fancy about coming up with an idea and starting a business, but the truly successful businesses are built around a solution to a problem that is shared by many people. As I read about how each of these entrepreneurs began, I kept thinking to myself: wow, I can do that.

For example, Marc Cenedella, the founder of TheLadders.com, began assessing demand for a high income jobs website by sending out a free newsletter every week to his friends and colleagues that listed upwards of 300 high paying quality jobs he’d found advertised on the internet. As he got feedback from his friends and gained subscribers, he realized there really was demand for this website service he had been dreaming up.

Aside from learning that there isn’t anything fancy about thinking up an idea and testing it, I learned to build my business ideas around problems I observe in my life. Often times, I tend to come up with clever business ideas that sound really interesting, but that might not solve any type of problem existing in the market. The best businesses provide a solution to a problem and the bigger the number of people who share the problem, the better the potential for the business in the beginning years. In addition, the author argues that it’s best to focus on problems you encounter in your life, because you then will understand your potential customers best. Most of these entrepreneurs ended up being their business’s “ideal” customer, which gave them insight into consumer behavior.

Another lesson I learned is the difference between pleasure and pain businesses and good business ideas vs. bad business ideas. I don’t think I can explain this better than a quote, so here you go:

“Does the problem you’ve identified relate to the promotion of pleasure, or to the prevention of pain?…Pleasure businesses solve less urgent problems. They can sometimes be great, but the success rate is much lower.”

The last important lesson I learned is to dream big and to strive to build a scalable business. I’ve always been kind of afraid to dream big because when you tell people something like “I want to be the leading company providing educational study tool videos online,” people look at you like you’re crazy. If you’ve actually accomplished that goal and then in interviews look back and say this is what your mission was, then it just makes you look like a baller. But if you say it before you’ve done it, I’ve found it can turn people off because they think your head is too far into the clouds.

This book encouraged me to keep dreaming big because having that mindset completely changes the way you make decisions and build your business. In the book, it could have been the difference between Marla Malcolm Beck being the founder of a multimillion dollar cosmetics company, bluemercury, or the owner of a few cosmetic stores in Washington, DC.

After reading this book, I think I will search out some business case studies so I can feel more comfortable with making and analyzing decisions. In addition, I’ve decided to participate in the george washington university business plan competition with a problem centered idea. Wish me luck!

I’ve started another blog which can be viewed here. Yes, I’m still going to contribute to this one. I’m in the process of reading The Intelligent Entrepreneur by Bill Murphy. This new blog is centered around an obsession I’ve developed over the years: bulldogs. My mission is to make you smile and maybe, just maybe, my unhealthy love for bulldogs will rub off on you.

Yours,

The Thought Hole

When I first saw a poster in the hallway for the CitySpark business plan competition, I thought of it largely as being a one time event. I thought you would spend weeks writing up your plan, submit it, and then you would pitch and it would end there. What I soon came to understand is that CitySpark is more than an event, it’s a coaching organization for entrepreneurs, and more importantly, a community.

For those of you who know me, you know I’ve done a fair amount of reading about business. Whether it’s Andrew Carnegie’s Autobiography, Rich Dad Poor Dad, How to Win Friends and Influence People,  or watching hours of interviews of Warren Buffet, Richard Branson, or Felix Dennis, I’ve always sought to learn more about this mysterious world of entrepreneurship. However, nothing compares to the amount of valuable information I’ve gained from the presentations by various CitySpark representatives, entrepreneurs, and investors. Should you decide to enroll in this competition or any business plan competition, take advantage of the presentations leading up to the event! Especially if they bring speakers who have real entrepreneurial experience.

In addition, if you know me, you know that I’m very fond of accomplishing tasks independently and, whether its exercise, school, or writing, take pride that I don’t need a community for motivation or help. If  I can’t accomplish the goal on my own, it means I need to dig deeper, find that hunger, and develop the kind of drive that will sustain me through the bad times. Unfortunately, this kind of mentality isn’t the best for business success. I quickly learned that cooperation and networking are invaluable for getting an idea off the ground.

As an introvert, the idea of “networking” was about as appealing as working the rest of my life for an employer. However, when I began to attend the CitySpark networking events, I was astounded by just how easy it is to talk with other people about business, entrepreneurship, and new ideas. Why? I think it’s simply because when you really are passionate about something, its that much easier to hold a conversation. It’s almost like there was an instant bottom line of rapport because everyone is interested in the same things. It can be very difficult convincing friends to back your business idea or to work for you (in return for equity) for free when they have a different mentality, but when you are with people who have a similar mindset, suddenly an enterprise seems much more possible.

Through the networking events set up by CitySpark, I met my competition partner, and even though I’m going back to America, I know that our business relationship and friendship will continue into the future. Never underestimate the power of being with a group of people with similar interests and similar goals. It’s not about competition, it’s about cooperation!

There is no substitute for meeting real world entrepreneurs. Nothing compares to talking to someone who has literally put his house on the line, used credit cards, all in the pursuit of a dream. You read about these people, but until you attend events like these, you never meet them. Let me just tell you… It’s an extremely powerful experience.

The last thing I want to say about my CitySpark experience is that should you decide to participate, take advantage of the mentor scheme. I was lucky to have an extremely dedicated and at the same time ruthless mentor who honestly criticized our idea, but not to the point where we were discouraged. Sincere feedback is very valuable. Family and friends don’t cut it.

Now, a bit about the competition. Note: this was an executive summary business plan competition, not a full business plan competition. The results? No, I didn’t win. Am I angry? No. Here’s the thing you  need to know about business plan competitions like these… you can do months of work, do everything in your power to demonstrate that there is demand, that there is a target customer niche, that the business model is profitable and sustainable, and that you have advisors and partners who will help get this off the ground, but unless the judges fully understand all of this within the time limit of five minutes AND believe you are passionate about the project, you will not win. Yes, you can be passionate, yes the business might have a high chance of success, but unless you communicate that and they believe it, you will not win.

Also, note that in executive summary competitions like these, the judges may not even read your business plan if they have so many to get through. It’s all about the pitch and your enthusiasm. Have you thought about it a bit and do you have enthusiasm for the project.

So how do you win? Well, this is simple, but it all comes down to what the judges think of your presentation. Unless you communicate in a way the judges like, you won’t win the specific competition. Does that mean your business won’t work? Of course not! You can have the best business plan in the world and maybe in a month you launch the company and it is extremely profitable. Does losing mean you don’t have business aptitude? Not at all! It means you need to work on your presentation skills (unless the judge had a question about the business plan you couldn’t answer, in which case you need to address that). I can’t stress enough that you need to have this mentality when going into one of these competitions.

I am something of an opportunist. I believe that in the long run, business skills and the ability to analyze opportunities is what breeds success. As Felix Dennis says…

“If you never have a single great idea in your life, but become skilled in executing the great ideas of others, you can succeed beyond your wildest dreams. Seek them out and make them work. They do not have to be your ideas. Execution is all in this regard.”

I thoroughly enjoyed this competition. I have learned so much about entrepreneurship and have made invaluable connections. It’s wonderful to be able to meet people my age who have the same goals as myself. Being young, whenever I’ve become doubtful about my future success as an entrepreneur, I  remember that it is the people around me who will be the successes or failures of the next generation. Make sure to surround yourself with people you love working with and who are just as passionate and driven as yourself.

My closing quote also comes from Felix Dennis:

“When the going gets tough, when all seems lost, when partners and luck desert you, when bankruptcy and failure are staring you in the face, all that can sustain you is a fierce compulsion to succeed at any price.”

I booked my train ticket from Venice to Florence through italiarail.com. It took about an hour and a half and cost $67. When I arrived in Florence, it was dark, and the only directions I had to my hostel were on a pdf google map on the desktop of my macbook.

Immediately, I felt unsafe, carrying around a thousand-dollar macbook, periodically checking to make sure I was going the right way. I might have felt safer if it had been an IPAD, but a laptop is kind of obvious to potential thieves. I highly suggest buying a detailed map beforehand, especially if you will be arriving at night. The google map was of little help because it didn’t have any landmarks. Also, I found that there were streets that were simply not listed on the google map. It took me around an hour to get to my hostel and I had to ask for directions several times.

Travel Note #1: Where to stay?

I stayed at “Florence Youth Hostel.” It was very difficult to find. If I had not been paying attention to the door buzzers I passed, I would have missed the little note that said “Florence Youth H,” in font no bigger than 12pt. Despite being difficult to locate, it was an extremely well kept hostel with clean bathrooms, showers, and free wifi until 12 a.m. It cost me 25.34 euro per night and was located close to all the major attractions. The only reservation I had about the hostel was that after the first night, I woke up with several bites on my arms. I didn’t know if they were from mosquitoes or bed bugs.

Why I Wanted to Visit Florence

There are three main reasons why I wanted to visit Florence. First, the city of Florence, like Venice, has this mystique and romance in the mind of Americans. I wanted to know what it felt like to walk the streets of Florence and gaze up at the beautiful buildings. Second, after watching so many movies that are set in Florence, I wanted to visit some of the sites featured like Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza S. Marco, and of course, the Duomo. Lastly, I wanted to see Michaelangelos’ David and be in the city of Leonardo Da Vinci.

Aside from visiting the usual tourist sites, I also tracked down some of the restaurants, buildings, and streets that were featured in Hannibal, one of my favorite movies. Unfortunately, Palazzo Capponi was closed to the public, but I was able to locate most of the other places. Without a doubt, I am a movie junkie, and I took great pleasure in being in the same places that Hannibal Lecter terrorized. One of my favorite memories is eating dinner at the same restaurant where Hannibal was reading about Clarice Starling in the newspaper and mentally composing a clever letter about her recent suspension from the FBI. As I brought a glass of red wine to my lips, I remember smiling, thinking about the movie and how I would never forget that moment. The wine was delicious and I savored it the way you would savor something like caviar. To the last drop.

In addition to tracking down the movie scenes from Hannibal, I also tried to find the Jersey Shore House. Unfortunately, there were many apartments that had the same door as the one on Jersey Shore, so I couldn’t be certain about its location. Maybe they planned it that way?

Travel Note #2: What to see?

I think there are four things you absolutely have to do if you are in Florence.

1. Go to the top of the Duomo. The ticket is around 10 euro and is well worth the cost! There is nothing as beautiful as gazing over the city of Florence and the surrounding valley. It is a truly breathtaking sight and no photo can do the feeling justice.
2. Go to Piazzale Michelangiolo and S. Miniato al Monte. The city of Florence rests in a valley and these two location give you a spectacular view. The first is this big half-circle with the statue of David in the center, gazing over Florence. You can see everything from here, but S. Miniato al Monte is far less crowded and much more peaceful. These locations are about a 15 minute walk from the Duomo across the Arno waterway.
3. See the bridge Ponte Vecchio. It’s featured in many movies and is quite beautiful. I say see, because walking across the bridge isn’t a must. It’s basically just a bunch of jewelry shops. You do get a nice view of the river though.
4. See the statue of David in Galleria dell’Accademia! Funny story. I waited in line for about forty minutes to see the statue of David, only to find out that they don’t accept debit card. Therefore, bring cash! It’s 12 Euro.  Sadly, no international student discount. I know that sounds like a lot for a statue, and if you’ve been walking around, you’ve probably already seen at least two large replicas of the statue and numerous tourist shop replicas, but nothing compares to the original. I’ll admit, the museum doesn’t have much else than the statue of David, but the statue is incredible. When you see it, you just instantly understand why it is a masterpiece. I find it hard to put my finger on it, but it’s a combination of detail, pose, and size that just gives the statue a powerful presence.

Overall, the city is very small. I wouldn’t recommend spending more than two days there.

The Rewards of Staying in Hostels

Hostels might not be the best travel arrangement in terms of cleanliness and customer service, but they do offer something that hotels don’t: the ability to meet other travelers.

While I was in Florence, I met a lovely girl from Brazil who was also traveling throughout Europe. We were both only there for two days, but I really enjoyed sightseeing with her and having a wonderful dinner. When I look back on my Italy travel experiences, she ranks among the positive memories. It’s really interesting speaking with people from other countries about how they perceive the USA. I remember her telling me that she primarily viewed us as being stupid, uninformed, fat, into sports, and hungry consumers. I suppose that is true for a lot of Americans, but I was glad to show her that not everyone is like that in America. Interactions like these help me to remember why the public image of my country is so important and it makes me want to improve this image in anyway I can. It’s also just great to learn more about different parts of the world from people who actually live there. I knew nothing about Brazil, but after talking with her, might decide to travel there some day.

I keep forgetting the very simple fact that people make up the world! Staying in hostels helps remember this.

Conclusion

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Italy! After five days of traveling though, I was glad to get a hot shower and sleep in my own bed. I was afraid that for some reason or another (primarily finances), I wouldn’t get to visit Italy while I was studying abroad in London. Thankfully, I made it happen, despite being quite broke afterwards. Hey, you only live once, right! I feel like this itch deep within me to see and experience the romance of Venice and Florence has been satisfied. I can now leave London without any regrets and one day return to visit Rome and the rest of the countries in Europe. Caio!

Charles Dickens has never held much real estate in my mind. I read Great Expectations in high school, but didn’t much care for it and just remember that it was a very, very long book. After reading A Christmas Carol, I might go back and read Great Expectations. One of the first things that struck me about this work is how incredibly accessible Dickens’ writing style is. I think the main reason people shy away from older novels is that the writing is just so damn hard to understand. To my surprise, this book was a fast and enjoyable read. Another thing I found to be fascinating is how close the dialogue, story, and descriptions are to my favorite movie rendition of A Christmas Carol, where Patrick Stewart plays Ebenezer Scrooge. I suppose it was an easy transition to film because the book was carefully divided into scenes, apparently because it was released as weekly sections in the newspaper, rather than in its entirety. Well, I certainly give Mr. Dickens mad props for his ability to create characters and character names. All creative types know how difficult it is to create a character and especially to show how the character grows throughout the course of a book. Dickens does it so skillfully that you feel like these characters are real people.

Before I talk about why I read this book, some thoughts I have, and what it means to me, I’d like to spend a bit of time criticizing the storyline and dialogue. It’s quite obvious why certain lines of dialogue were cut from movie renditions of A Christmas Carol. In the book, Scrooge cries after the his first “realization.” Personally, I think this display of emotion is way off character and is not earned. I like how in the movie, he waits until the end to have a major catharsis. Also, to my displeasure, the character of Fran is less emphasized in the book. I feel like she is really the element in his life that captures innocence and beauty, the kind of emotions that might still exist deep within his heart. It was a pity Dickens didn’t develop her more. Lastly, I think the movies do a better job of showing how Scrooge grows throughout the experience. I feel like in the book, Scrooge accepts the conclusions too readily. In the movie, he is more true to character and doesn’t verbally relent (though he may be growing and changing inside), until near the end. Also, in the end of the book, Dickens kinds of breezes through the period where Scrooge is extremely happy and giving. The movie does it better justice.

I read this book because I’ve always enjoyed movie versions of A Christmas Carol and was curious as to what the print version is like. Also, with it being near Christmas and all, I was already in the mood, playing carols and songs. It was free on my Kindle too!

This story has always resonated with me (as it had with most Americans), especially now that I’m out to be a rich businessman. There are a few scenes and lines in the movie that just make you want to cry. Perfect moments, you know? One of them is this scene where Scrooge is watching his younger self-have a conversation with the great love of his life. Before this, he met her at this party and they were dancing until the wee hours of the morning, completely enamored with each other. Now, they are on this bench, alone, in the middle of a snowy park, having a serious conversation about the future.

I’m going to reproduce the movie version of the dialogue (it’s shorter). I actually only have the movie on VHS, which is at my house in another country, so this is from memory (couldn’t find the dialogue).

Scrooge: “There is nothing on which the world is so hard as poverty; and there is nothing it professes to condemn with such severity as the pursuit of wealth.”

Girl: “You fear the world too much. All your nobler hopes and dreams converge into one master ambition. Money.”

Scrooge: “What of it? Even if I’ve grown wiser, I haven’t changed towards you, have I?”

Girl: “In words, no.”

Scrooge: “How then?”

Girl: “In your changed nature. In everything that made me love you. Tell me, if you were free today, tomorrow, yesterday, would you choose a poor girl like me to marry? You who weigh everything by gain? No, there would be no profit in it.”

Scrooge: “You think not?”

Girl: “I know you wouldn’t my love, and that’s why I release you with a full heart for the love of the man you once were. May you be happy in the life you have chosen.”

She gets up and leaves and the older version of Scrooge, who is watching as an invisible observer, yells at his younger self to get up off the bench and go after her. But he doesn’t. He watches her leave and disappear into the snowy night.

You know those choices that haunt you? The ones where you had the opportunity to get up, to take action, but you decided not to? I feel like that moment captures this feeling completely and reminds me to never ever miss an opportunity to take action, because I may regret it for the rest of my life.

The other scene/character I’d like to talk about is Scrooge’s interactions with Fran. I feel like everybody has angels that are put on the earth just for them. People who you think about when you’re down, when you’re frustrated at the mass of men and women with their vacant faces and cold dispositions. When you feel like even if you laid down and died in the street, no one would really care or take notice. The sad truth is that the world would go on, just as it always has and just as it always will. But, there are those few people who are like a light in the darkness. With their innocence, desire to give and help, and completely dedicated and caring nature, they make this strange planet bearable. That’s what I think Fran (his step sister) is to Scrooge and it makes me feel like crying as you see how he comes to re-realize what she meant to him so many years ago. There are a few people in my life who do that and probably a few who don’t realize they do that. I hope I never forget that.

I think that this work is extremely well known because so many people can identify  with certain aspects of Scrooge’s personality. For most of my life, I have had a selfish disposition, have been much more content to be with myself than other people, and have seen no reason to help others when it wouldn’t directly benefit myself. I took pride in being a “loner” and that I didn’t need anybody’s help to attain what I want in this world. Very much like Scrooge, I found people to be disgusting, a nuisance, and a disease on this earth. I thought all that love and cooperation bullshit was for people who couldn’t get what they wanted by themselves or who didn’t have the balls to assert their independence. I’m slowly striving to change this, and every Christmas I think I soften a little bit more and am in the process of becoming a more emotionally mature and understanding person. It’s certainly not easy. I still prefer being by myself and am training myself to like people, rather than abhor them, but I’m making progress.

To me, that’s why the ending scenes are so uplifting. I hope some day to transform into a warmer, more receptive human being who cares for his fellow man and takes action to improve their existence. I do still want the money, but I plan to give a lot of it away as well. Every Christmas, I re-examine this story, the characters, and the message. Over the years, it’s been an interesting way to track my personal growth and changes. I love Christmas and all of the stories centered around this time of the year. If you have not, I urge you to read this book, if nothing else, to be able to say you did. Remarkably, it’s a fast read! All I can say is, I’m very glad Charles Dickens picked up the pen and decided to write.

The comment by an anonymous poster reads: “What you call “boring” some of us would die for – I grew up in an environment similar to what you read about in the Rosa Lee story. Believe me, if I could retire comfortably that would be great, but right now, at the age of 46, that is just a long distance dream for me.”

This comment really affected me. I’ve always spoken from the heart in my blog posts and have never had any intentions of offending anyone. I went back and re-read the post and I instantly understood what made this person write such a comment.

The reason I’m responding to this comment in a post is because I think it deserves a thoughtful answer. In the second half of the post, I come off as being extremely arrogant, selfish, and ungrateful. At the same time, everything I wrote was completely true when I wrote it. I come from a small suburban upper middle class town where the common pattern is: attend the high school academy, go to college, get a job, save a bit, have a family, contribute to your 401k/IRA, and retire when you can. I have never known anything except this pattern. I have never had to face hardship, hunger, or poverty. I have always had a roof over my head and during my childhood I had never been exposed to drugs, alcohol, or crime.

For this, I am extremely grateful. I truly do stand on the shoulders of far greater men and women than myself, mainly my mother and father. Had they not saved, worked like hell, and did everything in their power to succeed academically, my life would be very different. They both come from very poor family backgrounds and have worked all their lives to get to where they are today: where they own their own house, can support a child, and enjoy life. I feel extremely embarrassed re-reading that post and realizing how selfish I seem.

Although I am grateful, I also believe that it is the duty of a child to achieve more than his parents. They have worked hard to provide a comfortable lifestyle for me, and now it is my turn to dream big, work like hell, and provide an even more rich and lavish lifestyle for my children. In this book review, I come off as being disgusted and arrogant, but it’s really just an immature teenager trying to express that he wants to achieve and do great things.

I believe that our reality shapes our starting point. Rosa Lee took her starting point and dreamed of achieving a comfortable lifestyle where she could retire and provide for her children. Chris Gardner, the author of The Pursuit of Happyness, dreamed bigger and decided to become a wealthy stockbroker, despite having the same exposure to drugs and crime in his childhood. Always knowing a comfortable middle class lifestyle, my goal is to be a rich businessman and part of the upper 10 percent of wealthy Americans. You cannot compare Chris Gardner’s dream, my dream, or Rosa Lee’s dream. They all hold equal merit and are equally challenging. As for the dream of this commenter, I sincerely hope that through strength, determination, luck, and opportunity, they achieve their financial dream.

The last thing I would like to say in response to this comment is that I realize saying that a middle class existence is boring sounds childish, pompous, and unappreciative, but having only known this, it is true. “f you‘re not growing, you‘re dying. —Anthony Robbins.” This has been my reality for the last 18 years and even though I enjoyed the comfort, I felt like hell because I was not growing. I don’t believe that life is about achieving a state of comfort and then enjoying it for the rest of your life. I think that life is about continually stretching yourself  mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Even when I’m rich, I’m not going to just retire to some island and stop contributing to society. I’m going to look for the next challenge, the next thing to accomplish. There might come a point where you are tired, weather-beaten, and just want to hide away from the world in a comfortable mass of warm blankets, but for me, that is the time when I need to reevaluate what I’m doing and whether or not I’m enjoying it. I could write blog posts all day and never grow tired. I absolutely love blogging. I couldn’t do office work all day though. At the end of the day I would feel drained, down, and miserable. I think the difference there is doing something that you love vs. something you don’t. My goal is to earn enough money through business so that I am able to do what I love and maybe get paid for it.

I know that a lot of people get stuck in a job they don’t like because they need the money and haven’t been fortunate enough to have a drug/crime free upbringing. I think that no matter what situation you are in though, no matter how down or how tired you are, you have to dream big and enjoy the moment, because in all of life, the only thing that is constant is the present moment.

I invite further dialogue from this anonymous commenter and, as with everyone in my life, am willing to help you achieve your dreams in any way that I can.

- The Thought Hole