SA entrepreneurs kicking ass
Uncategorized Tagged AD:Dynamo, Inspiration. motivation, Sean Riley, Stephan Ekbergh, Travelstart January 21st, 2010When you read the news it is easy to get discouraged by all the bad stuff you see around you. Jobs being lost all over the show, businesses folding, bad economic data. Pick up a newspaper or hit the business websites and its far easier to find a failure story than it is to find a success story.
In fact – there is so much bad news out there that you might as well give up before you start right? I suppose you could – or you can step up to the plate, grit your teeth and MAYBE get through it.
Unfortunately this is often easier said than done and sometimes it takes a couple of role models to show the way. Today there were two entrepreneurs who I thought served as a bit of an inspiration when times were tough.
The first one was Sean Riley over at AD:Dynamo who has just dropped me a mail. Sean’s that crazy guy down in Cape Town who is apparently (depending on who you listen to) trying to take on Google with his own Pay-Per-Click network. Gasp – nobody could do that. It’s just not part of the world order. Maybe he won’t succeed but at least he has tried and there is news that this start-up company has developed some world-first technology. Well done Sean – a good inspiration to other entrepreneurs just to get out there, take a chance and create. Nice!
The second is from Travelstart entrepreneur Stephan Ekbergh who (contrary to some media reports) has not sold his business for billions. The real story is that he sold his Nordic ops and not quite for billions. But the point is he has created something that can be turned into something that can be sold down the line. He’s shown guts and determination and ultimately lives the entrepreneurs dream. Read his last blog post - I thought it made for an intriguing read.
The point I am trying to make is that you can look around you and see all the bad news – or you can look around you and see opportunities. You can see the world as a place of creation and innovation – or you can get sucked into the bad news and never be prepared to take that leap.
The choice is yours but I think these two guys have set the example that in the middle of this global recession there are still opportunities – it’s just a case of opening your eyes to see them.
Regards,
Marc Ashton
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January 22nd, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Hi Marc
Thanks for the article.
I agree on everything you are saying in your article.
I believe recession is a state of mind, so is default and bankruptcies.
People look around too much and worrry too much. You should be guided by your own heart and passion and simply go ahead.
There´s this guy, the founder of IKEA, he always says that most things are still not done.
Stephan
January 24th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
I remember sitting in the Bidvest AGM in 2009 and Brian Joffee had some words for the journalists there.
He cautioned that by always focusing on the negative, they’re making the recession that much harder and longer because it instils fear.
His message at the time was that people need to think for themselves and be sucked in by the recession talk.
March 11th, 2010 at 9:14 pm
Hey Marc – good post – and yes – too much focus on the negative, while there is still a huge amount of untapped positive business and life happening all around us. It is easy to get trapped in the negative, sensationalist media down-spiral. BUT – looking at the potential – WOW!
March 11th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
Bloody journalists always focusing on the negative! They should all be dragged out into the street and shot…
Yup – potential all around us. I read somewhere that in the US alone there is something like the equivalent of R500bn in venture capital money that can’t find a home.
Eve’s CrowdFund raise half a million bucks in a couple of days – the opportunities are there for people who open their eyes to them!