I would have to say that my mother's entrepreneurial perspective, and that of her father's, are very evident in my own outlook.

In the summer between my freshman and sophomore year, my grandfather got me a job at a local messenger company working on Wall Street. I was lucky enough to have been in the business during a stock market boom but just before the fax machine appeared on the scene, let alone email and the Internet. As a result, the messenger business was booming.

I think small groups have more collective wisdom than an individual.

However, I believe that large groups make markets, so serving the needs of large groups is a simple approach to success in business success. But that's no reflection on whether or not they're making wise moves or good calls. It's just about filling the need.

On a personal side, I found Bo Burlingham's Small Giants to be a great window into how business can be an extension of social change and the critical role the entrepreneur plays in creating progress in society.

There are not enough forums where institutions invite their workers to share their failures in a constructive way so the organization can move forward.

However, there's nothing more inspiring than a company that does solve problems and those problems are captured as part of a larger story.